I’ve been thinking about sobriety quite a bit lately. Not because I have a problem but because I have several people in my life and my sphere of existence who do. So, I’ve been considering sobriety for myself. I don’t always like how drinking makes me feel and I definitely don’t like watching those I care about become mean, destructive, and out of control.
Oddly, this idea actually began when I started hearing of some celebrities who had chosen sobriety. Ruby Rose is one of them, Wil Wheaton is another, but before that it was Kat Von D. It was some time in the last year that I heard she had become sober (though she’s been sober 9 years) and I thought that was admirable. I had also read some articles and posts online from other people who had chosen to give up drinking. It seemed to make sense but so much of life these days seems associated with alcohol. My running club in Nashville always followed runs with a trip to the pub. Sunday Funday was always drinking centered. Nights are or were spent in bars and clubs.
I started thinking about what I could do if I never had to recover from too much drink. I started wondering what mistakes I wouldn’t have made if not moderately impaired. I began to wonder about never having to double-check social media and texts to ensure I hasn’t said anything when saddened due to alcohol’s depressant effects. I also started to think about what else I could be spending my money on. I could easily afford another vacation or two a year by not buying alcohol.
Then I started seeing people I care about slip down into alcoholism. I watched one friend destroy his marriage and abandon his 3 children due to drinking. I’ve watched others become mean drunks, constantly saying hurtful and selfish things when intoxicated. Yet others become violent. Not to mention, the arguments with drunks who think they can drive and will raise hell to be told otherwise or to rationalize their level of drunkenness so they can convince themselves they can drive. Relationships damaged, families hurt, and the possibility of ending their life or the lives of others. So tragic.
There’s also the physical benefits. I could easily drop some weight. I wouldn’t hurt so much, because alcohol causes internal inflammation, contributing greatly to chronic pain. I’d be ingesting less sugar, which also contributes to weight gain and inflammation. I’d likely have clearer skin. I wouldn’t feel so anxious or depressed, because alcohol is a depressant. I would hopefully decrease possibilities for cancer and liver disease and possibly make some other better choices in food.
Where’s the downside?
Yes, it’s a big change. It would change how I socialize: perhaps hikes instead of bars, or possibly coffee shops and cafes. No more beer fests or whiskey fests but there are plenty of festivals centered around food and other interesting things in the world. Denver and the surrounding areas have plenty to offer as entertainment.
It doesn’t mean I won’t ever have another drink again. It doesn’t even mean that I’m going 100% right this second but the resolve is forming and exists already. If it would lead to greater happiness and a refocusing of my energy on my family, meditation, and healthy eating, as well as boost my physical health, it makes perfect sense.
Have you ever made a drastic change in your life for the better? What did you learn going through it and what did you discover on the other side?