Alcoholic who has been sober for nine years shared 'first things she noticed' when stopping drinking

An alcoholic who went sober nine years ago has shared some of the things she first noticed after giving up the booze for good.

More and more people are embracing sobriety, including a number of big name celebrities such as Ed Sheeran and Tom Hardy, both of whom gave up after struggling with their drinking habits.

Unsurprisingly, alcohol just isn't very good for you, especially when taken excessively, but it seems as if a lot of people are sick and tired of feeling, well, sick and tired.

Much like signing up for the gym in January or giving up sugar for a week, those who ditch alcohol are perhaps hoping to see some sort of instantaneous transformation that makes you feel like the embodiment of that one Seth Rogen meme.

The sober-curious trend is on the rise (Getty Stock Images)

Unfortunately, your body doesn't simply become a temple after swapping beer for kombucha, and there are plenty of side effects you'll have to deal with, particularly if you're drinking alcohol on a regular basis before giving it up completely.

Popular YouTuber Julie McFadden AKA 'Hospice Nurse Julie' has shared her nine-year journey of being sober, and explained the things she first noticed when going cold turkey.

She said: "I thought I would make new friends, I thought I would find new hobbies, I thought I would lose weight. I thought I would be healthier and feel better. And none of those things happened.

"Even the lose weight part, which was really annoying. I didn't lose any weight. If anything, I gained weight because I started craving sugar like crazy.

"The first things I noticed when I quit drinking were that I would have drinking dreams every night. I woke up at like 3.00am and craved sugar every night for weeks. I had really bad cravings for warm dry alcohol or vodka, even though I never really drank vodka.

"Once I quit, I really really craved it, which was surprising to me."

Weird dreams are certainly a consistent symptom among those who have stopped drinking, with Love Island star turned health influencer Dr Alex discussing similar experiences when he also went sober.

You can expect some strange experiences, not all good, if you give up booze (Getty stock)

Julie goes on to discuss how after 11 months she was at a really low point and was desperate to start drinking again.

But a hike with a friend made her realise that she was an alcoholic, and after starting a recovery programme she was able to get the help she needed.

So, if you're thinking about ditching the daiquiris, it seems as if you'll be craving lots of sugar and having lots of strange dreams - but it'll all be worth it in the end.

Please drink responsibly. If you want to discuss any issues relating to alcohol in confidence, contact Drinkline on 0300 123 1110, 9am–8pm weekdays and 11am–4pm weekends for advice and support.