10 reasons to keep drinking - debunked

1. It’s fun

Yeah, it is fun - until it's not.

Alcohol takes away your self-control and the drunker you get, the more you drink which often leads to bad decisions that you regret in the morning.

2. It alleviates my boredom

Well, boredom is an indication that you don’t have that much going on!

Now I have quit I am so busy I never get time to be bored. I am reading books, learning, being creative. Alcohol completely squashed my creativity and now that I don’t drink I am also a lot less lazy and more likely to get outside or pick up my guitar. I am literally never bored any more.

Nature doesn’t like a vacuum... If you pull a weed out of your garden a weed will grow in its place unless you plant something else. So get busy learning and improving yourself.

If you can’t think of anything you have always wanted to do, just get fit.

3. People will think I’m boring

People who are drunk and are blabbing on about something, thinking they are absolutely fascinating are downright boring!

Anyone sober in the room will be bored out of their brains having to listen to this dribble but people who are drunk don’t really notice, because they are also on their trip.

It’s like a room full of people not quite on the same wavelength but in the same state, so rather than find each other interesting, they are actually finding camaraderie with their state.

4. It helps me relax and reduce stress

Alcohol helps you to escape yourself, your thoughts or your circumstances but only momentarily. Unfortunately, when you sober up those same problems and thoughts are still there.

While small amounts of alcohol can reduce stress and alleviate anxiety it can quickly lead to dependency if that’s the catalyst for your drinking. If you rely on it to mask your problems, you can quickly become reliant on it and in the long term causing a lot more problems than you started with.

If this is you and drink to alleviate anxiety, you are one of the most at-risk drinkers and could very likely to find yourself waking up and having a swig of vodka to get you out of bed. Especially if your situation becomes more stressful which is likely to happen if you are drinking too much.

5. It’s my only little vice

Ever heard of the saying “A stitch in times saves nine”? Like if you have a rip in your clothes and just leave it you will end up with a big hole but if you nip it in the bud and put a small stitch in while it’s still small your clothes will remain intact.

If your small vice is not growing at all and hasn’t grown for ten years you probably don’t have a problem and you probably wouldn’t be reading this blog. But if on occasion you drink more than you should, maybe that tear is growing and it’s time to fix it before it gets out of control.

6. It helps me enjoy a meal

A lot of people find their sense of taste and smell improves when they quit drinking, subtle flavours become more pronounced.

I love food and am a bit of a foodie and I actually think that I appreciate food even more now that I don’t have the taste of wine overriding all the other flavours in my meal.

Once you have quit alcohol for a while, you realise that the whole notion has been sold to us by producers of alcohol, you absolutely don’t need to drink to enjoy a meal.

7. It helps me bond with people and is a great social lubricant

Agreed, but I honestly think this is bonding in an inauthentic way.

When you get your confidence back when you have been sober for a while you learn to be able to delve deep and really connect with people on a truly heartfelt and real level.

I am so much more confident in my friendships that I have gained post drinking. I feel there is more trust and the friendships are more relaxed in a way.

8. Everyone else is doing it

There is no doubt about it, peer pressure doesn’t only happen in the school ground. I have felt totally peer pressured so many times to drink when I didn’t really feel like it.

Stand strong in your own choices. You also don’t need to pressure anyone to not drink. Peer pressure can melt anyone’s resolve so be prepared for those friends that are used to you drinking.

When you are in a social situation just remember why you are quitting. Think about the person you want to be and remember how good you will feel tomorrow for not giving in and following the pack. It’s usually the friends that are struggling with their own issues with alcohol that pressure you to drink so that it takes the focus off their habit.

9. I am in the habit

It can be really hard to break habitual behaviour.

The definition of habit is the repetition of doing something almost on a subconscious level. Like having a few on a Friday night. Or every night with a meal or after the kids go to bed.

Habitual behaviour is very different from a physical addiction but can be almost as hard to change. Changing the habit by just changing the drink, replace your wine or beer with a delicious sparkling water with lime and fresh herbs. Or take some time to breathe, maybe some yoga stretches or a quick walk.

In 21 days that habitual behaviour will be eased greatly and by 10 weeks new healthy habits will be formed and can take over.

10. I like my friends or family more when I’m drunk

This is probably the hardest one because It’s true.

Some people are on such a different level that alcohol can seem the only way to get through spending time with certain people. I would agree, alcohol can be great for helping you get through a situation you don’t want to be in, it’s called masking. I would contend that living a more purposeful conscious sober life just helps you across the board be happier.

When your mind is clear you have more patience and tolerance. You can also remove yourself from a situation a lot earlier than when you sit there drinking together.

Now make your own list.

Write down 10 reasons to quit alcohol and 10 reasons why you should keep drinking – which makes more sense to you?