Insights

At Christmas, alcohol feels like part of the furniture. It’s everywhere. In the adverts, in the gift sets, in the “Go on, have one” comments, in the idea that you’re not properly celebrating unless you’ve got a glass in your hand by midday. So if you’re having a sober Christmas, or you’re taking a break from drinking, you can feel a bit… exposed. The odd one out. The good news is you don’t need superhero willpower. You just need a few simple things in place so the day doesn’t

So you've been alcohol-free for a while now, and one day you catch yourself in the bathroom mirror on a random Tuesday and think, Hang on… why does my hair look a bit… better?  Healthier. Less straw-like. Less brittle. Well, that's sober hair . So what actually is “sober hair”? “Sober hair” is one of those phrases people use to describe the hair changes that can happen when you stop drinking. As your body rehydrates and starts absorbing nutrients more consistently, your hair

I went to my first Christmas party of the year last night. A party for a local women's business group I'm part of. I was a little nervous because I really only knew one person, and I don't even know her that well. I know for a fact that I'm not as 'sociable' with people I don't know as I would have been when I was drinking. After a few wines, I'd have chatted with anyone, manoeuvring around the room, I would have ended up dancing (something I don't like doing) and probably b

There are five stages of grief: Denial Anger Bargaining Depression Acceptance We usually hear these in the context of bereavement. So what’s this got to do with alcohol? Quite a bit, actually. When you stop drinking, you’re not only changing a habit. You’re letting go of what alcohol represented and of the identity you built around it. It's how you celebrated, commiserated and socialised. It was your reward after a hard day. It was an escape, a way to relax. Removing that fro

It’s hard to imagine life without alcohol. Of course it is. Most of us grew up in a world that treats drinking as normal, expected, even desirable. We’re shown glossy adverts that promise connection, confidence and glamour. We learn a social script growing up: birthdays, weddings, Friday nights, Tuesday nights… there’s a drink for every moment. Before long, alcohol looks like the answer to everything. The fact is, though, alcohol is a drug. Nothing more, nothing less, and eve

Halloween might come with its fair share of scares; fake blood, plastic spiders and the odd jump scare from a kid in a mask, but for many of us, the real fright comes from what we do when we drink. When I think back, I’ve drunk more than a frightening amount of alcohol and whilst under the influence, I’ve put myself in risky situations, fallen over, been sick in public, and woken up entire households when I've been bouncing off the walls on my return from a night out. I’ve em