MeetMindful allows you to add preferences and dealbreakers to your profile, so when you’re searching through potential matches, you’ll be browsing through people who match your criteria. When creating your profile, you’ll be prompted to rate your commitment to mindfulness, describe what inspires you, and talk about your passions and hobbies. These profile prompts allow you to describe yourself on a deeper level and will guide you toward finding genuine https://sober-house.org/ and strong connections on the app. While non-alcohol products represent a small portion of BevAl sales today, it is a focus area among manufacturers striving to figure out how to successfully play in this space. As more brands innovate to enter this niche, companies should be mindful of competitive differentiation. At the heart of consumer demand within the buzz-less beverage market is the task for a brand to deliver on taste, quality, and experience.

Sober curious takes this one step further and encourages year-round consideration of the harms that can come from regular alcohol consumption and binge drinking. The sober curious movement is an inclusive group that welcomes everyone who is interested in cutting down their drinking. If you’re hoping to try a sober curious lifestyle, it’s a good idea to start by replacing alcohol-centric activities with a new hobby or exercise, or spending more time with friends and family who you know will support your decision. “The sober curious movement has led people to see the unhealthy habits that can go hand in hand with alcohol consumption,” she says.

History & Culture

It’s interesting to note that growth in the non-alcoholic spirits space outpaced the non-alcoholic beer, wine, and malt beverages segment. Year-over-year the non-alcoholic spirits category ballooned 113.4%; on delivery app Drizly, category sales were even higher — where they spiked 290% in 2021. Sober people might avoid boozy festivals like Mardi Gras or beach weekends with friends who drink heavily. Especially in early sobriety, these moves could help avoid temptation or fear of missing out.

However, it is important to note that the sober curious movement is not a one-size-fits-all solution. For some people, complete abstinence from alcohol may be necessary to maintain their health and well-being. Others may find that they are able to drink alcohol in moderation without negative consequences. It is up to each individual to determine what works best for them. Founded in 1935, AA, or Alcoholics Anonymous, whose mission is to help people achieve sobriety, estimates more than two million members in 180 countries are in recovery today.

TheClean and Sober Love dating app works similarly to Tinder on a match basis. You can browse through the profiles of users and swipe right on those who you’re interested in getting to know better and left on those who you prefer to skip. This app was specifically created to help singles in recovery or those who are sober find like-minded partners, so you don’t have to worry whether people on the app are sober. You can create a profile, upload a few photos of yourself, and add details about who you are as a person to curate a profile that stands out and helps you find a true connection. For more information, visit the Children’s Mental Health Austin website.

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Between a rise in veganism, a campaign for quality sleep, and endless influencers telling you to drink more water, Instagram is rife with health and wellness advice. The sober curious movement differentiates itself from traditional “sobriety” by offering a looser concept rather than a strict guideline. The only requirement to be sober curious is an acknowledgement of the negative effects alcohol can have on your life, and the desire to do something about it. And while there is virtually no downside to taking a break from drinking alcohol — or quitting altogether — science is just beginning to study the ways abstinence might be good for you. Sober bars and shops have opened up across the country over the past several years. An «elixir lounge» with booze-free spirits set up shop in New York City’s East Village this year.

To help understand how taking a break from alcohol can influence healthy functioning of the liver, researchers in the Netherlands carried out a separate study to document the biochemical effects of one month of alcohol abstinence. So far, there are a handful of studies that point to some benefits of abstinence for even moderate drinkers — in addition to the widely recognized benefits for people who have alcohol use disorder. The proliferation of craft mocktails eco sober house price made with nonalcoholic distilled spirits is making it easier and more fun for people who abstain from alcohol to feel like they are still part of the party. An analysis of nearly 400,000 people’s health data linked light alcohol consumption with an increased risk of heart problems like hypertension and coronary artery disease. Researchers who conducted a global study published in The Lancet in 2018 concluded that no amount of alcohol consumption is safe.

For most of my adult life, I loved traveling and drinking in equal measure. The pleasure of visiting Argentina came both from the grand, crumbling 19th-century architecture of Buenos Aires and the grand Malbecs I gulped under Mendoza’s Andean skies. My husband and I brewery hopped in spots from Asheville, North Carolina, to Istanbul, Turkey.

This story is part of a sober series that explores what sober curiosity means and how you can practice mindful drinking in your personal life. In reality, though, people recovering from alcohol use disorder can go on to drink occasionally. Similarly, people who don’t meet the criteria for alcohol use disorder can still have a challenging relationship with alcohol and benefit from taking a break. As you consider what you do and don’t enjoy about alcohol, you might make the choice to have a drink on occasion. This is one key difference between the sober curious movement and total sobriety. Some who have given up booze altogether join «sober sometimes» friends to enjoy nonalcoholic drinks at Sans Bar in Austin, Texas.

The term «sober curious» was coined by the author Ruby Warrington, who wrote a book on the topic in 2018. Since then, more people have started embracing the idea of mindful drinking. Sober curious doesn’t mean “never drinking again”, though sober houses in boston some may choose to cut out alcohol completely. For the most part, those who are sober curious have identified situations in which drinking alcohol might have a negative impact on their health, and have taken some action to prevent that.

What Is the Sober Curious Movement?

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. Once you make the choice to go alcohol-free, connecting with like-minded people can help you feel less alone.

• Mainstay Columbia Room has embraced the growing movement by providing an alcohol-optional menu that arguably surpasses their traditional cocktail menu in terms of creativity.
• Nonalcoholic beer, wine, and liquors are also available for anyone looking for an alternative that looks and tastes more similar to alcohol.
• As mentioned, part of being sober curious is about being mindful when you reach for a drink.
• Whether it’s bloody marys at brunch or hot toddies around a neighbor’s backyard firepit, imbibing and socializing are frequently intertwined.
• And if you’re drinking to try to enjoy an event where you’re not having a good time, consider just going home.

Still, abstaining from alcohol — on a short-term basis or longer term — is becoming more common. There’s no question that drinking is a part of many people’s social lives and is pretty much ingrained in our society’s culture. Whether it’s a work event, dinner with friends, or a night out — indulging in a few cocktails is often considered the norm.

Breaking The Booze Habit, Even Briefly, Has Its Benefits

The sober curious movement has also been fueled by the rise of sober bars and alcohol-free events. These spaces provide an alternative to traditional bars and clubs and offer a fun and social environment without the pressure to drink alcohol. Many people are finding that they enjoy the social aspect of drinking without actually drinking, and are discovering that there are plenty of other ways to have fun without alcohol. The sober curious movement is gaining momentum in the United States as people seek to explore a lifestyle that is more mindful of alcohol consumption. This movement is characterized by people who are curious about what life is like without alcohol, but who are not necessarily ready to commit to a completely alcohol-free lifestyle.

Sober Grid

Many Americans will ring in the new year without the intoxicated antics of Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper, continuing the sober-curious movement into 2023. «Consumers want to be really focused on what they’re putting in their bodies,» Kim Cox, a senior vice president at Nielsen, said. «In general, there’s been such a huge trend over the last several years towards lower sugar, lower carb, lower calorie in the beverages space.» Another study published in 2018 found that in the UK, the percentage of 16-to-24-year-old nondrinkers increased to 29% in 2015 from 18% a decade prior. The Washington Post reported in 2018that the «Monitoring the Future» survey from the University of Michigan suggested that millennials and Gen Zers were drinking less than baby boomers and Gen Xers did at their age. Here’s how the millennial-led sober-curious movement has grown in the past four years.

By her mid-30s, Charlottesville, Virginia–based writer Molly Minturn was unnerved to find that a bottle of wine no longer cut it. Then, at a wedding in 2017, a friend mentioned she’d quit drinking. “She looked at me and said, ‘You know, it’s the best thing I’ve ever done for myself. And it only gets better.’” Afterward, Minturn couldn’t shake what her friend had said. “I recognized myself in almost every one.” Three weeks after that wedding, Minturn quit.