'I'm one year sober – it's the best thing I've done and I'm never turning back'
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Dry January is upon us but I have a bit of a head start - in August, I celebrated one whole year sober. I’m not an alcoholic but booze was having a serious impact on my mental health and anxiety so I decided to ditch it for good and now, I don’t see myself ever drinking again.
Alcohol is at the core of so many social occasions, and I certainly liked to indulge. It can make nervousness dissipate, social anxiety fade away slightly, and it could make even the dullest nights on the town become riddled with some of the funniest, wildest stories.
I was only ever really a social drinker - ridiculously fussy, I hate wine and all its similar associates like Prosecco and Rosé, and the same goes for lagers and beers, so it only really left me with sickly sweet ciders (Strawberry and Lime Kopparberg, be still my beating heart), and spirits. Cocktails were my favourite but since they’re so delicious and the alcohol content is expertly mixed and therefore disguised, it didn’t take long before I got myself in some states.
At university - many, many years ago - I never got hangovers so getting ridiculously drunk never taught me any lessons. All my friends were the same, it was part and parcel of the experience, and we were keen to have a good time. READ MORE: Dry mouth could actually be a 'red flag' of these serious illnesses.
But, as the years passed by, the drinks that used to fill me with confidence and the energy to stay out until the early hours of the next morning started to bring in severe anxiety. It got to the point where only one or two drinks after work with a friend would have me spiralling and panicking, even though I could recall every single minute since that first sip. The next day, my heart would still be racing and I’d be on edge, unable to ignore the haunting black cloud of anxiety following me around.
