Why millennials are increasingly choosing an alcohol-free lifestyle PBS NewsHour

Because up until then, I never really took it seriously. I just always kind of wore it as this like badge of honor. And it scares me, because if I was still drinking, I probably think a lot of that alcohol free lifestyle stuff was still really funny. And so it’s breaking up that cycle, and telling your body, okay, I’m going to try something different. So really, it’s just a hindrance to everything genuinely.

When I decided to stop drinking, I felt like my identity was no longer stable. This isn’t an uncommon response; Davis-Timms says that “sobriety becomes an identity shift.” Reassessing my life without alcohol went deeper than what I drank – it shot straight to my inner core. For the most part, I could float on top of the waves of temptation during our island stay.

Making New Friends

And I knew, you know, it’s good to have that great big large support system. But you know, when it comes to things, I think, when you’re going through something hard, or when you really need people to relate to, um, to find people who are even more like you. So it was really important for me to have, we have a women’s page, we have a men’s page, we have an LGBTQIA page, we have a biopic page. And these are all run by people who are actually in those communities and who actually identify as Um, as those chapters, you know, and we’re working on meetings, and so it’s really an all-encompassing community. But it’s just about, you know, being supportive and being positive and realizing that there’s a better way of living. And you know, you’re going to be supported and not judged, no matter if you choose to stay if you choose to go, if you come back and forth, you know, you’re always welcome.

• You know, I mean, I remember when I told my psychiatrist that I was leaving a, because I literally I think I saw her when I was like three days sober.
• All you need is that midlife intuition that you’ve got.
• For dependent drinkers, between hours is when withdrawal symptoms subside or become more manageable.
• It’s the same swimming lane to me, you know, like, it might be a little, it’s a different lane, but we’re all going the same path.

For 30 years, I carried around a story that I created in 1982 (when I first started drinking) and wore it like a badge of honor. I know firsthand, I was once a woman who placed more importance on drinking alcohol than I did myself. Don’t feel bad if you feel the same, you’re not the only one. High-risk drinking has increased more rapidly among midlife women in the last decade. Another great social benefit of being alcohol-free is that you’ll likely sleep better and feel more energetic.

What is sober-curious?

This is where I feel like health, there’s a healthy amount of shame. Like I’m not anti-shame because I think if you do shameful things, you should be shamed. But you know, that’s how we got rid of cigarettes, right? Like, Yeah, we took them out of everywhere we made them less available the warning labels are all over the place. Like what I know personally, like I don’t smoke, and when I’m around it like I don’t like it. And you know, my both my grandfather’s one had a heart attack very early from smoking and My other grandfather just passed from COPD, or it’s all, you know, cigarette, cigarettes.

I believe 100% that there is inner work that needs to be done when you transition from being a drinker to being a non-drinker no matter what your level of drinking is. That’s a totally normal + validated feeling. You are not your drinking and your drinking is not you. As a sober woman, I work towards letting go of shoulds every day. When I was newly sober, I was writing a/f in my journal as code. Lastly, create a mantra that will remind you that you don’t have to go back to drinking; you can move forward without slips.

How to navigate Dry (or maybe moist) January and avoiding/reducing alcohol

Next, find a friend, a group, a mentor or coach, or use social media to connect to other women in midlife who are going alcohol-free. Low levels of reproductive hormones increase our risk of osteoporosis, depression, skin changes, and heart problems, but alcohol makes us more vulnerable to their early-onset. If you feel like you are at risk for alcohol withdrawal, please seek help from your medical provider. I believe 100% that you are here because you are experiencing “the signs” all around you. It’s those moments of regret, sleepless nights, hangovers that last for days, or maybe something happened that made you realize your drinking had gone too far. Drinking habits change as we age, and what once was social drinking can transform into a tool to relive boredom, loneliness and anxiety.

Well, in framing, not drinking here increasingly, as just a health choice. I think that it helps, like, that’s what’s framed it for me. And one of the things I definitely wanted to talk to you about because it feeds into this https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/how-to-create-meaning-in-life-best-ways-and-practices/ idea of adopting a lifestyle, not a label. And that’s not to say that you didn’t have an I had a problematic relationship with drinking, where it was leading us nowhere good and definitely addicted, and, and all the things.

What is an alcohol-free lifestyle?

Some of my relationships faded away, but many grew stronger. In the end, the people who mattered supported my sobriety, and I’m now able to enjoy more authentic time with them. Going sober is right for you if you are a heavy drinker, a binge drinker, or if you suffer from any of the many diseases that alcohol has been linked to. Plus, even without a disorder, your health can still benefit from living sober. When you don’t drink, your immune system is stronger, meaning you’ll experience less frequent sickness. However, it’s important to know that immune dysfunction is prevalent in our society, for a variety of reasons.