More people than you will ever know have gotten sober when sobriety didn’t feel convenient or possible. The same Mintel survey explained that two-thirds of consumers aged reported worrying about the emotional impact of alcohol, while a similar figure reported that they wanted to learn more about drinking mindfully. This attitude means Gen Z are reducing their alcohol intake as a way to manage their emotional wellbeing, and may look at alcohol as an impediment to a robust mental framework. Social media platforms like TikTok have also helped users to broadcast the benefits of a sober or sober curious lifestyle. Or just reassessing your relationship with alcohol? It doesn’t necessarily mean giving up booze altogether or signing up to sobriety indefinitely.
Lifestyle
- It’s part of the sobriety package, and it’s not necessarily a bad thing.
- I realized that I wasn’t alone and I wasn’t horrible, even if I had done some horrible things.
- Prioritize doing it for at least a few minutes every day.
- Consider reaching out to a vocational rehabilitation counselor or career coach to help you update your resume, practice job interview skills, and locate jobs that match your skills and experience.
- A structured routine will help you achieve other goals in your life, whether they are short-term (like being on time for work) or long-term (like going back to school and changing careers).
The world is so much bigger when you’re sober, and you feel emboldened to grab your slice of it. I used to be an easy target for abusers and gaslighting. Because I was a mental and emotional wreck with no sense of self-worth, it was easy to take advantage of me. I LOVE not having to feel bad about something stupid or mean I said when drunk. There are zero alcohol-related regrets plaguing my life right now. When you finally get over those first months of early sobriety, you’ll see that you’re not so bad after all.
My Stress Levels Are Lower
I realised I didn’t need alcohol to feel fun, confident, or relaxed. Those feelings are within us already, we just have to give ourselves the chance to tap into them. Is it out of habit, stress, or social pressure?
I feel grateful that a drink problem did not have to be my ‘story ‘. I want to tell you a bit about my story so you know you are not alone in this. When you reach that point when you want to change your relationship with alcohol you and start looking for some support, you have probably been thinking about it for a while. Kate combines her training as a yoga teacher and Science of Happiness facilitator and Menopause Doula with her professional coaching to provide a truly holistic, trauma-informed process for habit change in midlife. Get started on your sober journey with the ultimate sober self care toolkit. With daily content you will be guided through the steps and tools to establish a base for happy, sober living.
Benefits of being sober curious
A more open dialogue surrounding mental health means Gen Z are also increasingly aware of alcohol’s tendency to impair emotional regulation and lower mood. Socialising sober might feel different at first but remember why you’re doing this. You’ll wake up feeling refreshed, clear-headed, and proud of yourself. Decide ahead of time what you’re comfortable with. Maybe it’s sticking to non-alcoholic options all night or leaving early if the atmosphere gets too boozy.
Practise mindful consumption
Let it go and begin to embrace the love instead of pain. Spending time with people you love and who love you for who you are is essential. It is so important to feel valued and connected so choose your people wisely and don’t spend time with those who will bring you down and make you feel bad about yourself. Support and true connection is vital in sobriety and to making you feel good about yourself so have coffee with friends, meet virtually or in real life and do something nice. If you have an urge to isolate then make sure you reach out for support.
Recovery Connection
And if I can’t do that, I’ll get up tomorrow and try again. It wouldn’t make me better or worse than anyone else. It would mean that something happened to throw me off course, and I need to figure out what so it doesn’t happen again.
Chronic substance use can impair your ability to think quickly, clearly, and retain information. Depending on the substance, the effect can vary, but I’ve personally talked to many people who noticed a significant negative impact on their brain function. Although we may often hear this from medical doctors, it is hard to internalize unless we experience it first-hand. Your mind may tell you it’s hopeless and that no one will ever trust you again. It may feel hopeless right now, but trust can be rebuilt over time. People may turn to substances due to boredom or the lack of meaning and purpose in life.
- We haven’t got to this age without skills, resources, wisdom and strengths.
- Have I gotten everything I thought I would have at this age?
- Whether or not that person has a disease does not make them less worthy of that help.
- I try everything and can keep myself busy if the powers off and phones are dead.
- You can provide an excuse, like that you’re on antibiotics, or you aren’t feeling great or want to feel fresh for something you have going on the next day.
- Just brilliant – thank you – it’s so worth the investment.
When I was an active drunk, not only was I was funneling toxic booze into my body on the regular, but I was also stuffing myself with other drugs, smoking cigarettes, and binging on pizza and other junk foodlate at night. Initially, I thought giving up alcohol was betraying feminism. The freedom to drink pints, do shots, and be a ‘loud-mouthed mess’ was an act of rebellion and defiance; a declaration that I wasn’t afraid to take up space. When I quit, I worried that I’d confirm every stereotype about women being too uptight, too worried about being out of control and un-ladylike.
A lot of people are surprised by just how much they would spend on their drinking. Saving all that money means paying off debt, traveling, or finally being able to set a little aside. Friendships can be tricky things in early sobriety, especially when all of your friends are drinking buddies. It was a horrible cycle of self-medicating my anxiety with alcohol which, in turn, only made my sober house anxiety levels worse. I was stressed out all of the time and had no healthy coping mechanisms for that stress. When regaining a sense of order and healthy habits, motivational momentum snowballs into building a life you can be proud of.
If you want more information about it, you can find it at the same SAMHSA link below. One person’s drug of choice is another person’s vitally necessary medication. Be honest with your doctor about your history and habits, and then let them decide what medications you should or shouldn’t take.
The day to day job of being a mum, spinning plates, trying to work, keeping up with a baby and a very energetic and challenging toddler exhausted me and my mental health was actually in tatters. My husband worked late in another city, getting back at 11pm most nights. I had little support – my parents live a long way away and we knew no-one in the new town. I’ve laughed along and I’ve cried and all the whilst feeling in the company of old friends.
“Just Beyond The Light” was described by Blythe as a “tight, concise roadmap of how I have attempted to maintain what I believe to be a proper perspective in life, even during difficult times.” Research shows that women tend to have lower levels of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), the enzyme responsible for metabolising alcohol in the stomach. This leads to higher concentration of alcohol entering the bloodstream, https://appsychology.com/living-in-a-sober-house/ so women are more susceptible to its effects.