Nin ~ 9044 days

“I’m turning 25 in July and telling people “I have never been drunk” can be quite a shock for them. The response is always “why do you not drink” or “how do you do it”. Choosing to never drink alcohol is something that’s always been my normal. It’s a choice I made very early in life and something I never thought would be so crazy to hear for some people.

I feel open to telling people my story. There are different reasons to my choice for not drinking, but initially it has always been a personal choice and I have always held firm against peer pressure or the “go on, just have one” comments.

I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease not long before my 14th birthday, and learning to navigate and manage my symptoms was tough, going through different treatments and a lot of hospital stays due to many complications and reactions to those treatments for the illness. With Crohn’s disease being an inflammatory bowl disease learning about my gut health and ways to live with a chronic illness came with choices that I had to make and still make to this day.

One of these choices was knowing the right food and drink to put into my body, and although alcohol isn’t something that has to be avoided completely for people living with Crohn’s disease or other IBD conditions, I made the conscious decision to be completely alcohol-free to manage my health. There are also personal aspects to my life that make living alcohol-free something I have always been more comfortable with and have felt a sense of safety to not feel drunk or anxious from drinking.

I moved to the Wirral last year after spending my life growing up and living in Liverpool. Growing up in a city that has such a big nightlife and going ‘out-out’ presence was something I had to find my feet with. Finding myself and who I am without drinking came with having to explain or have answers ready for the questions asked around being sober.

Those “just have one” or “one won’t hurt” comments felt like I was doing something wrong and my choice wasn’t valid enough. It is a choice that comes with a lot of stigma. I feel as though anybody who makes this choice in life should be accepted, without having to have answers ready for the questions that may make someone feel uncomfortable or put on the spot.

“Don’t be boring” is something that can be hard to hear, as my decision to be alcohol-free is the way I have chosen to live my life. I have definitely accepted that this is who I am and love living this way. It is a part of me that a lot of people say is a ‘unique trait’.

I will continue to live without alcohol as I am content with that choice and when told “you’re missing out”, it doesn’t bother me anymore as I know that I’m happy without drinking.

I love walking and spending time in nature. I find it so calming and enjoy visiting beautiful national parks, forests and places that this earth has to offer. I find it improves my health to stay positive and as least stressed as possible, so my choice of no alcohol takes any anxiety of it triggering my health away.

A lot of my friends and family understand and accept my choice. I still love socialising with loved ones, meeting new people and having a lovely time. Living alcohol-free doesn’t take anything away from those moments.

After attending Arcletts event at Nettle in Port Sunlight I met so many lovely people, hearing their stories and being able to share a glimpse into my story. It is so lovely to find a local community that is open about this topic and I am very grateful for the opportunity to share it with more people.”