(SFChronicle) - For seven years, alcohol was the salve she used to soothe her anxieties, calm her feelings of inadequacy and simply fit in.

After a while it became a crutch. By age 27, she decided, it was too much.

Sarah Jane Coffey decided to get sober the same year she began to pursue a new career with startups.

These upstart tech companies wouldn’t judge her for having the wrong degree or an imperfect background, she thought. She was hardworking, smart and willing to learn. Joining a startup would help her get her life back on track.

“I know that’s some f— up logic, but it’s also the truth,” she said. “I was drawn to the idea that if I got to a startup, I could feel complete and whole again.”

Instead, working at startups tested her newfound sobriety and subjected her to an industry culture where drinking is often key.

The line between using alcohol to foster a fun and collaborative work environment, and allowing it to turn an office into a fraternity house is one that many tech companies are still learning to walk. Sometimes, like a person who has overimbibed, they stumble.

Beer fridges, kegs and company-wide happy hours are common fixtures in Bay Area tech firms, complementing the free food, decked out offices and other perks companies use to attract top talent. It’s become expected, industry insiders said.