Nowadays when I’m surrounded by people who drink, I often find the conversations boring and repetitive, which reaffirms my decision not to drink. It can also be helpful sometimes to recruit a sober curious friend to go there with you, so you’ll know you’re not going to be the only one who’s not drinking. So having somebody else kind of on your team can be really helpful too. Throughout my life as a normal social drinker, I continuously questioned my alcohol consumption. There’s no end goal, except for you to get as much information as you need to make the best decisions about your drinking going forward. For some people, the result of becoming sober curious might mean they decide to not drink at all.

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“The goal is not to isolate and to socialize in environments where there is no temptation to drink because alcohol is not served or part of the equation,” explains Hafeez. It’s also a great way to meet people in a sober environment,” says Hafeez. Chewning also recommends “Not Drinking Tonight,” by Amanda E. White, which again helps to reframe our connection to and potential dependence on alcohol. “Sober Lush,” by Amanda Eyre Ward and Jardine Libaire, is another excellent read that offers ways to live “a decadent, adventurous, soulful life — alcohol-free.”

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Being “Sober Curious” is about embarking on a self-reflective journey. It’s for those who aren’t necessarily struggling with addiction but are pausing to ponder the role alcohol plays in their life. If you’re curious about where your drinking falls on the spectrum, and if you could benefit from cutting back, consider taking our quick alcohol use assessment. If you rely on alcohol to deal with stress or anxiety, replacement tools will be essential. For example, someone with social anxiety might be terrified to attend a social gathering without liquid courage. They may greatly benefit from meditation, yoga, or exercise to reduce stress and calm their nervous system.

Are you sober curious? The movement that promises to change how you drink

“They both do an amazing job of reframing how we think about alcohol in our lives,” she says. Sober curiosity can be a unique experience involving trying new things and stepping Oxford House outside your comfort zone. Find out the answers to these questions and more with Psychology Today. The ADF acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands across Australia upon which we work. We recognise the continued connection of First Nations people to the land, the waterways and to community and kin, and pay respects to Elders past and present. Drinking is often part of social activities and celebrations, and is also used to cope with stress or ‘unwind’.

What are the physical and mental health benefits of being sober curious?

Some of sober curious them stepped away from alcohol after recovering from alcohol addiction, but many have simply given up drinking (or never started) because they prefer a sober lifestyle. If you choose to go sober or sober curious, you are joining an extensive family of famous people who have chosen to go the same way. Sober curious essentially means that you’re interested in exploring ways to reduce or eliminate alcohol. Many sober-curious folks choose to moderate or go sober for health-conscious reasons.

• It’s not about whether any decision is right or wrong, and It doesn’t have to look a certain way.
• Gone are the days when abstaining from alcohol was solely a decision influenced by addiction issues or health crises.
• According to Warrington, drinking is something that many of us do without questioning it, even though we know it’s causing us pain.