Free From All Addictive Substances, Music Sounds Better

I had my last drink on October 30, 2021, and, like Holly Whitaker, author of “Quit Like a Woman,” I have never questioned the decision.

During my last years drinking, I was not happy. I had little interest in music, which had been a big part of my life when I was younger. It wasn’t until September 19, 2022, while going on a walk around my hometown, that I realized how ecstatic music and sobriety made me feel. Here is what I posted to Facebook immediately after having this realization:

I’m on cloud nine—as usual since quitting all substances but caffeine last October (note: it took about six months to reach cloud nine)—and listening to the album “Stay Gold” by First Aid Kit while going on a walk around my hometown. Try out sobriety! I’m not even kidding.

First Aid Kit – The Bell

Facebook post from September 19, 2022, at 9:50 a.m.

Here is the YouTube video linked in the post:

Yesterday, something similar happened. I was listening to various music I own, when a song I never particularly cared about started playing on my stereo. It was “New Year’s Resolution” by Camera Obscura. While I appreciated the song when it was released in 2013, it was never that special to me. I then found a music video for the song and posted it to Facebook:

In the video, keyboardist Carey Lander is battling cancer, of which she died on October 11, 2015. It’s sad for many reasons, including how Camera Obscura hasn’t released an album since 2013. The soundscapes from her keyboards were integral to the band’s sound. I also noted drummer Lee Thomson’s technique of pausing and then simultaneously hitting the snare drum and crash cymbal at 1:36, 3:07, and 4:23.

I talk a lot about getting off all addictive substances (even caffeine) on this blog, because I truly think it is important. I don’t know how closely my readers follow The New York Times, but new research shows no amount of alcohol is healthful. Furthermore, The Times quoted Wendy Wood, a psychology professor at the University of Southern California and the author of “Good Habits, Bad Habits,” who said that forming new habits, and dropping old ones, can take several months.

There has perhaps never been a better time to quit all addictive substances.