SHE’S NOT THE ONLY ONE –
May 2, 2023 – Instead, for me, the social implications of quitting alcohol proved most difficult. I had always leaned on alcohol as a crutch for my social anxiety, so I avoided large social gatherings for the first few months. But with time and support, I began loving my sober lifestyle, as well as the blissful nights of sleep, clear skin, and more stable mood that have come along with it. Of all the benefits, I didn’t expect that quitting drinking would have such a drastic influence on my immune system.
Nearly a year later, I haven’t even contracted a common cold, despite living in New York City, where people were hit especially hard by the cold, flu, and RSV this year. Before I even had my first sip of alcohol, I got sick often, frequently with the most inconvenient timing — including just before my high-school prom.
In my early 20s, when I began drinking heavily and moved to New York City, I spent more of my life sick than healthy. I came down with unknown viruses that confined me to my bed for a few days with a stuffy nose, scratchy throat, and fever.
