Image : Kaizen Nguyễn via Unsplash

Summer brings to mind lots of things : BBQs , picnics in the park , lazy beach days & long afternoons spent enjoying drinks in beer gardens . But more Brits than ever are choosing to cut down on or cut out alcohol completely and the new season can mean navigating their way through a minefield of temptation and potentially awkward conversations . However , saying bye to the booze doesn ’ t mean the fun has to stop . We share our tips below and spoke to Millie Gooch , founder of The Sober Girl Society , about her sobriety journey .

Why ?

For many people , a glass of wine or beer after a stressful day is the perfect way to unwind . There ’ s nothing wrong with

that , but if you find yourself depending on alcohol to get you through social situations or you ’ re having to write off whole weekends , with a headache and a whole lot of regret for what you may have done or said after indulging in one toomany shots , it may be time to rethink your choices . Alcohol is a depressant , which affects the levels of dopamine and serotonin ( happiness hormones ) in your brain . The

“ There is nothing in my life that hasn ’ t got better , even if only a little bit .”

day after drinking , these chemicals are low , and can result in feelings of sadness ,

anxiety and guilt ( the dreaded hangxiety ).

Millie stopped drinking five years ago , after realising she turned to drink to try to solve her problems . She said : “ If I was stressed I would go out and party . If I was heartbroken , I would go out and drink . Any kind of negative emotion – I would drink .”

This isn ’ t uncommon . Many people try to forget or solve their problems with alcohol , either to forget about their worries or to give them confidence they are lacking in social situations . They then find that their problems haven ’ t got away once they have sobered up , and instead they are left feeling worse than ever .

For Millie , making that decision to stop drinking was difficult at first because she