Alcohol-Related Cirrhosis in Your 30s: Karla’s Honest Story
Jul 14, 2025
I talk with Karla about something most people don't want to think about: the real health consequences of “normal” drinking. Karla developed alcohol-related cirrhosis in her early 30s—while living what many would call a high-functioning, successful life.
She wasn’t the stereotype of someone at “rock bottom.” She was managing a misunderstood anxiety disorder, working, taking care of responsibilities, and quietly worrying about how much she was drinking. She even had a specialist tell her to use alcohol to calm a hand tremor—normalizing something that would nearly kill her.
We explore how her health declined quietly, with subtle signs she almost ignored (like checking her eyes for yellow). Karla also talks about the silence and shame surrounding alcohol-related liver disease, especially for women who are taught drinking is just “part of life.”
Most importantly, Karla shares what shifted when she finally got honest about what alcohol was doing to her body, and how that honesty changed everything.
If you’ve ever told yourself you’re “fine” while quietly worrying about your drinking, this is for you.
In This Episode, We Talk About:
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How Karla’s drinking was normalized, even encouraged by medical advice
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The slow, quiet progression to cirrhosis while maintaining a “normal” life
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Anxiety, self-medication, and the myth of “harmless” social drinking
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Checking for yellow in her eyes; small signs something was very wrong
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The shame and silence around liver disease in younger women
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How honesty became the first step toward healing and freedom
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Why we need to talk openly about alcohol’s real health risks
Listen to Sober Fit Life here
🔗 Connect with Karla:
And She Came Tumbling Down: Breaking the Bonds of Alcohol and Creating a Life of Freedom
