You Don’t Need to have a 'Problem'

Why Waiting for “Rock Bottom” Makes No Sense

When it comes to drinking, there’s a common line I hear:

“It’s not really a problem for me, so why stop?”

Or:

“I don’t drink that much. It’s not affecting my life that badly.”

Let’s flip that thinking on its head for a minute.

We Don’t Wait for a Crisis in Other Areas of Life

Think about your health. Most of us don’t wait until we’re completely out of breath to start going for a walk or join a gym. We don’t wait for our teeth to fall out before we start brushing them. Preventative action is just common sense in so many parts of life.

Now, think about work. We don’t wait until we’re about to get fired to try and improve our performance, build new skills, or take on extra training. Most people look for ways to stay sharp, get ahead, or simply feel more confident in their role-long before things get desperate. Proactive steps in our careers help us grow, avoid problems, and set ourselves up for success.

Similarly at work: If we handed our boss a piece of work and they said, " it's not that bad". How would we react, would we feel satisfied, or would we feel we could have done better?

So why do we think differently when it comes to drinking?

Choosing “Better” Is a Strength, Not a Sign of Weakness

Nobody blinks an eye if you decide to eat healthier, even if you’re not overweight or sick. You might start eating more veggies, cut back on sugar, or swap your afternoon snack for something lighter. Not because you have to, but because you want to. You do it to feel better, have more energy, or just take care of yourself.

Why not be the same with alcohol. You don’t need to wait until you’re waking up with daily hangovers, missing work, or damaging relationships before you decide to make a change. In fact, making a choice to cut back or stop because you want to feel sharper, sleep better, or have more control is a sign of self-respect and forward thinking.

Real-Life Choices, Real-Life Benefits

I’ve worked with plenty of men who made the decision to stop drinking not because their lives were falling apart, but because they wanted more out of their here and now. One client told me, “I just wanted to wake up on Sunday and actually enjoy it, not waste half the day feeling rubbish.” Another said, “I noticed I was snappier with the kids after a few drinks, and that wasn’t who I wanted to be.”

They didn’t have a “problem”, they just wanted better.

Challenging the “It’s Not That Bad” Logic

If you find yourself saying “It’s not affecting me that badly” ask yourself:

• Is it making anything better?

  
  

• What might improve if I took a break or stopped?

  
  

• Am I missing out on feeling my best, just because things aren’t that bad?

  
  

You don’t have to hit a low point to want more for yourself. Just like you don’t wait for your car to break down before getting it serviced, you don’t need to wait for a crisis to make a positive change.

What Do We Think Alcohol Gives Us?

It’s important to recognise we have reasons for drinking. It’s something that is completely normalised and part of our culture and beliefs. We learn to reach for a drink because we believe it helps us relax, makes socialising easier, helps us unwind after a long day, or even brings some health perks.

But are these true benefits? In many cases they are felt in the short term while the longer-term impacts aren’t always part of our plan when we have a few.

• Relaxation and stress relief: While alcohol may create a short-term sense of calm, it disrupts sleep, leaving us more prone to stress in the coming days and can increase anxiety over time. Drinking doesn’t do anything to manage the sources of our stress, and if anything distracts and delays us from taking steps to improve things.

  
  

• Social confidence: Alcohol might feel like it takes the edge off in a social setting, but being under the influence hinders genuine connection and dulls our memory of the time we share. We naturally find comfort and confidence in a social situation after the initial nerves.

  
  

• Health benefits: You might have heard that a glass of wine is good for your heart. The reality? Recent research shows alcohol likely has zero health benefits, and the supposed perks are more about other healthy habits of moderate drinkers than the alcohol itself. In fact, alcohol increases the risk of cancer and other health issues - even at low levels.

Healthier Ways to Get What You Want: For Real

The good news? The things we look for in alcohol - relaxation, connection, confidence, fun - can all be found in healthier, longer-lasting ways.

• Exercise, a good chat with a mate, or a walk outside can all do wonders for stress.

• Non-alcoholic drinks, like kombucha or alcohol-free beer, can fill the social gap without the downsides. "Keep the routine, change the ingredients".

• Relaxation can be achieved in many ways like sitting in a calm environment, listening to music, resting and taking time out, a quiet walk in a park or having a bath, not from what’s in your glass.

  
  

You’re Allowed to Want More

Choosing to go alcohol free, or even taking a break, is about giving yourself the chance to see what life feels like – find out for yourself.

Many people report more energy, better sleep, clearer thinking, saving money, and being more present for the people and things that matter in their lives. You don’t need a problem to want something better. You might decide for yourself, “not that bad” is simply not good enough.

Curious about what alcohol free could look like for you?

Let’s have a chat. No pressure, no judgment, just an honest discussion about how coaching might work for you.

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