Reasons to Quit Drinking



The fact that you're here means you probably know, deep down, that you ought to quit drinking. Am I right?

But the idea of it is terrifying. Booze has been your best friend for years. You use it to celebrate, to commiserate, to wind down, to gear up. All you can see is year after desolate year stretching ahead of you without a drink.

Well, stop thinking like that right now. What you're about to discover is that there are very few, if any, good things about poisoning our bodies day in, day out. And there are LOADS of amazing things about stopping.

Here are ten of them. I've given you the headlines, but there's a link after each one to the full post if you want to read more.

1. You'll lose weight

I know it seems shallow putting this one at number 1, but it's a great bonus! After ten months off the booze I've lost twenty pounds - and it's still coming off - without dieting at all!

BUT, be warned, it takes a while to kick in, so don't despair if you lose nothing to start with, or even gain a bit.

For more CLICK HERE

2. It's fashionable!

It's easy to imagine that sober people, or teetotallers (don't you hate that word?) are really boring, worthy people.

Not true! Going sober has never been more fashionable, with advocates like Anna Wintour, David Beckham, Bradley Cooper, Jessie J and many, many more.

For more CLICK HERE

3. You'll live longer

Drinking too much doesn't just damage our livers, it also makes you WAY more likely to have a heart attack, stroke or get cancer. I know. I was diagnosed with breast cancer seven months after I quit. My only (remaining) vice was alcohol....

For more CLICK HERE

4. You'll be happier

You probably don't believe that right now. You think you drink because you're unhappy, but actually it's the drink that's making you unhappy.

There is a well proven link between alcohol and depression, because alcohol messes with our brain chemistry.

BUT, it's fixable. All you need to do is stop.

For more CLICK HERE

5. You'll rediscover your mojo!

Can you remember your mojo?

Well, quit drinking and not only will you get thinner, but your skin will glow, your hair will go all bouncy and shiny and you'll have boundless energy.

You'll look five years younger, and find that you've suddenly got a spring in your step...

For more CLICK HERE

6. You'll be a better parent

Alcohol makes us lousy parents, doesn't it?

Quit drinking and you'll be more patient, more present, and have more energy.

And if life throws you lemons, you'll be able to protect your pack, and keep them from harm.

Plus, you'll be a great role model!

For more CLICK HERE

7. You'll have more friends

We worry that quitting booze will lose us friends, but the truth is, drinkers make lousy friends.

We're selfish, boring and boorish, we're unreliable with arrangements and secrets. Eventually we look around and notice that our only friends are other big drinkers, and there are fewer and fewer of them.

Quit drinking, and you'll find that gradually your social life widens to include all sorts of amazing people.

For more CLICK HERE

8. It's easier

Not easy, obviously, but easier. Easier than constantly trying to cut down, to moderate. You know how hard that is, don't you? All the broken promises and self hatred.

For more CLICK HERE

9. You'll get stuff done

When you drink, your world contracts until you spend an inordinate amount of time with just you and a bottle. When you quit your world expands and you get stuff done.

You de-clutter, take up hobbies, find a new job or a new partner. Your whole world changes. Just wait and see....

For more CLICK HERE

10. And lots more...

So many little things, that all add up to a huge transformation.

You'll sleep like a baby, learn to love mornings, lose your fear of police cars and cashiers, you'll be richer, stop worrying about your breath, about people taking your photo, about what you said or did last night.....

For more CLICK HERE

Are you convinced yet? If so please read my page on advice for newbies.

And GOOD LUCK!

44 comments:

  1. God I want to experience this new, sober life! Thank you for writing this, it inspired me tonight.

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  2. God I want to experience this new, sober life! Thank you for writing this, it inspired me tonight.

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  3. Im on day 5 and all of these things are true already. you need to be present and available in mind to fight this wolf! good luck to us all. xxxxx.

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  4. Im on day 5 and all of these things are true already. you need to be present and available in mind to fight this wolf! good luck to us all. xxxxx.

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  6. After a lot of soul searching I have decided to quit starting with Go Sober for October which I am using as my starting point. This post has given me some real motivation and inspiration. I'm looking forwad to my new life! Thank you.

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  7. On day 9 and so far so good. It’s a battle in my head every day but I am determined to beat this. I too finished breast cancer treatment 7 months ago. Love your blog and I can’t wait for your book.

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  8. I am on day 18 and feeling really good. This post is such a great motivator! I discovered your blog last night and I am reading it from the beginning. Thanks for sharing your story with humor, truth, and humility.

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  9. I quit on December 3rd , of 2017, I was having horrible panic attacks after drinking, so i would keep drinking to make the panic go away, then it turned into depression and so on, the first week or so after quitting was horrible, shakes, sweats, panic etc. but now all seems to be going well.

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  10. I quit on 1st Jan and must admit I am finding it hard going as my husband is now drinking the gin and not really being much support, I am however determined to go it alone and have bought a really big selection of soft drinks to trial. Not too keen on the cloudy lemonade so today trying lime & soda water which is better because it is less sweet. I was a dry red wine drinker.

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    1. The seedlip (pretend gin) is quite good. You can have a ‘gin’ together but yours will be booze free.

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    2. I’m on Day 9 of Dry January. It’s going ok so far but my husband hasn’t cut down either. In some ways I don’t mind as I feel quite smug, but on the other hand I do feel slightly resentful. I’m hoping the longer I stick at it he we start to scale back a bit too. I don’t expect or want him to quit altogether but it would be a huge boost if he were to cut down by way of support.

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  11. Day 9 done ✅. In bed, face washed, night cream applied, teeth brushed. Book, hot chocolate and hopefully a good nights sleep ahead - feeling good.

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  12. I have done dry January every year for the last 10 years and never struggled to do so, in fact I have actually looked forward to not drinking. If I am honest with myself I have looked forward to having an excuse not to drink. I am one who drinks beer in a pub and not much at home; I would strongly advise anyone who is doing dry January, or attempting to stop completely, to keep a record of the number of drinks they would have had if they were drinking in January. It is both shaming and 'sobering' both habit wise and financially. I do still go to the pub with the same regularity but drink lime and soda; to my shame it is only the 18th January and already I would have drank 73 pints (£250). I heard your radio interview earlier in the week and the statement which resonated with me most was being 'better at not drinking at all than moderation'. I am hugely undecided as to what to do at the end of January other than reduce my consumption considerably or totally.

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    1. Well done you. I am putting £10 in a jar every day I don’t buy wine. I’m in Day 18 and gobsmacked and excited what the actual real cash that I would have spent by now looks like. And this is an underestimation cos it’s just what I would have spent on wine in the house, I’m not taking into account anything I would have spent going to the pub after work !

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  13. Must admit, I loved having a nice glass of chilled Petit Chablis whilst I was cooking (I always insisted on cooking from scratch because of health reasons ironically!) The problem was, the chilled glass of PC also went with the meal, after the meal and in front of Netflix. I found myself agonising on which activity to have my wine and I am hoping to be free of that now!

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  14. I found your book on Amazon and decided to read it while on vacation. As I started reading it, I felt like it was ME when I stopped drinking for 3 years. Unfortunately I started again while going through a divorce. I looked back at pictures of me while sober and I thought, I want to be like that again! Your book brought back memories and gave me that 'loving push' to stop again!! Thank you so much. I look forward to reading your blog and taking the first step!

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  15. I just want to say how instrumental your book and blog have been for me. I am on Day 26. I don't think I could have done this without them.

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  16. Just wanted to say thank you as I have just started my journey in being sober day two today and feeling scared but also excited in the knowledge that my life will be better. Loved your book x

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  17. Two words: Thank You!

    Day 2 for me.

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  18. I am on Day 15 and am scouring every inch of your blog SM for inspiration and advice. It started with your book, some divine intervention and a whole lot of soul searching but to get to day 15 is for me EPIC. Thank you to everyone who comments - knowing you all feel so so similar to me is a comfort xx

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    1. Liebe JH, es geht mir genauso, ich kann es so gut verstehen.Ich bin bei Tag 6.
      Wir können stolz sein. Auch ich suche jeden cm ab nach Tipps hier. Ich weiß, es hilft auch: richtig viel essen gegen die weinhexe.von Herzen, June

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  19. I made the decision while lying awake at 3.25am that I need to stop. Not cut down as I've already tried that (a couple of times). My motivation at the moment is financial as vodka is bloody expensive, especially in the quantities in which I consume it. Why is the thought of not drinking so very terrifying? I don't even socialise that much so I can't use that excuse.

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  20. I heard your Radio 4 Four Thought talk, I have now being given up alcohol just over 7 1/2 years and it has changed my life, the date I stopped drinking was 31st December 2010 at midnight, my Saturday night used to be 6 pints of beer, a packet of 20 fags followed by a kebab and chips, I used to get depression and anxiety, I hated my job as a teacher and I used moan I was single.

    Since being teetotal, I have fell in love and got married, given up smoking, gone trekking in Nepal, become a vegetarian, practice yoga once at least once a day, I have a new career in IT and got involved in politics. Giving up alcohol has meant I got on and did things I wanted to do in life.

    I may sound as I am bragging, but my life is completely different and the start was giving up alcohol, life is now great, just do it you will not regret it.

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  21. Today is Day One for me. But there have been many Day Ones in the last decade. I hope this may be my last. Honestly, I don't know how my life could possily look without alcohol. My life is so stressful and I find it difficult to find ways to cope with my stress. I came upon your book yesterday and began listening to it immediately. I was happy to hear about this blog as well. Maybe I can find some support. I really need support but I don't want to go to AA. I live in a small community and I don't want people to know I'm in AA. Truthfully, it's shameful to feel like you can't manage your drinking. I will likely run into someone I know at the meeting. Not to mention, I actually work in social services, so I dread seeing a client at a meeting. Ugh. The other day I was with a guy friend and he said hi to another woman. I asked where he knew her from and he said, "Oh, AA." I said, " You know it's called Alcoholics Anonymous for a reason." He laughed. I shrugged. Needless to say, we were all at a bar when this exchange happened. Not sure if that is funny or not. But, you get the point.

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  22. Day One for me. I've woken up with a massive red wine hangover for the second day this week and have decided it needs to stop. Since I can't do moderation I've been looking online for things that may help so I've just bought your book and hopped on here to look at this for extra support. Thank you for writing the blog and keep your fingers crossed for me please!

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  23. I’m about done. Tried and not succeeded. Been diagnosed with skin cancer. Husband hade meltdown and left, now wants to come back. Drinking more than ever and feel hopeless 😢

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  24. Happy Book Anniversary! Thank you, a billion times over for being so brave and to publish your book. (I’m a published fiction, mystery author, and I can imagine how you struggled with your decision to publish your true story. Publishing in any genre and on any media is scary stuff.) I downloaded your book while searching for help to stop drinking. The cover caught my attention and your humorous writing style snagged me. Your words have become my bucket of water I throw on the Wine Witch to melt the bitch! “How do I want to feel tomorrow?” has become my internal mantra. One day, I hope to shake your hand and get a signed copy of your book. You’re an amazing writer and speaker who has made a profound impact on my life. Your book not only helped me to stop drinking, but it also reminded me, again, that writers do inspire others with the power of our words and we need to be brave enough to put them out there. Your book also gave me the push I needed to finish my fourth book, which my editor and readers have been patiently awaiting. Thank you, Clare, and keep writing! Here’s to a happy and sober 2019 and beyond.

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  25. Nice post by the author.For more information visit Drink Less Live More

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  26. Hi I'm reading your book at the moment and I've known for a while now that I need to quit drinking...I live now in Spain and drinking is the norm here! My husband works in a bar so i go on the bar alot...the bar staff always offer me free drinks, shots etc. I've tole my husband many times i want to quit but he just says a couple wont do any harm! I have no willpower at all! I just don't seem to be able to say 'no thankyou'. My sister was an alcoholic and died a couple of years ago aged 54. I can go days without a drink but as soon as someone offers me one...that's it and then I'll drink till I'm stupidly drunk...then regret it next day! Whereas my husband hardly drinks at all so doesn't understand...even though he has said he hates drunk me! Sorry this is so long lol...Terri x

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  27. Sobermummy, I'm a little over a week into being alcohol free. I am trusting you on the gorgeous field of bunnies. I even googled pictures of fields of bunnies. Looking for just the right one I can tape to the back of my phone case. I know there will be obstacles but I can and will get there!

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  28. Just wanted to say thank you so much for writing this blog and your book. It's all so familiar and has really helped me get through the last 26 days alcohol free. I've lost half a stone, starting running again and the guilt has gone - hooray! I do miss the buzz but am slowly finding other much healthier ways to replace it.

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  29. Nice blog..! I really loved reading through this article.
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  30. Day one for me I am glad I found your book.

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  31. I believe staying active with your blog will be my support. I have been trying for so long.. It my third book and your inspire me. It's easy to read... Thank you

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  32. Day 3 Just watched the Ted Talk video.. On my way there.

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  33. Day 3 - you're the first I've told. Hoping this helps make me continue. Listening to your book also. Thank you!

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  34. In hoping today is going to be my day 1, fed up with feeling like a slave to it, hoping for support with this blog.

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  35. I feel like crying at the idea of saying goodbye to something I like so much but i have known for a long time (several years) that I need to stop drinking. I have recently drunk my way right through lockdown. Having started the year sober, my wagon galloped out of town around March 15th and I have drunk too much pretty much every day since. I have an inability to moderate my drinking in the grown-up way I would like to. I feel I crossed a line with control some where in my thirties, and much as I could never be a social smoker, I am unable to be a social drinker. I wish i could just control myself but I can't, i like everything in bucket-loads...booze, fun, cake...my vices are many. I love drink too much and one glass of wine always ends with me draining the bottle and looking in the fridge hopefully for more. I have tried to give up 6 or 7 times already and can often make it to 3 months sober before I negotiate with myself that I am able to maintain a healthy relationship with alcohol but I always fall back into old habits. I'm frightened of giving up - frightened of telling my best friend (she hates it when i give up), frightened of how it will work out with my husband who thinks I am making a fuss about nothing, frightened I will find myself boring, frightened others will find me boring, frightened i will fail (again), frightened of what a completely dry future looks like. But I know I have to stop - my body is going to break if I carry on. I want to be able to remember the life I have led and I can't remember when i am drinking. I am so pleased I have found you SM. I'm really frightened of doing this but so much of what you say is so encouraging i have to start stopping. I always tell my kids that nothing ever comes from just thinking about it, I have to do it. Bloody well get on with it...hopefully I will wake up from the dread and fear in a few months time feeling sober, in control and able to continue on the same path. I feel sick at the thought of the monster I am about to fight

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  36. Just found your blog two weeks ago and have been obsessively reading it from the beginning. It's done so much already at Day 14 to make me feel that being sober is not a deprivation or a sign of a damaged soul, but in fact a wide-open door to all sort of fabulous possibilities. I think I'm trying subconsciously to internalize all the things you say about what being alcohol-free can do for you so that I won't have so much struggle internally when temptation comes knocking (that foul wine witch, occasionally a brew boogeyman).

    (Doesn't help that my BIL co-owns an award-winning brewery here in Portland, Oregon! When I go to their beach house, the fridge in the guest quarters is three-quarters full of top-shelf brews. It is literally a wall of really good beer. That undid a month of sobriety last summer). Actually, that's another thing I got from your blog, the idea of being ok with props. I did that when pregnant actually...just relied on decaf coffee and near beers, which were not great back then. There's actually amazing craft NA beers now, I just discovered! Athletica is my fave so far. And I want to try Seedlip sometime, though it is a little pricey. Maybe for the first big party we throw after Covid. I love throwing parties and making special drinks...if this isn't a sign, I was mixing everyone signature cocktails at my son's baby shower, making jokes about living vicariously! Needless to say as soon as my son was close to weaning, my drinking picked right back up where I'd left it---not disastrous, not rock bottom, but too much.

    Anyhoo, thanks very much for being here. I couldn't agree more that "sober" is really overdue for a re-branding. Long live the revolution.

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  37. Hi all, I can't wait to see what it is like to be sober mummy and this is what will keep me going, today is my day 1. I am reading your book for the second time which I can't thank you enough for. I struggle with alcohol and I can't wait for the day when I will no longer have to worry what drink of choice, how much, when to start, when to finish, how not to get drunk, wake up with a hangover and regret yet I did it again, although I cried the night before and said I just really need to stop. I quit smoking 2 years ago I can do this too...no more excuses for me I am going for it this time I know there will be challenges in my way, but one day at a time I will get there. Thank you for the support.

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  38. Hi I'm new and after reading th book and several others I'm on my final day 4...4 days of sobriety so far..so good, I'm trying the alcohol free beer tonight and cake for my son's birthday has been demolished guilt free because they're won't be wine demolished tonight and I feel so positive about this new chapter after many failed day 1s and managing till day three or even 6 I feel like I'm going to do this for me this time with the help of this group of amazing ladies and Clare of course thanks 👍

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  39. I've just finished your book and it resonated so much! I've been a heavy drinker since my early 20's, partied all through my 20's while living in London (I'm a Kiwi). I slowed down a bit after having kids in my 30's but ramped it up again in my 40's. The pandemic nearly did me in as I live in the worlds 'most locked down city' - Melbourne, Australia. I was knocking over 2 bottles of wine of an evening (well, actually getting started earlier and earlier every day). I've been sober-curious for some years now, always cutting down, putting new rules in place - you know, 'no drinking during the week' etc.. However, my problem stopped being the frequency I was drinking and became about the amount. I can put it away like nobody's business. There doesn't seem to be any amount that will make me throw up (like a lot of my friends do, I used to wish it would make me violently ill like them so it might put me off, mind the black outs, inability to recall who I had spoken to the night before and what I said etc didn't deter me). I feel I've wasted so many years being wasted, so many missed activities or activities not being enjoyed fully because of having no energy and feeling seedy. I decided to do the old 'Feb Fast' and haven't had a drop since the end of January and feel really good! Although, I have stopped for weeks at a time before, then it creeps back in and then I'm back to drinking every weekend and wasting my weekends bingeing Netflix because I don't have the energy to do anything else. Your book was so inspiring and I'm thrilled to hear about life on 'the other side'. I'm hopeful but realistic that it won't be easy.. Thank you for your book and honesty - this is the most hopeful I have ever been!

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