What is ‘Sober Curious’? Plus, Reasons to Drink Less

The group hosts online and in-person social events without alcohol, as well as free and paid programmes that teach members how to reduce their drinking habits. About half of Club Soda’s more than 70,000 members are interested in moderating their drinking rather than in becoming entirely sober. The group has seen consistent growth, particularly in the United States, in recent years, as well as more interest from people in their 20s concerned about the toll drinking takes on their mental health. Sober refers to an individual who has chosen not to drink alcohol. Sober curious is a term used for someone who is open to the idea of abstaining from drinking but hasn’t fully committed yet. California Sober is a mindful approach to drinking where individuals choose to limit their consumption of alcoholic beverages or make mindful decisions about what type of drinks they imbibe.

Mindful drinkers share their sober stories

For those with a serious alcohol problem, it was a worthy decision, maybe even a lifesaving one. It could even be fun, when it wasn’t all amends and affirmations. We employ proven habit change techniques like pre-commitment, conscious interference, https://ecosoberhouse.com/ and belief and positivity. Our methods are reviewed by habit change and alcohol use experts. Sunnyside utilizes proven behavior-change techniques to help you reach your goals, and it’s all reviewed by our team of experts.

Wellness Habit Tracker

“Often when you go to a social event, you realize, wow, there are a lot of people here that aren’t drinking or drinking very little,” he says. And in general, he adds, people don’t care whether you drink or not. “Many people have this idea of if I don’t have a drink in my hand at a social event, inspirational stories of sobriety people are going to think I’m strange or weird. In fact, Hobelmann, who has been sober himself for almost 12 years, says that these days when he tells people he doesn’t drink, he’s more likely to be met with someone replying that they’d like to cut back as well than resistance for not partaking.

The community aims to cultivate a sense of connection for those who prefer mindfulness over the traditional “all-or-nothing” approach. You’re invited to share your story about how you integrate mindful drinking into your daily life, offer encouragement, and ask questions. The mindful approach to drinking is not limited to just those who choose not to drink at all—there are numerous terms used in reference to mindful drinking practices such as “sober”, “sober curious”, “California Sober”, and “Dry Living”. In a study on American wine consumption, it was found that 59% of such drinkers imbibe for relaxation. If that’s you, it might be worth considering alternatives to curb your stress and anxiety. If wine at the end of a long day has become your norm for unwinding, try replacing one day out of the week with a new habit, like lighting candles and taking an online yoga class, or running a bath and doing a face mask.

What is a mindful drinking app?

Or, you might just want to inspire others and lead the way by controlling alcohol, either by cutting back or giving it up completely. My hope is that you will discover freedom, find happiness, and change your life. And that one day, should our paths cross, you will tell me that your life truly is more beautiful. Sometimes they joined a support group, or they embraced spontaneous sobriety and went it alone. And I began to get frustrated not just at my own inability to control my own drinking, but why, when everyone knows the harm alcohol creates, were the problems only becoming worse.

  • I will be recommending this ‘must read’ book to my clients and their whanau/families and anybody else who will listen.”
  • I love wine and beer and consider myself a moderate drinker.
  • Public health as a framework for alcoholism is Janus-faced.
  • So many of my wonderful friends were and still are so supportive of me.

App users typically receive a 10-minute daily program that includes lessons, tips and activities. There is a forum run by mental health professionals, as well as online classes. Crawley had a pretty good handle on his diet during the week, but found calories piling up from drinking (and noshing) when the weekend rolled in. Sunday football games went well with a brew — sometimes several.

From Sober-Curious to Mindful Drinking

These tricks will slow the rate of alcohol entering your system, he says, which can help you be more intentional about the drinks you do choose to consume. There is limited scientific evidence on the efficacy of using mindfulness to moderate drinking behaviour. A 2017 study of 68 heavy drinkers in Britain found that those who received 11 minutes of mindfulness instruction reduced their alcohol consumption significantly the next week. It’s a dizzying experience to go from inveterate binge drinker to poster girl for sobriety. In my defence, I never asked to be the spokesperson for a modern-day temperance movement.

My grandmother was an alcoholic, her father was too—and both their stories, like many people affected by alcohol, was one of tragedy. Sometimes you have to cut one thing to find balance everywhere else. Whatever your pain, whatever your motivation, Mind Your Drink will help you achieve your goals—whether that’s getting sober or just cutting back-and create positive, permanent transformational change in your life. “For readers who sincerely want to stop or rescue their drinking, but struggle to quit the drink habit, this book will pave the way.” This super customizable and in-depth wellness habit tracker is designed to help you protect your time, achieve your goals, and be more productive every day so you can finally go from overwhelmed to organized in just 5 minutes. Think about what inspires you to drink and find something else to do in those situations where drinking would normally occur.

How can I add sober curious practices into my lifestyle?

While I feel it’s important to highlight the dangers of drinking too much, my aim is to highlight the life-changing benefits of drinking far less. Recently, at the time of writing, my mother shared how her childhood was scarred. But my motivation and my personal story of alcohol harm began earlier than that.

  • Searching for your part in your life’s low ebbs might lead you to repress your own suffering or, worse, compound it.
  • The term “sober curious” was coined by the author Ruby Warrington, who wrote a book on the topic in 2018.
  • I personally believe a book like this would not have helped my dad.

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