What You Need to Know about the Sober Curious Movement
Thanks to the advent of the digital era, tracking the progress of behavioral concepts, societal trends, and cultural movements has become easier and more precise. The sober curious movement emerged shortly after the publication of Sober Curious: The Blissful Sleep, Greater Focus, Limitless Presence, and Deep Connection Awaiting Us All on the Other Side of Alcohol in 2018. British author Ruby Warrington didn’t expect her self-help book to become a movement embraced by members of Generation Z. Nonetheless, sober curious is now a lifestyle and an industry with connections to the sober living philosophy that emerged within Alcoholics Anonymous. The Encinitas addiction recovery specialists from Sober Lifestyle Coaching take a closer look.
What the Sober Curious Book Is About
Ruby Warrington’s life as a magazine writer was punctuated by social drinking she describes as ranging from moderate to reckless. The after-work scene of lifestyle journalists almost invariably involves drinking, but Warrington managed to “keep it under control” with no more than two binging sessions per week. After a few years, Warrington began to think about her relationship with ethanol molecules and the terrible hangovers she often had to nurse. Her book reads like an exploration of the answers we get when we ask ourselves what it would be like to live without alcohol.
What the Book Isn’t About
On podcasts and in interviews and lectures, Warrington is quick to point out that she isn’t a healthcare professional or recovery specialist. The author goes into detail about how much her life has been improved by changing the way she drinks. Warrington is respectful of the AA program, and she also points out that the sober curious movement shouldn’t be conflated with sober living, which is the personal philosophy of recovering alcoholics.
How the Sober Curious Movement Started
The movement borrows many ideas and observations from Warrington’s book, primarily the promotion of nonalcoholic replacements for liquor, beer, and wine. To achieve this within her social circle, she started ordering virgin cocktails and craft beers with 0.5% ethanol. Warrington engaged in casual proselytizing about her lifestyle change, then she began to share more ideas by posting on social networks. Before the pandemic, websites such as Trend Hunter began reporting on “Club Soda” events around New York City, and some of them were part of Warrington’s book marketing efforts. The events caught the attention of lifestyle writers at The New York Times, thus sparking a trend that has spread across other metropolitan regions.
From Sober Curious to Sober Living
The conversations at Club Soda events about the sober curious movement promoted awareness about sober living and sober lifestyle coaching. Some people who appreciate the sober curious lifestyle become curious about sobriety as a way of life. Sober living goes deeper than being sober curious. It’s a holistic strategy for a long-term commitment to a healthy and structured lifestyle that’s free from compulsions. This is what sober lifestyle coaches help their clients with, and it doesn’t necessarily involve abstinence. Many sober curious individuals become interested in sober lifestyle coaching because they’re already familiar with mindful drinking, and they would like to apply this mindfulness to other aspects of their lives.
While many people who fall into substance abuse can start to recover on their own without the help of an interventionist, Encinitas addicts can get a great deal of benefit from working with experienced sober coaches. For strength-based support with sober recovery, Encinitas residents should reach out to the trained recovery coaches at Sober Lifestyle Coaching. Our goal is to offer our clients maximum recovery support, especially in the first fragile days or weeks of early recovery. If you’re looking for extra addiction recovery support so you don’t risk relapse when you head into the danger zones, we’ll work with you to put together a game plan to keep you safe and sober as you accomplish your goals. To learn more about how we can help you or someone you love, call us today.