CLOSER NEWS REPORT
Ahead of Alcohol Awareness Week, Closer speaks to one woman about why she quit booze for good…
Sitting in front of the TV, Olivia Kennedy thought nothing of having a bottle of wine in the evening. And at the weekend, she would drink even more. It was a bad cycle that the 29-year-old charity worker from Preston had got into – but it was when her partner Gabby* fell pregnant that she knew she needed to make a change.
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Olivia says, “The hangovers and anxiety were getting worse. I was sluggish all the time and hated that I would have blackouts and not remember everything.
“When Gabby fell pregnant, I knew that I didn’t want my child coming into the world with me drinking so much. I wanted to be a present parent, not so hungover and full of anxiety and loathing that I couldn’t take them to soft play.
I quit in September 2021 and have never looked back.”
Olivia is one of thousands of Brits who have turned their backs on booze. It’s estimated 57 per cent of people now abstain from alcohol worldwide. Going sober is gaining popularity among celebs too, with Adele, Kate Moss and Lily Allen famously now teetotal.
Acclaimed rehab clinic, The Priory, suggests that within a week of avoiding alcohol, people will notice improved sleep, energy and concentration levels and, by week three, they could have a reduced risk of heart problems and strokes due to decreased blood pressure.
Dr Richard Piper, Chief Executive of Alcohol Change UK, tells Closer, “Attitudes towards drinking alcohol are changing. There is a growing understanding that choosing not to drink alcohol can be a really positive choice, and there is a huge growth in people embracing this.
“Over 10 million adults in the UK don’t drink alcohol. But because of the centrestage role that alcohol plays in our lives and society, with alcohol marketing being all around us everywhere we go, we can be made to feel uncomfortable, boring or even excluded by choosing not to drink. As a society, we need to create an environment where it’s easier for us to say ‘no’ so that none of us are ever made to feel awkward or boring. We need to change the conversation around alcohol, showing that not drinking or drinking less can be engaging, fun and extremely positive.
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“We’d encourage anyone who’s interested in changing their relationship with alcohol to download the free Try Dry app. You can use it to track your units, calories and money saved from not drinking and set personalised goals to help you cut down.”
Olivia started drinking in parks with friends when she was a teenager. She says, “Drinking gave me more confidence. But it really became a problem shortly after I came out as gay. I made a lot of new ��
