In previous blogs I have often talked about the benefits I have experienced with living a sober life, however, I also wanted to highlight some of the things that I really do not miss from when I used to drink alcohol. When you have changed your lifestyle so dramatically as to break a habit that may have consumed your life for years, it can be difficult to remember some of the negatives that life used to give you, however, there are a few things that still stick in my mind when I look back now and feel really thankful that I don’t have to experience it any more. If you are also now doing sober for October, I imagine you will likely be experiencing some of these benefits as well.

#1 Hangovers

Top of the list that I really do not miss is hangovers. Par for the course for anyone that over does it with alcohol is that horrible state you find yourself in for the next day or so where you can lose all of that time because you don’t feel physically or mentally able to face the day ahead. Not only that, I used to also have this coupled with feelings of guilt as my hangover was another indication that I was drinking more than I realised too often and my concerns of addiction and increased anxiety would be prominent as well as the physical impact of headaches and feeling sick.

I can’t express how much I love the fact that I will never have to experience a hangover again and it’s something that will never be missed from when I use to drink booze.

#2 Drinking induced anxiety

I have often documented about my anxiety. It’s something that has impacted me for as long as I can remember. However, I didn’t realise just how much my anxiety was heightened and out of control when I was drinking alcohol. I would worry, obsess and panic about anything and everything. For anyone who has never experienced anxiety, it is really difficult to explain and put into words how it negatively impacts all aspects of your life. It’s only been since I have removed alcohol from my life that I have noticed a huge improvement on how anxiety impacts my life and how much more in control I am of my mental health. Out of control anxiety is something that I really do not miss from when I used to drink booze!

#3 Hiding how much I would drink

I knew a long time before I adopted an alcohol-free lifestyle that I had a problem with drink. So much so, that I found myself more often than not hiding my level of drinking from others. Even though I surrounded myself with a network of people who also liked to drink, I was often aware it was normally me that was encouraging everyone to drink and I was generally the last person to stop drinking. I would find myself the next day quickly hiding the bottles of wine consumed straight into recycling, so not only did I not have to face the amount of alcohol I had consumed but also not alarm my family to the amount of alcohol I had drunk on my own.

It was a horrible secretive feeling and one I do not miss at all!

#4 Missing out on time with my family

Looking back now, alcohol took so much from me for so long. At the height of my addiction, alcohol had taken over everything and I couldn’t think about much else. If I was planning to go out for a trip with my family, then I would always need to factor in where and when I would be able to drink. Or, if we were out somewhere where there was no alcohol available, then I would be making an early exit to get home so I could get the wine open. Looking back, I hate how much control alcohol had over everything that I did and stole enjoyment from me and my family. It is something that I do not miss one bit.

#5 Low/Bad Mood

I mentioned above about how alcohol impacted my anxiety levels, but it also had a negative impact on my overall mood and temper. If I didn’t have a drink in my hand then I generally wasn’t much fun to be around. If I had a hangover then I had no patience for anything. It would not take much to either get me angry or feeling depressed and because of drinking for 20+ years, I thought this was just my personality trait. I thought that I had a short temper and things would get to me no matter how large or small, simple things would negatively impact my mood. However, once I had stopped drinking, it didn’t take long for my mental health to greatly improve. I started to have a better sleep which helped my mood and with alcohol not constantly in my system, I felt so much better overall.

Sometimes you can get so focused on what you are trying to achieve or worried about what you might miss out on that it’s important to also look at what positive changes you have made to your life, I too can be guilty of this! I would also love to hear from you in the comments section below about what experiences you are having with sobriety. What things do you not miss? Or, are you sober curious now as there are certain things you are sick of experiencing or feeling due to your alcohol consumption?

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Sobriety Coach – Simon Chapple (@besoberandquit)