three years without alcohol: a very honest q&a

[@jennieguinevere]

7 years sober here and I don’t do a lot of going “out out” anymore because it’s not really my vibe, but I have come up with a great thing to do to stop the sober anxiety/boredom, especially when there’s too much music and noise so you can’t really have chats with people. It’s called “how incorrectly can you dance to this song” and it is HILARIOUS both for the sober and drunk folks 😂 it’s a great one to just be silly and lose a bit of self consciousness

[@cariiinen]

Love this

[@ピアノアダム]

许的也能给我的梦树枝两问对那！

[@festergroove]

Lucy, I'm going sober in the new year after several years of heavy drinking. I needed to see this video tonight. Thank you.

[@Torsee]

All the best! Just decide

[@mollscadman]

You've got this

[@shegoisgay]

Sending you love and courage stranger you got this!!!!

[@donnecoetzee8651]

You got this!

[@clementgrin5070]

Don’t stay alone and one day at a time 🌈

[@justsmilelaet]

2 years and 9 months sober over here ! your answers resonate a lot with my personal experience, thanks for sharing

[@Torsee]

Good for you!

[@humanonline9605]

As someone who has very low alcohol tolerance and feels ill after just a fraction of a drink, this is also helpful for me when sometimes I feel self conscious about not drinking. I find myself overcompensating sometimes to try to match people’s energy to assure the group I don’t feel left out. I’ve also accepted that I can’t meet everyone at their level or find all the humour interesting. I get and give what I can to the experience and that’s that. Thank you Lucy!

[@Dsinkz]

You don't need to fall to there level,it's them that have the problem,, people are literally poisoning themselves with alcohol,and believe their having a good time,,you've woken up from that,be proud of yourself

[@milikoshki]

I am a non drinker and I personally love that sobriety and not drinking has become more mainstream. It might also be a part of aging out of the early-mid 20s "rager" social scene, but it feels a lot more acceptable to not drink alcohol. Sending positive vibes to anyone who is sorting out complicated stuff around alcohol, esp during the holidays.

[@dreamer6943]

Not drinking has become more mainstream but unfortunately it seems to have coincided with smoking cannabis becoming more mainstream too. The youngsters have just switched their substance of choice.

[@ピアノアダム]

张氏是热额嗯的恶翁哦呀好呐！

[@aquao5372]

You can also have mocktails so your still having a fun drink but without the poison lol

[@aquao5372]

I had this drink in a mini 4 pack from Whole Foods fentimans I think and it do cute and could be a dupe for alcohol but it’s purely juice

[@daisyrye]

Thanks for sharing this, I’m not sober but have reduced my alcohol consumption dramatically over the years. I have had many bad experiences with alcohol, my only purpose for drinking would be to get drunk and wash away my anxiety. A few years ago at a work do, I drank way too much to the point that my now husband had to come and pick me up well before the end of the night. Not only that, but he had to pull over on the side of the motor way so I could throw up on my hands and knees, I was completely out of action for the next two days. As humiliating and painful as that experience was, I told myself I had to stop, I never wanted to hit that point again. Since then, I have been a one or two drinks for special occasions only kind of gal and I can tell you this as a shy and socially anxious person who has stopped relying on alcohol to seem fun and interesting…I am fun and interesting. It takes being vulnerable and pushing through it to realise that you are completely capable, and if you're not enjoying yourself, you're allowed to leave.

[@KiraBxxx]

this year is my first year sober and i will never drink again. i have adhd and i didn’t know how much alcohol had an affect on my symptoms until i stopped. i also didn’t know how much i thought about alcohol until i stopped. so grateful for videos like this to keep motivated💛✌🏻✨

[@jenniferchristian8115]

This!!

[@JC-qh7ze]

Same!! When I learned about how alcohol floods out brains with dopamine (for a hot minute) it was such a lightbulb moment.

[@chloegordon4978]

Lucy, this video came at the perfect time. I have never been an everyday or secret drinker, I almost always drank with family or friends, but more often than not, I would overdo it. I have like a laundry list of drunk mistakes that have endangered myself and friendships that I am totally ashamed of. And the worst part, I love a drink. I love to make cocktails and go out with friends, but lately I have had this reckoning that I am not a normal drinker. I'm 23 now, but I think I attributed past mistakes to being young and in college. Last year I even had like a horrible drunk moment every month, so I took some time off. I eventually reintroduced it, and I haven't had as many mortifying experiences, but I am sick of the bargaining and negotiating with myself. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and story--it will definitely be helpful to me in my journey.

[@cariiinen]

Knowing how long to expect from our social battery is so helpful! Accept who we are, and adapt our expectations

[@filmswithjovi]

Just over a year here now, and your videos massively helped me in this process - so thank you for sharing and congrats on 3!

[@hannahstephings4355]

6 years sober, the brightest, most aligned version of myself. I also grew up watching Skins and used drinking to combat anxiety so related to a lot of your story, Lucy. Thank you for sharing!

[@lucymoon]

Most aligned version of yourself!! Stunning xx

[@bm5_5_5]

Same here my whole teenage years was literally skins. It’s actually insane to look back on.

[@michellethepegman]

Im not sober but i love promoting the sober lifestyle cus i barely drink and i have seen my friends completely turn their life around by going sober. Love this

[@Figs_and_Peaches]

I’ve been sober for 126 days and it’s only gotten easier as I’ve gone. Every social situation I’ve been anxious being sober at I’ve surprised myself at how absolutely fine it’s been. I get a little bit of fomo but having a bitter mocktail or non alcoholic beer helps with that.

[@cellotag]

I'm not sober, but my rule is basically that I don't drink alone. Given that I don't go out a ton anymore, this rule has worked really well for me! It has made me explore feelings that I probably would have ignored, but that's what therapy is for 😂 Well done on 3 years sober! I'm happy you've made the choice that works best for you.

[@amystubby]

Thank you, Lucy. I remember you getting sober for the first time and rooting for you so hard. You should be really really proud of yourself and what you've accomplished.

[@emma_margaret]

1st of jan will be one year sober for me and never been happier, very grateful to you for inspiring me to take the plunge

[@lucymoon]

Huge well done!!

[@Torsee]

Well done!

[@DavidSmith-re1yl]

1st of Jan was one year sober for me too! Congrats!!

[@staceyharvey2750]

Also celebrated one-year sober on January 1st. I did Dry January in 2024 & stopped 💯

[@Torsee]

@@staceyharvey2750 Proud of you! An I don’t even know you! 😊

[@KristanShuford]

My husband is sober because even tiny amounts of alcohol flare his IBS (seems like maybe that was happening for you too) and we’ve found that so many of our friends are happy to have people planning non-alcohol based activities like game nights in or bowling, or picnics simply because it’s a less expensive way of socializing. And its more inclusive to our sober friends, pregnant friends, or people who can’t be out late cause they have tiny kids. Some people do drink at these gatherings but no one is getting drunk. It makes me happy to see that younger generations are being more mindful about their alcohol consumption

[@almartin7]

Thank you for sharing! Turning 30 next year and thankful to finally have 1 full year of sobriety under my belt this month. Hearing from someone like you who is young and still social despite the lack of booze is so encouraging for me to keep going! Keep sharing and happy 3🎉🎉🎉!

[@lucymoon]

Well done!!

[@WhitneyUlrich-o9z]

Your videos on alcohol 8 years ago made me evaluate my relationship with it for the first time. Now I live a low drinking life style and have a much healthier relationship with alcohol. Glad to see you’re thriving in sobriety!

[@havefaithincards6283]

Ah! A Wood Green Gal over here :) I am now two and a half months sober which doesn't seem long, but I am taking it one day at a time. I find the non-acoholic options are amazing these days. A No-secco in a Prosecco glass gives me that same feeling of being part of the crowd without impacting my sleep or next day choices. I am very happy to be on this journey.

[@anaelle1590]

Thank you for this video Lucy!! I had to stop drinking as it made me cry my eyes out every time I had a few drinks. As the years pass I don’t really feel the need to drink anymore and I’ve understood that drinking was more of a crutch for me than an actual enjoyable experience. Not drinking is also giving me the much needed space to look inward and take the time to figure myself out

[@oldasyouromens]

3 years sober from alcohol this year too, and i found a great hangout space that does fabulous mocktails and isn't horribly overstimulating.

[@alexandrafrench]

honestly one of the best decisions i ever made was dry january last year. before the holiday period was over, i got a call that one of my family members passed away in a motorcycle accident. and if im being real here, giving myself the space to grieve without alcohol (which i had lent on in other moments of grief) really allowed me to process it and make healthier decisions in general. i spent the summer reading, journaling, swimming, and generally focusing on bettering myself and supporting my family. (i also wasn’t able to go to the funeral, and as much as that hurt i think the urge to drink would’ve set me back so much) it also made me feel so much healthier and stronger on the other side of the grief. i’m not 100% sober now but i definitely think far more carefully about the circumstances in which i drink and what my limits are

[@dididaah]

I enjoy maybe a drink a month on average, but I'm so glad I did the work to get to a place where I don't feel pressure to drink to be fun/interesting/extroverted at social events anymore. As someone with autism + ADHD whose moods are quite changeable and hard to regulate, I reaaalllllly don't need to be messing with a known depressant on top of that! I never want to feel hungover again, I never want that next-day doom and embarrassment ever again. Thanks for this video

[@greensteve9307]

Well done! I'm 41 years old, and now at 24 years, 11 months, and 27 days without alcohol. (Yes, you did the maths right). It has been a challenge at times, with peer pressure and the desire to forget my sorrows, but I am healthier (and richer!) for it.

[@shegoisgay]

congrats green steve ❤️

[@Fergie80]

I wish I'd stuck with it too. I was 16 my first time in recovery but never made it to 30 days. I'm 44 now and finally free.

[@madisonasbury5421]

9 months of sobriety for me!! I cannot describe all of the ways my life has changed since quitting drinking. I truly can never go back. I used to love the feeling of “losing control” and now I feel the exact opposite. I want to experience things and not numb out!

[@colecerys123]

Watching this and commenting with my experience. I drink a hell of a lot less than I used to but realising the reason I felt like I needed to drink in social situations is because I’m autistic and extremely socially anxious changed my life

[@stringandsing]

Three years sober last October. Best thing I ever did for myself and those around me. My favorite thing about it is having to confront my feelings and the realities of life, and finding out that it’s way easier to handle them when I’m not a mess.

[@georginachard8604]

Love this video! My parents are both sober and it’s definitely changed my relationship to alcohol too (positively). Also I’m obsessed with your jumper! The colours!!

[@laineydunlap9757]

Your jumper and hairstyle in this video are soooo good! Always love your updates. Proud of you!

[@user-et5qp4id9j]

i recently watched the outrun (reading now) and it struck the biggest chord with me. thank you for making this content and talking about sobriety in an approachable and comfortable way.

[@cariiinen]

To all the sober people in the comments: well done! Keep up the hard work! You've got this.

[@lewiscpowell]

Great reflection Lucy. I know quite a few woman who are sober but I don’t know any men who are. This would be a great topic to explore in a video essay. I’m sure you know more sober men than me though through your networks. Happy Holidays!

[@musje.]

4 weeks in and so motivated to keep on!

[@curseofcontext]

this really speaks to my social anxities which are very much heightened when coming across drunk people which is also based on past memories around drunk people/being drunk- but it’s this generalizing of anxiety at them rather than presently accessing the actual situation and people (and my own agency aside from them)? which bugs me because it‘s this stuckness in that trigger: or expectation that the trigger will happen on nights/weekends. without the reasoned space from that past and it makes me avoid night+music activities while very much a night person! it made me really emotional in watching this so i’m thankful for that resonates-jumpout because i think i was lacking words here! found your points on picking the activity+environment apart to work through what rises the anxiety within those intricacies really helpful: definitely where some of my work is at, presently, with my social (mental) health.

[@JimenaBlack]

I’ve been sober for almost 4 years now and i felt so listened when you said that thing about passing by a drinking place and your brain telling you that you should drink because nobody would now, omg, i still feel that way sometimes, especially when i’m going through stressfull or depresing times. Also i’m autistic and i didn’t knew until last year so i was drinking even more because i was trying to mask and blend in. I do think addiction can be hereditary, my upbringing was a bit shitty and i’ve been depressed since i was like 10 years old and maybe this made me an alcoholic but some people in my family also have this problem and i think thats why it was so easy for me to bécame an addict. Anyway… congrats on this 3 years of sobriety ❤❤❤

[@valeriapomales7211]

thank you for your video, im still in my path to sobriety but having some feed backs helps a lot. sending a hug

[@booksarebrainfood1708]

These videos are so helpful and always resonate (for example I never thought about having a “safe drink” as being an element of a messy relationship with alcohol). For me my issue is always being a quiet reserved person, and people always tell me I’m so fun when I drink, it’s like trying on being an extrovert for a few hours. But there’s always a price and I’m getting too old to keep paying it 😅 I’d love to recommend to you the book and film The Outrun by Amy Liptrot, a really beautiful story about her recovery from alcohol addiction and how it relates to her homeland of Orkney - the film is especially beautiful and features Saoirse Ronan.

[@clarecatherine8387]

My favourite tip that I found over Christmas, if you're at a gathering where they're having prosecco or champagne, if they have sparkling water and coke, fill a flute with sparkling water and add the tiniest bit of coke to colour it the same as champagne and nobody knows!

[@shaunmeyer3202]

Hi Lucy, thanks for the content, congrats on 3 years, I think for anyone that's new to the sober life, I will say don't feel bad at a Wedding/ Birthday Party or just on vacation to have a Light/Diet Coke or some Grape Juice!

[@varya_k.]

i have discovered your channel through your initial video on quitting drinking a few years ago, Lucy. and that video really stood out to me and i kept on thinking about it. but i only got to quitting myself 3 years ago as well. just a couple of weeks later then you did this time. so wanted to say thank you for being a part of my sobriety journey 💕

[@lucymoon]

Congrats on three years! Glad to have helped even a little bit x

[@lucy-vb4lm]

my name is lucy too and i’m sober curious!! i found your channel from being recommended by some podcasters i love- sephy & wing! thank you for posting this xx

[@SparrowTheArrow369]

You’re a real inspiration and I totally appreciate your content. Struggle with an interaction of alcohol and bulimia and not sure what to do. My team is worried but I honestly don’t care that much.

[@AmberJonesIs]

I’m almost 1 year sober!!! Lucy you were a huge inspo for me in the early days and I started to create sobriety content because of you 🤗 thanks for your advice !!!

[@lucymoon]

Well done!! Glad to have been a part of your journey xx

[@laurat981]

I was just rewatching all of your videos on this earlier this week, I have always found your insight so so inspirational and I am so grateful for you!! Thank you so much for sharing this.

[@gracesspace6398]

Quit drinking when I was 19, I was an aggressive drunk, couldn’t control my intake, I also realised that the alcohol consumption I had grown up seeing was alcoholism. At 25 I went through a huge amount of life changes and it wasn’t great but I was in a better place in my life and so I have reintroduced some alcohol here and there but I’m still quite strict about it and I deffo realise in myself that who/the environment I’m drinking in can affect how I drink, I’d say 95% of the time I’m sober, I also realised my early 20s were rough and I used alcohol to numb it whereas I don’t feel as angry and down about life, but deffo anytime I’m worried about something I make sure to stay sober.

[@amberglow7612]

I was sober for 3 years and a half and started drinking again in December 2023 and throughout 2024 mostly because of peer pressure as my social life has been busier this year. I want to stop again for 2025.

[@Torsee]

Good luck

[@amberglow7612]

​@@Torseethank you 😊

[@Torsee]

@@amberglow7612 It won’t be easy, but like me, I just decided.

[@shegoisgay]

Good luck, you've got this!!!! And even if you drink again in the future, you can control it and you are in charge, and you can stop again. No such thing as failure with this journey x

[@evercuriousmichelle]

You got this! Every day is a new day!

[@KTT166]

this video really highlights the chokehold this drug has on society. It's insane how difficult it can be to adjust socially after quitting alcohol. I'm only 2 weeks in but haven't socialized yet and I'm pretty nervous.

[@rafaelleduarte]

Hi from Brazil, Lucy. I'm a long-term follower of yours on KZbin and on Instagram too, and I leave likes to your content quite often whereas I rarely leave comments. I would like to share that I really appreciate your sober journey content as I relate to you in a certain extent. In Brazil, teenagers and young people in general face heavy influence from adults and the media to romanticise alcoholic drinks consumption since a very early stage of life as social interactions only seem to be appealing to many people if there is drinking alcohol involved in it. It is cultural and massively popular in my country to make Churrasco (Brazilian barbecue) at weekends with family and friends, which englobes various types of food, alcoholic beverage and considerable loud music, and my own family was not different from all the families out there across the country. My father and other relatives introduced me to alcohol when I was a teenager around 13-years-old, and I would drink with friends in my free time from school. My father was acoholic to the extent that he would drink a can of beer daily after coming back home and at weekends religiously. I was against his habits when it comes to alcohol, but drinking is so normalised in Brazil that I would not see my father as an alcoholic person until I was in my early twenties. My mother doesn't drink alcohol at all, but she was used to seeing and coexiting with alcoholic people, so it was hard for me to not start romanticising alcohol in my teenage years. When I was a teenager, I would drink to the point of passing out in front of my friends, and to the point of embarrassing myself expressively. I was really the main topic of other school coleagues conversations because of my ridiculous moments of being totally out of my mind because of booze. When I reached my twenties, I decided to stop drinking and it was actually very easy to do it as I was never a true fan of drinking. My father died of stomach cancer in 2019, and surely his alcoholic habits played an important role in leading him to death very early in his life, he was in his early 50s. I'm 31 and soon 32, and I'm so grateful to have a mother and sister, who don't drink at all. My mother, sister and I live together in our home and we have friends who don't drink and our lifestyle is nearly completely healthy.

[@FrauSjoeblom]

Congratulations on three years of being sober ♥️

[@Sjudit84]

First of all Lucy, I know I have seen you in this sweater before but with the golden jewelry and the golden framed glasses, you girl are glowing! Love it! These colors look awesome on you in this warm mood lighting! I always enjoy your update videos about sobriety and I really liked the questions this time too, very good questions that made you elaborate so well on the whys and the background of stuff. I still don't drink, since i have an autoimmune liver disease, so it's been about 7 years at this point, I still don't give AF about drinking, and still don't understand why society is pushing it so much, when I have had enough years being stupid and drinking in the past, I don't need it. I think even if I could drink, I would not be drinking anymore. Funnily enough I moved to a country where people's idea of a good weekend is drinking in the beer garden and drinking... I also think it's very insightful to say that you need to take a look at your life and check why you are numbing out on alcohol. I think most people do it the other way around and think that if you quit drinking, everything else will also get better and fall into place. And sometimes solving the issues of your life naturally cause your bad habits to stop too...

[@TheKateP]

January 1st I'll be 2 years sober. Quitting alcohol was the best decision I have made in my life!

[@lucymoon]

Well done 🫶✨

[@caparies]

4 years sober here. I'm 30 and the one thing you realise as you age is how drastically perceptions change as soon as you turn 29. It's kind of fun to get smashed in your 20s, but at 29 when you're basically only thinking about 30 and so is everyone else (when are you getting married? when are you having kids? buying a home? getting a promotion? visiting your aging parents? how's your health? etc.), having a bad drinking habit is a massive liability and you're going to get left behind. An obvious example is your story about that work event where you got too drunk and they had to put you in the shower. Imagine that but in your 30s where the stakes are much higher, your peers generally have less time/energy, plus your support network is busy with their own responsibilities. For every one of those obvious examples, there's probably half a dozen less obvious ones where a bad drinking habit will hold you back.

[@grovesy333]

3 months sober almost and Christmas was hard without any alcohol 🥲

[@lucymoon]

Well done!! Christmas is hard but you’re doing it 💪

[@VioletBlackWings]

I failed my first sober attempt last January about 53 days in. I was so upset with myself, but I've learned alot, have a different plan this year and am currently 4 days sober. I think social and vacation events will be too triggering for a while, but I'm hoping down the line that they are safe enough for me to attempt!

[@Theupoy]

So happy for you! Congrats on 3 years sober 😁

[@byMemo0]

Well done for this milestone! As someone who isnt British, but went to uni in London, I was really not prepared for the Brtisih drinking culture. I developed a really unhealthy relationship with drinking and going out because A) I used it as a social and language shield and B) while I had occasionally drunk in my home country (Italy) at social functions, I was used to the idea of pairing alchohol with plenty of food and not as a main course (which is what started to happen more and more often). I think I really screwed up my digestive system in my twenties because of alchool, and I went back to having a healthy relationship with drinking only when I left the Uk and was surrounded by a culture and people who drank far less frequently and, especially, not with the intention of getting smashed every single time. I guess part of it is simply growing up and not going out multiple times a week, which helps. I still like to have a drink, but as I got in my early 30s I realised I can now drink 1 or 2 glasses and then literally not want any more, which is an amazing feeling.

[@xCiaraLouisexx]

I’m heading into my second year of sobriety, I think the pink cloud is definitely lifting! This video really helped as I’m struggling with social anxiety at the moment and before in my early 20s all my social activities revolved around drink 😅 I also found my first sober holiday odd in regards to drink as I found there was no alcoholic options other than Fanta and coke. But luckily it was a family holiday and my dad doesn’t drink loads so I ended up enjoying it ☺️

[@rosaspinosa85]

Loved this video. Thanks so much for doing it. I live in Italy and Crodino is definitely the NA drink of choice among sober italian adults too, along with bitter biano and Bianco San Pellegrino. Also try the san Pellegrino aranciata amara if you like bitter flavours. Italian non alcoholic drinks are often based on bitter flavours

[@honeybee416]

6 days today. The longest stretch since roughly 2015. Your videos are helpful!

[@AV-cx7ob]

What occurred to me about anxiety and socializing / business events after stopped drinking was the advantage I had being sober. Clear-headed, sharp while others got buzzed or worse. In my case that has given me confidence rather than more anxiety.

[@AniTheMoose]

Thank you Lucy! I love your jumper ❤

[@robbie6724]

I’m 24 and I decided to go completely sober during the month of december after a particularly alcohol heavy birthday event (the second time in my life I’ve blacked out). I’ve loved how I’ve felt this month so I’m considering sticking with sobriety but the fomo I know I’ll get at certain events is making me hesitant about that idea ,, especially since I’m still so young , I don’t know ,, I don’t regret most things I’ve done while inebriated and I have some really lovely memories that wouldn’t have happened without that layer of , social anxiety being taken away after a few ,, it’s all very confusing ,

[@JakeR-l4h]

Great info in the video, the key difference for me was zero withdrawal symptoms, physical or mental, not even within the first thirty days, after Steffon Barkload and what he suggested it's been 9 months now it's like it never was a problem, reading that last version goolging what he put up. Was a super relief I didn't need AA or meds either.

[@officialnicholas1]

i've been w/o alcohol for 1 year and I think leaving early is the main thing. I never have fomo because if I want to go out, I just do and then leave whenever I'm ready. Sometimes I am in the club/bar for 30 minutes and then I'm ready to go.

[@alenarohava3009]

I can totally relate to "my body doesn't do moderation", that was how my alcohol problem manifested itself. I could easily go weeks without any alcohol, I didn't think about alcohol on a daily basis, so I thought I didn't have a problem.. Little did I know that even if you're blackout drunk just a few times a year it's already an addiction. It was so hard for me to just stop drinking after I've started, it's like the switch off button just didn't work and I kept drinking until I ran out of alcohol or until I just blackout.. And I was also that person who was the last one standing and pouring more drinks at 6am after a social event. I tried quitting back in September and I lasted for three months, went through a few social events without any alcohol, but then the holidays happened.. Now I'm doing a dry January with an intention to actually quit for good, but I just want to take it one step at a time, one month after another.

[@elisabetheriksson7787]

I1m almost 1 year sober, yesterday it was 11 months :) Really excited to get to the one year mark! I could be very wrong but I think the first year is the most difficult, After the 1st year you have momentum :)

[@lucymoon]

Well done on 11 months!

[@elliee8524]

i love pints with friends and drinks out, i also really love making cocktails and stuff but i just dont like who i am when i drink! around family and friends im normally fine but sometimes just say more obnoxious things that i dont think represent who i am and what i stand for day to day which i really dont like! but also around people i dont know so well, i do and say really stupid stuff. everyone i know seems to think i dont need to quit but i just dont know if maybe at this point its what i have to do before i really start becoming someone i dont want to be/ hurting people because of my habits. thank you for making these videos, it really normalises sobriety and makes the whole world of it feel so much less scary, i am most definitely sober curious because of you!! and i think 2025 might be the year i do it! thanks lucy!! lots of love and hny!

[@chloegordon4978]

Literally my experience!!! Heavy on not liking who you are when you drink...

[@allieconzola]

I’m 31, and I actually appreciate the fact that my body is tolerating alcohol less as I get older. If I have the threat of feeling ill or an awful hangover, it’s easier to stop when I’ve had enough. Being hungover is one of the worst feelings in the world 😅

[@Kelly-b6m]

12 days now for my husband and I. I’ve done dry January a few times and periods of not drinking but then end up going back thinking I can just moderate. Never seems to work. I’m feeling great again already and really want to continue this time. I feel done with alcohol !

[@dreamer6943]

I have never had a problem with alcohol but I gave up drinking when I dated someone who I eventually realised was an alcoholic. They hid it well and I had no concept of functional alcoholism until I met them, they were never obviously drunk and it took me years to recognise the subtle signs that they were. All I knew was that I was around alcohol a lot and didn't want to become an alcoholic so I stopped drinking because it seemed the most sensible course of action. I got used to sober life and it just stuck. I love being able to stay safer by driving everywhere, I used to encounter a fair few troublesome people on public transport unfortunately. My ex is still an alcoholic AFAIK.

[@tinealily]

I decided mid October that I just wanted to stop ‘for a while’ and it’s now been 2 and a half months since I drunk alcohol. I have no desire to start drinking again - I love knowing that the day after an event, if I’m tired or headachey it’s just because of the event, not because of what I drank. It just removes a variable. I was explaining my thinking to a friend and as I said - it’s not the ‘first nice drink with friends in a pub’ or the ‘glass of wine with dinner’ that was the problem - it’s the G&T just because it’s Tuesday, or the third glass of wine with dinner, that I wanted to say no to. And it’s easier to say no to those if I just ‘say no’ completely. The one thing I haven’t yet found a good replacement for is the room temperature glass of red wine or whisky. So many AF options are better chilled! I also stopped drinking caffeine (other than in tea) last spring so Diet Coke is off limits when I’m out and about (I buy the caffeine free version to have at home but it’s rare to find I’m a venue)… I’m drinking a lot of lemonade now. And, weirdly, eating pork scratchings to go with it.

[@Mustbehel]

I can't drink anymore because my antidepressant can't be combined with alcohol. I do miss it. I guess it helps that my friendship style is much more one-on-one rather than group settings, so there's less pressure, but I have had experiences on dates where people have seemed kind of disappointed that I'm not drinking, which has been hard to navigate.

[@theinfinitepassportTV]

I’m trying desperately to quit myself. Supportive, energetic posts like this help. My necessary goal in 2025! 🙏🏼

[@jenniferchristian8115]

I absolutely love the advice around play! I’ve recently gone sober, and I’m trying to navigate what I’m missing from drinking and think play might be it! I really enjoy competitive nights, such as board games, arcades and sports related stuff so I’m going make a conscious effort to do more it that, thanks 🫶🫶 also huge congrats on three years!

[@joeyfundz]

Hey, I've been watching your alcohol journey for a while, i rewatch some of your vids every year or so when i question my drinking habits. I may have missed a video but, ehen you stopped being sober for 5yrs, did you think you no longer have a problem? Did you miss drinking and try to drink "responsibly?" Did you fall of the wagon and spend a long time trying to go sober again? Just trying to work out the timeline

[@Madedanielle]

Watching this video made me realize I might have an issue? I just moved out of my parents house and have had alcohol almost every weekend. Something that at my parents house I'd do exclusive on special occasions

[@hollylove99]

espresso tonic.. that sounds so good i need to try it!!

[@lzlzlz347]

It's delicious! Just make sure to pour the espresso first, on some ice, before the tonic otherwise you get a foam vulcano

[@TheHannahPatrice]

Love your glasses ❤

[@momoneylee]

I love you. Thank you so much Lucy you're speaking facts & I'm only 115 days deep

[@jakeintheworld98]

I always find at the point when people are now incoherent about 10:30/11 I’m done, get the last train home and getting into my comfy PJs and a little chocolate before bed, if someone isn’t willing to have a sober date that is such a massive red flag to me.

[@AlexPavlides]

I am 43 and drank in a destructive way for all my teenage years and 20s. I slowed in my 30s but drank socially. I drank a lot through covid. Then I had a realisation, did one month off one year. Then another year passed and I did it again, but this time it just became my default mode. I had a drink or two at most once a month last year. Now I find I just dont need it. I look back and wish I hadnt drunk so much. Its such a drain on potential. It takes away time and energy for more positive things. I am working on a side business now and working out regularly. I have no time to have a hangover. Drinking also makes depression worse which I struggled with my whole life. I will never go back to being a regular drinker.

[@cn7228]

I think the energy while going out thing is interesting. Last time I went out I didn't feel like drinking, so instead I had 5 espressos over the course of the evening and had a BLAST. Got to the point where I saw my friends who were drinking become zombies and not be able to really socialize anymore, while I was still dancing like a fool 😂😂😂

[@keepsmiling15]

As a control freak I just don't like how I feel after 3 drinks so will stop. I mainly find this a problem when with my parents or their friends as their generation just want to keep giving you alcohol 🤣 most of my friends are sober for fitness reasons or would rather have a can of coke

[@JustMe-fo4ev]

I'm a casual wine drinker but alcohol dependency has affected a few people on my mom's side of the family so I've seen what it can do to people. I think I've also been fortunate where I never once felt like drinking was at the forefront of my social life outside of university years when it felt cool to do it. I wouldn't really expect that sort of thing to last much longer than that because the novelty wears off pretty fast, especially once it's fully legal to do. Being like 27 years old and thinking about drinking the same way an 18 year old does is just plain weird.

[@vanessah90]

I really want to get sober. I was recently sober for one month but have been drinking again. I also plan on drinking on New Year's Eve which makes me feel anxious that I'll always end up making excuses to drink... 🙃 I believe I can eventually get there though. I hope 🙏

[@whitneylaurenjones]

I’ve thought about going sover for years but I rarely drink now anyway. What made you make the decision to go sober? Like what your drinking habits before hand lovely ❤

[@noraadt]

me watching this as a muslim who never had a drink but love me some lucy’s content 😂♥️

[@hattieseren9903]

Hi Lucy, you mentioned in this video that you help young people get sober and find it rewarding. I'm interested in doing something similar and wondered whether you had any pointers for UK based charities? I'm 10 years sober.

[@hannah816]

Such a good video thank you!! Have you ever thought of writing a book on your experience/advice 3 years no alcohol? I would to read it!

[@lucymoon]

Thank you 🫶 I feel like everything I would want to say has been covered by Millie Gooch, Catherine Grey and Holly Whittaker, but perhaps over time my feelings will change. Definitely give their books a read if you’re looking for sober lit!

[@kristinetimofejeva9773]

I was sober for more than 4 years. I was preagnant and breastfeeding for 3.6years. But after that when I started drinking I also found that I have a bad relatuonship with alcohol. One glass makes You feel weird so it does not work, it makes You sleepy so either You go home or drink more. I usually now drink coffee or non alcoholic “alcohol”. But those few times when I drank some drinks, I felt so bad the next day. Also, I usually say something too honest to people. Thoughts that should stay that way. But now I am trying to learn from when I am drunk. I am very honest, I give a lot of compiments, that part is nice. But also I say a lot of stupid stuff 😐

[@lizziekindrew]

I'm almost 3 years sober also! 2/2/22✨

[@lucymoon]

Lovely date!

[@mimidolins]

hey i’m in my first year of university and considering quitting. the part about being depressed vs are some parts of your life depressing really resonated. i think i might be struggling with ocd (particularly existential) which flares up particularly at the end of the night and the day after, and i’d originally tried handling it by cutting out alcohol but i think maybe i should be trying to tackle the root cause, so thanks for the nudge. i struggle with sober nights out particularly when everyone else is drunk and i’m sober and having deep conversations because it feels non consensual if that makes sense? like i feel like i can’t partake in this conversation because the power dynamic is skewed. and from the romantic perspective i feel like nothing would ever start if i was sober so i have to get drunk because of the pressure to find a partner at university, and i feel so behind everyone in that regard. i don’t know i’m still so torn between whether i should quit or not. i feel like if i do (like when i took a month off before the end of the semester) i have to have a valid reason, and i don’t want to have to explain that i start thinking about death too much when i drink, because that’s a depressing and heavy way to start every night out. i guess i could lie or say i just don’t fancy it but feel like it wouldn’t be sufficient. i know this time will pass and first year of university is probs the hardest time to quit drinking bc it’s so culturally ingrained, but it feels like it never will. it’s strange bc i keep repeating the cycle of drinking, ending the night by telling my flatmate i cannot prove that he exists, or i cannot prove that no one hates me or the existence of an afterlife etc etc, and then waking up the next day with this dread, this feeling like i’m forgetting something objectively unforgivable that i did the night before, that (again) everyone hates me, just ruminating over memories to the point of trying to reverse any of the haziness of the night before, and yet i still feel fomo. i repeat the whole ordeal again and again and i know it’s illogical and i know i don’t enjoy it, or if i do the experience is rare. i feel like i’m grieving this thing, this liquid happiness which seems to work for everyone but me. i feel like i’m holding onto this hope that one day i’ll get what everyone’s been on about this whole time, but maybe i never will and maybe its time to accept that

[@dreamer6943]

The main thing you need to do is take control of your own life. Forget peer pressure, whether it's to find a partner or to drink. You'll face some backlash when you stop drinking from those who feel threatened by your stance (they like the "I can't help drinking, everyone does it" narrative and you not doing it proves them wrong, so it makes them feel uncomfortable. This is their problem, not yours). You may have to be extremely firm with them, but once people have got used to you being sober they'll accept it. If they don't, they're not worth hanging around with. As for romance - unless you're planning to be an alcoholic until you die, you'll have to get used to sober sex! If it takes alcohol to get it on with someone then they're not for you anyway, because alcohol is the aphrodisiac and not them, also because needing to be drinking shows you're not comfortable around them and you shouldn't be having sex with someone you're not comfortable with. Watch out for people buying you alcoholic drinks and telling you it's something non-alcoholic, you'll need to stamp on that behaviour from the beginning and never give it the green light by shrugging and drinking it anyway or they'll do it all the more. People who don't respect your decision to not drink aren't worth being friends with. You need to get comfortable having boundaries. Don't worry about those conversations, those people are choosing to have those conversations and if they end up regretting something they've told you whilst drunk, that's on them and it's their responsibility to choose not to drink so much if they don't like how they behave when drunk. Don't you take on responsibility for their lives, for them. You don't need a reason to not drink, it's a lifestyle choice that's all. If they don't accept that for an answer, then they're being rude and in my eyes that means you don't owe them politeness. "Because I want to" is a good enough reason for sobriety.

[@jedionboard1233]

Just a side line to your video, which is great and very well presented,,, can i just add,, i love your jumper,,,, ( wheres it from ????)>

[@miffy1239]

are these the vicky glasses by jimmy fairly? i need these glasses xoxox

[@lucymoon]

They’re the Elvie! Xx

[@gracebodkin1139]

where is your adorable sweater from!

[@lucymoon]

It was made by a lady called LoopsByLauren, I bought it from her Instagram!

[@EinsteinsTrousers]

After many half-arsed attempts, I've decided to go sober following decades of alcohol abuse. I'm seven days in but find this is only possible as I'm currently away from and my wife. It's now quite obvious that she's actively promoted my drinking over decades in order to validate her own drinking issues. I'll deal with this. However, how common have you found this to be within relationships? BTW, I've just discovered you. Thanks. Subbed.

[@elisa9041]

2 years tomorrow! Always love these videos every year, feels like I'm not celebrating my sober anni alone. They do however remind me how time flies, wow 😭

[@lucymoon]

Congrats!! 🫶

[@alison_5050]

I'm intrigued by espresso tonic- love bitter tastes... do they just pour the espresso over ice then add the tonic?

[@_erinocallaghan]

I’m interested if you have seen ‘the outrun’ would love to know your thoughts about the presentation of alcoholism / sobriety?