Thirty one days without booze. Doesn’t sound too hard, does it?
Oh, it does? Yeah, same.
I decided to take on the Sober October challenge, and go the whole month without a drop of alcohol.
It’s not that I have a problem with alcohol, but like many of us I enjoy a drink at the weekend – and, ahem, sometimes the week as well – and I wanted to see how hard it would be to go without. My tipple of choice is generally white wine, but I also recently sank a few beers on a trip to Norway and came back feeling ready for a detox.
Plus, there’s the added benefit of raising money for Macmillan, who have adopted this challenge as their own, and call those of us avoiding the drink – like me – their ‘sober heroes’.
I don’t have a fundraising kitty, but I will be donating the cash I would otherwise have spent on drinking to the cancer support charity.
In the process, I’m hoping to emerge the other side feeling fresh and accomplished.
There’s just a couple of barriers in the way, like some nights out planned, Halloween and a collection of miniature bottles of wine in the fridge which are calling to me (they’re so small! Those cute packages with little screw tops couldn’t hurt, surely?)
I recruited some help to get me through, in the form of behavioural psychologist Jo Hemmings – who is doing the challenge too.
She agreed with me that even so-called ‘alcohol-free’ drinks don’t truly count, as they often have between 0.5 and 2.5% alcohol – and we’re not doing this sober thing by half measures.
Jo reckons that the first week is the hardest, and the third week is pretty hard too as you start to flag.
‘By the fourth week you are nearly there and that feeling of achievement is there,’ she told Metro.co.uk.
She said that if you have events coming up, make a plan and anticipate your triggers in advance.
For example, if you’re going somewhere with copious alcohol like a wedding, party, or Halloween event, plan what you will seek out instead.
‘Drink out of a wine glass like it’s a proper alcoholic drink,’ Jo recommended. ‘It could trick your mind.
‘Have drinks that feel like they’re alcoholic drinks, like soda or tonic with lime in – something that mimics the drinks you would have had.’
She advises that like with any challenge, finding people to support you can be crucial.
One way to do that could be sharing what you’re doing on social media, to give you some accountability and get some support if you’re flagging.
‘Take it a week at a time,’ Jo said. ‘Break it down into weeks, and celebrate the little wins.
‘Keep the reasons in your mind. Think of your motivations.’
She warned that despite the temptation, don’t overdo things once you reach the milestone of November 1.
‘Your tolerance to alcohol will have reduced a bit so you will find the effects are a bit stronger,’ she said. ‘Maybe treat yourself to a cocktail or a glass of champagne, a special drink. But don’t drink more than you would have normally.’
Emily Gay, 24, from south London, is also doing the challenge and has already raised over £1,500.
She told metro.co.uk she was inspired to do it to raise money because of her mum Andrea, who has a rare cancer called NETS which is often misdiagnosed.
Andrea began having chemotherapy this year as the cancer had spread after she had neuroendocrine tumours removed from her lungs.
‘Mum’s health means that she doesn’t have the luxury of being able to go out drinking and dancing all night like we can – so this year I’m going Sober for October,’ Emily said.
She said it hasn’t been too hard so far, and she swapped Sprite for alcohol at a beer and pizza evening.
‘I have made everyone sponsor me so hopefully I won’t be getting any peer pressure. Usually I’m the first one up dancing anyway so hopefully it will be just as fun without drinking.
‘My strategy is to make sure I have got a drink in my hand and that it’s a soft drink. No-one will offer me a drink if they can see I have got one already.
‘Over the summer I was probably drinking on Thursday, Friday and Saturday as there was a lot in the calendar, so hopefully this will be a bit of a detox.’
To sponsor Emily, click here.
