On the solution to the party within the autorickshaw, I set two alarms: the primary, for 9:30pm, was labelled THINK OF HOW YOU FELT BEFORE THE HOSPITAL. The second, half an hour later, shouted: THINK OF YOUR PARENTS AND SISTER. In my third week of sobriety, a life without alcohol still didn’t come naturally to me. Social events were especially intimidating—before, I could depend upon alcohol to be a social lubricant that made all the pieces feel easier and more vibrant. With a couple of drinks in me, I had all the time been the lifetime of the party, dancing to Bollywood music, oversharing embarrassing anecdotes and making out with someone I had barely met, abruptly. Now, being invited to a celebration made me nervous, and I wondered, multiple times, if it will be best to only cancel on my friends. Someway, that felt like taking the straightforward way out. Possibly it was still too soon to attend a social gathering with alcohol, however it was a challenge I’d should face eventually in my newly found sobriety.

Being sober was not exactly a call I had made enthusiastically. As an alternative, it was a alternative I had been forced to make after I felt like there was no other option. I had tried my hand at moderation—even unintentionally remained sober for 3 months last 12 months—but each time I used to be out and about, I sought alcohol. This was generally followed by hours of binge drinking before I stumbled home to my parents and filled a superbly clean room with the foul stench of vomit. Waking up in my best friend’s bedroom after an evening of binge drinking three weeks ago, I discovered my lips were blue, and took a horrified step back from the mirror. On the cab ride home, I used to be dazed, eyes heavy. At home, I started to lose control of my body: my hands and legs shook violently, and the world around me spun. ‘i think i could have mild alcohol poisoning,’ I texted my friends on WhatsApp. Drenched in sweat, sipping ORS (oral rehydration solution) from a one-litre bottle, I realised I had no option but to see a health care provider.

An invitation to the party got here a couple of days later. My body was still weak, and my eating regimen consisted of an array of medicines and a six-meal plan that included every vegetable I hated. The doctor had warned me that the least I could do was avoid drinking for 15 days, which was the duration of the alcohol’s half-life in my body. I used to be determined to do greater than that: the memory of lying by myself in a hospital bed because I didn’t wish to alarm my parents, fearing I used to be going to die as my hands were stabbed to insert IV tubes, and at last giving in and calling them because I couldn’t bear to be alone anymore, weren’t visuals I’d forget in a rush.

At that time, staying awake for greater than a couple of hours at a stretch was a struggle, but every time I slept, I dreamt of alcohol. The party invite gave my dreams a more defined structure, allowing them to tackle a concrete plot. In my recurring dream every night, I used to be on the party, sitting across the table with my friends, when someone offered me a sip of wine from their Tilt can. After hesitating just a little, I’d all the time say, “I assume one sip won’t hurt.” The following thing I knew, the can was empty on the table, the bitter aftertaste of alcohol in my dry mouth. A moment later, the panic would set in as I clasped my hands together, within the hospital again, and the doctor told me I used to be going to die.

‘are there any non-alcoholic drinks?’ I texted my friend from the rickshaw. My friends had been understanding as I staggered through my complicated journey with alcohol, but I discovered it difficult to expect an excessive amount of support from anyone for an issue that largely appeared to be my very own creation. In moments of vulnerability, it didn’t appear to matter that drinking causes a change in the best way brain chemicals function, slowly leading to dependency on alcohol. Science couldn’t alleviate my guilt, and I mostly felt alone in my brand-new sobriety.

When my first alarm rang, about half an hour later, I used to be sipping on a Mango Rush iced tea. It had been nearly three years since I had been sober at a celebration, and my hands felt too big in my lap, my movements stilted and awkward. I missed the taste of low-cost wine. On the dance floor, I kept stepping back, repeating, “I’m not a superb dancer without alcohol,” until one in every of my friends grabbed me, firmly asserting, “I think you’re all the time a superb dancer.”

In the previous few years, parties had begun to feel separate from my real life. At nightclubs and house parties, I used to be a brand latest person: braver, even invincible. I loved being this cooler version of myself, however it was still me who needed to suffer the results of my actions the subsequent morning. On the rare nights that I didn’t do anything outlandish while drunk, I still woke up anxious and steeped in guilt, spending your complete day sifting through hazy memories to be certain I hadn’t behaved stupidly. It was surreal, now, to truly be at this party: it didn’t feel like some escapist fantasy, separate from my real life, but a moment through which I could actually be present, taking in all the pieces around me and feeling real happiness.

With time, dancing became easier too. I used to be especially passionate as I bounced to ‘Chaar Bottle Vodka’, screaming “That is so us!” to my best friend, referring to how we had emptied nearly 4 bottles of Smirnoff the night before I had landed up within the hospital. Minutes later, as I attempted ginger ale for the primary time, one other friend pulled me aside, her cheeks flushed in a way I recognised all too well. “I just wish to say,” she gushed, “you’ve really inspired me by going sober. I’ve been excited about my very own relationship with alcohol lots, and I’m so pleased with you.”

Surprisingly, I discovered myself agreeing. To date, I had still been barely resentful about having to get sober, believing that avoiding alcohol entirely gave it more power over me. Now, for the primary time ever, I felt truly pleased with my decision, like I could even have a life and rejoice without depending on alcohol—without it feeling like something was missing in my life. There was something special about having the ability to remember all the pieces happening around me, about having coherent conversations and forming full sentences. For the primary time in years, I felt pleased with myself when, before I left, my friend smiled warmly and said, “Good luck in your sobriety journey.”

For 2 years, I had left every party stumbling and dazed. After being surrounded by so many family members, being suddenly alone had all the time felt like hitting the bottom after floating within the wind. Quite the opposite, I now felt self-assured and calm in my very own company, not steeped in guilt, spraying deodorant or swallowing mints to wipe away any trace of alcohol. I realised that I had all the time been depending on outside forces for my very own happiness—substances, friends, parties—but now, I felt okay counting on myself. My journey of sobriety had been about self-control but had grow to be greater than that. Not drinking forced me to be comfortable with my very own company and thoughts for the primary time in years.

Once I rang my doorbell that night, my back was straight, my step surer as I entered the home. Tonight, I used to be not going to throw up within the hall. As an alternative, my father opened the door to a beaming face. “I got through my first party without alcohol,” I exclaimed, “and I’m so excited to get up tomorrow.”

Also read:

Why I made a decision to provide up drinking, regardless that I wasn’t an alcoholic

What India’s booming alternative beverage market says about our drinking habits

The best way to get sober: 9 hard-earned lessons from one year of not drinking