Never mind Dry January and Sober October, for many, sober living has become a way to be the best version of themselves – permanently.
Sobriety is rising, with recent figures from the Office For National Statistics showing 1 in 7 UK adults don’t drink at all.
But when it comes to declining a drink, there can be still some resistance: are you pregnant? Driving? Unwell? Boring? These are just some of the (unwelcome) questions that might fly your way.
‘It was quite hard in my early twenties for people to look at me and say: well you’re not an alcoholic, so why would you remove alcohol?’ Steph Elswood explains on the Be More Burt podcast.
‘There was a huge stigma around it and I became quite passionate around not lying about my reasons why, not pretending that I was driving, not pretending that I was on antibiotics.’
As well as reducing your risk of health conditions like liver disease and sexual dysfunction, going sober can also boost brain health and improve productivity.
But cutting out the booze doesn’t have to be a last resort, signalling the end of the road after some kind of battle.
Steph, an entrepreneur who has developed alcohol-free spirit Carouse and hosts Dry Disco Club, an alcohol-free day festival for women, is here to change the perception around going booze-free after experiencing judgement herself.
‘I wanted to give people peace of mind that you can still be a happy-go-lucky, fun-loving person completely sober,’ Steph tells host Pandora Sykes.
Listen to Steph’s full episode here.
‘Over the last eight or so years I’ve been on a wellness journey to be the happiest and healthiest version of myself,’ she adds. ‘I wondered if I removed alcohol entirely it would benefit my mental and physical health.’
And it definitely did, with Steph explaining that she’s seen a significant boost to her overall wellness, as well as having the motivation and newfound expertise to launch various businesses in the sober space.
With alcohol misuse the biggest risk factor for early death, ill-health and disability among 15-49-year-olds in the UK, according to a study from YouGov, it’s no wonder people are rethinking their relationship with booze.
For Steph, things hadn’t reached a crisis point before she decided to go sober – she simply no longer wanted to deal with the shorter-term consequences, like the dreaded ‘hangxiety’
She says: ‘Around four years ago I was drinking quite a lot after a bad break-up. Not excessively, but I was going out with friends on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Steph ditched the alcohol and founded her own spirit (Picture: Getty images)
‘I wasn’t getting super drunk or anything like that. I think it was more so it would take about three or four days to recover after those nights out.
‘I’d have an amazing evening, I’d absolutely love it and make amazing memories with my friends, but mostly I wouldn’t be able to remember them all. And I’d get this horrible hangxiety the next day where my heart rate would race through my body…’
Steph went on to say how she felt living like this had turned into a ‘vicious cycle’, continuing: ‘I thought, one thing that it’s constantly leading to is that when I drink alcohol, I wake up the next day, I feel “hanxious”, I then make poor choices with my diet and lifestyle. And that can last three or four days. I’ll feel great for a day and then they’ll be a night out again.
‘So it’s just this vicious cycle.’
Since quitting the booze, it’s been a rollercoaster journey for Steph, who has launched three businesses.
Steph actually came up with the idea of Carouse during the pandemic: ‘There were a few weeks of it consistently on a Friday or Saturday night [where] everyone was getting drunk over Zoom and I didn’t have that vice or escape through alcohol.’
Adding she ‘didn’t fancy any soft drinks or fizzy drinks and there weren’t really any alcohol-free spirits that I enjoyed’ she decided ‘I’m going to bring out my own range of non-alcoholic spirits that are health conscious, that taste delicious and also feel luxurious.’
‘You know when you pop a bottle of champagne when you celebrate? That feels like a moment. I wanted that with a non-alcoholic spirit.’
If you’re thinking about cutting down – or cutting out – the booze, take a look at our guide to signs you should stop drinking alcohol.
Listen to Steph’s full episode here.
Need help?
The NHS recommends Drinkline, the national alcohol helpline. If you’re worried about your own or someone else’s drinking, there is a free helpline you can call in complete confidence. Call 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm).
Or you can use Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), a free self-help group with a 12-step programme.
‘It’s just this vicious cycle.’