Sober curiosity is becoming widespread, and we thought we’d get the jump on defining it for all of our devout readers.
Simply put, it’s the process of questioning your relationship with alcohol.
Do you want to try sobriety? Maybe you’re not sure if going sober is the right move for you, so you just want to entertain the thought and dabble in the action for a few days or weeks.
If you’re not fully ready to commit to a sober lifestyle, this blog is the one for you. Read all about sober curiosity and make your decision from there. After all, it’s always good to know the facts before committing to something new.
The Beginning
How, and where, did the thought of sober curiosity begin? A long, long time ago. Examples of partaking in a sober lifestyle include challenging yourself to a Sober October or a Dry January, where you re-evaluate your general alcohol intake.
You see, alcohol has widely been known to “manage stress,” “celebrate joyous occasions,” and “get through hard life moments.” But with the sober curious movement, people are now finding that there are alternate approaches to essentially “get these jobs done.”
If you’d like to learn a thing or two about its history and evolution, checkout the 2018 book on sober curiosity by Ruby Warrington titled “Sober Curious: The Blissful Sleep, Greater Focus, Limitless Presence, and Deep Connection Awaiting Us All on the Other Side of Alcohol.” Shop here.
What Are Some Goals You Should Have When Dabbling in Sober Curiosity?
Everyone is different, so we aren’t going to sit here and tell you that you have to feel this way or you need to do this to achieve your goals. That just wouldn’t be fair.
Instead, we’re going to outline some examples. If you have concerns about your drinking and are seriously thinking about changing your habits, consider listing a few of these goals:
- Properly question your alcohol use.
- Increase your awareness of the drinking habits you have.
- Genuinely think about when you drink and why you drink per occasion.
- Consider taking breaks from alcohol.
- Consider spending time in sober activities.
- Consider surrounding yourself in social settings that omit alcohol.
What Are the Health Benefits of Being Sober Curious?
Did you know that regularly consuming alcohol can have both short term and long term side effects on your health?
In regards to short-term side effects, you can experience:
- A heightened sense of emotions, leading to an increase in problems like interpersonal conflict and depression
- Dreadful hangovers
- Mood swings or behavioral changes
- Increase risk of injury
- Dehydration and fatigue
Weakened immune system due to an increase in inflammation in the body
In regards to long-term side effects, you can experience:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Liver disease
- Mental health problems
If you choose to abstain from alcohol instead, you can experience many positive impacts like the following:
- Decrease in high blood pressure
- Lower risk of alcohol-related conditions
- Improvement in concentration and memory
- Better sleep
- Stronger immune system
- An increase in energy
- Better mental health
- Decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer
If sober curiosity sounds like something you might want to try, you can start by doing the following:
1. Focus on your ‘why’… Why do you want to cut back on drinking? You need to be radically honest with yourself here, dig deep to get to the nitty gritty reason. That way you can remain motivated and focused throughout the process. PRO TIP: Get a journal and start writing down moments where you want to drink, deciphering your trigger. The more aware you are in the beginning, the greater your chances of success.
1.Practice mindful drinking… Don’t focus on how many drinks you’re going to have. Rather, concentrate on the quality of the drink. What do we mean by this? Well, start by reducing your alcohol intake. Pay attention to how your body and mind feel when you do have alcohol. Then, switch over to low-alcohol options, or even non-alcoholic choices. The taste of the low-alcohol or non-alcoholic beverage may be enough to scratch that itch.
1. Don’t be afraid to tell surrounding people… Choosing sobriety and staying sober takes determination, but it also takes outside help. While you’re on this journey, tell your friends and loved ones what you’re doing. Express your feelings. Little do you know, the next person you tell may have been thinking about doing the same thing. All it took was a little inspiration from you!