In a world dominated by alcohol, what does it mean to be sober-curious? Why are we in a position where sober-curious is even a thing? To be sober-curious is exactly what it says on the tin—to be curious about being sober or reducing and changing your relationship with alcohol. This wonderful term is open to anyone with any type of drinking habit. You do not have to be drinking at 7 a.m. to be sober-curious. Let’s explore it a little further. I am of the age of the ladettes, in the 80’s, pictures of celebrities walking around festivals swigging from bottles of brandy and with fags hanging out of their mouths. God, how I thought they were cool. I wanted to be part of the Primrose Hill gang, with their recreational drugs, celeb-studded parties, and swigging the booze for days on end. How glam. How fabulous. Until, of course, it wasn’t fabulous. But even a number of those party girls have now gone sober. So, what changed? Did we, as women realise we don’t have to prove ourselves? Did the way we drink change? I think the way we, as women, want to drink has changed. We do not have to prove we can keep up with the men. We are good enough just as we are. Men though, are also becoming sober-curious and talking openly about their alcohol habits. This is a fantastic revolution, men and women supporting each other in their sober curious mindsets. Then along came home drinking, where it became cheaper and more acceptable to drink at home and the nightly wine o'clock became the norm. Somewhere along the way we have realised we do not have to just sit back and accept these social norms. We can question our drinking. It is okay to get curious about alcohol. It does not mean we are an alcoholic, need to go sober, or hate alcohol; it just means we understand we have choices. Gone are the days when you were either an alcoholic or not. You can be a high-functioning drinker and sit somewhere on the alcohol spectrum.
You can be a high-functioning drinker and sit somewhere on the alcohol spectrum. We are starting to understand our health more and be more conscious of it. We are becoming aware that alcohol causes cancer, mental health problems, and lots of other diseases. We are not blind to its charm anymore. We are openly talking about the benefits of going sober. And we take pride in this. It is no longer a sense of embarrassment and shame. It is to be celebrated and to feel proud of. I also do not think our children are drinking as much as in previous years, and there is growing evidence to support this. My 18-year-old and her friend don’t go out to get smashed. They have a few drinks sometimes, but not in the way my friends and I did. I do wonder if some of it is the changing way we parent. I know I certainly just hid everything from my parents, and we didn’t talk anything through. I talk about everything with my daughters, and I know my friends are the same. I hope this helps the next generation understand that they have choices. I love that we can talk about being sober-curious openly and without shame. I truly believe that in years to come we will view alcohol like we did cigarettes. Until that day let us encourage conversations about alcohol and shout and cheer every person who is even the tiniest bit curious about sobriety.
