June 6, 2025 / 5 Minute Read

6 months dry

Q: Congratulations on abstaining from alcohol for the past six months! How are you feeling in the immediate aftermath of this milestone?

A: Before we begin, I think we should establish some context regarding my personal situation and why I decided to do this in the first place. 

First off, I was never much of a drinker to begin with. However, a series of unfortunate events during my senior year of college led me to seek solace at the bottom of a bottle. I won’t belabor this piece with personal traumas, just know that at my worst, I found myself drinking virtually daily. This outrageous habit lasted for far longer than I’m brave enough to admit, and on New Year’s Eve 2024, I’d finally reached my limit.

You know, it’s funny because I never originally planned to go a full six months. It wasn’t a New Year’s resolution or anything set in stone; it was more so a simple agreement that I’d make a genuine attempt to put my best foot forward. I didn’t have a target date in mind, and I had no idea how long I’d be able to last. I simply asked God for help and made a commitment to try.

Now, to answer your question, the best word I can use to describe my disposition is refreshed. 

My alcohol consumption led to immense physical tolls that left my body feeling exhausted and drained for the majority of my waking hours. I experienced a sharp pain in my left kidney that served as a consistent thorn in my side, no pun intended. My sleep schedule was also greatly disturbed, and I frequently found myself taking long naps during the day and struggling to fall asleep at night. All of these symptoms disappeared within the first few weeks of my fast. 

Mentally, my mind is sharper than ever. Some of the mental side effects I experienced from overdrinking were short-term memory loss and difficulty retaining information. I don’t know exactly when the brain fog began to disappear, but I’d say I started noticing the difference around month three. I vividly remember reading a textbook and realizing that I was actually retaining the content instead of just reading words, and I’m now able to recall information, even the complex kind, with relative ease. 

All in all, there is truly a night and day difference between how I feel now as opposed to when I was drinking heavily. 

Q: I’m so glad you’ve made such a strong recovery! Far too many people, especially your age, take their health for granted. Can you talk about some of the positives and negatives you experienced during your 6 month fast?

A: As I just mentioned, one of the positives was a dramatic increase in my overall health. My cognitive and physical abilities have improved to the point where I’ve seen tangible results in my personal life. My corporate career has taken off, and I’ve received several accolades and new positions due to my improved performance. I began working out consistently again and I’ve gained about 5 pounds of muscle since January. My skin is clearer, and my hair has started to grow thicker as well. I’ve also saved a ton of cash. There were points in time where I literally spent $30 a day on booze so it’s nice to have that money back. Finally, I no longer have the looming fear of catching a DUI charge or inadvertently harming someone in a drunken state.

In terms of the negatives, I honestly can’t think of anything significant. I didn’t experience any withdrawal symptoms or ill side effects. I’ve had some awkward social situations where I was interrogated for not taking a shot at the happy hour after work, but that’s pretty much it. I truly feel like not drinking is a high-reward, no-risk scenario.

Q: Thank you for your words of wisdom! Finally, can you talk about what you learned from this experience and how you will approach alcohol in the future?

A: I think the biggest thing I learned was how easy it is for me to go without alcohol. The most surprising aspect of my six-month fast is the fact that I had virtually zero cravings. I’ve been in restaurants surrounded by friends who were drinking, yet I had no problem ordering a Sprite. When asked why I didn’t have a beer at the corporate retreat , I simply said I was taking a break. The only tricky part about the experience, if you can even call it that, was dealing with that irrational feeling that I was somehow disappointing my friends by not drinking with them.

I’ll be open and honest in stating that I can’t take credit for this discipline. Before this streak, I tried numerous fasts and failed miserably. Yet somehow, I was just able to go six months dry like it was nothing. I give all the glory to my lord and savior, Jesus Christ. 

In terms of how I’ll approach alcohol in the future, I’m not entirely sure. I don’t want to say I’ll never drink again, yet I currently have no desire to drink and am unsure when and if it will return. Regardless of when or if I decide to drink again, thanks to this fast, I know now for sure that I can live a fulfilling life without alcohol. And I think that’s enough.

Oh, and one more thing. The purpose of this article is to articulate an experience and mark a personal milestone. Nothing more. I don’t think alcohol is bad, and I don’t think everyone who drinks needs to stop. I also don’t think sobriety is the secret solution to all of life’s woes. So basically, don’t think you have to stop drinking just because I did. 

Thanks for the interview!

Bye Chance!