And it’s clearly striking a chord,with non-alcoholic wine being the fastest growing drinks category in Australia. Joey understands why the movement is making waves. The 45-year-old writer used to work in advertising,where drinking “was part of company culture”. It was easier for her to count the nights when she didn’t drink than the ones when she did.
Last year,Joey was chatting to friend Faye Lawrence,founder ofUntoxicated (“an alcohol-free social tribe” that hosts regular events),about her experiences. When Faye told Joey about the “sober curious” movement,Joey’s interest was piqued.
“It wasn’t like I said,‘I’m going to be sober curious,’ ” she says. “I just went,‘You know what? There’s a lot to live for in this world. I’m coming to an age where drinking every single night is not pleasant at all,and it’s time to start feeling a bit healthy.’ ”
Loading
So what does being “sober curious” actually mean? Joey explains it’s about making active decisions as to whether she’ll drink when she goes out. She also plans how many glasses she’ll have in advance. In the past,Joey wouldn’t keep tabs on her intake at all,allowing her glass to be refilled constantly. Now,she makes a choice to have,say,two glasses. And she sticks to it.
But there’s more to being sober curious than just saying no to booze,or cutting back on the grog. Instead,Joey explains it’s also about saying yes to really engaging in a moment,and not covering up feelings with alcohol.
“Clarity is a very underestimated state of mind,” Joey says.