Sober Curious?

Why on earth would you give up alcohol?!

When I first heard the term sober curious I’ll be honest… I thought WHY on earth would someone give up drinking alcohol altogether. Can’t the sober curious person just limit their drinking to weeknights or practice restraint better at social gatherings?

The answer is no. They probably tried multiple times and gradually (or suddenly) ended up back at the same place.

The term describes a person who is “trying on” a new way of living to check out the fit.

Lots of people have tried "rules" with their drinking but gradually ended back at the common scenario of 3am, woken by the alcohol having worn off and wondering what potential conflict they stirred the night before (example.)

Apart from everything you can read for yourself in the book “This Naked Mind” by Annie Grace, all I can share with you today is what I know… My truth. My last drink was the 16th November 2022 and its been really hard to stop BUT...

Here is what I have learned about sobriety so far

If you have read this far down then sobriety must be something that at least has you a little interested so:

3 Things to consider - Identify the root of your cravings and what triggers them. Find a community. Learn and read

Here are some examples of how you could roll out the above points:

Being “prepared” could be: Taking non alcoholic beverage options with you & having them at home to help with cravings eg: Kombucha, non alcoholic beer and wine, soda water (supermarkets now have loads.) If you’re at a venue then head to the non alcoholic section of the menu & you might be pleasantly surprised by what you find there (I am often impressed!).
Community might be: Facebook groups, people you know who don’t drink much or at all (I had an Aunty interstate who gave up drinking 6 months before I did. We leaned on each other through our first non-drinking festive season & it was invaluable.) There are a few sobriety apps that drip feed you daily content. The Reframe app has a forum that is heavily used by people who share their stories… There is a treasure trove of other resources in there.
A “Quit Lit” example is: This Naked Mind by Annie Grace. Annie is fun and intelligent & her liminal thinking chapters are great for dealing with subconscious thoughts… Huge drivers for why we drink in the first place.

If you are keen to privately evaluate your relationship with alcohol, without labels or judgment;

Please know there is so much out there for you to read, learn, connect and be supported by! I’ve been surprised by how supportive the world has been generally despite my fears.

Sobriety can deliver everything alcohol promises you like fun, relaxation, adventure, and connection but without the various side affects.

It's brave to question your drinking & reaching out is courageous. There's a huge sober community out there to learn from and lean into if you choose it.

Regardless of where your sober curiosity leads…

Go you good thing :)

— Jessica Pragnell
Tagged: Tools

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