At the start of 2025, the previous US Surgeon Common issued an advisory on the hyperlink between alcohol consumption and most cancers threat. Whereas this can be a sobering name to motion, there is no such thing as a denying that sober curiosity has elevated just lately. From Dry January to extra manufacturers creating alcohol-free drinks to the rise of mainstream mocktails, now greater than ever even informal drinkers have gotten sober curious and inspecting their relationship with alcohol.
Final yr in Episode 146 of the FBG Podcast, Sobriety Coach, and Founding father of Sober Wild, Krysty Krywko, Ed.D, joined our EIC Alison for an interview on sobriety. At this time we’re persevering with this dialog with Krysty. Dry January has handed however definitely not the questions on what we will do if we’re enthusiastic about a sober (fully alcohol free), or damp (a discount in alcohol consumption), life.
Tam: Ought to we method consuming as all or nothing, particularly if we’re sober curious?
Krysty: I believe it’s a really private determination, however for those who’re any form of a daily drinker (that means three or 4 nights per week “simply to unwind”) then alcohol is impacting the best way you’re feeling – mentally, emotionally, and bodily – your physique simply doesn’t know there’s one other approach. If you happen to’re not consuming through the week, however then consuming a few bottles of wine over the weekend, you by no means actually get the prospect to see how your physique and thoughts reacts to no alcohol. Anna Lembke, in her e-book, Dopamine Nation: Discovering Stability within the Age of Indulgence, talks about how “abstaining from our drug of selection for at the least 4 weeks offers clarifying behaviors. Perception that merely will not be potential whereas we proceed to make use of.” In different phrases, you haven’t any concept how shitty you actually really feel whenever you’re utilizing a substance that’s making you’re feeling shitty. It often takes just a few weeks to your physique to regulate to the truth that you’re now not consuming a poisonous substance.
Tam: Are there issues/finest practices to go from Dry January to extra of a Damp February and past?
Krysty: So, I don’t actually know the reply to that query, it actually will depend on what your motivation was for Dry January. Was the plan to simply see for those who may make it with out consuming for 30 days? Or had been you searching for actual well being advantages? Or did you understand that your consuming has elevated over the previous few years and you realize you wanted to take a break?
Moderation, which is admittedly what Damp February is all about, doesn’t work for lots of people. If you happen to spend a number of time bargaining with your self each time alcohol is concerned, which results in a number of “guidelines” round your consuming, you may wish to take a step again.
You may not even concentrate on these guidelines. They’ve simply change into a part of your interior chatter. That chatter may sound like this:
I’m not going to drink on my own.
No consuming earlier than 5:00 p.m.
No laborious alcohol through the week
I’m solely going to drink white wine (or beer, or vodka, and many others.)
I can’t have greater than two drinks on per week night time.
I can’t drink greater than two nights in a row.
The tip days of my consuming had been full of elaborate and arcane guidelines that had been consistently shifting as I broke one after one other. I used to be letting myself down day by day, and that form of self-disappointment was like a continuing stream of micro-cuts to my soul.
Take a second and take into consideration why you’re placing so many guidelines round your consuming. You may simply resolve that it’s now not price it.
Tam: If somebody is studying this considering “I wouldn’t have an issue with my alcohol consumption however wish to take a extra conscious method to what I eat/drink,” what questions needs to be explored when enthusiastic about alcohol consumption?
Krysty: One of many first issues we have to do is transfer away from the language round consuming and the assumption that there are “drawback drinkers” after which everybody else. This results in disgrace, stigma, and judgement.
A way more helpful, and sensible, mannequin to make use of in terms of speaking about alcohol is the concept of consuming occurring on a spectrum. That’s the place the concept of “grey space drinker” emerged from, which encompasses everybody from the every-now-and-then drinker to those that are bodily hooked on alcohol. The fantastic thing about this mannequin is that you just don’t have to hit any form of a all-time low earlier than you’ll be able to discover your relationship with alcohol, you get to resolve at any level on the spectrum what’s best for you.
If you happen to’re able to get trustworthy with the position alcohol performs in your life, I’d recommend sitting down with a pen and paper and answering the next questions. Get interested in your self, and take the time to reply actually. Don’t cloud your responses with disgrace, or judgement, or what your bestie goes to assume. That is about you and the one life that you’ve got, and whether or not or not you need a poisonous substance to play a task within the creation of that life.
Is alcohol nonetheless working for me?
How is alcohol making me really feel?
What areas of my life has alcohol taken over?
Does consuming align with the individual I’m now?
What would “future you” inform “current you” on this scenario?
Tam: What if our pals have gone again to consuming after Dry January, however we are attempting to proceed. Do you have got options/suggestions for easy methods to make this a part of my life-style with my consuming pals?
Krysty: You may want to seek out new pals – haha. However, severely, if your folks actually respect and assist you within the choices you make in your life, then it shouldn’t be an issue. However, in the event that they’re frequently attempting to push you to begin consuming once more, whining that you just’re not enjoyable anymore, or that one shot of tequila received’t do any hurt, you then may have to rethink who you’re spending time with. You want to determine for your self what you wish to do with the time that you’ve got, and the folks you spend it with.
Moreover, in case your good friend group is closely immersed in consuming tradition – that means most social actions revolve round alcohol – you then may want to seek out some new peeps that love to do various things.
Tam: Any favourite “drink” hacks to interchange that Friday night time cocktail?
Krysty: I’m probably the most primary sober individual round – and I’m proud of consuming a seltzer on my sofa to unwind after a busy week. However, I do know that folks have completely different wants, and I get that within the early days of going alcohol-free you may want one thing somewhat extra thrilling. Fortunately, the alcohol-free market is on fireplace! There are such a lot of merchandise available on the market – assume flavored seltzers, glowing teas, alcohol-free beers, wines, and spirits, kombuchas – I actually may go on and on. I’m frequently impressed on the locations the place I discover alcohol-free drinks – Goal, Dealer Joe’s, Entire Meals, common grocery shops, and native alcohol-free bottle retailers are beginning to supply such all kinds. My solely warning is be intentional when utilizing alcohol-free merchandise, particularly issues like alcohol-free wine or beer. If you happen to’re downing a bottle of alcohol-free wine most nights of the week, it’s form of like ripping off one bandage and placing on one other, and also you may wish to discover why you’re caught in the identical behaviors.
Did you do Dry January this yr and keep a dry or damp February? What’s your sober curious hack? ~ Tam
