When Sober Curious Strikes Past Dry January

Initially of 2025, the previous US Surgeon Basic issued an advisory on the hyperlink between alcohol consumption and cancer risk. Whereas it is a sobering name to motion, there isn’t a denying that sober curiosity has elevated 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 analyzing 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. Right this moment 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 fascinated 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 resolution, however when you’re any type of a daily drinker (that means three or 4 nights every week “simply to unwind”) then alcohol is impacting the way in which you are feeling – mentally, emotionally, and bodily – your physique simply doesn’t know there’s one other manner. In the event you’re not consuming throughout the week, however then consuming a few bottles of wine over the weekend, you by no means actually get the possibility to see how your physique and thoughts reacts to no alcohol. Anna Lembke, in her guide, Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence, talks about how “abstaining from our drug of alternative for no less than 4 weeks offers clarifying behaviors. Perception that merely shouldn’t be attainable whereas we proceed to make use of.” In different phrases, you haven’t any thought how shitty you actually really feel if you’re utilizing a substance that’s making you are feeling shitty. It normally takes just a few weeks on your physique to regulate to the truth that you’re now not consuming a poisonous substance.

Tam: Are there concerns/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 only see when you may make it with out consuming for 30 days? Or have been you on the lookout for actual well being advantages? Or did you notice that your consuming has elevated over the previous few years and you recognize you wanted to take a break?

Moderation, which is actually what Damp February is all about, doesn’t work for lots of people. In the event you spend a number of time bargaining with your self at any time when alcohol is concerned, which results in a number of “guidelines” round your consuming, you would possibly need to take a step again.

You won’t even concentrate on these guidelines. They’ve simply change into a part of your inside chatter. That chatter would possibly sound like this:
I’m not going to drink on my own.
No consuming earlier than 5:00 p.m.
No onerous alcohol throughout the week
I’m solely going to drink white wine (or beer, or vodka, and so forth.)
I can’t have greater than two drinks on every week night time.
I can’t drink greater than two nights in a row. 

The top days of my consuming have been crammed with elaborate and arcane guidelines that have been always shifting as I broke one after one other. I used to be letting myself down every day, and that type 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 would possibly simply determine that it’s now not price it.

Tam: If somebody is studying this pondering “I would not have an issue with my alcohol consumption however need to take a extra conscious method to what I eat/drink,” what questions ought to be explored when fascinated about alcohol consumption? 

Krysty: One of many first issues we have to do is transfer away from the language round consuming and the idea that there are “drawback drinkers” after which everybody else. This results in disgrace, stigma, and judgement.

A way more helpful, and practical, mannequin to make use of in terms of speaking about alcohol is the thought of consuming occurring on a spectrum. That’s the place the thought 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 simply don’t must hit any kind of a all-time low earlier than you may discover your relationship with alcohol, you get to determine at any level on the spectrum what’s best for you.

In the event you’re able to get sincere with the function alcohol performs in your life, I’d counsel sitting down with a pen and paper and answering the next questions. Get interested by your self, and take the time to reply truthfully. Don’t cloud your responses with disgrace, or judgement, or what your bestie goes to suppose. That is about you and the one life that you’ve, and whether or not or not you need a poisonous substance to play a job 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 state of affairs?

Tam: What if our buddies have gone again to consuming after Dry January, however we are attempting to proceed. Do you have got solutions/suggestions for learn how to make this a part of my way of life with my consuming buddies? 

Krysty: You would possibly want to seek out new buddies – haha. However, critically, if your pals actually respect and help you within the choices you make in your life, then it shouldn’t be an issue. However, in the event that they’re frequently making an attempt to push you to start out consuming once more, whining that you simply’re not enjoyable anymore, or that one shot of tequila gained’t do any hurt, you then would possibly must rethink who you’re spending time with. It is advisable to work out for your self what you need to do with the time that you’ve, 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 would possibly want to seek out some new peeps that love to do various things.

Tam: Any favourite “drink” hacks to switch 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 individuals have totally 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 hearth! There are such a lot of merchandise in the marketplace – suppose 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 provide such all kinds. My solely warning is be intentional when utilizing alcohol-free merchandise, particularly issues like alcohol-free wine or beer. In the event you’re downing a bottle of alcohol-free wine most nights of the week, it’s type of like ripping off one bandage and placing on one other, and also you would possibly need 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