Why I Opted For Sobriety

BRING ME A BOTTLE YOUR BEST SELTZER –

Jan. 28, 2022 – After changing her habits, she wrote her book Mindful Drinking: How Cutting Down Can Change Your Life as a guide to rebooting your relationship with alcohol. In it she recommends taking an initial 28-day breather from booze to clear the decks. ‘Dry January is brilliant, because like being pregnant, it’s a very straightforward excuse.’ From there, Rosamund says pinpoint the triggers that make you reach for a glass (social anxiety, lethargy and stress unsurprisingly are common culprits) and prepare a plan to re-enter the world of drinking on your own terms.

‘The thing to understand is that drinking less doesn’t happen by itself,’ she explains, ‘because it’s so habitual, you can slip back into old habits really easily. You have to make a conscious decision, and back it up with a plan.’

She now sticks to the ‘rule of three’ – no more than three nights a week drinking, and no more than three drinks at a time – but she’s a believer that there are no hard and fast rules. ‘It’s something that’s totally unique for everyone so the job is to find what works best for you.’