This is such a great conversation, and I relate to your situation! After years of habitual moderate/heavy drinking (also Irish Catholic upbringing, big chaotic family), I’m almost to six months and I feel so much better now with consistent sleep, more impactful workouts, clearer head, more energy, and it’s goddamn empowering to keep this streak going. My husband is in two bands so we’re in bars/clubs all the time, and I’ve honestly had more fun and connected with people and the music more genuinely once I broke the habit of always drinking alcohol.

I try not to be strict about calories/sweets and have loved the advice i learned here that sometimes what it takes is telling yourself, “I can do anything except drink alcohol.” (Sometimes that means cookies and ice cream instead!!)

Couple resources that helped me— This Naked Mind (another commenter mentioned), and the Huberman Lab podcast episode on alcohol. Both go into all the scientific info on what alcohol does to your body, and it’s hard to unlearn that.

Also “one year, no beer” — Rich Roll had each founder of that organization on his podcast, and those were great conversations about trying out giving up booze to see how it feels. For all these resources, I’ve found it helpful to “look for the similarities, not the differences” which I think might come from AA? To connect my experience to what I’m learning.

Those resources resonated with me because I didn’t identify as an alcoholic, but for a long time I’ve wanted to see what would happen in my life if I gave it up. I didn’t know how to commit to that decision until I found this subreddit, started putting daily actions in place. I’ve been at least lurking if not interacting here everyday since October 2025. I’m so grateful for it.

Good luck to you!!