No longer get ‘the fear’ when people say “do you remember when…”

Goodbye lack of willpower and sneaky cigarettes when drunk

Cheaper life insurance *boom!*

Zero blackouts or ‘brown-outs’

I have a new lease of energy and life

No more throwing up and cold sweats

I get to enjoy breakfast without feeling nausea 

Knowing I’m treating my body better than I once did

Better skin and a clearer complexion

Have more money because I’m not spending it in the pub

Good excuse to find other activities other than sitting in a pub

Increased my intake of fruit juices and green tea without even trying

Learned not to give a fuck what people think

Stronger and more loving relationships with my husband

Improved quality of sleep

I don’t need to run the shower hot and cold to feel normal

Not having to do things I agreed to when drunk

More meaningful relationships with friends and family not clouded by booze

No worrying about if a weird side pain is anything more serious

Less worry about premature ageing

Never having to worry about being over the limit when driving on a Sunday morning

Used my extra free time to travel, be creative, and learn new skills

Not having to do hideous shots that taste like paint stripper

Good excuse to treat myself on the weekends because I’m not buying alcohol

No more planning life around alcohol

No beer belly (more room for pizza)

I’ve got my Sunday’s back

Not worrying about how to get home after a night out

Tons more time to do more productive stuff

Made more money because I focused on my business

I remember precious memories – like our wedding 

Anxiety pretty much completely disappeared with no sign of returning

Feeling more confident without a blanket of alcohol

No more confusing bank transactions

Whiter teeth from less staining, sugar and hangovers

Hair and nails appear stronger and healthy

Living almost addiction-free – excluding sugar (you’re next!)

I wake up with my keys, phone and wallet every day

The post Today Marks 2 Years Of Sobriety And Here’s 39 Reasons Why That’s Awesome appeared first on Strawberry Squeeze.

Naturally, people twig I’m not drinking, whether it’s when I’m ordering at the bar or they ask what I’m drinking. Surprisingly, it’s a really hot topic, especially for people that I’ve only just met who want to ask personal questions.

Here are a few phrases I hear a lot since giving up drinking, some welcome, some not.

1. “Why don’t you drink?”

No, I’m not pregnant. No, I’m not driving. No, I’m not ill. No, I’m not hungover. No, I’m not religious.

I believe you shouldn’t ask someone why they don’t drink – it’s none of your business and I don’t owe you anything. Turns out, I’m the only person in the world that feels this way. People want to know why you don’t drink and some will pressure you. I’ve learned that those that mind, don’t matter and those that matter, don’t mind.

Casey Tommy actually sums this up beautifully on Thought Catalog:

“You’ll have some people tell you how unbelievable proud they are of you, and you’ll have some people tell you they don’t think you can give up alcohol. You’ll even come across those fine human beings that might try and test your tenacity by attempting to trick you into drinking. What other people say or think doesn’t really matter, but ultimately, whether you want to teetotal your little heart out or lush yourself into oblivion, it’s your choice.”

2. “You don’t want a shot, do you?”

Everybody double-checks I’m not going to suddenly change my mind and get involved with shots. You’ll be surprised to hear, this doesn’t actually irritate me at all. Perhaps because I used to hate the taste of shots, and now I’m quietly relieved when I chime in with “I don’t drink alcohol!”.

3. “Are you going to drink at Christmas/your wedding?”

Believe me, there was nothing I loved more than enjoying a glass of prosecco in the sunshine with my friends after a long week. I would never have classed myself as an alcoholic or label my drinking behaviour as a problem; I was just what you’d expect from your average mid-20’s British girl.

I’m a happily engaged graduate, rocking a pretty successful career, and have the best friends & family I could ever ask for. But after a summer of partying, I question if my chronic anxiety fuelled by alcohol was really worth it.

I gave up drinking to banish my anxiety forever, to avoid blacking out precious memories and so I never have to experience a hangover again. These are all pretty good reasons, in my opinion. The changes to my lifestyle mean that I’m achieving this each and every day. To drink on special occasions seems like to worst time to break.

4. “You were so much fun when you were drunk!”

Were you laughing with me or at me? I’m confident that me arguing with the kebab man or falling off a stool when drunk was hilarious for you, but not so much for me. The time you genuinely thought we were having fun together, was probably (hopefully, at least) a result of our friendship, not because of alcohol.

I recently read a life-changing book This Naked Mind: Control Alcohol, Find Freedom, Discover Happiness & Change Your Life: Volume 1 written by the author, Annie Grace. This Naked Mind is packed with surprising insight into the reasons we drink, it opened my eyes to the startling role of alcohol in our culture. Annie Grace brilliantly weaves psychological, neurological, cultural, social, and industry factors with her extraordinarily candid journey. It’s impossible to put down once you begin reading.

One chapter discusses how we associate positive experiences, such as laughing with our friends, with alcohol through association. If we experience these situations without alcohol, we would be having an equally good time but our minds are tricked into associating alcohol with having fun. Does that make sense? Annie explains it better, so I definitely recommend giving This Naked Mind a read, whether you drink regularly, occasionally or you’re abstinent from alcohol, like me.

5. “Are you NEVER going to drink again?”

Wow! “Never” seems like a pretty big commitment. I’m not drinking today and I’m happy in my decision. I’ll take each day as it comes. Perhaps I’ll abstain for the rest of my life, maybe not. Don’t sound so horrified.

  Let's Talk About Alcohol: It’s Time to Take Those Warning Signs More Seriously

6. “You don’t drink? What do you do for fun then?”

Sorry but is drinking the only thing you do that gives you joy? If that’s the case then you probably have an extremely boring life, not to mention, you’ve got an alcohol problem. Never imply a sober person has a bland life. Let’s see who’s boring when it’s a Sunday morning… There’s more to life than working and partying.

Unsurprisingly, I’ve acquired plenty of free time because I’m not out drinking or hugging a toilet with a hangover. I’m using my time way more productively to make myself a better person. I’m growing my blog, learning Arabic, getting fit and hopefully beginning my Master’s in the New Year. I save so much money from no ordering prosecco and cocktails, so I can treat myself to a little retail therapy once in a while, too.

I don’t judge anyone for drinking so I would really appreciate it if people didn’t judge me for choosing not to.

7. “We didn’t invite you because you don’t drink”

*Eye roll*

8. I’m so proud of you”

This gives me a little fuzzy feeling inside. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

The post 8 Things Only People That Don’t Drink Alcohol Hear appeared first on Strawberry Squeeze.

Early detection is the key to a successful treatment

Cancer is one of those diseases that can hit hard and suddenly. No one enjoys the idea of developing cancer and it feels like almost everything we do in life can eventually lead to cancer. Whether it’s second-hand smoking because colleagues do it or eating healthily for a period of time, these can all increase the risk of you developing a life-threatening disease. But luckily, there are ways to detect cancer during its early stages to increase the chance of successful treatment in the future.

For instance, a colposcopy treatment is typically offered to women after a cervical screening test. If abnormal cells are detected in the screening sample, then no matter how small the chance is, your doctor should recommend that you take a further examination in order to determine what those abnormalities are.

Your fatigue might be a serious issue

Fatigue and drowsiness are often confused due to how similar they are. Drowsiness is used to describe the need to sleep, such as if you’ve stayed up all night watching films or if you’re working extra shifts at work. Fatigue, on the other hand, is used to describe a lack of energy. The reason they’re often confused is that drowsiness can be an additional effect of fatigue, but they are entirely different when it comes to warning signs.

Fatigue is a very common symptom, but much like a simple cough, it could have nasty underlying effects on your health. For instance, fatigue might be the result of depression or grief, or it might be the result of persistent pain in your body. Some sleep orders such as insomnia could also be a reason for your fatigue, and there are some very serious complications such as diabetes or kidney disease that could be the cause of your fatigue. It’s best to get this checked as soon as possible and to also learn how to differentiate between both drowsiness and fatigue.

Sudden weight loss

No, it’s not your metabolism rising and it’s not your week-long diet that’s causing you to lose weight. If you aren’t actively exercising or changing your diet then there is no way you can lose a large chunk of weight within just a few months. If you’re making changes to your lifestyle then it’s understandable. However, you need to be truthful with yourself. How much are you actually changing, are you really eating less, and are you sticking to an exercise plan?

If you can honestly answer yes to these questions then you should be fine. However, if there’s even a small bit of doubt then that unexplained weight loss could be the result of a serious issue such as cancer.

The post Let’s Talk About Alcohol: It’s Time To Take Those Warning Signs More Seriously appeared first on Strawberry Squeeze.

We’re so used to hitting the bar after work, enjoying a glass of wine with dinner and cracking open a beer on those hot summer days. Well, you know what? The worse a month of sobriety sounds the more you need to do one – sorry but it’s true.

You’re probably thinking, why would you want to be sober for a month, so other than tackling my hangover anxiety, here’s some more good reasons for a sober month:

You’ll have more energy: Drinking decreases the amount of REM sleep you get meaning you don’t feel rested. In fact, you’ll likely feel exhausted.

You’ll wake feeling refreshed: Goodbye hangovers, hello an actual recollection of what went down the night before!

Better workouts: Naturally your body is going to be more hydrated which will help when it comes to that power work out you have planned.

You’ll enjoy a flat tummy: Alcohol causes the body to retain water. Don’t drink and you’ll notice a significant decrease in bloating.

You’ll lose weight: We’ve all heard that alcohol is extremely high in calories yet somehow we fail, over and over again, to take note of how much wine we’re drinking at dinner or the effect that will have on our waists. It’s not just middle-aged men who suffer from beer belly syndrome you know. Also, alcohol ups the appetite, without it, you’ll snack less.

You’ll save big: Add it up, how much money do you spend on alcohol? You go to restaurants, bars and often pick up a bottle of something for dinner. Stop this and you’ll be able to treat yourself to something very nice.

All this and poor old Lilly the Liver gets a rest too? Why wouldn’t you try a dry month!

The post The Benefits Of Staying Sober For Just 30 Days appeared first on Strawberry Squeeze.

I suffer hugely from hangover anxiety. What did I do? What did I say? Does my best friend hate me? Will my boyfriend break up with me? Despite knowing that this is an irrational fear, and understanding why ‘m feeling like this, I can’t budge this feeling, taking over my precious Sunday mornings.

It’s not easy for me to post about this, just as I’m sure, those who find themselves feeling the same way, probably feel the same. Sometimes, it doesn’t stop there either, and it’ll go straight through into the evenings (just as maybe your typical bad hangover would).

After what was one of the most incredible weekends of my life, it was also an eye opening one, so I’ve decided to write about it on my blog.

Understanding what hangover anxiety is

For those who don;t understand, but want to picture this:

Why I’m writing about hangover anxiety

If you follow Strawberry Squeeze, you’ve probably read about how I had a couple of big nights for my best friends hen party recently. Drinking two nights in a row, minimal sleep and lots of sugar, I knew I was going to have some anxiety the next day, but I’m used to it and I’ve learnt how to handle it much better now.

At least, that’s what I thought. Throughout the morning I felt my anxiety levels increasing, for no real reason. I found myself sniffing around the bride-to-be all day, she probably wondered why I kept following her. I didn’t want to be a downer, nor did I want to draw attention to how anxious I was feeling. If I admitted it, then it would be a deal.

As my heart rate increase, my palms felt sweaty and I couldn’t take a deep breath, I decided to leave the group of people sitting outside on the grass and have a second to myself in the kitchen. That’s when A asked me if I was feeling okay, I shrugged it off and said I felt anxious.

I felt it getting worse in those split seconds, and asked her if she thought my heart was going too fast. She put her hand on my chest, then asked me to come into the other room. I don’t think that she pulled me away because my heart was racing, but I think because she saw I was about to crumble.

As soon as she opened the kitchen door for us to go into one of the bedroom, I just felt myself burst into tears. I couldn’t even remember the last time I cried like that, it’s just not a usual reaction for me.

Even though some of my best friends were in that lodge, A was probably the best person who I could have gone to, despite only meeting her twice. Don’t get me wrong, she’s lovely, but as most people know, when you’re anxious, usually you want someone close to you, to support you. But A dealt with the situation, like I never expected.

A laid me on the bed and sat my head in her lap, she massaged my head and told me to breath slowly. She reassured me that the feelings I was experienced were completely natural, and to let all the negativity leave my body. I could feel my body starting to relax, and I was actually able to take a deep breath, as she held me.

She gave me half an hour to be alone and continue practicing my deep breathing in the lodge. When she left, she closed the curtains and shut the window, so I wouldn’t be distracted by outside. By the time she came back to check on me, I felt better than I had all day (still not 100%, but writing this a few days later, I’m still not perfect!).

What is the point? A dealt with my hangover anxiety so well, and I don’t think she could have done this, if she didn’t know what I was going through. I felt so much better knowing that she could really relate to me, and that what I was feeling was okay, and I was going to feel better. The last thing I wanted to hear was “why are you anxious?”

How many other people are suffering? So, I’m writing this post, hoping that if someone else is struggling with anxiety, hopefully you’ll find this article on Google, and you’ll relate and it just might make you feel a little better.

How I dealt with my hangover anxiety

People always say to me, “Oh, you know what your trigger is? So, if you know alcohol gives you anxiety, then why don’t you stop drinking? If I knew what gave me anxiety, I ‘d stop in a heart beat”. Fine, absolutely, I get that, because the feeling I get he next day is so bad, that I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone, and just like a normal hangover (but 10 x worse), you’d do anything to take it away.

I didn’t like that I had no option though – why could all my friends drink, and I couldn’t? I figured I just had to learn how to deal with it. Like when you learn that you never drink on an empty stomach, drinking a glass of water before bed, and eating a bacon sandwich first thing in the morning is the best way to avoid a dreadful hangover.

Refraining from drugs, here’s some ridiculous tactics I’ve tried:

• Writing notes on my phone throughout the night to monitor my actions and what I’m saying, so in the morning I can look back over and think “Yeah, I didn’t do anything wrong”.
• Swapped every other drink for a non-alcoholic
• Giving up alcohol completely
• Refrained from staying out late or going out in general
• Stopped myself talking throughout the evening – If you’re not talking, you can’t say anything wrong, right?

These (all but the giving up drinking option) seemed like ludicrous sacrifices, all in the name to poison myself so that I could hang out with my friends and not feel anxious the next day. Understanding the anxiety, and giving up alcohol completely was also the only option that worked.

Why do we feel hangover anxiety?

When we drink alcohol, we tend to lose our inhibitions, and the self-critical part of our brain isn’t speaking to us as much. As the alcohol leaves our system in the early morning, cortisol (the stress hormone) and our adrenal systems start to reactivate to help us remove the toxins from our bodies, and therefore leaving our adrenaline pumping harder.

This can result in people feeling on edge or anxious. Psychical symptoms of anxiety such as nausea and shakes may confuse the body with panic.

A Telegraph article explains that being a “happy drunk” or a “sad drunk” often depends on your genetic makeup. So, I started going out and not drinking alcohol, and I wish I had a clicker for every time someone moan at me for not buying a drink. I continuously got asked if I was pregnant, or if I was judging other people. No one understood when I said I just didn’t feel like it, or that I couldn’t handle my hangovers – which was completely honest.

I didn’t want to bring up the fact I felt brutal anxiety in the mornings – I didn’t want to dampen the mood with a taboo subject. I don’t think it should be that way though – I can never understand why heavy drinking is so ingrained into our culture, that it isn’t questioned why we drink, rather, why we’d not

It’s taken me five years to learn that the only way to avoid hangover anxiety, is to eliminate getting drunk. I’ve learned that my body physically and mentally, just can’t handle being drunk – and I can’t blame anyone for it.

Resources for hangover anxiety

http://www.calmclinic.com/types/hangover-anxiety

http://thetab.com/2016/02/12/hangover-anxiety-is-real-and-its-why-you-feel-so-guilty-on-saturday-mornings-74001

http://www.anxiousrelief.com/anxiety-after-drinking.html

http://alcoholrehab.com/alcoholism/alcohol-induced-anxiety/

http://www.hercampus.com/health/physical-health/anxiety-and-depression-hangover-symptoms-you-didn-t-realize-you-had

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Anxiety/Anxiety-panic-attacks-the-day-after-drinking/show/514905

The post Hangover Anxiety: Remembering We’re Not Alone appeared first on Strawberry Squeeze.

We’ve all been there, and it sucks. This time though, the “I’m never going to drink again” speech is actually going to happen. I’ve decided to give up drinking for the next 100 days, and here’s why:

You’ll immediately have more money

This is by far the easiest way to save for that new car or even just to treat yourself to a massage once a month. It’s incredible the amount of month we willingly just drink away on a night out.

I’ve worked out an average of how much I used to spend on alcohol and will be putting it into a pot, so that after I’ve completed my 100 days, I can treat myself to something special.

Your skin will look great

I hear people all the time talking about how much they are spending on serums and cosmetic creams to help them achieve flawless skin, but they spend so much time poisoning it in the first place.

Sometimes it’s not about adding more, it’s about taking away exactly what’s bad for us. It’s a bit like going on a diet – it doesn’t matter how many low calorie meals you have if you eat cake every morning.

No more embarrassing stories

Everybody hates that feeling in the morning when you wake up and start remembering conversations or what you’ve done the night before. Or worse, when you don’t remember and it has to be retold to you – oh the shame!

Now not only will you not make a fool of yourself (and if you do, then you’ve not got the vino to blame), but you’ll actually remember all these amazing nights out you’ve had with your friends.

Goodbye hangovers!

Some of the worst days of my life have been down to drinking too much and feeling sorry for myself the next day. It’s hard to believe that some of the darkest times, I only have myself to blame.

You’ll gain back your weekends

There is nothing worse than feeling like you’ve not had a weekend because you’ve spent the entire time (that you remember..) with your head down a toilet or lying in bed trying to keep your water down.

The older, the more precious my weekends become. I dedicate so much time to my work during the week, this should really be a time for me to relax after a long week. Especially with summer coming up, there is so many adventures I need to tick off my list.

The post 5 Reasons I’m Giving Up Drinking Alcohol For 100 Days appeared first on Strawberry Squeeze.