"Get Curious"

Kirsten is curious about her and other woman's relationship with alcohol.
She has committed to taking a break from alcohol herself to see (first hand) the affect this could have on her physical and mental health.  And so far, the evidence seems overwhelmingly pro giving it up entirely or moving to very moderate social drinking.

​There is a very strong sober curious movement in the US and UK, which is less pronounced in Australia but Kirsten would like to join the call to take a break from alcohol for purely health reasons and encourages others to do the same.

"I am not an addiction specialist.  I don't work with addicts.  I am a psychologist with a special interest in how humans cope. And I know that we cannot have a good conversation about mental health and the coping strategies you are using without also talking about what you put into your body". - Kirsten Chalmers

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Recommended Reading
My top 10 (in no particular order)

1. Atomic Habits by James Clear
2. Drink? The Science of Alcohol + Your Health by Prof David Nutt
3. A Happier Hour by Rebecca Weller
4. Highlight Real by Emily Lynn Paulson
5. Alcohol Explained 2 by William Porter
6. The Unexpected Joy of being Sober by Catherine Gray
7. The Easy way for Women to Stop Drinking by Allen Carr
8. The Sober Diaries by Clare Pooley
9. This Naked Mind by Annie Grace
10. Knowing Yourself by Roy Baumeister

​Recent study:

​Recent study by the Australian National University entitled 
Alcohol consumption during the COVID- 19 period (May 2020) by Prof. Nicholas Biddle; Ass. Prof Ben Edwards, Prof. Matthew Gray and Kate Sollis, reports the following:
22.8% of women reported am increase in consumption:
Women aged 35-44 years (30.3%)
Why the increase?
63.7% more time at home
41.9% increase in stress
37.8% increased anxiety
Strong predictor of increase child-caring role

• Women are drinking alcohol to cope with difficult emotions or stress (e.g., Dare et al, 2020; Greenfield et al, 2010)
• Woman are likely to experience symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression during the pandemic (Wang et al, 2020)
• Women more likely to report being lonely (28%) than men (16%; ABS, 2020)
•  Increased caregiver load: women were three times more likely than men to look after children full time on their own (46%; ABS, 2020)
• Women who drink at risky levels experience harms quicker, and take longer to seek treatment due to stigma (Green, 2006)

Recommended Listening
Podcasts (in no particular order)

1.  This Naked Mind with Annie Grace
2. The Bubble Hour with Jean McCarthy
3. Take a Break with Rachel Hart
4. Love Sober Kate and Mandy
5. Soberful the Podcast with Veronica Vali and Chip Somers
6. She Recovers Podcasts with Dawn Nickel and Terence Strong

CONTACT KIRSTEN