Published 4/21
Tiina, 48, has been living sober since October 2020, when she quit alcohol.
She is a successful entrepreneur, and her drinking was a concern to no one except for Tiina and her 17-year-old daughter. She didn’t get drunk in public, pass out in inappropriate places, or cause embarrassment.
After work, Tiina would relax by cracking open a beer or pouring wine from a tap into a glass. Then she and her husband would go to the sauna, and the rest of the evening would be spent sitting on the couch with a drink in hand.
Over the years, her alcohol consumption gradually increased, and Tiina began to realize that it was becoming a problem.
The desire to get rid of alcohol is awakened
Awareness of the problem made Tiina want to quit alcohol, but the change didn’t happen overnight.
“I tried to cut down on my drinking and even did a tip-free January. After losing weight and going four weeks without alcohol, I felt great,” Tiina recalls.
In 2015, when Yle launched the Hundred Days program, where celebrities abstained for 100 days, Tiina took up the challenge.
“Although I missed it by one day because there were some parties I couldn’t miss. It was a disaster, as my tolerance was gone, and I ended up getting too drunk.”
The following year, Ira Koivu’s book Free from Wine: How Life Changes When You Quit Drinking was published, and Tiina immediately bought it for her bedside table.
“At that time, my drinking wasn’t bad enough to make me want to quit, but I soon became a fan of the Free From Wine Facebook page.”
Years later, that push led to a significant life change.
Her husband did not become addicted, but Tiina did
Tiina continued to drink at home and knew deep down that she was consuming far too much alcohol: she and her husband drank a couple of three-liter bottles of wine a week, plus beers in the sauna. “And we take a sauna every night when the work is done,” Tiina adds.
“We were drinking from Sunday to Thursday, and on Friday and Saturday, it was binge drinking. We justified our drinking as a way to reset after a hard working week. On Thursday’s shopping trip, we ensured we had enough to drink over the weekend.”
She didn’t seem to become addicted to alcohol, but Tiina found that she couldn’t stay away from alcohol for even a day without feeling it was difficult. Alcohol was constantly on her mind. The first glass of the evening was something she anticipated all day.
She realized she needed help but wasn’t yet ready to make a final decision.
“I wanted to learn how to moderate my drinking—I even went to hypnosis, which helped me quit smoking. But it didn’t help me quit alcohol.”
Information about Soberisti®-method and online coaching was a turning point that helped to get rid of alcohol
It soon became clear to Tiina that moderate use was not a realistic option. She had gone through numerous dry spells and always looked forward to the last day of the dry period like it was the end of the world. When it was finally time to start drinking again, she quickly made up for lost time, and her consumption returned to normal.
The epiphany and final straw came when her daughter expressed concern about her parents’ drinking.
Tiina felt bad, and her first reaction was to defend herself.
“I was ashamed, and I downplayed it; we don’t drink that much. But it hit home,” Tiina remembers.
Around that time, Tiina received an announcement that the Free From Wine Facebook page had transformed into Soberist and was looking for women who had become addicted to alcohol to join a pilot group testing the Soberist method and the Free From Wine with Ease and Joy online coaching.
Tiina felt that this was meant for her. After thinking about it for a day or two, she sent an email.
When she received no immediate response, she went to the occupational health service to ask if it would be possible to get a voucher for the A-Clinic’s online service. Unfortunately, they said no. However, she soon received an email informing her that she had been selected for the Soberist pilot group.
“I haven’t regretted joining for a day,” says Tiina.
When Tiina Stopped Drinking, Things Started to Change
At the time of this interview, Tiina has been sober for 215 days. In that time, she has saved €4,300 that would have otherwise gone to alcohol. She has also saved 538 hours that would have been spent drinking. She tracked this information using a mobile app she downloaded as soon as she started her new life.
With alcohol out of the picture, Tiina found she had more energy, so she used her newfound time to tackle various projects: painting the kitchen, installing laminate flooring, renovating the shower room and sauna, among other things.
“And now, for the first time in three years, the garden and garden plot are in order! None of this would have been possible if I had been drinking.”
Tiina’s sobriety has also influenced her husband’s drinking habits. Since she stopped, wine hasn’t been bought at home the same way.
“He has only been drunk twice during the time I have been sober. For my daughter, my father’s drinking apparently isn’t such a big deal. When he was inebriated, my daughter and I kindly guided him to bed,” Tiina laughs.
Online Coaching: An Effective Way for Introverts to Get Sober
Tiina is no longer dreaming of moderation. She has realized that everyone—herself and her whole family—is better off when she is sober.
Mornings and evenings are very different now. This newfound clarity has given her more time and energy, which is also beneficial for her work as an entrepreneur.
“This is where Soberist’s online course has been incredibly effective for me. My job doesn’t allow me to attend physical peer support groups, and I also had a mental barrier to that,” Tiina explains.
“It’s been important that the online coaching offers a positive approach to sobriety. It doesn’t impose a single method or idea. The peer support and the supportive atmosphere of the virtual meetings have helped me through difficult moments. Best of all, I have never felt like a bad person or been ashamed to be there.”
Tiina describes herself as an introvert, so attending the first Zoom meeting as part of Soberist’s online coaching was a big hurdle for her.
“It was terrifying, even scary, but still easier than if it had been a physical meeting,” Tiina recalls with a laugh.
Family support has also been vital. Her daughter has said she is proud of her mother, and her husband has praised her strength: “That’s the only way to do it, quitting alcohol.”
Even her therapist noticed a change in Tiina after three weeks of sobriety, even though she hadn’t mentioned anything.
“He asked me what happened; you look completely different. Already then, my eyes were clearer, and the swelling in my face had disappeared,” Tiina remembers.
What else has changed since you quit alcohol?
“I sleep great, and joy and laughter have returned. I don’t miss the old stuffy, bloated feeling at all,” Tiina says.
Get Rid of Alcohol with the Soberist Method and Get Free from Wine with Ease and Joy Online Coaching
The Soberist Method and the Soberist online course are designed for those who want to quit alcohol but don’t identify as alcoholics or feel the need for physical peer support groups.
