Are you one of these people who stopped drinking forever and writes about it on the 'What one small change improved your life' threads?

[ferriswheel]

Just that. I'm really thinking of never drinking again. There are the obvious reasons but I'm thinking ahead to all the things I want to achieve in the next couple of years and think a t total headspace would be a better way forward. But the idea of never enjoying a glass of prosseco again seems a bit far fetched.

Anyway, a few threads over the last few months posters have said it was the best thing they ever did. Can you inspire and motivate me by explaining a bit more about it please?

I don't drink any more, due to medical reasons (epilepsy)

I don't miss it because I was diagnosed in my early 30s, by which time my life was in a different place to my wild and crazy 20s. If I'd been diagnosed then, I would have felt VERY left out, as my friends and I had rather, shall we say, hedonistic weekends

I will have an occasional drink (eg at a wedding I had a glass of fizz in the pre meal drinks bit, and made that last a long time, mainly just to have something to hold!).

But mostly I don't miss it because drinking isn't a massive part of my life now anyway - my friends all have kids, and DH and I stopped drinking entirely during 2 years of non stop fertility treatment, so we v much got used to it.

I drink a LOT of sparkling water - tonic water on its own is undisguishable from a g&t or v&t (and it's harder to drink as quickly as you might a half of soft drink).

If you really want something that's properly booze-ish but non alcoholic then Seedlip is supposed to be quite the thing, as a PP has said

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/sep/10/non-alcoholic-spirits-adult-cocktail-booze-free

I don't miss hangovers at all, that is a massive, massive plus

I will still buy a round because I don't want to be a stick in the mud just because I'm drinking soft drinks, but that's personal choice

Good luck!

I stopped drinking about 10 years ago (which made me look especially odd as I was quite young ). I did it for a variety of reasons (drank a lot, addiction in the family etc). I like the fact that I can go for great meals out and it’s never anywhere near as expensive as it is for people buying several bottles of wine, I usually get water with a meal and just enjoy the food. If I want a drink for any other reason (ie not water) I do like soft drinks, but you can also get nice cordials in a lot of places with sparkling water which is very refreshing.

I am now an ‘almost never’ drinker. I have the equivalent of about 1-2 glasses a year. To be honest I tend to forget if I have a glass of something as it is so unfamiliar for me now, I’ll put it down and lose it!

I can’t remember well what it’s like to be a regular drinker, but I like never being drunk and never being hungover, and I like relaxing, chatting etc without being tipsy or dizzy. There are probably regular drinkers who feel the same, I guess, but it wasn’t something I achieved without stopping drinking.

Over the last year or so I've found I can't tolerate alcohol in the way I used to when I was younger, so consequently I don't really drink. I'll have the occasional glass of wine (maybe once or twice a month) but I don't really enjoy it as if makes me feel light headed and sleepy (yes, after half a glass! Ffs!)

If I go out with friends, again maybe once or twice a month, I either drive or I'll have a couple of gins, which don't seem to have the same effect as wine.

I like not drinking in that it means I don't get hangovers and don't waste weekends laying in bed. But I wouldn't describe myself as a non drinker and don't say to people "I don't drink" as I think this can make them feel uncomfortable and like I'm judging their drinking!

It’s good to get a handle on your drink and to control it rather than it controlling you. Even as a non problem drinker you can sleepwalk into drinking fairly regularly and it’s not good for you. I enjoy a dry month or two every now and then in between times I’ll have phases of drinking a few glasses of wine every weekend. I notice the difference and have more energy when I’ve been dry for a couple of months even compared with only drinking a few glasses each weekend (not huge or abnormal amounts). Alcoholic drinks are lovely and I enjoy a nice glass of wine or champagne but pretty toxic for the body really so I do like to have extended periods with no booze at all and find it fairly easy to do.