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A lot can happen in a year. (It’s amazing what you can achieve when you’re not spending your Friday night having a binge drink and your Saturday morning with your head stuck down the toilet). Quitting alcohol for a year has changed my life for the better. And, I’m sure it can do the same for you. This post aims to help you give up alcohol for a year, but be warned, the positive side effects might have you going Alcohol Free (AF) for life.

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Why Would I Stop Drinking?

Let me start with a quick disclaimer. This article is not medical advice and if you’re concerned about you’re level of drinking then I implore you seek professional help. If you’re dependent on alcohol, quitting can cause alcohol withdrawal symptoms which will require medical attention.

Now then. Have you ever stopped to think about how alcohol is engrained into our culture? We begin drinking alcohol at such a young age that most of us enter adulthood with a neat set of terrible coping mechanisms already under our belt.

We use alcohol. A lot. We drink wine to enhance our meals, a G&T after work to relieve stress. Copious alcohol is consumed at every single commemorative or commiserative event under the guise that it’s making the event more fun or special. But here’s the kicker. None of it is real.

I’m not here to be a Debby Downer these are just facts: alcohol actually causes stress on your body. It also majorly disrupts your sleep. It actually numbs your taste buds and it alters your brain over long-term use making you more likely to get stuck in certain thought cycles (don’t worry – it’s reversible!). It’s terrible for mental health. And that’s before we get into the headaches and hangovers!

We’re so accustomed to alcohol being a part of our lives that we noramalise the terrible and sometimes scary (hello memory loss) side effects. If you feel like alcohol might be interfering with your happiness, you’ve come to the right place! Maybe you want to see if you can stop drinking for a year just to see if your life improves. Whatever your reason, there is a plethora of resources out there available to you, so let’s get into it.

How to Stop Drinking for a Year

1. One Day at a Time – #odaat

A whole year without drinking alcohol? Are you kidding me?

It might seem daunting but the magic really happens when you have to learn to live your life without leaning on alcohol. The key is, to take it one day at a time. #odaat is a popular hashtag, especially amongst people in recovery. Don’t worry about that event you have next month, or that holiday coming up. Just focus on not drinking, one day at a time.

That’s not to say you shouldn’t prepare for upcoming events (far from it). But, don’t let a holiday happening in 3 months time stop you from getting started.

2. Find Your People

There is an enormous & wonderful sober community on Instagram. So why not start a sober account – it can be anonymous if you like. If you’re giving it up in January you’ll find lots of other people quitting at the same time as you (I’m a Dry Jan Clan myself). Then, not only are you holding yourself accountable, but you’ll have the added bonus of community support from others going on the same journey as you. There are also plenty of sober veterans on hand to share their knowledge! It’s a very valuable (free!) resource.

You can also find plenty of support groups you can join for virtual and in person socials. The Sober Girl Society & Cuppa Community are two examples. You can also check out Sober Socials to connect with other people who have stopped drinking in your post code – as well as planned sober events.

3. Listen to AF Podcasts

With the sober life movement growing, there are plenty of intimate long-form conversations with people discussing their sobriety & their reasons for quitting. You won’t struggle to find a few that resonate with you. You’ll find A listers – Joe Rogan speaking to the likes of Rob Lowe & Miley Cyrus. But also plenty of influencers originating from the sober community. People like Andy Ramage (creator of one year no beer). Or, if you just need to be able to laugh at it all (my personal favourite) Sober Awkward – with their strapline ‘feel the awkward & do it anyway‘ which is a fabulous AF moto.

4. Read ‘Quit Lit’

Quit Lit in case you hadn’t figured it out, is short for literature focused on quitting something. There are tons of alcohol focussed quit lit books out there. The books vary greatly, from psychological, to female focussed, to science based. Retired party girls & scientists alike who have stopped drinking & have their own messages to share around alcohol and it’s effects. All of which can help to change your core beliefs about drinking alcohol & reaffirm your decision to stop drinking. I highly recommend reading a few, particularly at the start of your journey.

5. Track Your Progress

The I am Sober app is a great tool used by so many of the sober community. Completely free to download, the I Am Sober app will count your days of sobriety for you so you can admire your progress & share it with your new found sober friends. It will also let you know when you’ve reached milestones & allow you to check in with changes you’ve noticed. And, you can record how you’re feeling & make notes at the end of each day. Very handy, especially during the early days.

Of course, your progress isn’t just a tally of drinks not drunk! If you’re quitting for health & planning on picking up a new health or skin care regime, take progress photos. I recommend doing this once every 3 months.

6. Explore Your Why

Behind every successful sober story is a person screaming at you that motivation is not enough. It’s true. To build your own success story, you need to ask yourself ‘why do I want to stop drinking alcohol for a year?’ When you understand the why, it’s very easy to catch your brain out when it’s trying to trick you into just having one.

A great way of exploring this is by journaling. I recommend Ruby Warrington’s 100 day sober curious reset. With a different journal prompt every day for 100 days. 100 days is a great milestone to aim for too!

7. Set Some Goals

Once you know your why, you can work on adding positives into your life – replacing any gaping negativity from the missing alcohol! If you were fed up of paying for a gym membership & not training consistently because you’re mornings were perpetually railroaded by hangovers – set yourself some fitness goals. Likewise, if you always wasted money on nights out & take out – set some big savings goals. Or, if you drank because you’re horribly awkward in social situations, why not set yourself a goal to attend a sober meet up?

8. Change Your Mind

Motivation really isn’t enough. You can have the strongest will in the world, but if you still want to drink alcohol, you will have a miserable time not drinking alcohol. And, the little voice in your head that wants a drink will always win. All of the above will help you to change your mindset around drinking alcohol – allowing you to see it for what it really is (a drain on your health, money, relationships and goals).

If for some reason all of the above is not enough to deter you then try this. How do you feel about the idea of being controlled by someone else? Not good I bet. Well, take a long look at Big Alcohol. The industry has as much to answer for as the tobacco industry does with clear links to cancer. Alcohol is just another money spinner for faceless investors with no regard for their customers health or wellbeing. But, it’s hard to believe the facts when we are literally surrounded by alcohol. It’s in our homes, shops and restaurants. We literally have an entire industry based around venues supplying us with it! It’s on our TV screens, we watch our favourite characters drinking endlessly (spoiler alert – it’s actually apple juice). It’s promoted to us – albeit quite unrealistically… have you ever seen a drunk person featured in an alcohol advert? It even dominates our greetings cards! Alcohol is everywhere & when you start to realise that, a shift can occur. You start seeing alcohol as a bit of a cult.

9. Replace the Habit

If alcohol was a big part of your life, you’re going to find yourself with some time on your hands. How you decide to replace the habit is completely up to you. Hanging out in the pub to all hours every Friday night is something you can still do if you’re confident in your sobriety. You shouldn’t have to pass up on the things you want to do, or the people you want to hang out with. But every person is different and for some, drinking holes can be a little too triggering.

Have a think about how you might like to spend your new found time. Are their any activities you’ve always wanted to try? Rock climbing, pole dancing, pottery, painting, foraging, hiking, writing… the list is endless. If you can, try and schedule your new activities during times you’d normally be drinking or hungover.

Drink Less, Live More

So there you have it. Top tips for changing your mindset around booze and to prepare you to take a break – or maybe even stop drinking alcohol completely. Life without alcohol can be challenging but it’s also super rewarding, fun and fulfilling. The more work you put into figuring out your why and discovering your passions, the more you will get out of this time.

If you’re ready to make a change, quit alcohol and reclaim your time, energy and health, there’s really no better time than the present!

FAQ

Do I Really Need to Stop Drinking For a Year?

A lot can change in 12 months. You’ll be amazed at the progress you can make & things you can achieve if you allow yourself the time & space to do so. Quitting drinking may not be a panacea, but it certainly helps. It’s been proven that a break of around 6 months can see your brain rewire itself back to it’s pre-drinking state – improving neuroplasticity. So, I recommend stop drinking for at least 6 months – but I’ll be surprised if you make it to 6 months and see any value in returning to drinking alcohol!

What Can I Expect if I Stop Drinking for a Year?

Stronger connections with loved ones. More energy. Improved confidence. Increased enjoyment of the everyday. More passion for projects, hobbies and goals. More time to spend doing what you love. Improved mental health – particularly reduced anxiety. Being fully present every day. Better finances. Feeling more control over your own life. Better sleep quality and consequently, better overall health.

Will I Experience Alcohol Cravings?

Probably! If you’ve unknowingly (or knowingly) relied on drinking during times or stress, it can be difficult to sit with the feelings rather than numb them out with alcohol. But, getting through these cravings is where you’ll find the most personal growth! It’s important to analyse what’s really going on when these feelings crop up. Are you feeling uncomfortable in a social situation? Are you feeling tense from work? Did you just get some bad news & you want to forget about it rather than face it? When you stop drinking alcohol, you commit to staying fully present in your life which is a pretty amazing thing to do.

Surely a Few Drinks Won’t Hurt?

The longer you can go without alcohol consumption, the more you will see the benefits. Particularly when it comes to your mental health. When you stop drinking for a prolonged period of time, your brain has a chance to repair. Allowing for novel thoughts & ideas to form rather than following the deeply trodden routes formed from years of drinking frequently. I recommend to stop drinking alcohol for at least 6 months. If you decide to drink during this time, even if it’s less than you would normally drink and more infrequently, you will not give your brain the chance to fully return to it’s natural state.

Of course reducing your consumption at all is a positive act & it’s something you should be proud of. The question you need to ask yourself is, why are you doing this? If you think alcohol might be ruining your relationships (with others or yourself!), impacting your job, finances or your physical or mental health, then you will want to consider stopping drinking altogether to see how your life improves.

Does This Mean I Have a Drinking Problem

You don’t need to have ‘a problem’ with alcohol to decide to walk away. But the real question is, is alcohol causing you problems? If the answer is yes, that’s all you need to know. There is a lot of talk in the sober community about alcohol addiction and ‘grey area drinkers’. I recommend doing your own research to see where you think you fit in and whether you should seek professional help.

Where Can I get More Information or Support?

For links to charities, sober community groups, helplines or sites to locate therapists check out our resources page here.