10 WAYS TO QUIT DRINKING

Henny Fox has a hugely impressive career under her belt, with a stellar CV featuring some of London’s biggest names. She knows how easy it can be to slip into addiction in our industry, and how impossible it can feel to get sober when your workplace revolves around the very things you’re trying to avoid. She also knows first-hand how crucial it is to find a way out – that’s why she’s shared her story with you. Beginning with her?addiction?journey through to her?recovery, Henny is now providing her?crucial tips for regaining control of your life, just as she did.

I can tell you that recovery is not easy, never mind recovery in an industry where all those vices are laid out daily in front of you. I admire those who can have a single glass of wine over dinner and call it quits. That just isn’t me: I am all or nothing, probably in every aspect of my life.?That can have both positive and negative consequences, but it’s that very same self-awareness that informs my present reality and road to recovery.?Having good people around us to uplift and point us in the right direction helps too, but most importantly we need to love ourselves enough to make the choice to change. I’ll let you in on a secret – no one cares whether you drink or you don’t. The only person who will be affected is you.

You do not have to be an addict, traumatised, hit rock bottom or anything in between to decide that you don’t want to drink. The spectrum of those who choose to live a sober life is huge, as is the advice to maintain it. These are the things that help me get by – they can cover all areas of that ‘sober spectrum’ and have been helpful to me regardless of how I am feeling.

1. Be honest

With yourself, with your friends, with your family - are your drinking habits a problem? What is the truth of the matter at hand? As a performer, I have always had the ability to ‘put on a brave face’ and pretend that I was okay - but the reality was one of utter insecurity, a constant script of negativity with no self confidence and zero self-belief.?This need to hide the real me not only masked the fact that I was suffering, but it fuelled my habit. I needed to face what was really going on and address my constant escapism. It took 10 years of using for me to realise that I was killing myself, but I finally got real and honest about it and admitted I had a serious issue.

2. Get professional help (and keep going back!)?

Do some online research on alcohol recovery programs, and see what’s available to you. Get in touch with your GP.?Explore AA options near you and get to as many meetings a week as you can, get a sponsor to help keep you on track, and follow the steps they give you?– basically, throw yourself into seeking help as much as you would throw yourself into a bender. It works, I promise.

3. Exercise

Regular exercise is good for EVERYONE. But it’s especially helpful for those needing to replace a bad habit with a good one. Walk, cycle, run, gym, swim – ANYTHING. I am a keen equestrian and this has taken over my life for the better. You’ll benefit from the release of endorphins, will feel better about yourself, and if you’re the type of person that frequently needs to let loose some pent-up energy, this will help you do that!

4. Take vitamins

Drinking sessions are usually correlated with poor diets; if you’re on a bender or a night out, you’re more likely to opt for quick and easy fast food to soak up the alcohol, or you might skip eating at all. Alcohol can also interfere with the absorption of certain nutrients. That means that those going through more severe alcohol withdrawal may be nutrient deficient, and might have to include vitamin and mineral supplements into their daily routine. Your brain will definitely need to repair and you’ll need something to help you regulate. I like to take B Complex, which helps with my concentration and keeps my moods balanced.

5. HALT!

Whenever I’m feeling rubbish and notice a change for the worse in my mood and my reactions, I follow this process to bring my self-awareness back. I stop (HALT) and assess. Am I Hungry? Angry? Lonely? Tired? All 4? Once identified, I make the necessary changes and reassess how I’m feeling. Sometimes it really is just a matter of having a snack or a nap, and other times it’s an indicator that there’s something in my life causing me emotional and mental stress. The point is that instead of masking my emotions with substance abuse, I dig deep and look at the root cause - and address it!

6. Embrace 0%

Your love for liquids, probably sugary ones, will increase. Don’t let yourself get thirsty and embrace as many soft alternatives as you can. There is an abundance of 0% drinks now available! The non-alch trend is extremely helpful to those choosing to not drink. I tend to go the extra length and ask bartenders to make me cocktails which I used to drink, but without the alcohol. Sometimes you get funny looks (so you want an espresso martini without booze? So an iced coffee?) but it’s worth getting creative for. I also always ask for non alcoholic drinks in a wine glass when I’m socialising. That placebo effect helps me to not feel excluded, and takes the pressure off staying alcohol free.

7. Say no to FOMO

If you find yourself on a night out and it gets to be too much, leave. Don’t let that FOMO mindset persuade you to do things you don’t want to do. A night out is nothing new. We all know the point when the evening turns to that dark, grimy place where the coke comes out and the conversation becomes erratic and annoying – this is the point that I say?au revoir?and take myself to bed. Keep yourself around people you trust and embrace the power of an Irish exit! Trust your gut when it’s telling you to go – staying in an environment that puts your decision at risk is not worth it.

8. Focus on progress, not perfection

There’s no such thing as perfection, and aiming for it is unrealistic. You’re better off measuring the progress on your journey rather than projecting straight to an unattainable end goal. Invest in a journal and reflect on how far you’ve come every month - this will help put your entire journey into perspective, and will help you assess what you can celebrate and what you can work on. Drop the expectations. Your best is enough.

9. One day at a time

You need to take it one day at a time, measuring your sobriety in incremental steps rather than setting long term goals from the beginning. Otherwise you’re just putting too much pressure on yourself! Set yourself up for success rather than failure. I never say, ‘I will never drink again’ because it’s such a big statement to live up to. I make it my goal to stay sober just for today, and that's something?I’m more likely to reach.

10. Channel your energy into what empowers you

Anything you can do to keep yourself motivated and feeling accomplished is a win; you’ll feel better about yourself, and it’ll boost your sense of self-worth. That means you’re more likely to feel empowered to keep up with your sobriety goals. Set yourself simple, achievable goals every day (they don't have to be related to sobriety!) that you know you can meet. And don’t let yourself get frustrated. You can’t afford to let the need to escape take over. If you do get to this place, just breathe, think of what’s truly driving you to fall off the bandwagon, and DO NOT beat yourself up over it. Just shrug it off, refocus on your goals, and quit taking it personally.

If you are struggling, reach out. Go to a meeting. Get help. It is within reach, you just need to make that first step. The only person who can make that move is you, and once you do, it really does make your life worth living. I know first-hand that there is a hidden joy in addiction recovery: the joy of surrounding yourself with support and finding friendship, community, freedom – and finding yourself. Existing is hard, but I would rather exist within this hardship surrounded by people who support me and lift me up, than exist in misery.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction, we have a list of resources?here.