Journey to Sobriety: Barbara Face Overcomes Alcoholism at 70

Barbara Face, a 70-year-old former training manager from Phoenix, has turned her life around after struggling with alcoholism for more than 55 years. After starting to drink at the age of 14, she faced numerous challenges throughout her life, using alcohol as a means to escape her problems. Her journey to sobriety began over a year ago with the help of an innovative app designed to assist individuals in managing their alcohol intake.

Face recalls her first experience with alcohol vividly. At a church retreat, a boy brought a six-pack of beer, leading to a memorable moment that would shape her future. “I had the occasional, tiny taste of it when my parents had it with a meal, but this experience was different,” she shared. The numbing effect of alcohol allowed her to forget about her troubled home life, setting the foundation for a decades-long struggle with addiction.

Throughout her teenage years, Face relied on older peers to buy sweet, fortified wine, noting that while her friends drank moderately, her consumption escalated. By the time she turned 18, she celebrated her birthday in a bar across the border in Wisconsin, where the legal drinking age was lower than in her home state of Minnesota. This marked the beginning of a pattern that would lead to a tumultuous relationship with alcohol.

Her early adult life included a brief marriage and a subsequent divorce, both of which contributed to her reliance on drinking as a coping mechanism. In her early 30s, a night of heavy drinking culminated in a car accident that left her shaken. Despite attending a treatment center and initially becoming sober, Face eventually fell back into old habits, consuming up to two bottles of vodka every weekend.

Face’s drinking worsened during her time in a Master’s program at Ohio State University, where nightly drinking became a routine. “I had terrible hangovers and felt ashamed and guilty,” she admitted, reflecting on the toll alcohol took on her life. A job transfer took her to Birmingham, Alabama, where her erratic behavior at work led to her supervisor’s concerns. Despite the chaos, she managed to maintain her job and later moved to Phoenix.

After two decades of grappling with alcohol dependency, a health scare served as a wake-up call for Face. In September 2024, during a routine check-up, her doctor informed her that her blood pressure was dangerously high and that she was approaching pre-diabetes. Faced with these stark realities, she received an email marketing an app aimed at reducing alcohol consumption. Intrigued, she downloaded it and began exploring the effects of alcohol on her health.

The app guided her through the process of reducing her alcohol intake. “I started to reduce my drinking by 10%, and then more,” Face explained. She began measuring her wine and sipping it during meals, gradually learning about the recommended limits for women her age. The support she found in online groups helped her stay motivated and accountable.

As she cut back, Face noticed significant improvements in her mental and physical well-being. “Cutting back lifted my depression a bit,” she stated, describing how her insomnia started to diminish and her negative thoughts began to slow down. Eventually, she made the decision to stop drinking altogether, achieving her last drink on December 9, 2024.

Anticipation surrounded her 70th birthday party in January 2025. Concerned about celebrating without champagne, she ultimately found joy in the moment, realizing that she could enjoy life without alcohol. A subsequent cruise along the River Danube further solidified her commitment, as she enjoyed herself with cranberry juice while others drank.

In April 2025, Face underwent another round of bloodwork, revealing remarkable improvements. She was no longer at risk of pre-diabetes, and her blood pressure had normalized. “I look and feel a whole lot better,” she said, noting that she had started doing yoga and felt more fit.

As she approaches her 71st birthday, Face reflects on her journey with pride. “What’s stopping me is the thought of a healthy future,” she said, emphasizing her commitment to maintaining her sobriety. Her story serves as a testament to the possibility of change and the importance of seeking help in overcoming addiction.