How to stop drinking at home

We’re in the run-up to Christmas. As we all get warm and cosy in our houses, then alcohol can become really very present either in our thinking or just in our kitchens and our drinks cabinets in a way that can really trip us up. For some of us, the pandemic has meant that we’ve started drinking at home in the same way as we drank when we were out with friends. For those of us who were home drinkers, the anxieties around the pandemic might have caused our home comfort drinking to spiral out of control.

So, now that the world has changed, how do we stop drinking at home? What can we do to keep ourselves safe from temptation in our own homes? And how do we overcome boredom, social anxiety, and habit in a familiar environment?

Our second episode of Series 3 of the Club Soda podcast tackles how to stop drinking at home, with a whole host of great guests weighing in with excellent advice and inspiring stories.

How to stop drinking at home

Being able to escape the human experience has been something that all of our ancestors have done in every human society ever. And I think it’s oka occasionally for us lose ourselves. The problem is when that becomes your default, the problem is when that becomes your main way of operating…the problem is where that becomes harmful to your life. Because it becomes embedded in that ritual.

Richard Piper. Alcohol Change UK

This discussion was recorded at the Global Mindful Drinking Festival in October 2021. It’s led by Richard Piper, Chief Executive of Alcohol Change, and he’s joined by community activist Laura Jerram, psychotherapist Emma Gilmore, Lateef Joseph-Maynard, founder of Off the Wagon, and Ian Bilik, Club Soda volunteer and blogger.

Need more help with how to stop drinking at home?

If you’ve set up your home environment in a way that makes drinking easier or makes it feel inevitable, just as we’re entering the festive period, now might be a time to think about some ongoing support over the next few wintry weeks. Our annual festive course Christmas with Club Soda starts tomorrow (26th November), but you can join in at any point over the holidays where you feel like you need some extra backup.