Here’s How I Saved My Mental Health

This is the fourth version of the article I’ve written and it’s proving to be the most challenging piece of content I’ve ever written. About alcohol.

My article journey so far has looked like this…

Version 1 – How to Say No To Alcohol in Social Situations
Version 2 – Why You Should Consider Going Sober
Version 3 – Reasons I Went Sober

Now I’m here on Version 4:

I went sober. I improved my productivity & mood.
I then reintroduced alcohol. I woke up the next day anxious & feeling low.

It’s been a difficult article to write as I’ve been going through a personal journey with it, but also as someone who has always believed “everything in moderation” is key – I’ve had my own beliefs challenged.

On one hand – not drinking made me feel 100% better in managing my emotions & productivity and (as someone who regularly has feelings of anxiety & overwhelm) I believe everyone who struggles with the same things I do, should stop drinking to improve their lives.

On the other hand – but what right do I have to tell someone what to do?

The liberal side of me has always been “people can do what people want to do – it’s their life” but as I’m getting older and working with more & more theatre professionals on their health, it would feel inauthentic for me to pretend that alcohol is fine for someone who is struggling with their health (both physical & mental.)

I know that alcohol is considered a staple in the theatre industry. It’s how you network, it’s how you celebrate an opening night, it’s how you celebrate a closing night, it’s how you socialise…it’s a part of the theatre industry. So I imagine there will be people who have already closed this tab or who are feeling resentment towards me saying that people should stop drinking it.

I’m willing to cause a bit of a divide if it helps at least one person though.

Here’s my viewpoint on it.

If you’re working in the theatre industry (backstage or onstage) and regularly you’re experiencing low mental health such as anxiety, depression, overwhelm then cutting out alcohol is the thing you need to do for your mental health BEFORE anything else.

Before you spend £60 an hour on a therapist, try a month without alcohol to see how much clearer your mind becomes.

Before you start expecting the industry to do something about mental health, try a month without alcohol to see the improvement in your mood & productivity.

Disclaimer – this isn’t to say that the industry shouldn’t keep working towards better working conditions, it absolutely should continue this.

However, what’s the point in being in a supportive environment (the soft lights of a therapy room or a safe space at work) if you’re fuelling your anxieties & feelings of depression with alcohol every single week. That’s exactly what alcohol does – it’s a depressant drug which means it gives you the high when you’re drinking it, before a crash happens which makes you feel worse than before.

If you were anxious before having an alcohol drink, compare the level of anxiety you have the following day. I can speak from experience, my feelings of anxiety feel twice as high.

You may be reading this thinking you’re fine because you’re not someone who drinks regularly. I thought that too.

I’ve never been an alcoholic or a heavy drinker. Although alcohol wasn’t a danger to my life or anyone else’s, I can say with confidence that it was a coping mechanism for me when I would feel anxious, low in confidence or frustrated in social situations.

Over the last month of not drinking, I noticed how much focused, productive & much happier I was from not drinking alcohol. There were still stresses in my life – life wasn’t all sunshine & rainbows – so alcohol didn’t get rid of them. But I was much better at managing my stress levels by not letting it consume me throughout the day and being proactive in resolving those issues.

If you’ve made it to the end of this article, thank you for doing so. I want to close with a final statement: the people in the theatre industry are going through a lot right now which is affecting mental health & wellbeing. Environment contributes to an individual’s wellbeing, but a big part of it is the individual itself.
If you’re struggling with mental health – feelings of anxiety, overwhelm, depression – my heart goes out to you because I know how it feels. So hear me (and trust me) when I say that taking a month away from alcohol is going to help you on a deeper level than anything else.

I’m starting my life now as a sober individual. If you’d like an accountability buddy, I’m available on my socials:
LinkedIn
or Instagram

Also by Claudia:

Your Health versus Your Career

Overwhelmed with Nutrition? Let’s Debunk Some Nutrition Myths.

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