.png)
But what would I DO if I stopped drinking?
What I would fo for fun?
What would I do with my friends?
What would I do with my leisure time?
What would I do?
Life without alcohol can seem like a yawning abyss of boredom and greyness.
In our culture, booze is everywhere and by many, is seen as everything.
It's seen as fun, a reward, a balm for stress and a solution to boredom.
It's a rite of passage for our youth.
It's a badge of sophistication.
It colours in you world.
Without it, you're definitely not a part of the mainstream.
What would happen if I stopped drinking?
We're not going to pretend giving up alcohol is easy because it's not. Far from it.
But what we can say is that after you've been through the initial physical challenge of stopping drinking, life becomes full of possibilities you could never have imagined while you were living a life filled with intoxication.
You'll get to know you
When sober, you can't help but listen to your body. Instead of drowning out every signal that your body needs something, you will hear it and be able to do something about it.
You'll know when you're hungry, angry, lonely and tired. You'll know when you're sad or truly happy.Your emotions will no longer be stifled or mangled by alcohol, and you'll have a chance to process them in a healthy way.
You may also look around and feel differently about who is in your life, and what it is you're doing with them. When you're sober, the world around you looks and feels different and it might not work for you the way it did before.
People will treat you differently
When the sober you emerges, you might find people around you are confused about how different you are.
Loved ones who've been concerned about your drinking may be positive and welcome the change, but still be confused about how your relationship now works with them.
Your friends might not want to be with you if you no longer drink and may not want to join you in a sober journey. Not everyone is going to rejoice in your sobriety and that can hurt.
You will be in charge of your life, instead of your addiction running the game.
What you CAN do once you get sober
Far from being dull and boring, once you get sober, life becomes larger and full of possibilities and new choices.
You will feel physically healthier.
You will feel mentally stronger.
You will be in charge of your life, instead of your addiction running the game.
You will get to choose the people in your life based on who you really like and want to be with, rather than who drinks like you do, or who put up with your drinking.
You will get the chance to grow and develop in every area of your life and be able to learn the skills to do so.
If you're sober, the world is open and the choices are yours.
If you're worried about your own drinking, or that of a loved one, call Elaine for a confidential chat on 027 573 7744.