Drew Barrymore has been open about her history with substance abuse, and has long lived a sober life. She relapsed after a difficult 2016 divorce from Will Kopelman, but has since found her way back to a healthy balance. She wrote an essay in the December 2022 issue of Drew magazine about using sobriety as an act of self-care. The actor called going teetotal as "one of the most liberating things in my journey of life".
She added advice for others, too, writing: "One of the bravest things you can do is slay those dragons and finally change an awful cycle in which you've found yourself stuck. For me, it was to stop drinking. Giving up alcohol was a way for her "to finally become free of the torture of guilt and dysfunction." While not everyone needs to ditch alcohol specifically, the point, according to Barrymore, is simply acknowledging that it's alright to make yourself a priority.
Ultimately, "This has been the best decade of my life, without question," she told People in 2022. "It wasn't just the most awesome, it was the one where I feel like I've slayed more dragons than I ever have in my whole life."