Are there any positives to boozing?

[EnchantedAutumn]

Do you think?
I have recently been through a great amount of stress and have noticed that my consumption increased. Every 2/3 days or so, not surpassing weekly units thankfully, but enough to make me feel crap personally if not physically.

Up until the pandemic I didn't really drink at all for over 15 years and never thought about it.

I wondered recently why bother? But I couldn't find a convincing reason for doing it, which surprised me. I could quite happily put it aside thankfully, and might do so, but I am interested in how other people feel about this, like why do you do it, what is the attraction?
Do you find it relaxes you? (I don't ultimately). There was this luxurious sense of 'winding down' initially, but it is so very short lived. It can also wake you up a bit if you feel tired, but that's it, i can't think of any other plus points.

If you don't drink at all, then this doesn't really apply to you. I just can't currently get my head around why I got into it.

So yeh, just list the 'positive' you see in it.

I love the relaxed feeling it gives me ..... but then I don't sleep at night so it's not worth it.

I like the relaxed feeling and in my younger days I used to like the confidence it gave me.

It costs money
It’s full of empty calories
It’s a poison, your body puts other processes on hold to try get rid of it
It disrupts your sleep
It makes your skin look shite.

Other than that it’s fantastic.

I have GAD, and when I have a few drinks it means a few hours of respite from the constant gnawing physical sensations and mental dread.

Surely the fundamental attraction of alcohol is that it's a disinhibitor? So for anyone feeling, well, inhibited in any way - socially, sexually, creatively, artistically - it's a useful, if limited, aid.

I don't know if relax is the right word, it gives me a warm buzzy feeling, a bit more zen. Nice feeling after a stressful day.For me it's simply a low-level pleasant thing to do, akin to having a relaxing bath or buying myself a new nail varnish. Also just to reverse your argument - I don't see any negatives. I don't drink enough for it to have an effect on my physical health and it only has a positive effect on my mental health, it doesn't make me feel like crap or affect my sleep.

I don't drink very often btw - maybe a couple of times a month. And when I do it's only a glass or two. So it's not in any way a problem for me.

It does give me a break from my crushing life worries and tormenting anxiety. That said I would be fine if they made it illegal. It’s a kind of false help as I feel more anxious and overwhelmed in the morning if I drink. I really have no idea why I drink actually. It represents an escape from the world for a bit? Societal expectation? Don’t know.

I experience shortened sleep too if i drink.
Always a bit too tired too, so do much less yoga and stuff that actually 'does' calm me.

I have been through some severe stress though this year and I think at the outset it felt like a nice distraction, but I came to see it as an illusion/lie instead.

I think it depends how much and how often you drink.

I only drink a couple of times a month because DP's on a perpetual unsuccessful weight-loss mission. And when I do drink, I'll only have two or three.

That feeling on a Saturday night when me and DP sit down in our PJs with a wine and a bowl of snacks ready to watch our favourite TV is the absolute pinnacle of happiness for me. It's like nothing else exists in the world and all my worries or concerns just melt away. I've tried it with alcohol-free drinks and its not the same.

Outside of that, no, alcohol is definitely not worth it.

That feeling on a Saturday night when me and DP sit down in our PJs with a wine and a bowl of snacks ready to watch our favourite TV is the absolute pinnacle of happiness for me

This is sweet, with or without the wine

I enjoy it. It relaxes me.

I'm sure other things could relax me too. But I like a drink. I'm not worried about my intake, I only drink 1-2 nights a week so I have no plans to quit.

I enjoy a wine or a beer. But (usually) don’t go crazy with it. I like the taste and the feeling of relaxation it gives me.
But it does disrupt my sleep if I have more than a couple.

I’m healthy in most ways so I think if I enjoy it and don’t overdo it why not let myself enjoy it. Luckily my partner is on the same page as me and also likes a couple of drinks but not to go crazy with it.

I guess I use it as a drug in terms of a substance that changes your body, on the odd occasion I go out a double southern comfort and coke relaxes me and lowers my natural uptightedness and I enjoy myself more. However because I rarely drink one is enough and then I move on to soft drinks.

Relaxation sees to have the top vote! I can see why. I think for me that particular aspect was short lived.

I hadn't bothered with alcohol for 15 years, then my mum suddenly passed away in 2020. Someone offered me a few glasses of wine just after I had found out, to ease the shock. It felt to pleasant, so soothing at the time. For me, I was never able to recreate that soothing feeling. But must have come to associate it with relaxation and calm. In reality it does not offer me those things though!

Red wine lowers blood sugar.

Everybody tells me when I’m drunk.
Nobody notices when I’m thirsty.

I sometimes think I should drink more! It makes me happier and more relaxed. It doesn't suit me late at night and I'm on the road a lot in evenings with kids training etc so I tend to not bother. I honestly think the deep seated stress I carry inside is more damaging long term than alcohol.

Alcohol can deeply exacerbate stress and anxiety though so maybe not the same for everyone.

Red wine over dinner with friends is fun and convivial, white wine or a g&t outside on a sunny day is glorious, stopping for a cocktail on holiday is fun. I am pregnant at the moment and I miss it!

I think its about finding what works for you.

For me, I find that 2-3 drinks is the perfect amount to relax me and make all my troubles feel like they've melted away.
If I have 4 or more drinks, I'll have trouble getting to sleep and often wake up in the middle of the night over-heating and with intrusive thoughts about things that make me anxious.

For other people, they may have anxiety with fewer drinks or may need more to get to the relaxed state.

I genuinely love the taste of good wine, and being tipsy with friends is fun

me too! Only 6 months to go...

I do like an ice cold beer at a country pub after a long walk. I think the sweet spot is no more than 2 ideally, for me. And not too often.

Drinking indoors in the evening can become problematic i think.