The Alcohol Experiment summary

The author’s brother owns a goat farm. And it smells, well, goaty. Whenever the author visits, she can’t help but notice the intense, unpleasant smell. 

But the smell doesn’t bother her brother. In fact, he doesn’t even notice it. But this is simply because he’s exposed to it every day.

You’ve had a tough day at the office. But now all is well – it's happy hour! You’ve joined your friends at the bar and ordered a glass of wine. As you work through the first glass, you feel yourself unwinding. You become a little giggly, even slightly euphoric. For the first time all day, you genuinely feel good. 

Now, stop for a minute. What’s actually happening here? Why do you feel good? And why can’t you just enjoy that first glass and leave it at that? Why do you feel the need to keep drinking?

Take a moment to list all of the reasons you drink. There’s no judgment here, so be as honest as possible. If you’re like the author, your list will include things like “my social life revolves around drinking” or “drinking helps me get through those intimidating networking events.”

Now list the reasons you don’t want to drink. Maybe you’re sick of waking up feeling like hell. Or you’re scared that your memory is sometimes a little fuzzy. Or you just don’t want to be tired and broke all the time. 

Maybe you’re ready to take some time off from alcohol. But, sooner or later, your friends will notice the change. And they might not support your decision, instead telling you to “lighten up” and have “just one” drink on a night out. If that happens, it's important to recognize that fear is probably at the bottom of it. 

Maybe they know, deep down, that they’re also drinking a little too much – but don’t want to admit it. Or maybe they’re just scared you won’t hang out with them as much anymore. 

It can be intimidating to say, “That’s it, I’m never going to drink again,” which is why it’s great to start with just 30 days. Thirty days isn’t forever. And if you do make it through, why not try 60 more? By abstaining for longer and longer periods, you can start to look forward to a future in which alcohol does not control your life. 

One of the author’s friends did this, until she eventually reached a year without drinking. At that point, she no longer saw any reason to drink again. She had defeated her cognitive dissonance around alcohol; her unconscious need for alcohol no longer fought against her conscious desire to stop drinking.