Sober Story: How to Stop Drinking Alcohol (The Enjoyable Way)

In this story, Will, shared the following on how you can I enjoy without alcohol and how to quit alcohol the enjoyable way.

This post was created for the sober and sober curious looking for relatable, inspiring sober-positive content. The following are Will’s experiences, words, and opinions. Enjoy :)

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I won’t delve too deep into the younger years, but essentially, alcohol became a tool for me to relieve my anxiety. During my teenage years, I was becoming increasingly anxious around people. Drinking was an easy escape.

When I drank, I didn’t overthink. I wasn’t worried. I was sociable. It felt like it took down the wall that separated me from everyone else and I could truly be myself.

It provided a sense of control, which was what I craved due to my social anxiety.

However, in a society that not only normalized but encouraged alcohol, things become confusing for me. I used to wonder why others didn’t feel the need to drink like I did or why I couldn’t stop drinking once I started but they could. How come everyone else seemed ok with wanting to drink — but I felt like I had to drink, relying on it to feel good?

I went to university but I never graduated, and anxiety played a major role in that. When I left university did I get a job in hospitality and, with no qualifications and no clear career path, I ended up working as a waiter, a bartender, and even a chef.

Drinking was further normalized in these industry. We sold alcohol — it wasn’t like other jobs where you have drinks with colleagues after work. Instead, alcohol was the essence of our job. Being a bartender meant making alcoholic drinks every 25 seconds.

After work, which was a high-adrenaline and high-stress environment, drinking was seen as a way to unwind. I was driven, I aimed to be the best, and I progressed in my career in hospitality. However, there was a voice in the back of my head for the last couple of years, recognizing the problem, sensing that something was going wrong with the way my habits (and, thus, my life) were heading.

In the six months leading up to my decision to stop drinking, I couldn’t bear the anxiety, guilt, shame, and the manipulations I was living with. I felt trapped. That’s a brief overview of the 10 to 15 years that led to my decision to be sober.

At the end of my drinking, I was desperately seeking an excuse to stop. I wished for someone would notice my struggle so I wouldn’t have to confront it myself.

My wish came true.

During a nice weekend in the countryside, a friend confronted me saying I needed to sort my life out. It was a wake-up call. During the train ride back from that trip, I confronted myself: I needed to take a break from drinking, to detox and regain clarity.

That’s when I decided to give up drinking for good. The first year of sobriety opened my eyes to a whole new world I had denied myself for so long. I began to feel and see things differently, expanding my vision for my life and its possibilities.

I even impulsively booked a one-way flight to India, traveling with no specific plan. During my year there, I was able to be more spontaneous, truly experience life, and get to know myself better.

The experience allowed me to see that my real happiness comes from personal growth and purpose. I’ve since become a sobriety coach to help others on a similar journey. Health is vital to me, and I’m grateful for the ability to explore new avenues in my life.

My gratitude for health extends to daily practices like exercise, meditation, cold showers, and breathing exercises. These practices help me stay focused, present, and in control today.