What’s Your Label?
IN A WORLD FULL OF LABELS, HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY WHEN IT COMES TO NOT DRINKING ALCOHOL?
Trying to find a particular label for our complex experiences can feel like looking at a ‘one-size-fits-all’ tag. Some labels boast a one-size-fits-all promise, but have sleeves that are too long or necklines that are too tight. The label doesn’t always quite seem to fit the experience exactly right.
Though labels are at times constricting, they can help when trying to find a community to relate to or provide the language to communicate who we are. Here are a few helpful labels to use when describing your journey with sobriety:
SOBER CURIOUS
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Sober curious simply means that you have chosen to avoid alcohol for personal or wellness reasons. The term “sober curious” was first coined by Ruby Warrington in her book “Sober Curious: The Blissful Sleep, Greater Focus, Limitless Presence, and Deep Connection Awaiting Us All on the Other Side of Alcohol,” according to Healthline. Warrington describes sober curiosity as wondering whether you really enjoy drinking—or if you even want to drink at all. If you have these doubts, you are not alone.
Taking a closer look at why you might drink or how alcohol might be impacting your life can help to form mindful drinking habits. It might include making small lifestyle changes like choosing to avoid alcohol for a day or a week.
“Though labels are at times constricting, they can help when trying to finding a community to relate to or provide the language to communicate who we are.”
NON-DRINKING
Someone who uses the non-drinking label might have an occasional drink, but chooses not to get drunk. Others use the non-drinking label if they use weed or other drugs, but choose not to have alcohol. There are many people who describe themselves as non-drinkers, including singer-songwriter Jack Harlow and actress Natalie Portman.
If this validates your sobriety journey or best describes your experience, this label might be helpful in finding others who have chosen to live a non-drinking lifestyle.
SOBER
Sobriety means choosing not to be under the influence of substance, according to Verywell Mind. Someone might say they are sober if they are choosing to live a life without the use of alcohol or drugs.
Though using such a simple term—just one word—to describe an entire lifestyle decision might seem difficult, using this label might help provide clarity about choosing not to drink. It might also help in finding like-minded people who also use the label ‘sober’ to describe their experience.
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