Do you have a drinking problem? Who doesn’t right? Everyone that drinks alcohol suffers as a result in some way. Exactly why going sober for October might not be such a bad idea.
It might be an innocent embarrassing mistake or something that actually affects your physical health. The word Alcohol comes from the word Al Ghul which is Arabic for Demons Head. For me, I think this really says it all. I enjoy having a drink personally but I do understand the darkness that comes out in me and others. So wanting to stop I totally get it.
I mean I do sympathize with all the bars at the moment that are struggling because of Covid restrictions. If there ever was a month not to go ahead with this sober for October trend then I would say it should be this year. However, I digress for some people taking a break or giving up permanently is a matter of life and death.
This post I want to share with anybody that is serious about Going Sober for October. In fact, you can try these ideas any month that is most convenient. I’d also like to think this is information that can help people that want to stop drinking long term as well. I know the feeling I offer this advice as somebody that has managed to get sober many times over the years.
I say with a heavy heart that I don’t plan to give up the booze permanently ever for the foreseeable future but I will be stopping for October myself and I want to share some tips today that might just be able to help you stop.
Going Sober for October – My Advice!
So, the health benefits of detoxing from alcohol are definitely very clear. I personally, try to detox every 1-3 months. For me going out to see people is my excuse. This shouldn’t be something you need alcohol to do. Some of the most honourable people I know are those that walk in a pub and don’t have an alcoholic drink.
For me, it can be totally nerve-wracking. Personally, I get very anxious anyway. I can’t wait to guzzle down my first pint so I can at least start feeling just a little bit drunk. Being in a bar full of people is great but till I’ve at least had 2-3 pints I won’t feel comfortable. Why I totally get how going out and drinking soft drinks instead can be so difficult for people.
The only thing I will say is it does get easier the more you do it. In my view, it can actually be beneficial to go out as normal. There is a famous saying “Better The Devil You Know”. I think if you hide away instead you are not facing your demons. You might find that after a while you might suddenly find this is no longer your thing but people will respect you more for it.
More people actually struggle with alcoholism than they really let on so this is you basically doing what they cannot.
The first time I ever did a detox was around 10 years ago. I lasted 3 months and started drinking again on New Year’s Eve. I am not here to share that story today but how did I do it then and every other time?
That is what I am going to tell you. This advice I really hope it can help you as it has done with me.
My First Tip – Prepare For The Hangover!
Now, I guess not everyone is a heavy drinker as I am on my day. I definitely turn into an Alcoholic when I’m at my worst.
Going the next day without a drink for me sometimes can be total hell. I know this will not be something that applies to everyone but there has to be this one day that you need to get through. This is what I have learned.
I can’t speak for everyone here but typically a bad alcohol withdrawal for me I will not be able to sleep, I will not really feel like eating anything and I will have absolutely zero energy. It’s horrible my deepest sympathies go to anyone that has to go through this. You are definitely not alone here but this is a good point actually.
If you want to give up alcohol the next day try to soften the blow. Go to bed – no sofa surfing. Drink a glass of water and have something light like a sandwich to eat before bed (peanut butter is good). Take a Vitamin C tablet and keep a bottle of water by your side for when you wake up. You probably will have a quite dry mouth if your anything like me. This is because alcohol thickens your mucus and this can block your airways. Also, if the Vitamin C tablet hasn’t worked you will likely have heartburn from all the alcohol still in your body.
I’d say whilst you’re still drunk the night before, take the opportunity to prepare for what’s to come.
Get Yourself Ready For What’s To Come
Buy for yourself the next day 2 2 litres bottles of water, a can of Vitamin C tablets, a bunch of bananas, yoghurts and an emergency can of beer that you can drink if you really need it. That’s my preference.
Honestly, if you can actually do without the last item even better. Just buy any food items that you can quite easily just grab and eat. It will be things like this that gradually help you build your strength back up.
The main thing is that you can replenish your body with everything the alcohol has stolen from it. You will need fluids and easy food. I mean I am the biggest food snob ever. White bread, processed meats, crisps if I am healthy enough to do so I wouldn’t touch any of this with a barge pole.
If I am not healthy enough though this is all food – so I will eat it. If it means you eat this or nothing it is what I call a necessary evil. I would actually say get everything you need so you don’t really need to go out this next day.
Also, If you haven’t really slept well the night before I think this is very important. To try and get a few hours sleep the next day at least. As hard as it can be you will need some restful sleep to help your body to recover. It will be most likely you struggle with this. From all the sweating, peeing and whatever else your body is likely severely deficient in important minerals including Magnesium. You need this to create the sleep hormone melatonin.
My tip for a Magnesium boost is a peanut butter sandwich and a cup of hot chocolate. This usually does the trick for me. I think once you have had this rest getting through to the next day is so much easier.
Still, Though This Is Only The Begining
Plan ahead. If you want to detox and give up alcohol you have to want to do this for YOU. The first time I ever give up the booze I spent 3 weeks in hospital in the ICU ward.
I still believe the doctor kept me there not as a life or death matter but just to show me what my life could be like without alcohol and drugs. Never caught his name but I met this lovely old man whilst I was in this ward. This was over 10 years ago and the advice this man give me in the hospital I still remember now.
In fact, it wasn’t him (the old man) but another patient who had a pretty gruesome injury at work but we were all talking with each other about ways that I could really turn my life around. So, these 3 ideas were
1.) Have Something To Do – I started my own business. I still run this business to this very day.
2.) Find Someone To Love – This, yes there was a girl but actually seeing my nephews and nieces in hospital must have made the biggest difference. Your guiding light might not be as dim as you think. Just take a look around and see.
3.) Have Something To Look Forward To – This is the funny part. I just wanted to walk around taking photographs of some of the local nature spots in my town and derelict buildings. On my first day out of the hospital, I was armed to the teeth. Camera, notebook. I did what made me happy at the time – that is what I most looked forward to.
Nowadays I mostly just look forward to being able to better myself. When I’m drinking I just get myself in debt and get behind with my work. Being able to get on top of all this is now what I look forward to.
I would also say on this note make plans for what you want to do sober and ask yourself what else?
Recognize What Triggers You
On your road to recovery, the devil will try to pull out every trick in the book. If he doesn’t try to throw some kind of obstacle in your way to try and tempt you back to alcohol then he isn’t doing his job properly. He will lose his job for not being evil enough. It sounds like a joke but things only run smoothly for so long.
The Temptation of Christ was 3 different things. Hedonism (hunger/cravings), Egoism (thinking you will be ok with one drink), and materialism (now you can afford it like never before – why not?).
I am not trying to preach here but does this not say it all? I’d say it is most often a combination of all 3 that makes a man (or woman) throw away everything they have gone and worked so damn hard for.
For me, I think it is important that one can recognise these triggers. It does really help to talk actually. I will even tell my teenage nephews if I feel like something might be a trigger that makes me want to drink.
One of them (my nephews) is pretty good actually he will say something like “if you drink I will have zero respect for you. Deep down you know what is the right thing for you so keep that thought in your head”.
I mean there are definitely people all around you that will be good enough to support you. Don’t let your Ego get the better of you by keeping these thoughts to yourself. Recognize your triggers and safeguard your actions.
Don’t Let This Lead To Cross-Addiction or Depression –
Be Constructive Not Destructive!
Now, you are sober you likely will have a huge gaping hole to fill. I feel like this is very important to address. Many that drink will drink because they feel lonely, their life is dull and they probably just want someone to talk to and laugh at their jokes. This I feel is the sad truth here people have given up on their dreams and don’t really know what else to do with themselves. Alcohol is actually pretty great in some ways (it’s not) but I totally get this.
I am not a psychologist no but I believe this. If someone doesn’t know anything else other than drinking beer, smoking cigarettes and playing darts or pool at the bar etc. what else is there. It is a lifestyle – many will not consider a hobby for this exact reason. You can either do 2 things here I would say just give up the beer and keep your lifestyle as before, or just have a seriously long hard think about what you really like to do.
If people want to laugh at you let them. Do you want to read books, visit wildlife parks, sing, join the church, go fishing, travelling, surfing – whatever. Everyone has something they liked before drinking. I have always loved writing. I’ve still got a fictional novel to finish one day from back in 2010 when I first got sober.
Do not let it beat you. It can be very hard but seriously I do have a bit more to say about this…
Maybe This Might Help?
Having a walk around my local nature beauty spots helps me as well. Just do what makes you happy.
You must not let your new lifestyle become unhealthy. One of my beliefs is that we as people can stagnate. Sitting around all day doing nothing can make us ill. Our Prana / Chi must be allowed to flow with which movement is key.
You don’t need to become a gym freak and start running a thousand miles a day to achieve this. I mean whatever floats your boat but walking is underrated. It will help you. Gentle exercise in a calm place (in my view) you really can not beat it.
Also, Cross-Addiction is another very real problem. Don’t start gambling all your money away because you’re looking for something else to do. This is an insult to alcohol. It’s nice that you have your appetite for food back as well but don’t start eating food every time you are bored. And the list goes on… Smoking, Prescription Drugs, Obsessive Behaviour…
Cross-addiction is the devil’s backup plan.
Pay very close attention to your behaviour. Remember you are not just recovering from your addiction to alcohol but the addiction itself. If you don’t recognise this it will manifest in different ways. If the devil wants to keep his job in hell he is not just going to let you stop that easily but screw him destiny is yours and yours alone.
Then Once You Stop!
Eat well, eat healthily. Home-cooked meals, keep your body hydrated, stop smoking and at the soonest convenience do not drink any more alcohol. No more beer, vodka, wine or whiskey ?
The most important thing you can do for the whole month of October is to take extra great care of yourselves.
If you have a glass of champagne to celebrate on the 1st of November whatever. Just give yourself some breathing space. Spend a month learning how to love yourself and do whatever you possibly can to turn yourself into a better human being.
This is the plan for me and for everyone who can manage this you deserve the utmost respect.
I’ve been there, done that for myself. It might feel like it’s the hardest thing you ever try to do but think of your family. Do it for yourself and do it for your present and future. I hope this will help. My commitment to you will be that I am going to do exactly the same. Come rain come shine. Let me know how you feel on November the 1st.
Best Wishes and #StayDynamic
Alex B. Chivers
DynamicIdeas4Life
PS: In the UK “Going Sober For October” is actually a concept (I think) that was first thought up to raise money for the Macmillian Cancer Charity. If you visit their website you can actually set up your own fundraiser.
Here is the website if you wish to sign up:
https://www.gosober.org.uk/
I am not personally participating (maybe I don’t fully trust myself enough) but if you would like to donate to support this good cause check out the community page on the Macmillian website to find others that are Going Sober for October in the name of Charity.
Please Donate to them. Many Thanks, in advance.
About Author
I am nearly a year off the drink. I had to get sober it’s boring sometimes but it’s much less boring than sitting around shaking for a drink because you have none. What I do mostly is find productive things to do when I am not drinking I am not into the AA meetings thing but they work for some people to cover the lack of social interaction.
Hi Chris, Good on you the longest I was able to go was 4 months. I remember having my first beer after all this time it was like my body was not used to it at all. As for being boring I actually don’t find it boring I just do my writing. I think getting sober is kind of a period of rediscovery. As much as I think alcohol is a necessary evil sometimes it is kind of like a restraining bolt for me as it prevents me from doing the things which I feel are important. Still, I will have a few beers after Black Friday I think. Going to be tough till then but I am feeling motivated so will see how it goes.
I love to drink wine or sometimes a glass of beer, but luckily I don’t need to drink daily. As a health freak, I take care of my mineral household and the vitamins by eating healthy organic food, self-made bone broth(delicious and great to fill up the minerals and heal the gut), fresh-made juices, and juice powders sprouts( give lots of Vitamin B). Drinking lots of pure water is essential to detox the body. If you feel bad, you can use an Infrared lamp for your liver and bitter herbs that help your liver recover and detox. Consuming enough food that contains Vitamin B and bitter herbs will reduce the addiction, very important! I have been addicted to sweets, very distressing for the body and gut.
You said it already moving the body will help to support our cells with oxygen. It is better to get addicted to walking in fresh air and nature and healthy food! 🙂
Now we are getting the dark days again, and I am fully aware that people will be more suicidal and depressed. The lockdowns don’t help our mood. I live in the Netherlands, it is also a dark somber country in winter.
Alex, thank you so much for your openness and vulnerability! People need transparent open-minded other human fellows to open up themselves! There is no need to be ashamed! We are all humans!
Hi Sylvia, Thanks for commenting. Yes I know what you mean there I like a drink but it is something that needs to be carefully managed. I am also in many ways quite a health concious. Developing this website has only made me more aware of my body and its biological needs. I agree with all your ideas and I will have to look into them further.
B Vitamins I think are an interesting point you bring up. I was talking to my mother a few days back about yeast extract (marmite) and how its a rich source of B Vitamins. What was interesting is she said that the process of extracting from the yeast is similar to what produces alcohol and actually some alcoholic drinks are a source of b vitamins as well. I think Guinness and other types of stout are good examples but I do wonder if because people overload their body with certain nutrients they can become more dependant on them. It’s a working theory but anyway. Never heard of using an infrared lamp to heal the liver. Have looked at things such as dandelion root, burdock and other wild plants but this is new to me. Thanks for sharing.
Best regards;
Alex