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Original poster

Any T totals here

41 replies

Monkeynuts57 · 27/05/2023 19:47

I am considering giving up drinking for good! I don’t have much anyway and don’t really enjoy it, makes me feel sick tied and dizzy even a little bit! I’ve not drank for a while anyway due to Ttc and pregnancy and breast feeding so probably close to 2 years in total. I don’t actually miss it or the awful depression that I used to have after the night out.
So I just wondered what people do if not drinking? Do you feel out of place in social events or pressured into drinking or just not bother with social events that involve alcohol?
do people treat you differently? And how do you find like minded people ,who also don’t drink alcohol?
I have a baby so nights out arnt really appealing to me anyway but my dh loves a drink and drinks most nights and weekend so I’d like to suggest other things that we could do and same with friends instead of nights out at the pub! I have so many friends that are heavy drinkers but I would also like to meet new friends and maybe new hobbies but don’t know where to start! I feel I have lost myself a bit

OP posts:
caughtinamess · 27/05/2023 21:18

Gave up 10 years ago. I'm in my 30s I don't miss that lifestyle at all.
I gave up before I had dc too. The smell of alcohol makes me heave now if I walk past a pub or whatever

MrsCarson · 27/05/2023 21:37

Over 35 years for me too. I usually just get a Lemonade. I honestly can't remember anyone trying to persuade me to drink ever.

Curlygirl06 · 27/05/2023 22:38

Haven't drunk for over 45 years I think. I think I drank more before I was old enough (those were the days!) than I've drink since I was 18. I don't like the taste, hate wine beer and spirits though I do like Baileys or
alcho-pops, probably because I can't taste the alcohol. I just tell people I don't like the taste of alcohol, never had a problem. I might have a Baileys every 10 years or so, I'm about 15 years since the last one!
I drink Coke, orange juice and lemonade,J2O, whatever, there's always something.

Babyflow · 27/05/2023 22:46

I drink once or twice a year because I think ‘oh hey maybe it won’t be as bad this time!’, then I have a mediocre night and wake up feeling half-dead and really depressed. I just don’t enjoy it like I did as a teenager, but then hardly anyone I know drinks so it’s probably much easier for me to avoid.

coodawoodashooda · 27/05/2023 22:56

I've given up this year. Don't miss it at all.

AtomicBlondeRose · 27/05/2023 23:00

I do drink alcohol but sometimes when I’m out I have a 0% beer - they taste practically the same now, you still get the “having a drink” feel from it but none of the ill effects. In fact when I do, I wonder why I ever have an alcoholic beer tbh. Wine is a different matter as I don’t like the non alcoholic ones but beers and ciders are great and wouldn’t make you stand out. Soft drinks are always too sweet for me and I drink them too fast!

waltzingparrot · 27/05/2023 23:02

I do find I'm one of the first to leave a function once they all get to the loud, silly stage. I'm in my 50s so no longer a clubbers anyway. Tbh, I prefer a lovely long lunch with friends where they just have a couple of glasses and then we all drink coffee.

Nat6999 · 27/05/2023 23:37

I haven't drunk since 2017, I was a binge drinker & was heading towards being dependent. It doesn't bother me, I have the odd glass of non alcoholic wine or lager, but mainly stick to pop or fizzy water. I don't think about drinking & never feel tempted.

MenoRageisReal · 27/05/2023 23:37

I very rarely drink these days as can't cope with hangovers. Live rurally so I'm the driver and no one ever has an issue, especially if they are not having to queue for ages then pay £££ for a taxi back from the main town.

We also do walks, daytime coffee, theatre trips, or just meet to chat about books, shows, celebs, life, in each other houses. Couple of my friends are in a running group, couple are in a "knit and natter" group and I volunteer twice a week with a charity. Lots to do!

Needmoresleepmorecoffee · 28/05/2023 02:01

I gave up drinking two years ago. However I had tried to cut back for probably about 3 years before that. The biggest factor in NOT being able to give up was being in social situations where people drank. After most people have had two drinks they are just not really pleasant to be around when you are stone cold sober. So for me it either meant avoiding those situations or drinking.

In the last 2.5 years I moved to a new area and now have a different friendship group where nobody really drinks. We certainly don't go out out.

Now I don't drink at all and have no desire to. I think it has helped me realise that most people have an unhealthy relationship with drinking.

If I'm being honest with you, I think it will be hard to give up drinking if your partner carries on drinking. There will always be alcohol in the house and there will always be social events that involve drinking. My partner gave up drinking at the same time so for us it has been easy as it's a mission we have gone on together.

It's hard if you and your partner are not on the same page. We were at the shops today and I said I didnt want to have any fizz as I'm already feeling very bloated (time of the month). My partner said 'well I can still get it you don't have to drink it'. Now I'm sat here having had three cans!

I feel much better not drinking as it is much much better for my mental health.

Remotecontrolatmyside · 28/05/2023 08:14

I drink maybe once a year. It's not something I'm at all bothered by. If I go out I just drink soft drinks. I don't care what anybody else says or thinks.

JustDanceAddict · 28/05/2023 08:20

I am atm due to health reasons but was barely drinking before then as it just wasn’t agreeing with me much prob due to peri, but I often got a rash after drinking wine so I know my body doesn’t metabolise it well.
So many options for soft-drinks, some places have non-alcohol nights (according to dd at uni as her flatmate went TT), there’s alcohol free beers etc.
I’ve missed it twice in 9 months or so. Once at Xmas and once I really fancied a wine when my friends were sharing a bottle.
Even if I go back to drinking again it’ll be v occasional.

fyn · 28/05/2023 08:26

I’m also basically a non drinker since I had children. I just don’t fancy it anymore, although I wasn’t a big drinker to start with! I did have a pimms a few weeks ago at a bbq which I enjoyed but usually I just have non alcoholic cocktails or juices at the pub, nobody says a thing!

scrantonelectriccity · 28/05/2023 08:36

I haven't had a drink in 3 years.

Always made me feel down, I could never handle/limit my drink so always got into a state and always felt extremely anxious the next day.

Now I just have mocktails/alcohol free cider/lemonade.

I don't see myself drinking again really. DH has been sober for 5 years

coodawoodashooda · 28/05/2023 15:16

AtomicBlondeRose · 27/05/2023 23:00

I do drink alcohol but sometimes when I’m out I have a 0% beer - they taste practically the same now, you still get the “having a drink” feel from it but none of the ill effects. In fact when I do, I wonder why I ever have an alcoholic beer tbh. Wine is a different matter as I don’t like the non alcoholic ones but beers and ciders are great and wouldn’t make you stand out. Soft drinks are always too sweet for me and I drink them too fast!

The non alcoholic wines are much improved. I like a 'wine' on a weekend evening. Can't think I'll ever go back to alcoholic wine though. Its just too good not having the hassle that go with booze.

UsingChangeofName · 28/05/2023 16:08

I'm not teetotal, but I sometimes don't drink when we go out. There are always people not drinking. It's very, very normal with people I socialise with (both regular socialising with closer friends, but also at bigger parties or events). Apart from anything else, the drivers are always not drinking.

The issue you have is my dh loves a drink and drinks most nights and weekend and I have so many friends that are heavy drinkers

I suspect you aren't going to convince any of them that you can have a decent social life without alcohol, so I suspect the best thing is for you to find yourself a hobby that involves you getting out and about regularly without drinking. You will then be meeting other people who realise you can have fun without drinking people under the table. What that is, is going to depend on what you like doing.

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