Many people think that, when it comes to alcohol use, it\u2019s all-or-nothing; you either pursue full sobriety or you drink whatever and whenever you want. But it doesn\u2019t have to be all-or-nothing. There\u2019s a movement aimed at helping people want to better understand their relationship to alcohol and make healthier choices for themselves without necessarily giving up alcohol completely. It\u2019s called the sober curious movement.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s take a look at all things sober curious: what it is, how it differs from full sobriety or abstinence, and how (if you\u2019re curious about it!) you can embrace the movement in your own life.<\/p>\n
What is \u201csober curious\u201d, and why is it having such a moment?<\/h2>\n
\u201cThe Sober Curious movement was launched by Ruby Warrington and her book, Sober Curious<\/em>, in [late 2018],\u201d says Elisa Peimer, LCSW, a therapist who has worked with a Sober Curious support group. \u201cSober Curious is a method of being mindful about drinking. People following it learn how to notice what triggers their drinking, what the act of drinking means to them, what needs it\u2019s fulfilling, and how it\u2019s adversely affecting their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n The movement gained momentum quickly, in part because it allows people to explore living a more sober lifestyle without making the commitment to give up drinking entirely. \u201cThe movement encourages a sober (or more sober) lifestyle, but embraces and welcomes individuals who are not ready to quit alcohol entirely,\u201d says Ian Andersen, co-founder of mindful drinking and moderation app Sunnyside.<\/p>\n The rise of the sober curious movement could also be viewed as an extension of health, wellness, and mindfulness in general becoming more mainstream. \u201cAs mindfulness in general has become more and more popular, being sober-curious feels like a natural extension of healthier lifestyle options like plant-based diets, yoga, and meditation,\u201d says Molly Watts, author and host of The Alcohol Minimalist<\/em> podcast.<\/p>\n Finally, the sober curious movement has gained quite the following on social media. And as more people and influencers have embraced the movement\u2014and been willing to speak out about their choices around drinking less, or not at all\u2014the movement has spread to more people. For example, \u201chashtags like #mindfuldrinking and #sobercurious are driving millions of views on social media,\u201d says Andersen.<\/p>\n Being sober curious differs from traditional sobriety in a few ways\u2014most notably that it doesn\u2019t require abstinence from alcohol. Instead, it encourages people to, as the name suggests, get curious about their drinking\u2014and aim to make better, more mindful choices around their alcohol use.<\/p>\n This allows people \u201cto explore living a life without alcohol without having to fully commit to not drinking,\u201d says Dr. Brooke Scheller, a Doctor of Clinical Nutrition who specializes in nutrition to support a sober or sober-curious journey.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe focus is not on just abstinence, but on the choices we make when the stressors in our lives drive us to relieve them with alcohol rather than in more healthy ways,\u201d says Peimer.<\/p>\n It also appeals to a wider audience. While full abstinence is generally recommended for people with an alcohol use disorder, the sober curious movement is a fit for anyone<\/em> who wants to have a better relationship to alcohol\u2014or who want to cut back their drinking for reasons outside of addiction or alcohol use disorder, like improving their health.<\/p>\n \u201cBefore this, sobriety was mostly reserved for those who identified as having a problem with alcohol,\u201d says Scheller. \u201cOver the last two years, people are now exploring a sober-curious lifestyle by cutting back or even fully eliminating alcohol for reasons that include physical and mental health reasons, to improve their careers, relationships, or even just because they\u2019re sick of the hangover habit.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSober curious offers a flexibility to acknowledge your use of alcohol might not be healthy without the rigidity of an all-or-nothing approach,\u201d says Peimer.<\/p>\n Practice mindfulness when you reach for a drink. <\/strong>Mindfulness is the foundation of the sober curious movement.<\/p>\n \u201cSober curiosity is about mindfulness\u2014looking at your actions in the moment and being honest with yourself,\u201d says Peimer. \u201cNotice what\u2019s going on for you when you decide to drink.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Before you take a drink, pause for a moment. Ask yourself \u201cwhy am I taking this drink?\u201d\u2014and then, based on the answer, decide whether you want to move forward and have the drink. For example, when you stop to think about why you\u2019re reaching for a drink, you may realize that it\u2019s because you trying to manage challenging emotions, like boredom or anxiety\u2014in which case you might opt to skip it in favor of a healthier coping mechanism, like calling a friend or going for a run.\u00a0<\/p>\n Practicing mindfulness in the moments that you want or reach for a drink can help you better understand the motivations behind your drinking\u2014and whether those motivations are in line with the kind of relationship you want to have with alcohol.<\/p>\n Get curious and ask yourself some deeper questions. <\/strong>In addition to bringing mindfulness to moments when you want to drink, being sober curious means\u2026well, getting curious. Ask yourself some deeper questions about your relationship to alcohol. \u201cBe thoughtful about what drinking means to you,\u201d says Peimer. \u201cIs it helping you create a narrative that\u2019s appealing? Is it a reminder of happy times? Is it an indication that the weekend is starting?\u201d<\/p>\n Understanding the reasons behind your drinking can help you make better, healthier choices around if and when to drink.\u00a0<\/p>\n If you want to take things a step further, you may also want to ask yourself some questions about what it would be like to give up alcohol completely or consume less of it. \u201cAsk yourself how your life would look without alcohol,\u201d says Peimer.\u00a0<\/p>\n If you want to see how drinking may impact your Sleep Score, check it after a night out with friends. You can also try comparing your Sleep Score on a night you haven\u2019t imbibed with that of a night when you have. (Learn more about how to tap into Fitbit\u2019s sleep tools, including your Sleep Score, here.)\u00a0<\/p>\n Plan ahead.<\/strong> As mentioned, part of being sober curious is about being mindful when you reach for a drink. But while it\u2019s important to be mindful in the moment, some are harder than others. And if there are moments you think it might be hard to say \u201cno\u201d to a drink\u2014even if you want to? Plan ahead for them. \u201cTry making a plan ahead of time for not drinking at an event that you normally would,\u201d says Watts.<\/p>\n For example, do your Sunday catch-up brunches with your friends always end with you having one too many cocktails? Make a plan for what you\u2019re going to drink instead (for example, a sparkling mocktail)\u2014and for what you\u2019re going to say.<\/p>\n As the old saying goes, \u201cfailing to plan is planning to fail\u201d. Make sure to plan ahead for potentially challenging situations.<\/p>\n Try some non-alcoholic alternatives.<\/strong> If you want to change your relationship to alcohol\u2014but also really enjoy the taste of beer, wine, or other alcoholic drinks? There\u2019s good news.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re\u2026seeing a huge boom in the non-alcoholic beverage industry,\u201d says Scheller. \u201cWhile stores used to sell only one or two NA beers, we\u2019re seeing a huge range of NA drinks in liquor stores, grocery stores, and even small markets\u2014making it much easier to access alternatives to alcoholic beverages.\u201d<\/p>\n There\u2019s also been some serious improvements in the quality of non-alcoholic beverages\u2014so you don\u2019t have to sacrifice taste along with the buzz. \u201cMany people are really surprised by how delicious some of the NA beverages are and you can have the mouth feel of your favorite drink without the negative aspects of alcohol,\u201d says Watts.<\/p>\n Instead of having a drink every time you normally would (for example, with dinner or in the evening while you watch TV), \u201ctry to alternate your regular alcoholic drinks with an NA alternative,\u201d says Watts.\u00a0<\/p>\n And have fun with it! As mentioned, there are tons of NA options on the market\u2014so choose beverages that seem interesting, tasty, and that you\u2019ll be genuinely excited to try. \u201cHaving options that you can get excited about that are not alcohol is a great way to modify your habits,\u201d says Andersen.<\/p>\n This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or condition. Always check with your doctor before changing your diet, altering your sleep habits, taking supplements, or starting a new fitness routine.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\tDeanna deBara is a freelance writer based in Portland, OR. She covers a wide range of wellness topics, including fitness, nutrition, relationships, and mental health. Her work has appeared on Greatist, Men’s Health, Ravishly, The Fix, What’s Good by The Vitamin Shoppe, and more.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p><\/div>\nHow is being sober curious different from being fully sober?<\/h2>\n
Feeling curious? Tips on how to embrace the movement<\/h2>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\tDeanna deBara\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n
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