On January 1st 2018 I decided to give up booze for a year…this is my story so far by Daisy Steel

Choosing a year without alcohol — and finding myself again

by Daisy Steel

I decided to stop drinking at the start of the year — a choice that had been building for a long time. After moving from London to Somerset, I expected a calmer, more grounded life. Instead, I found myself in a social circle that partied harder than anything I’d left behind in the city. Dinner parties until 5 a.m., festival weekends, Ibiza holidays… all while raising five children and juggling a freelance journalism career.

For a while, I convinced myself I could handle it — two hours of sleep, long drives at dawn, radio bulletins at 5 a.m. I thought I was unstoppable. But the cracks appeared fast.

The breaking point

One morning, exhausted and hungover, I played the wrong audio clip live on air — a football manager instead of a Grenfell fire victim. The mistake was mortifying. Minutes later, my chest tightened, and I found myself in the middle of a panic attack in the newsroom. I was sent home, shaken and ashamed.

Insomnia followed — nights staring at the ceiling, hours lost to spiralling thoughts. To quiet the anxiety, I reached for wine more often, using it as a nightly sedative. It worked… until it didn’t.

After another heavy Christmas, I looked in the mirror and didn’t recognise myself. I felt miserable, heavy, and filled with self-loathing. So I tried Dry January — and because everyone else was doing it, it didn’t feel too hard.

And then the miracle happened.

The first signs of change

Within weeks, everything shifted.

My skin brightened.

My eyes looked lighter.

My sleep improved.

The weight started to drop.

So when January ended, I decided not to.

The first real test

February brought the first drinking occasion: a birthday party full of wine, cocktails, and temptation. I worried I’d be awkward, boring, or judged. But I got through it with alcohol-free cocktails and, once the initial anxiety passed, I enjoyed myself.

And when the party tipped into the chaotic, repetitive phase that I used to normalise, I simply went home.

The next morning was the revelation — no hangover, no fog, no dread. A full memory of the night before. A productive weekend ahead. And for the first time in years, pride.

A new way of living

Slowly, everything changed.

Instead of meeting friends for drinks, I met them for coffee or dog walks. My mood lifted dramatically; the steady anxiety in the pit of my stomach finally loosened. Being alcohol-free combined with light exercise felt like a natural antidepressant.

My husband and kids noticed too — less snapping, more patience, more presence.

Then came summer

April was tough. The sun arrived, and with it, every romanticised association I had with rosé and long, lazy afternoons. A birthday lunch with close friends became the hardest challenge yet.

The temptation was powerful — but I held the line.

Because I’d set myself a challenge.

Because I knew I’d regret giving in.

Because I finally liked the direction my life was heading.

The support that carried me

When I posted on Facebook that I had completed a third of my Dry 2018, the response stunned me. Dozens of messages. Support I didn’t expect. Encouragement I didn’t know I needed.

It pushed me forward — and still does.

Five benefits of staying sober

1. No hangovers

Mornings are yours again.

2. Weight loss

The most effortless weight drop of my life.

3. Better skin

Brighter, clearer, calmer.

4. Improved sleep

No more 4 a.m. dread, no more staring at the ceiling.

5. More productive

More time, more clarity, more life.