A quick Google search would reveal that alcohol-consumption is a growing issue for educators. How could it not be? The educational system is a mess; things have hardly improved post-COVID. The expectations we place on students and educators have hardly budged, and yet our resources are depleting, and our stress is increasing. I have worked in education for over ten years. Reflecting on my career in education, it’s hard to find a period when my job wasn’t marked by stress. That stress was the main reason I drank every single weekend. Alcohol helped me relax and forget the admin problems, the demanding parents, and the sensory overload in the classroom. It helped me feel “more like myself” after a week of losing myself at work. Prior to appropriately treating my mental health issues, I was drinking 6-8 beers a night on Friday, Saturday, and sometimes Sunday. What began as relaxation quickly spiraled into communication breakdowns, self-harm, heated conflicts, and even legal trouble. I would drag myself to work with wine-breath, pounding headaches, and zero energy. I’ll never forget a student once saying, “Miss, you smell like my dad, you smell like beer.” Despite all these signs, it took me 12 years to reach where I am today: 12 days sober.
If you are someone who can relate, and who wants to quit drinking or adopt a sober-ish lifestyle, try one or more of these things with me and let me know how it goes:
- Join a community: I am socially awkward and avoidant right now, so I have decided to use an app to help me with my journey. I am using the “I am sober” app, which integrates affirmations, self-reflective activities, and community-based posts. I like its simplicity so far.
- Replace the habit: I have removed all alcohol products from my home, and have added mocktail ingredients. My favorite right now involve Mineragua, Maraschino Cherries, Ollipop, and some ice.
- Cleanse your digital space: Remove alcohol ads from social media. Follow creators, podcasts, or accounts that align with your sobriety and healing. Unfollow content that triggers you.
Sober Magic 