They grimly hold on for dear life using sheer willpower, safe in the knowledge that as soon as November starts, they\u2019ll get plastered again.<\/p>\n
My concern was that by managing to go alcohol-free during Sober October, these people would be convinced they didn\u2019t have a problem, when they did.<\/p>\n
However, over the past few years, many of my patients have confided about their Sober October experiences and it has been eye-opening.<\/p>\n
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A lot of people with alcohol problems can \u2018white knuckle\u2019 it for a month, according to Dr Max Pemberton<\/p>\n
In a volte-face, I am now a fan. The real benefit isn\u2019t about the physical effects but the mental. It helps you think about your relationship with alcohol.<\/p>\n
You can view this month as an experiment to discover what happens, how you cope and what you feel when alcohol is suddenly no longer in your life.<\/p>\n
Lots of people do not realise \u2013 or want to admit to themselves \u2013 that they have an issue with alcohol.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not until you stop for a time that you will see what\u2019s really going on.<\/p>\n
I recommend everyone try Sober October, but the key is to reflect on how you feel during this time. I urge my patients to ask themselves six questions\u2026<\/p>\n
Do you think about alcohol a lot?<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re constantly aware of the absence of alcohol, checking the calendar repeatedly, or finding your thoughts drifting to what you\u2019ll drink once October is over, that\u2019s telling you something pretty important.<\/p>\n
For people without a problematic relationship with alcohol, not drinking for a month is generally no big deal. They might miss a glass of wine with dinner occasionally, but they\u2019re not preoccupied by it. If alcohol is taking up a lot of mental space during this month, it suggests it might have a bigger role in your life than you\u2019ve acknowledged.<\/p>\n
Are you counting down the days?<\/p>\n
This is a classic red flag. If you\u2019ve already planned your first drink for the stroke of midnight on November 1, that\u2019s worth examining.<\/p>\n
People who don\u2019t have issues with alcohol are not marking their calendars for when they can start drinking again. They\u2019re not watching the days tick by with anticipation or impatience.<\/p>\n
Have you stopped going to social events?<\/p>\n
Avoiding socialising during Sober October is missing the point of the exercise. If you\u2019re finding it difficult to imagine being in a pub or a dinner party minus a drink, that\u2019s significant.<\/p>\n
The question to ask yourself is whether you\u2019re avoiding these situations because you think they\u2019ll be boring without alcohol, or because you\u2019re worried about being the only sober person.<\/p>\n
Either way, it points to alcohol playing too central a role in how you navigate the world.<\/p>\n
Are you irritable or short-tempered?<\/p>\n
Mood changes during a period of abstinence can be revealing.<\/p>\n
Of course, everyone has off days, but if you\u2019re snappier with your partner, less patient with your children or more on edge, it\u2019s worth considering why.<\/p>\n
For some, alcohol is a way of managing stress or winding down at the end of the day.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re struggling with irritability, it doesn\u2019t necessarily mean you\u2019re an alcoholic, but it does suggest you\u2019re using alcohol as a coping mechanism rather than finding healthier ways to deal with life\u2019s pressures.<\/p>\n
Will you bend Sober October rules?<\/p>\n
Perhps you\u2019ve told yourself that one glass doesn\u2019t count, or that it doesn\u2019t mean you have to give up alcohol at that wedding you\u2019re attending mid-month.<\/p>\n
The mental gymnastics some perform to justify having a drink during their \u2018alcohol-free\u2019 month can be impressive. But all this negotiating and rule-bending is just your brain trying to convince you that you need alcohol.<\/p>\n
Feeling good but still yearning for a drink? Dr Max prescribes: Winter vaccine boosters <\/p>\n
The new covid variants \u2013 Nimbus and Stratus \u2013 have resulted in infection levels being the highest they have been all year.<\/p>\n
The covid autumn vaccination booster programme launched last week. Care home residents, over-75s and anyone aged over six months who is immunocompromised is eligible.<\/p>\n
Remember to get your flu vaccine this year too.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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This is the most revealing question of all.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re sleeping better, waking up feeling fresher, getting more done, feeling mentally sharper, but still eager to start boozing again, you need to ask yourself why.<\/p>\n
Logically, if something is making you feel worse, you\u2019d normally want to avoid it. But addiction doesn\u2019t work on logic.<\/p>\n
If all the evidence is pointing to the fact that your life is better without alcohol, but you still can\u2019t wait to reintroduce it, that\u2019s your answer right there.<\/p>\n
The beauty of Sober October is that it holds a mirror up to your relationship with alcohol.<\/p>\n
These questions aren\u2019t designed to make you feel guilty or to diagnose you with alcoholism. They are prompts to help you think honestly about the role drink plays in your life.<\/p>\n
And if you don\u2019t like the answers you\u2019re coming up with, well, perhaps that month off doesn\u2019t need to be a one-off after all.<\/p>\n
It’s good to talk about your grief<\/p>\n
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