Sober Curious: What It Means for You and Your Brain

For many people, one of the hardest parts of Sober October, Dry January, and generally the first few months of giving up alcohol is finding alternatives to alcohol. That’s where Fiona Beckett’s recipe book comes in – it’s not quite quit lit but it’s close enough. If you recognize that you have a drinking problem and are looking toward some of the more popular recovery programs, this may be a particularly Halfway house insightful read.

Alcohol Lied to Me by Craig Beck

The information on this website is not intended to be a substitute for, or to be relied upon as, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a physician or qualified health provider with questions regarding a medical condition. During the latter years of high school and the early ones of college, I remember impatiently counting down the months, days, (and if I’m being honest… seconds) until I turned 21. All around me, at dinners, meals out with family, and even watching SATC make Cosmos look cool, I looked on as people sipped charmingly from coupes and gracefully from glasses. Drinking, it seemed, was the epitome of elegance—and it was a natural milestone that would confirm my emergence into adulthood.

sober curious book

Sober On A Drunk Planet: Giving Up Alcohol by Sean Alexander

This book focuses on the underlying reasons for humanity’s sometimes inexplicable sense of suffering. Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown is a must-read book for anyone seeking to lead a more authentic, healthy, and happy life. He breaks down readers’ views on everyday life, encouraging them to look within themselves and find inner peace beyond the levels our minds can reach. A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle is one of the most well-known works on spirituality and personal transformation, helping readers worldwide gain awareness and make better decisions. Through lessons such as pausing before making a choice and using negative emotions as fuel for evolution, The Power of Now helps readers become mindful citizens of an ever-evolving universe.

The Essential Role of Peer Recovery Coaches in Addiction Treatment

In response to the sober curious movement, a wide range of non-alcoholic wines, beers, and spirits have emerged. Google Trends data indicates that search interest in terms like “non-alcoholic drink” and “non-alcoholic beer” reached all-time highs in 2022. The sober curious movement has sparked a notable increase in the popularity of non-alcoholic beverages, providing a variety of options for those seeking alternatives to traditional alcoholic drinks. This section examines the growth of non-alcoholic beverages and the influence of celebrity endorsements on this evolving market. White helps the reader identify why we drink, how we can move forward with a healthy relationship with alcohol, and, most importantly, build a sober life you love.

Enlightening Books to Guide Your Sober-Curious Journey

  • By recognizing our shared values and removing barriers fuelled by shame, guilt, or judgment, we can tap into greater degrees of freedom and self-love.
  • Functioning and fun-loving, this author’s love for wine hardly seems like a problem until her attempt to cut back proves much more challenging than she had imagined.
  • Many shops and supermarkets now offer a range of good-quality, zero-alcohol wines, beer, and spirits.

It’s driven by a myriad of factors from health consciousness, to evolving attitudes towards the drinking culture that dominates social scenes, to aspiring for more authentic, less alcohol-influenced connections with people. There is a growing demand for non-alcoholic beverages, with young consumers showing a preference for quality experiences over quantity. The no and low-alcohol category is expected to grow consistently, with total volume consumption projected to increase by over 31% across multiple countries by 2024. This awareness and changing behavior reflect the principles behind the sober curious movement, emphasizing a thoughtful approach to alcohol consumption and lifestyle choices.

The Blissful Sleep, Greater Focus, and Deep Connection Awaiting Us All on the Other Side of Alcohol

My work comes to life offline, and connecting with people in talks, panel events, workshops, and on retreats, is when everything clicks into place. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. If you’re opening up your social circle to a few close friends, consider a hike or picnic in the park. Shahroo Izadi is a psychologist specializing in behavior change, a speaker, coach, and the author of The Kindness Method. “How To Drink Without Drinking is beautifully produced, with gorgeous photos of many of the recipes,” says Willoughby.

  • Sober celebrities, reality stars in rehab and the sudden ubiquity of mocktail recipes… the culture is shifting, and abstinence is in.
  • If getting drinks with friends or dates has traditionally occupied a lot of your time, you’ll need to determine how to navigate these situations.
  • White helps the readers peel back the onion, the root reasons why drinking became out of your control.
  • “This is a very personal journey and it’s important to focus on yourself and how alcohol is making you feel.”

An evidence-based alcohol reduction program developed by leading experts in the realms of psychology and neuroscience. It features a neuroscience-based reduction program, a personalised drink tracker, a toolkit with games and meditations to beat cravings, in-depth courses and 24/7 private community support. Learn how to navigate a sober lifestyle whilst experiencing shortcuts to happiness, health and increased financial freedom. Ruby’s 2018 book, Sober Curious, was an illuminating conversation starter that asked you to consider, “Would life be better without alcohol? ” thus sparking a global movement of people reevaluating their relationship with alcohol.

sober curious book

But what does it mean to be sober curious, and how is it different from mindful drinking or going teetotal? Here, we asked two experts to dive into the benefits of wanting to be more conscious of what you drink and what the experience is really like. Positive drinking acknowledges that complete abstinence may not be necessary or desirable for everyone. Instead, it encourages a more thoughtful and balanced approach to alcohol consumption, aligned with personal goals and values.

Events like Dry January and Sober October can be great catalysts, but you can create change any time of the year. Many women in high-pressure careers or caregiving roles notice that alcohol can negatively impact sober curious sleep, energy, and mood. Similarly, we’re seeing increased discussions (and less stigma) around anxiety, depression, and alcohol’s role in worsening mental health. In reality, though, people recovering from alcohol use disorder can go on to drink occasionally. Similarly, people who don’t meet the criteria for alcohol use disorder can still have a challenging relationship with alcohol and benefit from taking a break. You may not feel a need to quit entirely, but taking a break might help you find more productive ways of managing challenges.

How much—and what—you share with people is up to you, but you don’t owe anyone an explanation. Moreover, you’ll likely be surprised that most people aren’t concerned about what you’re drinking. Many Americans are now questioning their relationship with alcohol—and many are reducing their consumption or eliminating it altogether. Though the pandemic increased drinking levels overall, young adults are less interested in drinking than in decades past.