Jonsson had dealt with his personal problems – he’d separated from his wife and resigned from his job – by going out to bars and bingeing on alcohol, which he says relaxed him.

“I’d drink 10 to 15 beers and one or two bottles of wine at night, but then I’d wake up the next morning and feel so bad for having drunk excessively the night before that I would drink again to make myself feel better,” he recalls.

He also abandoned his healthy diet and turned to fast food for comfort.

One year without alcohol: how my life has changed

The constant drinking and poor eating habits soon began to take their toll on Jonsson’s emotional health. He was depressed, anxious and stressed all the time and felt uncomfortable in his body, and disconnected from others. He also suffered from high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

“My heart used to beat so fast that I thought I would have a heart attack at any moment,” he says. “I was so scared that I wrote my will and bought life insurance, because I was convinced that I was going to die.”

Between 2014 and 2018, Jonsson’s life went into a downward spiral. On the outside he seemed happy, but on the inside he was falling apart. “I lived in Indonesia and Vietnam for a few of those years before moving to Singapore. I tried getting professional help for my mental health, but the language barriers made it hard,” he says.

By April 2018, Jonsson had remarried. Unable to hide his depression any longer, he confided in his wife and business partner, Dona. She persuaded him to get a physical check-up and speak to a therapist.

For his alcohol dependence, Jonsson joined a support group for alcoholics. Then he engaged a fitness coach to help him get into shape.

Almost immediately after taking these transformative steps, Jonsson noticed a shift in the way he felt, saying that “life seemed brighter”. A few people in his support group had competed in triathlons, and this inspired him to start racing, too.

“At first I joined small races, then I decided to do the ultimate race – the Ironman. I set that as my top goal and began working towards it. Fifteen months later, in August 2019, I completed my first Ironman in my hometown, Kalmar, in Sweden,” he says.

“The race comprised a 3.8km swim, a 180km bike ride and a 42.2km run. It was an amazing achievement, considering that I never saw myself as athletic and could barely walk 1km just a few years before.”

In February 2020, before the global coronavirus pandemic was declared, Jonsson competed in the Ironman in Bangsaen, Thailand, placing 201st out of 1,303. This August, he will be competing in Kalmar again.

“As my physical health improved, so too did my mental health,” he shares. “I used to feel disconnected from others and unfulfilled, but now I mentor other members in my support group and enjoy a greater sense of purpose as a result.

“I relax with exercise rather than alcohol and am no longer anxious or depressed.

“The better I feel emotionally, the more motivated I am to take care of my body. It’s incredible to witness the positive impact my physical health has had on my emotional well-being, and vice versa.”

According to Hong Kong-based psychologist Dr Adrian Low, when we’re physically healthy and free of illness, we’re more likely to feel good about ourselves.

We also have a lower risk of developing depression and anxiety, tend to feel more hopeful about the future, enjoy being around others, and are better able to manage stress and negative emotions.

“Conversely, when we suffer from poor mental health, we’re less motivated to make positive lifestyle changes, get routine health checks or seek medical help. People with anxiety and depression also tend to suffer from headaches, fatigue and digestive issues,” Low says.

“If not addressed, poor mental health may weaken your immune system. It’s also a risk factor for conditions like heart disease, obesity and high blood pressure.”

Low adds that taking control of your physical and mental well-being starts with adopting healthy lifestyle habits.

Exercising regularly is also important – it improves your mood and is a great way to relax.

The not-quite alcoholic who ran away from the bottle after 40 years

Whether you’re trying to improve your physical or mental health, Jonsson also recommends getting help, especially when you feel stuck and find it hard to move forward or implement changes.

“It’s easy to get caught up in that cycle, where you can’t seem to take charge of your physical health and your mental health suffers because of it, or where you’re so emotionally beaten that you stop caring about your physical health.

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“My life is so different now compared to a few years ago. I’m living proof that committing to a healthier lifestyle can transform your emotional state.”