I stopped drinking alcohol some years ago. Before that I hardly consumed any alcohol at all for many years, but in my college years and maybe some years after that, I drank socially like “everybody else”. But I gradually kind of got tired of dealing with the bad feelings (physical and emotional), so I drank less and less.
And maybe because I drank less and less, even one beer often just made me feel kind of bad, so then I just stopped altogether. Anyway, I’m curious if this has happened to anyone else? And how do you go by it socially? What do you order at a bar? Maybe I’m a little afraid to go to places that has an “alcohol culture”, even if there are some places I would like to go. I don’t want to drink, but at the same time I don’t want to appear weird about it either.
With all the health implications of alcohol that’s not a bad problem to have. Might be worth remembering that any time you do go somewhere that’s heavily “alcohol culture” there’s a lot of people there wishing they were you.
I don’t drink nearly as much as I used to. Not that I ever did a lot anyway. But after having my child I noticed drinking made me way more impatient instead of relaxing me. Now I really only drink when my wife and I go on a date. I do partake in a good THC gummy fairly frequently now though. They are quick and easy to make you feel good and I don’t get that impatience from it. But I normally take it after my child goes to bed anyway. Helps me sleep and doesn’t make me feel bad the next day.
I don’t drink any more for the same reasons. There’s plenty of people who don’t drink at all due to whatever choices like religion, health, etc.
If people ask I just say “nah I don’t drink because of health complications” 99.9% of people don’t push any further. I just order water or a soda if I’m feeling it. What im drinking isn’t anyone’s concern.
The weird part is thinking you’re appearing weird. Literally noone cares. Go have fun.
Yeah, I think this is how it is. I think I’m appearing weird even though people probably cares less than I think. I guess it is why I wrote this question. I’d like to know how people got over this phase and stopped worrying. Blaming health complications feels somehow dramatic… but maybe I’ll use that one if someone really pushes and it’s half true in my case anyway.
I tapered right off and didn’t drink anything for about two years. Covid lockdowns and everything being closed made me romanticise the idea of going to a pub and having a nice cold beer. Once I was able to again it was glorious.
Now I drink occasionally but it’s mainly either one or two with a meal or socially. Importantly I drink when I want to and I don’t want to - I won’t.
When I wasn’t drinking, I didn’t really have any issues. Most of my friends don’t drink much which helps. Soft drink or alcohol free beer are good options. Or water. Or coffee. Whatever. I once ordered a cup of tea while everyone else was drinking alcohol. It was great.
It helps if you’ve got a driving purpose for not drinking. Mine was weight loss. Drinking was counter-productive to weight loss so it seemed like a backwards option.
The number of times I think “A drink sounds good” is zero, and always has been. It doesn’t relax me or reduce my inhibitions. My wife likes to drink though, and it does those things for her. She definitely enjoys it more when I drink with her, so I do sometimes. I actually kind of enjoy the taste of a good tequila, but would pretty much always prefer a good root beer.
So I drink as much as ever, but if I lived alone it would be pretty much never.
This is so interesting. I’m not in a relationship now, but if I was and my partner would like to drink, what would I do? I don’t know. I don’t really want to rule out potential partners if they enjoy some drinking. So did me being alone this time make me go from one beer to zero, or would I have gone to zero anyway.
Yeah, I for sure understand. And to be clear, there’s zero peer pressure for me, it’s just I know it enhances her enjoyment. And it’s not really much of a negative. I mean, if I drink too much I get the swimmy head and stuff, but I just stop short of that.
I sort of envy people who get the buzz, relaxation, reduced inhibitions, and whatever. I just don’t.
