Annie Grace - The Alcohol Experiment

Copyright

An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

First published in Great Britain by HQ in 2018

Copyright © Annie Grace 2018

Annie Grace asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

Ebook Edition © November 2019 ISBN: 9780008293482

Praise For

The Alcohol Experiment

‘Day 60 alcohol free (AF). Just did karaoke sober. I didn’t know that was possible. I had even given myself permission to have one cocktail (to loosen the vocal cords, you understand?). But after looking through the menu, I just didn’t fancy anything! Stuck with water all night. Now on the train heading home, looking forward to waking up tomorrow with a clear head, money in my pocket, my dignity (if you ignore the singing), and possibly a sore throat. The Alcohol Experiment is incredible. Thank you.’

M.K., London, England

‘Thank YOU for this amazing gift you have given so many with first your book and now the Alcohol Experiment! It has truly been life changing for me, and at three months alcohol-free tomorrow, I am more hopeful than I have been in a very long time.’

L.K., Windsor, England

‘Day 60! What? Always dreamed of being AF. Didn’t think it was possible. Thank you for my life, Annie Grace!’

O.F., Dublin, Ireland

‘45 days alcohol free. I didn’t think I could make it through the first week, and now I can’t imagine ever drinking again. The Alcohol Experiment saved my life. It’s so worth the journey!’

R.D., New York, New York

‘Annie Grace, I just wanted you to know you’ve touched the lives of many people. This is such a huge movement that you started. I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart (tears are coming down right now). You saved me after almost 27 years of drinking daily, since I was 13 years old when I started. I never thought I would be able to do what I am doing now. Thank you.’

S.J., Sydney, Australia

‘Your 30-day experiment was so helpful. I learned so much! I’m well on my way to being AF completely – from drinking daily to drinking five times in 110 days. And I don’t plan on drinking anytime soon. It was so in-depth and educational. Thank you.’

G.P., Austin, Texas

‘31 days ago, I started your alcohol-free experiment. I haven’t touched any alcohol in the past month and cannot thank you enough for giving me the kick in the a** to get started! Thank you, thank you, thank you.’

C.R., Costa Mesa, California

‘You are changing the lives of so many people. Thank you. I feel like someone woke me up from a very, very long nightmare. Really, Groundhog Day. There are no words to express my gratitude. Thank you, Annie Grace, for saving my life.’

B.K.R., Portland, Maine

‘I’ve been wanting to message you for a while to say thank you. I’ve been trying to moderate my drinking for years and find it’s a daily fight. Having a dad and brother who are alcoholics, I was resigned to the fact it runs in the family! My sister introduced me to the Alcohol Experiment after I had just completed Dry January – wow! It absolutely changed my perspective on alcohol, and I haven’t touched a drop since, nor do I intend to! Thank you so much for setting me free.’

I.G., Brisbane, Australia

‘I am now 37 days AF and have never felt so relaxed and happy. I just want to thank you for caring enough to create the Alcohol Experiment. Without your support I wouldn’t be where I am. I wouldn’t be going to a weekend of camping and family fun looking forward to not drinking. It’s made such a difference to my life. You make me feel humble and so, so grateful. Thank you.’

F. C., Brooklyn, New York

‘Thank you so, so much, Annie. You are such an amazing force for good in this world! The Alcohol Experiment changed my life.’

H.R.T., Palm Beach, Florida

Turner, Trace, and Daelyn.

You are why I dream of a better tomorrow.

Brian. My favorite person.

Thank you for creating this life with me.

Thank you for trusting me enough to double down on this dream and follow the road wherever it leads.

Jesus. Your Grace. Your Love. Your Mercy.

Your Breath in my lungs.

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Praise

Dedication

Introduction

DAY 1: What’s Your Why?

ACT #1:The Taste of Alcohol

DAY 2: It’s Not What You Give Up, But What You GAIN

DAY 3: Why We Think We Like to Drink

ACT #2:Alcohol and Sleep

DAY 4: Dealing with Discomfort

DAY 5: What Are Cravings, Really?

DAY 6: Why Willpower Doesn’t Work for Long

ACT #3:Alcohol, Relaxation, and Stress Relief

DAY 7: Your Experiment and Your Friends

DAY 8: How Alcohol Affects Your Senses

DAY 9: The Power of Self-Talk

ACT #4:Alcohol, Our Culture, and Society

DAY 10: Dealing with Sugar Cravings

DAY 11: The Alcohol Culture Is Shifting

ACT #5:Alcohol and Happiness

DAY 12: Your Incredible Body and Brain

ACT #6:Is Alcohol Healthy in Moderation?

DAY 13: Let’s Talk About Sex

DAY 14: Staying Mindful in the Midst of Chaos

ACT #7:Alcohol and Parenting (a.k.a. Mommy Juice)

DAY 15: Social Life and Dating

DAY 16: The Power of Belief

ACT #8:Alcohol Is My Friend

DAY 17: Relieving Boredom Without Drinking

DAY 18: Why Tolerance Is Literally a Buzzkill

DAY 19: Dealing with Depression

DAY 20: Our Headline Culture and the Science of Sharing

DAY 21: Hey, Good Lookin’!

DAY 22: Drinking Due to Unmet Needs

ACT #9:Alcohol and Sadness

DAY 23: Alcohol’s Effect on Your Health

ACT #10:Alcohol and Anger

DAY 24: Are Addictive Personalities Real?

DAY 25: Setbacks and the Way Forward

DAY 26: Liberation vs. Fixation

DAY 27: Is Alcohol Really Poisonous and Addictive?

DAY 28: The Truth About Moderation

DAY 29: Tough Love

DAY 30: What’s Next?