Is Halloween the Scariest Thing You’ll Experience This Month?

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 embarrassed myself, argued, overshared, drunk texted, cried a lot and lost count of the number of times I’ve promised to myself “never again”.

And I know I’m not the only one. So many of us still carry the shame and guilt from nights we’d rather forget, moments that replay in our minds years later, making us cringe all over again.

But we're not entirely to blame. Alcohol changes how our brains work. It lowers inhibitions, dulls good judgement and blurs our sense of danger. It makes us think we’re fine when we’re not.

Those reckless, silly or dangerous choices weren’t made by the clear-headed version of you. They were made under the influence of a mind-altering drug that tricks us into thinking we’re in control.

That’s why quitting drinking brings such a deep sense of peace. No hangovers means no shame spirals about things you might have done, let alone the things you definitely did. The anxiety fades. The self-reproach eases. And what replaces it is something surprisingly simple, clarity.

Waking up every morning with a clear head and a calm mind never gets old. When I write in my gratitude journal, the first thing I jot down is always the same: “Woke up hangover and shame-free.” It still feels like a quiet miracle.

So, what are you waiting for? How many bad nights will it take before you decide to make a change?

Unlike Halloween, there’s nothing to be scared of. In fact, it might just be the bravest and most freeing thing you ever do.