The benefits of cutting down or going alcohol free include:
The biggest thing is how much better I feel physically and mentally. Waking up fresh instead of foggy. No more anxiety. More energy, more clarity. I still love food and eating out, and now I’ll order what I really fancy – the bill is usually £70–£100 lighter without the booze.
Life now
I feel free. Free of the need for alcohol. I sleep better, I wake up brighter, I have more energy and more presence. Socially, I’m learning to just be myself. And I’ve realised something big: I actually talk about what’s troubling me now, rather than drowning it. That feels like a revelation.
Looking back. Why I drank too much and what I’ve learned.
When I was younger, alcohol gave me confidence. Later, I used it to de-stress or cope, but in reality it didn’t help at all. Those habits just became embedded. It took me years to see it clearly.
Advice to others
If anything I’ve said rings true, remember this: making a change with alcohol usually means making a change in yourself too. It’s a journey – sometimes hard, often surprising – but absolutely worth it.
My Favourite non-alcoholic ritual
Orange Cinchona, always. Over ice with clementine tonic, ginger ale, or sparkling water. A big slice of orange or grapefruit, a sprig of rosemary, and that’s me happy.
Three words to sum up how I feel now
Myself. Grounded. Energised.
