Sober Curious: What It Means, Benefits, and Tips for Living Sober

Have the phone number of a supportive, sober friend to call if you feel tempted. And decide how long to stay before you even step in the door; you may want to leave before everyone gets buzzed. To stay sober when your friends being sober around drinkers are drinking, you might develop and practice coping strategies to navigate any discomfort or peer pressure. Practice assertiveness skills, such as politely declining offers of alcohol or suggesting alternative activities.

Finding Treatment for Alcoholism

It can be a good replacement for the release of endorphins caused by drinking alcohol. For example, if you value being an effective and helpful employee at work, how does alcohol get in the way of that? You might notice that alcohol negatively affects your sleep and leads to fatigue the next day, which impacts your performance at work. Before you completely cut out alcohol, try taking a moment or two to think about how your relationship with alcohol has changed over the years and where it stands today. One study found that 68% of people treated in a detox unit experienced moderate alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Join a Support Group

• Sober curious culture encourages a sober lifestyle, but welcomes individuals who aren’t willing, ready, or planning to give up alcohol completely.
• Let’s break down an example to see how this pyramid works in real life.
• You can always decline invitations to events where alcohol will be present until you feel more confident in your ability to resist temptation.
• “You won’t have the hangover in the morning. Maybe when you drink too much you behave like a fool, so your reputation and self-esteem will be intact the next morning.”
• It’s seen as normal to drink, and quitting that drug can feel like breaking a social pact.

This article intends to offer useful tactics and ideas that can help you handle social occasions where alcohol is served, without compromising your dedication to sobriety. That being said, you might not be at a place where you want people to know you’re not drinking, and that’s OK. 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. It’s important to remember that you never have to give yourself up to make other people comfortable—ever. Whether you’re stating a one-sentence response (“I don’t drink”) or using a small excuse, the only thing to consider is whether you are comfortable, and whether your boundaries are being upheld. In the early days, I felt that it was my responsibility to answer the question, “How come you aren’t drinking?

How to Deal with Someone Who Drinks?

Not only because not drinking is hard, but also because we live in a society where most everyone around us drinks. One patient told me that his father — who he knew liked a drink — always abstained when they were together in drinking situations out of solidarity and support for his son. Yet, the patient reported that having at least one other supportive “abstainer” with him made him feel better and more comfortable.

Surround yourself with people who support you

In some instances, family and friends may choose to hold their parties without alcohol, or at least downplay the central role that drinking might take. This can mean beefing up the non-alcoholic drink selection and offering more food options or other treats. Others in recovery, have more time or experience in dealing comfortably with such events, and may feel confident in their recovery while being around others who drink.

• Practice assertiveness skills, such as politely declining offers of alcohol or suggesting alternative activities.
• What makes sober curiosity so widespread, though, is its adaptable meaning.
• Most people don’t realize that what they perceive as reality is actually just a set of beliefs.
• My belief came from the observation of people drinking smoothies for weight loss and the experience of losing water weight after a heavy drinking session.
• It’s important to remember that you never have to give yourself up to make other people comfortable—ever.
• Look for social events or activities that don’t revolve around alcohol.

Addiction Treatment Programs

Addiction Destroys Dreams, We Can Help