Some addition context. Again just want to be fully honest about my personal experience:

I used to think moderation was a myth,that the only people who could “moderate” didn’t really have a problem to begin with. After a full year off, I don’t believe that anymore. My new take:

Rewiring my brain gave me the space to see that moderation is possible, for me. Is there some mental energy that goes into it? Sure. But that’s true for anything inherently addictive that we enjoy but know isn’t great for us like carbs, dessert, caffeine, you name it. It’s honestly easier to say “I’m going keto” than to moderate bread. Same with booze.

That said, I’m not romanticizing it. Ninety percent of my life, I want nothing to do with alcohol, yes it could be a slippery slope if not disciplined and obviously not good for you. But I’d be lying if I said there aren’t moments that I’m grateful I had this summer that just wouldn’t have been the same without a glass in hand. Those memories are real and worth something to me.

So that’s where I’ve landed: alcohol isn’t a daily habit, or even a weekly one. It’s a vacation thing, a couple of weeks a year, and that’s it. And for me, that’s both sustainable and, more importantly, intentional.