Quit Like a Woman: The Radical Choice to Not Drink in a Culture Obsessed with Alcohol

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of substance use, addiction,

In Quit Like a Woman, Holly Whitaker is highly critical of society’s perception of alcohol and alcohol addiction. In her analysis, Whitaker exposes what she feels is the arbitrary distinction between alcohol and other harmful substances. In doing so, she encourages the reader to shift their perception of alcohol, which Whitaker argues is not a harmless indulgence but a toxic, addictive substance.

Whitaker tries to persuade the reader to share her perception of alcohol by thoroughly investigating the latest research on alcohol and its impact on human health. She points to research that shows alcohol’s classification as a “depressant” that negatively impacts mental health by providing a short-term boost but resulting in longer-term depression or anxiety (55). Her extensive list of alcohol’s harms includes sleep deprivation, decreased detoxification, blood sugar imbalances, neurological problems, microbiome issues, and premature aging. She concludes, “Alcohol does so much damage to our bodies that to mention all the ways it impacts us physiologically would fill an entire book; consuming alcohol—any amount of alcohol—disrupts every process, system, and organ of the body” (55). Whitaker uses scientific investigation and a comprehensive list of the harm caused by alcohol to bolster her argument that alcohol is just as damaging as other substances that society sees as much more dangerous.