What about wasted alcohol?!

[GrumpyCowBag]

I know this is ridiculous….. every now and again I think I’m stopping drinking. I would say I might have a glass of wine most days, not every day. Often just one, maybe two. But when I go out with friends I drink a lot more and always feel like pants after.

Last night woke up in the middle of the night wit my heart racing, this has happened a few times now, and each time I think I should stop drinking.

Two things put me off… I have a load of (unopened) bottles of gin in the garage, and many many bottles of champagne. I don’t want to waste it…. I know this is ridiculous! Tell me how ridiculous this is please!

Are the bottles more valuable than your health? No.

get rid of it. Give it to friends. Bin it. Get it out the house

Give it away! I sometimes get given wine by clients. I don’t drink wine so I either keep it on my wine rack to serve to guests or I give it to someone else. (In your case, giving it away will be safer for you).

Just read back and realised I said two things… the other is that no one will want to be my friend anymore as I’m fun when drinking… again, I know this is ridiculous.

I’m not an alcoholic, I just am thinking more and more I would like to not drink.

Well you don’t have to be an alcoholic to want to control, cut down or even stop drinking altogether, so good for you for listening to your body and considering a healthy change.

I used to be a very enthusiastic drinker. A binge drinker. I was the life and soul of every party- definitely a fun drunk and entertaining to my friends (sadly for me this often resulted in throwing up at the end of the night or memory loss the next day, plus the most horrendous hangovers). About twelve years ago I realised I wanted to make a change and I did. I am not teetotal but I drink rarely. I like a few beers or ciders in the summer or on holiday. I don’t drink at home and I rarely go out to socialise. I haven’t had an alcoholic drink since early November on my husband’s birthday. I had two pints with a roast dinner in a pub and very nice it was too.

Some of my friends have taken a long time to adjust to me not being a boozer. One friend always offers me a glass of wine when I go round and every time I have to tell her I haven’t drunk wine for the last 12 years 😂 But most friends have adapted to it. Anyone that objected to it wouldn’t be a good friend.

I had to stop drinking for a few years and it did change the dynamic with the people I drank with. Instead, I changed how I socialised; dog walks, coffees, cinema, theatre. If you are not ready to do this - and it sounds like you are not quite there - just cut down. Only drink (not binge!) when you go out, or just at the weekend. And enjoy feeling better and losing a few pounds.

Thank you :) I think like you say I need to try and just have a bit more control and not binge drink. It sounds so easy!! I’ll be back next time posting something similar I’m sure!! I’m going out today and have decided I’m driving which will mean I won’t have a drink…. I think after last night my body needs a break!

I drink, but don’t want to drink too much these days. What I do is a) rarely drink at home or alone so try to avoid a habit of a glass of wine after dinner etc. If I do fancy one I have an elderflower and soda water instead b) when I go out with friends I drink but less than before- drink shandy instead of lager, low or no alcohol beers. Or I have a few then switch. Usually also get a pint of water to sip alongside to slow down my alcohol consumption

Kindly… You say you are not an alcoholic, but people without an issue with alcohol, do not worry about these things (wasting alcohol). Until we stop making excuses, the same behaviours continue.

If it's in the garage just leave it - it's a handy repository for gifts. Maybe you'll host people for something. Maybe you'll want toe occasional drink in the future. No need to overthink.

I used to worry about this too, and I do the same with food.

all I can say is drinking it for the sake of it is as much of a waste as not drinking it.

put it into financial perspective- it cost what, £20,25? Is it really that big of a deal to pour it down the sink or give it away?

telling you you are an alcoholic because you don’t want to waste ready brought booze is silly, but it does indicate an anxiety around change and maybe more specifically boozse.

I used to feel the same going to ie bottomless brunches or meals with friends- why am I wasting money splitting the bill, or money on kombucha or whatever AF alternatives were offfered. Then I noticed I have a few friends who will attend a bottomless brunch and drink 2 glasses of fizz then leave. That would’ve been highly wasteful to me, but to them it was the cost of socialising the way they wanted to.

I no longer drink- I can see that in my past there was a lot of problematic 90s/ 2000s binge drinking but for the last 10 years I can say it wasn’t objectively a problem. It was just something I gradually felt had more downsides than upsides. And that’s ok.

take some deep breaths, visualise what’s more important- not wasting that gym or never having a hangover, never feeling slow and groggy, never regretting conversations or actions under booze and so much more.

it’s up to you!

OP I was you for 15 years. Odd glass at home but being the party girl meant going out always resulted in drinking ridiculously. I wouldn’t say it was addiction (although everyone on MN will). I had enough of the hangovers. Now I don’t drink at home and when I go out I stick to singles/spritzers and when I start to feel a bit tipsy I just order soft drinks for the rest of the night. I have drank 3 times in the last year, zero hangovers, so clearly wasn’t an addiction just a hobby!

totally agree

I did this (sober curious) for my last year of drinking (haven’t drunk for 2 years) and it was quite transformative - it allowed me to focus on the real problem with booze. For me the ritual was shrouded in anxiety - waiting in the bar queue, watching how quickly everyone else drank, worrying about how to get home.

over time I realised there was a very simple solution to these anxieties

If it’s not an addiction, and having alcohol in the house isn’t a problem, then just keep it. Handy for when people come round, or take it as a gift when you go round somewhere. That’s what I do anyway. People give me wine as gifts and I don’t really drink so it’s in the house for when people who do drink come round. Obvs if having it around the house encourages you to drink, then maybe a habit is forming into something more worrying and you should get rid of it, and talk to someone.

I used to be an enthusiastic drinker, life and souls of the party, often making a tit of myself.

Perimenopause and Covid hit at the same time and alcohol increased my anxiety so I cut right back. Because there were no social engagements I didn’t really notice “losing” friends but when we did start socialising again I realised that most of the time I was drinking because I was bored. Parties with pissed people are truly boring unless you’re also pissed. I’m not actually an extrovert, I’m an introvert (a loud one, but definitely an
introvert).

I can’t keep ice cream in the house, I have to eat it and I used to be the same with booze but now I can take it or leave it. I might have a single glass of wine or one gin now.

Either give it away or especially if you are drinking far too much and are an, or think you might be an alcoholic/havealcoholusedisorder - there is no shame in admitting this, it shows strength to do so…… pour it away! Get rid immediately for the sake of your health x

@LoveSandbanks- our stories are very similar. I too realised that I was an introvert who had been using alcohol as a mask at social events. And yes, gatherings where everyone is pissed are mind-numbingly dull when you’re the only sober one. It turns out I really don’t like evening parties in pubs or function rooms. I just don’t go to those sort of gatherings any more 😂 If friends want to see me, they’ll have to make do with a walk and lunch, or tea and cake at a cafe. If they want an evening meet, I don’t mind a quiet pub and a small group, as long as nobody minds if I’m gone by 10pm latest.

Trust me you are NOT as fun as you think when you are drinking. Probably the opposite. Most people beyond 30 do not think being talked at and being asked to do “fun” drunk things is their definition of a good time.
Youll need to sit with sobriety a good while before you work it out.

Thank you all xxx

I gave up about 6 months ago. I’d sort of given up on the nights out anyway - switching to just lunch / tea out with friends, a walk or the cinema but I did have a lot of booze in the cupboard. Most of the spirits I’ve given to friends or taken to a house party (knowing it definitely won’t be going to waste!) whilst I’ve slipped off home when I’ve had enough of my AF beers. Wine has been donated as teacher gifts / to raffles and I regifted my Prosecco as part of Christmas presents this year

The money went when you bought them. You’re physical and mental health is worth more. Give them away or pour them
down the drain.

I think you need to try different social activities with friends. I often hill walk, paddle board, go to the cinema or meet friends for dinner( i drive so no temptation to drink). It literally makes no difference to my enjoyment of the activities but plenty to my health.