It’s a beautiful summer’s day as I write this in a darkened room with a sticky floor (7UP cans are apparently not friends with gravity). Not even two years ago, I would probably instead be out drinking alone in a quiet pub until things got a little blurry and I ended up “falling asleep” in the early evening.

For as long as I can remember, I have had a problem with my vices. If I wasn’t drinking, I would be smoking whatever I could find or gorging myself on food, even if I wasn’t hungry. My addictive personality is another story for a different article, but let’s just say that alcohol was always the poison that stuck.

If I wasn’t drunk, I wanted to be. I even felt like I needed to be most days. Whether it was a combination of anxiety and depression or just a desire to feel as disembodied as possible, my hands would too often find themselves around a can of the nastiest liquid offal I could find. At the time, I didn’t think there was anything wrong with me. I mean, I didn’t go out and get annihilated, so how was I any worse than my peers? Booze will do that to you – it lures you into a false sense of self and comforts your worst aspects.

Going “clean” hasn’t been easy, not by a long stretch. Since December 2013 when I had my last drink, I have been completely teetotal, not even risking a chocolate liqueur. To say that I don’t think about it each and every day would be a lie, but I have no regrets about my decision – I very much doubt I would be here typing this if I still lived that life.

If you’re thinking of quitting drinking or just want to find out what a teetotal lifestyle is like, here are the eight things you can expect when you put down the chalice for good.

1. People won’t understand

Whenever I mention that I don’t drink, it’s an interesting mix of positive and just befuddled comments. Some people will raise an eyebrow at the fact that you can quit something which is actually poisonous to your body; a strange sentiment when you think about it for a second.

2. Your social life will suffer

Although I could hardly ever call myself a Liza Minelli, I found that my invitations seemed to wane after I packed in the booze. People have a misconception that the only way to have fun when you’re out is to be outside a kebab house at 2 in the morning screaming for proof that they aren’t cooking cats.

3. It will get easier

Once I had made the decision to quit the devil’s juice, I almost immediately caved in. It was a Sunday morning and I had nothing to do all day, so what better way to spend it than with a bottle of whisky? Once I realised that this was something I just had to commit to, the desire slowly dissipated to the point where I won’t give it any serious thought.

4. You might have to avoid negative influences

This is one of the hardest things to do, to not necessarily rid yourself of the characters who might make you relapse, but to lessen your relationship with them until they come around to the fact that your lifestyle has changed. Peer pressure is unavoidable if you quit drinking and I will admit that a few words from friends have almost driven me back into the arms of Stella (Artois).

5. You will get bored

And I mean very bored. I am lucky in that I have Cultured Vultures and Playstation Plus to distract me, but for a more socially-inclined person, the free time could prove to be a major issue. Look out for hobbies to take your mind off drink and maybe even try and get fit, if such a suggestion doesn’t make you shudder like it does me.

6. Your body will thank you

Though by no means am I a healthy person (I don’t remember the last time I had Vitamin C), I can vouch for just how bad booze is for your body. Sundays would often be spent clutching my kidneys and moving as little as possible, but now I have far more energy to get important jobs done, more drive to go out and explore and a general impetus that I used to lack.

7. No booze means less drama

Now that I don’t have alcohol to cloud my vision, I no longer voice my opinions aggressively at people or get embroiled in ridiculous spats which really don’t have much to do with me. It’s a peaceful existence that I am very grateful for – no more shouting matches on high streets over something that meant absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things.

8. Your brain will become your ally, not your enemy

As someone who has never been chums with the complicated mass in his skull, I can say that although negative thoughts still creep into my conscience, they aren’t nearly as acute as they used to be when I drank. Alcohol can either turn you into the life of the party or an insular loner who has nothing but his thoughts for company. Nobody wants to be the latter.

If you think you have a problem with drink, I would like to hear from you. I can’t promise everything will be okay, but I am always eager to listen and help. You can reach me at [email protected] Alternatively, you can reach out to many of the more established, substantially better organisations below for guidance. You are not alone.

Alcohol Awareness Organisations

NHS Alcohol Support

Smart Recovery

Alcohol Concern

Drink Aware

NCADD