Managing your drinking and mental health during the cost of living crisis

At times like these, when a lot of things seem out of our control, life can feel uncertain. You may be finding money worries are making you want to drink more to cope with emotions or simply to fill your time. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Why not check out a few of our tips and resources below as a starting point for keeping on top of your drinking in stressful times?

Take a look at Catherine Gray’s top 10 alcohol-free ways to soothe your anxiety - because it shouldn’t cost a fortune to find your inner peace. From cranking up your top feel-good hits, to good old-fashioned fresh air and staying active - there’s something for everyone.

Staying in doesn’t mean sacrificing fun. But can often mean saving money, especially when we cut out the alcohol. Why not borrow a few ideas from Try Dry®: The Official Guide to a Month Off Booze’s author Lauren Booker on having a fun sober night in?

How much do you know about the link between alcohol and mental health? It may surprise you to know just how many people are affected by mental health problems, as well as the many ways alcohol can interact with (and even worsen) these issues. Take our alcohol and mental health quiz and see what you discover: Alcohol and mental health quiz | Alcohol Change UK 

We hope you found something for you from our suggestions. For more free tools and resources to help manage your drinking, download the Try Dry® app to your smartphone. As well as helping you log your drinking and dry days, you can try out the wellbeing features for size – helping you monitor your sleep, energy levels, mood and cravings to give you the full picture of your drinking. You’ll also find tonnes of resources, tips and blogs in the newly developed ‘More’ section of the app to help you make the change that’s right for you.

NB: If you are dependent on alcohol and are concerned about affording alcohol, please make an appointment with your GP or local alcohol treatment provider.