For many, Dry January is merely a period of detoxification to cleanse the body of the past month's vices. For others, sobriety isn't a month-long trend; it's a lifestyle choice. In the glitzy world of Hollywood where months of shoots and starry parties abound, it's easy to turn to the bottle to unwind when a long day of shooting ends or to chinwag with famous friends at celebrity bashes. Tom Holland can attest to that. In an interview with Men's Health, the Spider-man star spoke about his sobriety journey and how it has changed his life.
(Also Read: Denzel Washington On The Impact Of Quitting Alcohol And Eating Healthy: "I've Done A Lot Of Damage To The Body")
Exactly 3 years ago, Tom embarked on a month-long break from alcohol, which opened his eyes to just how tightly interwoven it was to his social life. He says, "Every Friday after work was a write-off: Let's get drunk and have a good time. I didn't have bad experiences, but I would drink enough so that I would ruin my next day." A poker night turned out to be an eye-opener as he felt the need to turn to alcohol to enjoy the rest of the evening. He didn't and since then, he has been sober since January 2022.
Tom didn't require a formal induction to join the sobriety movement; he just did it. "I'm quite strong-willed. When I decide to do something, I'm really gonna do it," he says of his motivation, and continues, "I leaned on close ones a lot: family, friends, old colleagues, new colleagues, people that reached out that I didn't know who also were sober."
Some of the most life-changing advice he received was from his lawyer. "He gave me a really poignant piece of advice that helped me get through everything, which was: You'll never wake up the morning after a night out and wish you had a drink. That piece of advice really rang true to me, because my problem was that I would have one drink and be fine, and then I would just go too far," added Tom.
The benefits of sobriety have been many for the actor. Bero, the non-alcoholic beer brand he founded in 2024 was born from his journey; particularly the need to feel included at a social event where everyone has a glass in their hand. The public attention to the brand that he has his name attached to has even helped him, in a way. "You can't sing this song and then not walk the walk. I think part of me, when I announced it, I almost felt vindicated or relieved," says the actor.
More positives from Tom's sober lifestyle have been the ability to carve out time early on Saturday mornings to play golf, which wasn't previously possible when his Friday nights were spent drinking. He also has a newfound sense of clarity which helps immensely with stressful situations. Now that right there is a life worth living.
(Also Read: You'll Want To Add Sreeleela's "Green Flag" Detox Drink To Your Diet)
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