Everyone has another Relationship with alcoholBut often we learn that it represents a celebration. In the United States, a 21-year-old’s first legal drink is an exciting passing rite, which often marks a complete entrance to adulthood. People drink at parties, weddings and other big events. We learn to drink for our achievements and the things that make us happy – as campaigns, a first house or a commitment. But we also learn how to handle the difficult parts of life in the same way. The message is quite simple: If you go through somethingGood or bad, getting a drink is probably the right way to mark the occasion.
But more and more, people (especially young adults) review this cultural fascination – or dependence – on subjects. Gallup has been tracing US alcohol consumption since 1939, and its New data shows That 62 percent of Americans under 35 reported drinking alcohol, from 72 percent over the past two decades.
Still, the choice not to drink a stigma. Often skips over beer with family or Skip the wine on a date Means that you are hard another person’s buzz, and it can be considered to mean that you either do not know how to have fun or that you are struggling with addiction. But more and more people are pushing back to the pressure to drink and Stigmatization around refraining.
Content related to the Sober-Nyfikna lifestyle has hundreds of thousands of opinions about TikTok, because people share how and why they have redefined their relationship with alcohol. PS spoke to several experts in the Sober-Nyfikna movement about what it means and how you can explore your own sober curiosity.
Expert presented in this article
Leah Young, LCPC, is a clinical manager at Pathlight Mood & Angst Center.
What it means to be sober curious
Sober Curiosity means exactly how it sounds like – someone who is curious to visit their relationship with subjects and reducing their intake. Although it is often most associated with alcohol, it also includes substances such as marijuana and other leisure drugs.
“Usually someone who is sober curious chooses to explore what it would be like to use less or not drinking or using topics at all and will make it an attempt for a while without undertaking to forever,” says Leah Young, LCPC, a clinical Head of Pathlight Mood & Anxiety Center. In this way, curiosity changes how much and when a person can choose to consume or refrain from subjects, but it is also a lifestyle choice.
Young says that sober -borne people are often frustrated at how many events revolve around subjects, and they may feel tired of the pressure from friends, colleagues or society to get involved in these subjects. As a result, many often emphasize activities and Social settings that do not revolve around substance useReplaces barhopping with Book Club or Happy Hour with yoga postwork. They can also hang out at one of the many sober bars that pop up across the country. “But people who are sober curious are not necessarily completely free of substances. They may try to integrate something like alcohol in a moderate or limited way,” says Young. The lifestyle is in a spectrum.
Sober-Curious people can also be drawn to limiting their intake because they are worried about addiction and want to learn how to deal with stress, anxiety and social situations with a clear head. In fact, Young says that some sober-new people discover their alcohol and substance addiction when they limit or take a break from their intake. If you have noticed an increased tolerance for a substance (ie it takes you more drinks to get you buzzing than it used You thought, it’s time to seek professional help. But Young says some reason to visit substance use is a good reason, because “we do not need anyone’s permission to stop or change use.”
How to start your Sober-Curious Journey
The first step in being sober curious is of course curiosity. Think about your relationship with subjects, how often you use them, when using them and why you use them. Do you like to participate in substance use, or do you do it without thinking? Do you ever feel regret after using topics? Do you have mental health, fitness or social goals that are not served by your current substance use? Then think about what you might want to change or what you would be curious to explore.
If you decide that you can take advantage of a change, either by using substances in a more conscious way or simply taking a break from drinking, Young recommends creating a plan. Choosing a liability partner is a good first step, which can be a therapist or a reliable friend. Then create a very specific plan for what you ideally prefer to use to look, with regard to frequency, amount, type, intake, intention, and whether it is with others or alone, says Young. The more detailed, the better. Then make a contingency plan for unexpected challenges and how you respond to them. For example, if you are struggling to skip your usual at 17.00, it may be wise to remove alcohol from the house until it is no longer a temptation.
Making a plan helps people tailor their goals, take an honest look at their substance use and collect data on whether it works for them or not, says Young or not.
The benefits of sober curiosity
Cutting down substances can result in a number of benefits for physical, mental and social well -being, with American addiction centers quoting Improved function in the brain, liver, liver and immune system.
“(Sober Curiosity) allows people to find a method of sobriety that works for them,” says Young. “It can help those people who have abused to be more conscious and intentional. It opens us for new ways of socializing.” She notes that her patients usually report “improved relationships and communication, feel more present, improved performance at work, feel more cognitively sharp and feel better physically.”
Originally, however, it can be a difficult transition, as some people can use substances to manage anxiety or mental healthAnd they will need to find new tools to manage these symptoms outside alcohol. But in the long term, using less alcohol – or none at all – will have significant benefits, says Young.
However, it is important to remember that it is not sustainable for everyone to be sober. “There are some people who need to have the black and white mentality that they simply cannot use any sign of intoxication safely,” warns young. For those with Alcohol use disorder Or drug addiction, full sobriety and counseling is likely to be a necessary, long-term commitment-maybe restricting intake or having temporary dry periods will not suffice.
Even for others, says Young, the Sober-Nyfikna movement “is a good way to start challenging our substance-dominant culture instead of mindlessly engaging in use.”
Sara Youngblood Gregory was a contributing staff writer for PS Wellness. She covers sex, kink, disability, pleasure and wellness. Her work has been presented in Vice, Huffpost, Bustle, Dame, The Rumpus, Jezebel and many others.
