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Sometimes, being there is just about wanting to be social and fit in. Insider’s Anna Medaris recently reported on a study that found that even light drinking during pregnancy could weaken the fetal brain. A new study found that even light drinking during pregnancy could harm the fetal brain. Quitting alcohol may not be easy, but it doesn’t have to be hard forever. This page does not exist in , feel free to read the page you are currently on or go to the homepage. This article originally appeared in the Holiday 2019 issue ofMarie Claire.
If getting drinks with friends or dates has traditionally occupied a lot of your time, you’ll need to determine how to navigate these situations. Giving up alcohol typically isn’t easy for people with alcohol use disorder. Maintaining sobriety involves a lot of hard work, and it’s a lifelong process for many.
The way you structure your sober curious journey matters less than what you get out of it. Unlike people who stay sober because of dependency or addiction, sober curious people may not necessarily meet criteria for an alcohol use disorder or intend to give up alcohol permanently. It’s easy enough to commit to cutting down on your drinking in the abstract, but to get started on the right path you must take an action. This might be something simple like promising yourself you’ll order a lemonade next time you’re out for a drink or choosing a movie night in over a boozy night out. If you’re a planner, it might be writing down a list of your upcoming events and working out how you’re going to avoid drinking at the time. There has been a shift towards wellness and self-improvement within social media content in recent years.
Some may argue that the most important aspect of a good bar is a good drink, and the bartenders at zero-proof pop-up bar Suckerpunch in Portland, Oregon agree. Suckerpunch bartenders and owners believe consumers choosing not to drink alcohol don’t need to miss out on complex and innovative drinking experiences, and deliver with an vast menu of bespoke cocktails. Suckerpunch accrued a mailing list of 30,000 curious consumers prior to opening its doors, which the owners attribute to people becoming increasingly health-conscious and sober-curious throughout the pandemic.
To try urge surfing when a craving hits, take a moment to recognize the urge and let it pass over you. “If you want to maintain the friendship, see a movie or do an activity with them that does not involve alcohol,” says Hafeez. The most helpful activities are often ones that you know provide meaning, enjoyment, or a sense of https://sober-home.org/ mastery. These help boost mood and focus your attention away from urges to drink. It’s also a great way to meet people in a sober environment,” says Hafeez. If you have questions about a Fitbit tracker, product availability, or the status of your order, contact our Support Team or search the Fitbit Community for answers.
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The community connects sober and “sober curious” women for events like “boozeless brunches” and virtual breakfast discussions. Dry January — or Drynuary, for the initiated — offers your body and mind a chance to reset and reflect after the seasonal bloat and weariness. For a vocal movement, the approach of scaling back drinking to live more fully in the moment can, and should, happen year-round. Rather than cutting out alcohol entirely, though, a growing number of people are “sober curious,” exploring elements of a booze-free lifestyle without fully abstaining. Yet because so many people consider social drinking harmless, you might feel like you’re grappling with these thoughts alone. The sober curious movement aims to help validate these questions and create a community for those curious about mindful drinking.
- By looking for patterns, you’ll get a clearer sense of your relationship to alcohol — which can help you clarify whether you want to make a change and be more intentional about when you want to drink.
- Now, if you’re worried that you are one of the 17 million U.S. adults who are alcohol dependent, and alcohol is causing you stress or harm, seek medical advice.
- And Generation Z, currently in high school and college, have been drinking at lower rates during their adolescence than any previous generation.
- For drinkers who have become alcohol dependent, taking a short break is likely not an option.
While MeetMindful wasn’t designed specifically for those on their sobriety journey, it’s a safe space where people who want to maintain a healthy lifestyle can connect. If you’ve stopped drinking in order to boost your well-being and overall health, this is a great app to use to meet people who have done the same. It’s free to sign up and with the free membership, you can browse 10 profiles per day and like up to 3 profiles daily. The first month of every year brings an air of renewal, revival, and resolutions. This year, as consumers are notably shifting from a pandemic to an endemic mindset, many are resolving to make lifestyle changes and prioritizing their pandemic-formed preferences without compromise. Amidst these preferences and priorities comes the wave of interest towards partaking in Dry January, a ‘sober-curious’ movement created in the UK that challenges individuals to abstain from alcohol for the month of January.
“Having options that you can get excited about that are not alcohol is a great way to modify your habits,” says Andersen. For example, do your Sunday catch-up brunches with your friends always end with you having one too many cocktails? Make a plan eco sober house complaints for what you’re going to drink instead —and for what you’re going to say. If you want to take things a step further, you may also want to ask yourself some questions about what it would be like to give up alcohol completely or consume less of it.
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Chasing the adrenalin that comes from a new experience or a thrilling physical activity induces a natural high. “Sheer exhilaration can be a good substitute for craving a glass of wine,” says Lauren Burnison, founder of We Love Lucid, a European sober tour company. “On the trips I organize, we do adventurous things, like windsurfing or hiking.” I started kayaking in early sobriety and try to sneak in an early morning paddle wherever I go.
Short-term or not, sober curiosity can still promote mindful drinking habits and lasting lifestyle change. The sober curious movement doesn’t work for everyone, though, and it’s absolutely OK to need extra support with addressing drinking habits. It is also important to recognize that sobriety is not always a choice. For many people, addiction, and substance abuse are serious issues that require professional help and support. The sober curious movement should not be seen as a replacement for addiction treatment, but rather as a way for people to explore a more mindful relationship with alcohol. The choice to explore sobriety or moderation should be a personal one, based on individual needs and goals.
They found that alcohol was a leading risk factor for disease worldwide, that it led to 2.8 million deaths in 2016, and that it accounted for 10% of deaths for people 15 to 49. The additional perks she mentions — including more energy, improved sleep, better digestion, and clearer skin — can also improve your mental health. Rae Dylan, a New York City–based interventionist, sober coach, and a sober companion, often works with clients who want to stay sober for a particular reason — for example, an actor might need to abstain because of a movie contract. She sees the sober-curious movement as another step toward integrating healthier choices into your life. One 2019 Nielsen report states that 66 percent of millennials made an effort to reduce their alcohol consumption that year. And Generation Z, currently in high school and college, have been drinking at lower rates during their adolescence than any previous generation.
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Sans Bar has become so popular that Marshall took the concept on the road this year. He organized pop-up bars in Washington, D.C., New York and Anchorage, Alaska. And he has opened new sober bars in Kansas City, Mo., and western Massachusetts. “All my drinking was really centered around community and wanting that connection so badly with other people,” he says. Chris Marshall is a certified substance abuse counselor and the founder of Sans Bar, a venue for “the nightlife experience” without the alcohol, in Austin, Texas.
Another study published last year by researchers in Britain compared the health outcomes among a group of men and women who agreed to stop drinking for one month, with the health of a group that continued to consume alcohol. In the far corner, about a dozen women in a group are clearly enjoying themselves too, but they are not drinking alcohol. They’re sipping handcrafted mocktails, with names like Baby’s First Bourbon and Honey Dew Collins, featuring nonalcoholic distilled spirits. Witkiewitz also recommends what she terms “sobriety sampling,” which entails a set period of sobriety. It could be a month — like dry January, which formally began with a campaign by a United Kingdom–based health-advocacy charity in 2013 and is now becoming popular in the United States. “This movement isn’t right for people who are alcoholics — people who are addicted have a mental obsession of the mind and the physical craving of the body.
Similarly, despite headlines which conclude “x gives you cancer” from a single research paper, it’s more complicated than the results of a one study can suggest. On a recent Friday night, Rob Zaleski and Kim Daniel walk into Marshall’s bar in Austin. They’re going without alcohol for 30 days, they explain, and are documenting their experience in a podcast and on Instagram at #boozelessATX. “The findings of these studies are actually very surprising,” White says.
Maybe you don’t have to drink, but you often do and wish you didn’t. Besides finding alcohol substitutions, sober curious individuals may also look for new ways to socialize. Groups like Club Soda and The Sober Girl Society can help people connect with the broader sober curious community. Instead of thinking, “I won’t be able to drink with my friends,” remind yourself that cutting out alcohol can energize you, leaving you open to socializing in more rewarding ways. Some have criticized the sober curious movement as a “trend” that overlooks the often difficult, complex process of recovery, and it’s a valid argument.
The app works on a match-based system like most popular dating apps and is free to sign up. The movement gained momentum quickly, in part because it allows people to explore living a more sober lifestyle without making the commitment to give up drinking entirely. “The movement encourages a sober lifestyle, but embraces and welcomes individuals who are not ready to quit alcohol entirely,” says Ian Andersen, co-founder of eco sober house mindful drinking and moderation app Sunnyside. This reexamination of drinking culture is typified by the sober-curious movement, a term coined by journalist Ruby Warrington, who wanted to reduce her alcohol intake without fully abstaining. Her 2018 book, Sober Curious, offers a perspective on what it means to have a mindful, intentional relationship with alcohol — whether that means sober sometimes, or sober always.
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Connecting with an understanding, compassionate community could make a positive impact on recovery and long-term sobriety. If you think your partner has an alcohol addiction, you might feel it’s important to speak with them about it but don’t know where to start. “Stay away from events or places that are solely focused on alcohol, such as going to a bar and hanging out,” says Hafeez. “Most people find more power in themselves as they grow confident handling stress, sleep, and social situations without relying on alcohol,” he says. This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment.
With this app, you’ll create your profile and be prompted to fill out a sober calculator, which keeps track of how many days you’re sober. This is a useful tool to keep you motivated in your sobriety journey while also finding people who are at the same stage in their journey as you are. The app offers an online community and peer support coaching that is there to help you if you’re having trouble with your recovery and need someone to talk to. This can be a great way to meet a potential partner who you can relate to and connect with.
Under certain conditions, alcohol can negatively affect our bodies and personal relationships. However, in today’s culture, drinking alcohol is often encouraged in social settings, which can lead to becoming reliant on it and, in some cases, dependent on it. Being sober curious may help provide insight into how you relate to alcohol.
