Reading A Book About Sobriety Was Calming During My Time Off

I could have taken a story, instead, I took a sober diary.

Two weeks away from home. Walking in the remote mountains in Scotland. How will I make sure I don’t give in to the alcohol cravings? I’m on holiday after all.

Hiking, camping and lots of reading. A time to forget about the fact that I’m four and a half months alcohol-free.

But it’s hard to forget.

At the end of a long walk, my brain immediately wants a glass of wine. In the past, I would have reached for one.

We enter a nice restaurant and we’re given the wine menu. My partner orders one.

“I want you to get used to people drinking around you. The more it happens, the easier it will get.”

Packing my bag with as few things as possible to make sure I’m able to carry it tens of miles along with a sleeping bag and mat, a book still had a spot among the squashed clothes.

Which book should I bring? One that’s not too heavy, but one that I’ll enjoy reading on my time off.

There are many to choose from, from stories I could get lost in, to books about attention span, health and life improvement.

I choose The Sober Diaries. It’s just the right size and although it’s about sobriety, the reviews say it’s funny.

A light-hearted book about someone else’s experience of going sober? Perfect.

I read it in hotel rooms, in my tent, on the beach and in remote fields. Surprisingly, reading a book about someone else’s experience of going sober was calming and reassuring when I’m on the same journey myself.

It kept it front of mind throughout the holiday, and it kept me on track. The author's experience was not too far off from my own.

I didn’t think I had a problem until I realised I did.

It was the nightly wine, rather than regular drunken nights.

It was thinking that wine would solve any negative emotions and allow me to live life normally while masking bad mental health.

I also blog about it, which the writer did from the beginning too.

We both found a community of sober people online who we could share stories and experiences with.

The book was on my mind throughout the two weeks, meaning I wasn’t going to pick up a drink.

There were times that I was tempted. A lovely little seafood village with the most amazing restaurants with a huge selection of wine. One expensive glass of really good stuff can’t hurt. It’s not like I’m going to continue afterward. It’s just one.

But I didn’t.

Reading helped to keep me calm and relaxed, especially towards the end of the holiday when the walking parts were over.

A book about sobriety was the perfect choice.

The book was light-hearted, it was funny and it was feel good, even though it talked about serious subjects and negative experiences.

It gave me a brighter outlook on the future and gave me reassurance that other people have the same fears and worries as me. It also confirmed my thoughts that life will be better without alcohol and that even though I feel like I’ve been sober forever, I’m really only at the beginning. It gets better still.

Reading a book about sobriety during my time off turned out to be a great choice — it helped to keep me positive and on track throughout the trip.

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