Readers Digest
Magazine subscription Podcast
HomeHealthWellbeing

How to survive sober October

BY Dani Binnington

30th Sep 2018 Wellbeing

3 min read

How to survive sober October
Wellbeing expert Dani Binnington offers her top tips for getting through a month of sobriety to survive sober October in an alcohol-oriented society
I went teetotal five years ago. I had just finished all the conventional treatments for breast cancer and my mental wellbeing was at an all-time low. 
Out of fear of a recurrence I did everything possible to improve my overall health and increase my chances of survival. Giving up booze, for good, was just one of the many things I did—from changing my diet to meditation and mindfulness—on a quest to recover and survive.
Dani Binnington stands in a kitchen holding a bowl of fruit and vegetables
So when at the age of 33, I turned up to dinner parties and nights out saying "I don’t drink" it's fair to say that I was always the odd one out. I loved to have a drink and I still think that some of my funniest experiences happened when under the influence.
My personal drive to give up the booze was driven by fear, but most of all it was driven by love. My love for my three young daughters who I was so desperately trying to be around for, for as long as possible.
The world health organisation has classified alcohol as a carcinogen. This means there is convincing evidence that alcohol causes cancer in humans. The more you drink, the higher your risk. The less you drink, the lower your risk. I decided to cut it out completely.
If you are taking the plunge and going sober for October to raise some much-needed cash for MacMillan cancer charity, or you are trying to cut down on alcohol in general, good on you! Here are a few of the top tips I learnt along the way…

Think positive

think positive
Look at the positives of drinking less or going sober and focus on those. Whether it’s the fact that you are raising cash for charity or that you feel great in the mornings without that booze cloud hanging over you. Focus on the benefits. What we focus on expands!
Kick-start a healthier lifestyle in general, add in an exercise class once a week and make one healthy meal a day. It will help you stay motivated and you will start to feel really great.

Remember the why

give up alcohol how
Become clear of the WHY. We all have very personal reasons for cutting out booze, mine were purely health-related, others don’t like how drinking makes them feel the next day.
Become clear of why you stop for October and remind yourself of it at times when you feel tempted or feeling frustrated with not drinking.

Quit the self-criticism

stoptober tips
Watch your language of how you speak to yourself. Don’t tell yourself that you "must not" have a drink. Instead, say you "choose not" to have a drink because…and list the benefits that it brings for you.
The way we talk to ourselves is so powerful and unless we’re careful we can be very harsh to ourselves, full of self-criticism. Tell yourself you’re doing a brilliant job at not drinking and remind yourself why you do it.

Hello mocktails…

how to stoptober
Find an alternative drink or something else to do for the times that you really fancy a drink. Makeup lime and ginger mocktails that not only taste nice but also boost your immune system, fighting off the autumn colds.
Try an alcohol-free beer and you might be surprised at how nice it tastes. Find other ways of relaxing instead of having a glass of wine. Run a bath, download a meditation app and plug yourself in or start reading a gripping book.

Plan ahead

stoptober
Check your diary for what you have planned in October and mark the events that you know you will find tricky attending when sober. This is an important exercise alone as it can be really helpful to assess why and how we feel about drinking.
Do we drink quite so much because it’s our turn soon to buy a round and it would be rude not? Perhaps that certain friend of yours loves meeting up with you because you always get tipsy together?
Decide if you want to change the date for the events you’ll find tricky or come up with a plan of how you can make them more fun.

Kick the habit

how to stop drinking for a month
Another option: If you're doing sober October and raising much-needed cash for charity, that’s great. But if you’re heavily relying on non-alcoholic beers, you’re really struggling and you have to buy the extra four golden tickets for nights that you really think you can’t not drink, then rethink your plan.
If you really want to curb your unhealthy drinking habits, read The Kindness Method by Sharoo Izadi. It’s the best book to help you change any unwanted habits—for good. 
Dani Binnington is a yoga practitioner, wellbeing expert and creator of healthywholeme.com which is full of delicious recipes, wellbeing tips and inspiration for a healthy lifestyle.

This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you. Read our disclaimer

Loading up next...
Stories by email|Subscription
Readers Digest

Launched in 1922, Reader's Digest has built 100 years of trust with a loyal audience and has become the largest circulating magazine in the world

Readers Digest
Reader’s Digest is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (which regulates the UK’s magazine and newspaper industry). We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice and are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism. If you think that we have not met those standards, please contact 0203 289 0940. If we are unable to resolve your complaint, or if you would like more information about IPSO or the Editors’ Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit ipso.co.uk