“I think more people than you may have thought are actually considering this and thinking about it,” says Hobelmann. And regardless of whether they are sober curious themselves, ask those around you for support. Millennials are increasingly reasons to stay sober reevaluating their relationship with alcohol. A movement known as “sober curious” is gaining popularity with these young adults, who are questioning both the physical effects of alcohol and the way drinking is ingrained in American culture.
Why Gen Zers are growing up sober curious
But the sober curious culture is not meant to minimize the struggles of people on the alcohol use disorder spectrum. For those struggling with alcoholism, sober curiosity is not the right step. If you are dealing with alcohol use disorder, there are several immediate steps you can take to find the support you need for your journey to recovery. The only genuine health risk to going sober curious, even for a short time, is probably withdrawal side effects, in which case you may suffer from alcohol use disorder.
Sober Curious? A Brief History, Benefits, and How to Start
And when it comes to alcohol, people often are quick to adopt an all-or-nothing mentality. “What we typically see is someone say, ‘Hey, I’m gonna stay completely sober for this period.’ And then when they have one drink, that’s out the window and they’re back to their old set of habits,” he explains. For this reason, it’s good to go in with a game plan, whether that’s cutting back to X number of drinks per week, drinking every other day to start or only drinking on the weekends. Then, once you feel good in that spot, you can reevaluate and go from there.
Just get started
A complex combination of outside pressures and information overload is driving young people to snub alcohol, far more than generations before them. The Temperance Movement of the 19th century promoted abstinence from hard liquor in particular. But in 1833, Richard Turner coined the term “teetotaler” referring to those who practiced “total temperance,” as in abstaining from all alcohol, not just hard liquor. Dry January, Sober September, and Sober October have all encouraged people to reevaluate their alcohol use for several years. Without further ado, read this article and learn all you need to know about sober curiosity. Third, giving up some or all of your drinking might actually prevent a few binges from developing into an addiction.
According to the same Google research, 49% of Gen Z say their online image is always at the back of their mind when they go out socialising and drinking. It’s no wonder then, that 76% feel it’s important to be in control of all aspects of their life at all times. A sober curious lifestyle means you’re interested in cutting back, while a sober lifestyle means you abstain from alcohol altogether.
With these essential factors compromised, overall work performance suffers, resulting in missed opportunities for career advancement. Sobriety, in contrast, brings about a significant improvement in these areas, paving the way for enhanced work performance and career growth. Moreover, financial freedom can contribute positively to mental health.
Exploration of How Sobriety Can Lead to Improved Interpersonal Relationships
Substance abuse, whether it involves drugs or alcohol, undoubtedly deeply impacts an individual’s financial health. The money that could be used for essential needs, savings, or even leisure is instead drained into acquiring the substances of abuse. Beyond the immediate expenses related to procuring drugs and alcohol, the financial strain can ripple out, creating a domino effect of other related costs and increasing stress, leading to further mental health issues.
- An article from MSNBC features women who say their careers took off after going sober.
- Whether it is short-term or for the rest of your life, you can start your alcohol-free (or more sober) life with the sober curious movement.
- Albertson has found that prioritizing yoga, meditation and walking on the beach has really helped as a drinking distraction for herself.
- Of course, Gen Z missed out on a series of rites of passage into adulthood during the pandemic, and it’s still not clear how the two-year shutdown will change young people’s approach to socialising in future.
Expert Opinions and Personal Accounts Illustrating the Personal Growth Associated with Sobriety
Why “Sober Curious” Isn’t Right for Alcoholics
- Experimenting with alcohol – and drinking to excess – has long been seen as a rite of passage into adulthood, at least in Western cultures.
- Relapses can occur during the journey to sobriety, and treating them as a part of the recovery process rather than a failure is important.
- After all, a sober life is a testament to human resilience, a choice that opens doors to a new life of possibilities.