The other day, I got a question about how I stopped drinking. So today, I’m sharing my experience of how to stop drinking, plus I will give you 8 practical tips to get there. Here’s how I think it happened: my gradual change over the past 4 years from being a binge drinker for almost 30 years to not drinking anything at all…
From binger to teetotaler
-> I was just DONE. Done feeling like shit after drinking, done with the chase of feeling the giddiness of those first one or two glasses, yet, keep drinking more and more after that glorious moment arrives, and done with not showing up in life! At some point, I realized I would NEVER fully njoy drinking again, not in that fun & naive way. Because I knew where my drinking led to more often than not: Drinking more than I wanted, resulting in a 5-day debilitating, depressing hangover that put me right back where I was: Not getting anywhere in life… So I thought, what’s the point of drinking anymore?!
-> I made sober CONNECTIONS. Mainly on Instagram – There is a HUGE sober community on Instagram (my account is called @sobertopia) where I found so much support. While chatting with others who were trying to get sober or already were, reading their stories and experiences, and meeting some of them IRL (In Real Life), I suddenly felt less alone in my decision to stop drinking. I finally felt ‘normal,’ like part of this ‘gang’, this amazing group of human beings taking that courageous step to STOP DRINKING! Whaaat?! We crazy?! No, we’re fucking awesome😎 And doing this together made me super strong in my decision to become a non-drinker. Finding your community is KEY!
-> I realized that there is a BEAUTIFUL LIFE out there, without alcohol. Alcohol is wholly and utterly overrated. I love my life of clarity and the fact that nowadays, I do the things that make me happy. And I only found out what they were because I stopped drinking. Some things that I used to think were fun, like going out for drinks and ánything else involving drinking, I realized I really didn´t even like much. At all! So I stopped doing those and started doing the things I LOVE! Things like playing padel tennis, going for coffee/lunch, shopping, making city trips, chilling at home, watching Netflix, and reading. There honestly isn’t a thing that I miss right now. My life only got better.
-> My MINDSET changed. I started focusing on the good stuff of sobriety and realized I should actually be GRATEFUL that I don’t HAVE to drink anymore. I don’t need it. I don’t want it. It doesn’t do anything for me (anymore). I’m FREE! Free as a bird…
So yeah, this was my path to sobriety. And it took me a long time to get here. This process only started after an almost 30 years drinking career 😉
8 Practical tips to stop drinking
Here are 8 practical tips for you that might help you while starting a sober lifestyle:
- Make a list of things you HATE about your current drinking, and then decide on your biggest WHY you want to stop drinking (wishing to be fully present for your kids, sick of the hangovers, wanting to feel more energetic/healthier, etc.). Write down your why somewhere closeby (screensaver on your phone, note in your wallet, or something similar) so you can easily take a peek to remind yourself why you are doing this
- Make a PLAN! How many days would you like to stop for (to start with)? Are you going for something more temporary, like 30 days, and take it from there? Or maybe you want to go for a year? DECIDE on a date, so you have an end goal. ´Forever´ is often too much to handle.
- GET RID of all the alcohol in your home
- AVOID temptations, especially in the beginning. Don’t attend any boozy events/meetups until you feel ready to say: “No, thank you, I don’t drink.”
- Find new (or old!) fun ACTIVITIES to do instead of drinking. Do you use to drink in the evening? Go to the gym or take a walk (with the dog) instead. Or start a tea routine instead of that wine you used to drink. Did you mainly drink on the weekends? Start a new hobby! Go visit (natural) parks or take up yoga or rock climbing. Or read a book for a couple of hours with a coffee. Plenty to do that is not drinking!
- Something I personally never really did but lots of people swear by it: JOURNALLING. Writing down your feelings, thoughts, and emotions helps to become more mindful and will give you clarity on where you are and an opportunity to work through everything
- REWARD YOURSELF! When you stop drinking, set a goal, say, for instance, 30 days, and after those 30 days, promise yourself something nice, something that makes you happy. This could be anything, from buying yourself a new wallet/flowers/massage to going away for a night.
- Last but not least: NJOY the sober magic (aka the countless benefits of not drinking)!! There will be so many remarkable improvements in your life that you could never even have imagined…
Well, that´s it! I hope these tips can help you and don’t forget… Keep going! The way to sobriety isn’t linear and is different for everyone, so try to find YOUR WAY!
Izzy x
PS
If you really want to stop drinking, but you have tried so many times, and you simply can’t seem to do it by yourself, then a few options are:
- Do an (online) sobriety course to guide you. There are many (affordable) options nowadays, for instance, This Naked Mind from Annie Grace, Club Soda, or Alcohol Change UK
- Join a sober online community for inspiration and connection. Like following #sober on Instagram, Soberistas, or Sober Girl Society
- Make an appointment with your family doctor/General Practitioner. They will be able to help you figure out your next step
