How I Relax Without Alcohol
Throughout my twenties, alcohol dominated my life. I was a daily, heavy drinker, and the habit affected everything from my hobbies to my relationships.
I finally quit drinking just a few months before I turned thirty. It was a relief to put the ruinous habit behind me, but at the same time, I often felt like there was a piece of me missing.
One of the reasons I drank so much was that I falsely believed that alcohol was the only way for me to relax.
I’m naturally an anxious, high-stress person. I worry too much, overthink small details, and get caught up in my head, spinning my mind through anxiety loops.
For me, downing a six-pack of beer after work was a way to unwind and turn off my anxious thoughts.
Alcohol is a bad way to relax. Drinking provides short-term stress relief but increases stress over the long run. When I was a heavy drinker though, I ignored the long-term effects because I couldn’t resist the opportunity for easy relaxation, even if it was short-lived.
When I quit drinking, I felt at first as if I had lost the part of me that knew how to relax. Without beer, how could I unwind after a long day? How could I stop thinking constantly about all the things that stress me out?
