How much do you drink?

[hairbearbaby]

Exactly that really.

I'm curious after seeing lots of people who are currently doing dry January as a challenge and actively struggling with it.

I definitely drank and partied in my 20s but now I'm older I very rarely drink, and will enjoy a 0% drink or mocktail rather than an alcoholic one. I'll sometimes (every couple of months) have a drink when out for dinner or when on holiday.

I understand everyone's lifestyles are different of course and wanted to hear people's stories and what happens in your worlds?

Sorry posted too soon. I wanted to add that I do toy with the idea of completely abstaining, but I don't know really if there are any benefits to that for someone who drinks little anyway? Any thoughts?

No, I don’t think there’s much point abstaining if you drink very little, I think a glass of champagne at a wedding/party or a beer watching the sunset is one of life’s pleasures, why deny yourself if its so occasionally.

I was classic binge drinker in my 20’s but never drank at home.
Kids at 30, so couldn’t go out much and got into the habit of drinking wine in the evenings, much more than the recommended limits, could easily sink a bottle and feel completely sober - not good!
40’s perimenopause struck and now have no tolerance at all, so pretty much teetotal. I do enjoy AF beer and wine though, it’s nice to have an adult drink in a nice glass!

I am similar to you. I probably don't even drink once a month. I will drink on a night out, but I don't have them that often. Although I do also have nights out where I don't drink. Recently been to the theatre and had to drive so no drinking, going to to a night of dancing this weekend and won't drink there either. I enjoy a drink when out, but can just as much enjoy myself without.

I have never really drank at home, unless we have people round.

My parents are very much the drink at home every evening generation, whereas I was definitely the classic party girl binge drinking era.

I wonder if the drink at home generation is slowly fading out?

Same as you really. Although once a year I binge drink and the rest of the time I don't really drink at all
Haven't had a drink since Dec 2022. Never appeals in winter but sometimes I have a cold cider at home in summer

I don’t drink often (probably once a month) but I tend to go overboard when I do 😂
Last had booze on NYE and don’t plan on drinking again for a while. Quite happy socialising without it and even happier to be able to drive home when I’m ready.
I don’t do dry January, I’m not purposefully avoiding drink, if I fancied a drink tonight I’d have one.
And actually when I’m on holiday I’ll drink every day (but not excessively) so definitely more than once a month! Because also when it’s roasting hot outside I’ll have a beer in the garden when I’m finished work.

Drank alot when younger but nowadays it's once a year the DH looks after toddler whilst I enjoy a nice bottle of single malt scotch 😊 the small one as I couldn't handle the bigger ones anymore 😆🤣

I've never drank alot, if I'm honest I think I have some sort of intolerance to it. I will feel more than tipsy from a small glass of wine, and then pretty much pass out and be a right off until the next day! I'd love to have a nice glass of wine with dinner, but unless I water it down and add 100 ice cubes, I just can't do it! Very occasionally I'll have a night out, and drink way more than I can handle and regret it for weeks. I haven't drank anything since before Xmas, it just hasn't crossed my mind... Too knackered to purposely make myself feel more knackered, which is what alcohol seems to do to me! Alot of my mum friends drink alot, some attempting dry January, by last year alot of them struggled and caved way before the end of the month! They all have partners that drink most evenings too, so I guess there's the social aspect of it. My DH doesn't drink much either, will have a beer or two at the weekend, and drinks on work nights out, but we definitely wouldn't sit down and get drunk together on an evening. I do feel a bit envious about not being able to have a regular nice glass of wine and chill out, but maybe it's a good thing in hindsight. I do think I have an addictive personality, so probably good that I avoid alcohol most of the time, as I can see how it can easily become a habit and a daily "need" for some.

Very, very rarely - since early December I have had one glass of dark rum and one glass of red wine, but I am probably not the best person to ask - although not teatotal, I am incredibly wary and cautious around alcohol and those for whom it forms an important part of their life. Alcohol stole my mum, (and by default, my childhood), and a former partner was a secret drinker until the day she ended up in ICU on a drip and nearly died as a result of pancreatitis, brought on by alcohol misuse.

As a result, I am, I admit, slightly biased and prejudiced about putting this mood altering, mind bending toxic recreational drug into my body

Nothing. Teetotal for 15 years. Lots of ggod na wines, beers, spirits and cocktails available these days.

I don't drink anymore, but I used to have a serious problem with alcohol (over 100 units a week). To answer your question, it's a mixed bag. There are people like you who rarely drink. And there are people who drink quite a lot more than is healthy and would struggle to go a month without alcohol, even when they appear to be 'normal drinkers'.

The drink at home culture is very much still in full swing - as evidenced by how drinking changed especially during lockdown. Many people I know were drinking during the day, while working, while home schooling, during lockdowns. Particularly people who are not young, have family responsibilities, need to be at home and have few opportunities to go out. They are drinking at home while cooking dinner. Or after the kids go to bed. Or having a bottle of prosecco while they start Sunday lunch.

You would be amazed at how much people drink when they don't appear to. They may meet friends for a glass of wine or two, but actually they've had 1-2 before they left home, and they'll go home at 7pm to start bedtime for the kids and open another bottle. But people don't talk about it.

I do a lot of peer support around problem drinking, and I very rarely see someone (like myself) who I'd class as an 'alcoholic'. Most of the people (mostly women) who I see are classic binge drinkers, whose drinking seeps into the week. They aren't drinking in the morning. They aren't getting arrested for drink driving. But they are drinking a lot more than their family and friends realise, because it's happening at home in a glass here, a glass there. And they are drinking most days. For them, going a whole month without alcohol is a real struggle, yes.

People don't talk about it though because there is a lot of shame, especially amongst women. I think you can see that in this thread already - everyone who has responded has said they don't drink or very rarely, me included. When I was drinking, I never would have come on a thread like this to tell you how many bottles of wine I was drinking in a day, because it was too awful to admit.

One of my friends keeps posting her weight loss on Facebook, and which she is saying is down to dry January. It's day 11 and she's 5lb down. I'm doing dry January, and I've lost nothing. So I can only assume she's one of these people who drink every day, whereas I don't. I only drink if we go out, which is perhaps every other Saturday or Sunday afternoon, dependant on what we have on. I'm therefore wondering if there are only benefits to those who drink daily.

I do dry Jan and don't find it very hard. I do it to reset, to get energy at night during the hibernation part of the year and because having a drink is very habitual in our house - we have one every night and I like to break that habit.

Typically I drink one small (125ml) glass of wine every night. Sometimes 2. If I have 3 or more glasses at a party, I instinctively want a night off next day. Sometimes I work away from home and rarely drink then, except at client dinners, so I probably have about 6-7 completely alcohol free weeks each year.

2/3 glasses of wine if we go out for a dinner date once a month ish or special occasion like weddings birthdays etc.

Maybe one in an evening every other week?

I think more people are functioning alcoholics than they care to admit.

Probably a bottle/bottle and a half of wine over the weekend. I never drink during the week but will have 2 or 3 glasses on a Friday and Saturday. Maybe a glass of red if I have a roast on a Sunday too.

I don’t drink at all at the moment because I’m breastfeeding. I was never a big drinker anyway. I used to have one or two on a special occasion, maybe once every few months. I’m only 25 but I’ve just never been into drinking and partying. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with it, it’s just not my thing.

I don't drink.

Used to occasionally in late teens/early twenties when I had the odd night out (once every few months if that) Never drunk at home though and now don't drink at all ever because I just don't like the taste of any alcoholic drinks.

I don't judge people who do though, my vice is smoking.