We celebrate many of the most important events by toasting with alcohol. At get-togethers with friends, lunches, dinners… alcohol is in our daily lives without us realizing it. But there is a new movement that questions this social custom of impregnating everything with alcoholic aromas: sober curiosity. We explain sober curiosity and how to be part of the movement.
With non-alcoholic drinks from The Blue Dolphin Store, it is easier to lead a healthier life and at the same time enjoy delicious drinks.
What is sober curiosity?
Sober curiosity consists of questioning every impulse, invitation and expectation to have a drink, instead of mindlessly following the dominant culture of alcohol consumption. This word was first used by journalist and writer Ruby Washington in her book “Sober Curious” (2018).
Being sober-curious is not about stopping drinking alcohol completely, but rather rethinking the relationship with drinking. It’s an exciting and dynamic movement that speaks to something deeper than just not wanting to wake up hungover.
The sober curiosity movement is helping to break down the stigmas that have long been associated with sobriety: you don’t have to have a drinking problem to consider a social life that doesn’t involve drinking. Rather than focusing on the problems alcohol causes, sober curiosity is about the surprising and wonderful effects of not drinking alcohol or limiting your consumption.
How did sober curiosity start?
It all began in 2013 with the Dry January challenge, a campaign created by the British organization Alcohol Change UK to reduce alcohol consumption in the United Kingdom during January. It was so successful that every year more people are signing up not to drink a drop of alcohol after the Christmas excess.
Today, generation Z consumes less alcohol than previous generations and the hashtag #sobercurious accumulates millions of views. Gen Z and millennial youth share their experience of cutting down or quitting alcohol on TikTok and Instagram.
How to be sober-curious?
To be sober-curious, ask yourself why you drink and how much. Do you fancy that beer or glass of wine? Or did you order it because everyone else did? Here are more tips:
Take a break from alcohol
Quitting alcohol for a while will allow you to know how you feel physically and mentally when you don’t drink alcohol. This way, you can understand the impact of alcohol on your health and mood.
Limit your alcohol consumption
Set a time limit for not drinking. For example, limit your alcohol consumption to a maximum of once a week, or even less. Record the positive changes that not drinking alcohol makes in your daily life.
Try alternatives to alcohol
Alcohol-free drinks are a good ally to being sober-curious. At The Blue Dolphin Store, we have the best non-alcoholic drinks. You can pair your meals with a non-alcoholic wine and choose a craft non-alcoholic beer. The same taste, the same experience, but without any of the disadvantages.
Find non-alcoholic activities
Many social activities don’t involve drinking alcohol: invite your friends for a walk, to the beach or park, or to the cinema and theatre. If you’re in an environment where you normally drink alcohol, pause and explore your options. Maybe have one drink instead of the usual three or switch straight to non-alcoholic drinks.
There are more and more bars that make 0.0 cocktails with alcohol-free spirits. You can find places that offer our non-alcoholic drinks in our Non-Alcoholic Drinks Guide.
Connect with sober curious people
Surround yourself with like-minded people. Many sober social groups meet online and in person, and they’re not necessarily for recovering addicts. The community will help you stay on this path to a healthier life.
