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For 32-year-old Mermaid Beach administrative officer Katie* a re-set started abruptly on New Year’s Eve.
“I’ve always been someone who likes a social drink, but I was out at a public bar and just two drinks in I’m certain my glass was spiked and that was a huge wake up call,” Katie said.
“I literally woke up on New Years Day as sick as anything and asking myself if it was all worth it,” she said.
And it wasn’t the first time; Katie had her drink spiked when she was 19.
“I probably didn’t realise how much that affected me psychologically until now,” she said.
Katie says social pressure, and the fear of being judged, play significant roles in people’s drinking habits.
“When you first stop drinking, you can’t help but wonder: ‘Will I be boring? Will people still want to hang out with me if I’m not drinking?’”
She says alcohol’s unique social status adds enormously to the challenge.
“It’s the only legal drug where you feel the need to explain why you’re not using it,” she said.
Fortunately, Katie has found support in her close circle of family and friends with many exploring sobrieties themselves.
“Plenty of my friends are sober curious and instead of catching up at the pub, we’re more likely to grab a coffee and go for a walk,” she said.
Katie has also found some rare positives in social media.
“I’m seeing more and more reels and accounts promoting sobriety and healthy living, and that’s really encouraging,” she said.
Data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) supports Katie’s observations.
While alcohol holds a unique place in Australian culture, growing awareness of the harms of excessive drinking has led more people to cut back in recent years.
But the AIHW also reminds us that lapses are a normal part of changing habits and that many people experience setbacks before achieving their goals.
For Katie, the decision to step away from alcohol “for as long as I can and want” feels right.
“I’d been thinking about it even before the spiking incident; now it’s all about starting the year with a clear head and a healthy outlook,” she said.
Katie’s name changed at her request*
If you’re considering reassessing your own relationship with alcohol, plenty of support is available:
Some great tipsAustralia’s Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF) has prepared some starter tips for those wanting to change their relationship with alcohol for the better. Tip 1: Think about the reasons why you drinkHave a think about what situations you typically drink in, and what drives you to have a drink. Once you understand what the reasons are, or what you see as the benefits of drinking, you can start thinking about other ways to meet those needs. Tip 2: Set achievable goals to break the habitWhat do you want to achieve with your drinking? Is it to stop altogether, have a break or reduce how much you drink? Once you decide this, you can set some short and long-term goals. If your overall goal is to stop drinking completely – this might be hard to do immediately. Starting with short-term goals and progressing to long-term goals can work better for some people. Tip 3: Choose a different activityDuring times you would normally have a drink, swap it out for a different activity. These might include going for a run, walk or bike ride, going to the gym or a workout class like boxing, Pilates, dance, reading a book, cooking or getting creative by painting or drawing. If you’re used to the habitual aspects of drinking, try a non-alcoholic drink instead. Tip 4: Look for extra support if neededThere are several people and services that can support you while you’re making this change. This could be your GP, a counsellor, a support group, a friend, or a combination of these. Tip 5: Persevere and be kind to yourselfDrinking may not be an easy routine to break, so give yourself credit for trying. Lapses are perfectly normal when trying to change behaviour, and you may experience several before ultimately achieving your goal. Use a setback as a way of understanding what went wrong and how you might do things differently next time. And very importantly, after achieving any goals or milestones, reward yourself with a treat. |
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