5 Signs You’re Ready to Quit Drinking

Episode 211: 5 Signs You’re Ready to Quit Drinking

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"A dependency on alcohol is a dependency on alcohol, whether it's emotional or physical. Right, we're no better, and I say that because I want everybody to check themselves before they wreck themselves."

Quitting drinking isn’t about waking up one morning, tossing the bottle, and never looking back. For most people, it’s years of trial, error, and mental gymnastics before that final decision sticks. You’ve probably already felt the anxiety, the regret, the exhaustion from trying to “make it work,” and deep down you know it’s time. In this post, we’re talking about the five unmistakable signs you’re ready to quit drinking, why moderation keeps you trapped, and exactly what to do next so you can stop spinning your wheels and start living without regrets.

In this episode, Courtney dives into:

• The reality that quitting drinking often takes years and is rarely an overnight success
  
  
• The difference between emotional and physical dependency on alcohol
  
  
• Five key signs you’re ready to quit drinking:
  
  
1. You feel more anxiety and regret after drinking
   
2. Drinking is affecting your health (poor sleep, sluggishness, weight changes, hangovers)
   
3. You’re tired of the mental tug of war and moderation game
   
4. Alcohol is impacting your relationships (tension, disconnection, shame)
   
5. You keep thinking about quitting and seeking sober content

The Truth About Quitting

Let’s get one thing straight: quitting drinking isn’t usually a neat, cinematic moment where you toss a glass dramatically into the sink and swear off alcohol forever. Most people crawl their way to that decision after years of back-and-forth, telling themselves they’ll “cut back” or “just drink on weekends,” only to end up right back where they started.

And thanks to social media, it’s easy to compare yourself to someone else’s highlight reel, the person who just “decided one day” and made it look effortless. But that’s the exception, not the rule. For the vast majority, quitting is a process, and it’s one worth starting now rather than years from now when you’re looking back with regret.

The Reality of Alcohol Dependency

Here’s the truth: a dependency on alcohol is a dependency on alcohol. It doesn’t matter if it’s physical or emotional both will keep you stuck.

Some people convince themselves they’re “not that bad” because they don’t wake up shaking or needing a drink in the morning. But emotional dependency is just as real. It’s the habit of reaching for alcohol to soothe stress, avoid feelings, or make social situations easier. It’s the mental tug-of-war that steals your energy and focus.

Alcohol is a highly addictive substance, and once it becomes part of your routine, it’s hard to imagine life without it. But breaking that cycle is possible, and it starts with recognizing the signs.

The 5 Signs You’re Ready to Quit

1. You Feel More Anxiety and Regret After Drinking

You know that 3 a.m. wake-up? Sweaty, restless, and replaying every word you said? That’s alcohol. Maybe you’re not even enjoying drinking anymore, but you feel stuck in the loop. This is often the beginning of the end for a lot of people. That point where the fun is gone but the habit won’t let go.

2. Drinking Is Affecting Your Health

Poor sleep. Sluggish mornings. Weight gain. Hangovers that now last two or three days instead of a couple hours. Alcohol is a toxin, and your body’s ability to bounce back only decreases with age.

3. You’re Tired of the Mental Tug of War

This is the exhausting “moderation game”; making rules, breaking them, and negotiating with yourself over how much you’ll drink. People without a problem don’t have to play this game. The only way out? Complete surrender. Once you stop trying to fit alcohol into your life, you’ll finally see how much brain space it was stealing.

4. Alcohol Is Impacting Your Relationships

Maybe it’s tension with your partner, guilt about not being fully present with your kids, or feeling disconnected from friends. Alcohol drives a wedge between you and the people you care about, and no relationship improves by adding more booze.

5. You Keep Thinking About Quitting

You’ve Googled “am I drinking too much.” You follow sober creators on Instagram. You’ve been listening to this kind of content for months or years, waiting for “the right time.” Here’s the truth: the right time is now. Every year you wait is another year you can’t get back.

Why Moderation Keeps You Stuck

If you’ve tried moderating and failed, that’s not because you’re weak, it’s because moderation is designed to fail for people with a dependency. It keeps you in a constant state of negotiation, giving alcohol just enough of a seat at the table to keep its grip on you. Freedom comes when you decide alcohol is no longer an option at all.

The Fear of Failure

One of the biggest reasons people delay quitting is the fear of “messing up.” But slips aren’t failures, they’re feedback. They show you where your boundaries need to be stronger or where you need more support.

Perfection isn’t the goal here. Progress is. You don’t need to get it right every single day to win, you just need to keep going.

Steps to Take When You’re Ready

1. Write Down Your Why — Be brutally honest about why you’re quitting.
   
   
2. Tell Someone You Trust — Accountability makes it real.
   
   
3. Focus on One Day at a Time — Thinking too far ahead will overwhelm you.
   
   
4. Protect Your Sobriety Early On — Avoid high-risk situations in those first 30–60 days.
   
   
5. Find Support — Coaching, therapy, group programs, or a sober community will keep you from getting trapped in your own head.
   
   

Living Without Regrets

When you picture your 80-, 90-, or 100-year-old self looking back on life, do you want to see years wasted in the same cycle, or do you want to see the moment you took your life back?

Sobriety isn’t about giving something up. It’s about gaining health, presence, opportunity, and clarity you didn’t know you were missing. And once you’ve experienced life without alcohol, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner.

Your Next Move

If your gut is telling you it’s time, listen to it. Don’t let fear or perfectionism keep you stuck another year. Write your why. Tell someone. Take one step today.

You can do this, and it might just be the decision that changes everything.

Thank you for listening!

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Resources Mentioned:

• Fear of Failing Episode 
• Join the Soberity Circle 
• Apply for 1:1 Coaching