3 months Alcohol-free, my experience

We recently received this from one of our customers, and thought it would be great to share with you. We hope that it might help you if you are considering going alcohol free, or trying to cut down your alcohol intake, with one surprising benefit at the end - or was it?

I missed out on Sober October, and instead did this in November. I then felt the urge to join this up with Dry January, so went all through Christmas and New Year too.  I wouldn't say it was easy to socialise without alcohol, but it certainly got easier as time went on.

In my recent journey of 3 months without alcohol, I discovered the amazing world of non-alcoholic drinks. On a few nights out, I substituted alcohol with ANON spirits and it was a game changer, as it meant I could still feel like I was socialising properly without the peer pressure of feeling like I was the non-drinker in the corner with the Diet Coke.  I had some super-sophisticated non-alcoholic cocktails and mocktails, and it felt special to have a grown-up looking cocktail including non-alcoholic Negroni, and mocktails with non-alcoholic rum.

However, I must bust the myth that you instantly lose weight after giving up alcohol. To be honest, I ended up snacking more, especially when I was out, but maybe because I used to drink Guinness that filled me up. Although, I’m now really excited to see that Guinness 0.0 is becoming more readily available in some of my favourite haunts and is now starting to be promoted in the mainstream media – they are even one of the main sponsors of this years Six Nations rugby. 

Nevertheless, my anxiety has decreased dramatically. Alcohol exacerbates emotions and often left me with a long-term brain fog, but now I feel more emotionally stable and motivated without it. I found my days started sooner and I was productive sooner in the day without having drank the night before.

One aspect that surprised me was that I didn't save much money. In the UK, soft drinks and non-alcoholic alternatives are almost as expensive as alcoholic drinks, but at least the options and quality are improving of late. I did however save on taxis home!

The real saving has been in my work life. I run my own small business and being more focused, motivated, and available for my team has certainly helped with growth. I became more efficient, and less tired in the afternoons. 

Waking up early, watching and going for a walk has become a beautiful morning ritual for me - and the dog.  Alcohol does nothing good for relationships, but removing it has reduced the chance of arguments and added more happiness to my life. The more I abstain from alcohol, the more I realize how dangerous it can be. Alcohol is deeply ingrained in our society and it won't change overnight, but I have found that more and more people are going alcohol-free, not just for Dry January or Sober October, but for much longer periods. 

I think I experienced these benefits of going alcohol free but maybe that was just me hoping it was happening, who knows!

• Better sleep: Whether it was waking up less in the night for the toilet, or just a deeper sleep generally I felt more satisfied and ready for the next day.

• Increased energy levels: I found I was exercising more, and this created a cycle of improvement in fitness and mindfulness.

• Better skin: Maybe I was just imagining this one, I want to keep youthful looking, maybe it wash wishful thinking.

The biggest takeaway from my journey has been that my mind has never been so clear and I am happier than ever.  🧠☀️💔