To ask if you don't drink, what are your reasons for not doing so?

[JustAskingForAFriend]

Chatting to a friend the other day and she was saying about a new wine shed tried and had I tried it. I said no, I don't particularly like wine or any alcohol for that matter.
She was like really? Why?
I said I just don't.
Then it got me thinking.
I used to drink.. A LOT. as a late teen early 20s. So to be honest I think it's the case of I feel like I've had 'my drinking days'. Coupled with the fact of a particular drink made me mega sick (. My fault for drinking more than I could handle lol) it put me off. So I think I've eliminated most drinks as th e thought makes me feel sick lol..
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Waking up the next day mortified about what I'd done or said the previous night. Days wasted in bed with hangovers. Kids seeing me being sick the morning after. Not being able to perform properly at work due to hangovers. Gave up two years ago and never looked back.

I went through a phase of drinking an awful lot. Especially after my first was born. Looking back I had PND but it got to the point where I couldn't envisage a weekend without alcohol - actually panicked at the thought of not being able to sink a couple of bottles of wine a night Fri and Sat. I felt I was on the way to having a problem so I stopped completely for a while and never really started up again. I do drink but it's usually just in December, on holiday and my birthday. I really enjoy alcohol, I love a good rich red wine or a smoky single malt. Since stopping and cutting back, I find I hate drinking culture, wine o'clock etc and I'm glad I'm not part of it.

Forgot to add, it got to the point where I had a Pavlovian sense of shame whenever I woke up after drinking, even though most of it was done at home, which was another reason I stopped. It took a long time for that to go.

even small amounts (like boozy chocolates) make me feel ill.
so I avoid it.

sometimes use a very small amount of wine in cooking.

All alcohol gives me a pounding headache within 10 minutes of drinking it. Even a couple of sips.
So annoying because I love red wine

I have a drink maybe 3/4 times a year. It will be just a glass or two of something. I just don't feel the need to do it regularly .Drank a bit more as youngster, and have been v v drunk , but it's just something I don't enjoy doing

I ocassionally do drink, I had a gin and tonic last night for example, and a glass of prosecco last Sunday with lunch. But otherwise I don't drink and it's because one of my parents is an alcoholic. It destroyed and ruined much of my childhood. As a consequence I choose not to drink and dislike being around drunk people.

My husband would drink more if he wasn't with me, but knows I dislike it and am secretly judgemental of people's drinking habits so he doesn't drink often.

I just don't see the appeal. Same reason why I don't ride motorcycles.

Growing up with an alcoholic parent was enough of a lesson for me about what alcohol can do without me needing to drink loads myself... I still suffer flashbacks of the awfulness of the shocking behaviour from DF, the passing out in the hallway, the vomiting all over the house - not a great advertisment for the joys of how alcohol can enhance your life.

I very occasionally have a small glass of wine (normally to be polite) but I don't particularly like it and am very happy not to drink at all.

Weight gain, general health - mother and sister had breast cancer, money, being the only adult in the house I have to be sober if a hospital run is necessary, seen too many offensive drunks and no desire to end up like them.

So I have one small glass of wine only on a Friday evening when out to eat.

I don't particularly like the taste of most alcoholic drinks other than a few cocktails. I really don't know how people can stomach wine when it tastes like vinegar to me. I used to drink to fit in but now I'm happy to just ask for a soft drink.

Gumbo I completely agree. In my experience having an alcoholic parent can go one of two ways- you either drink too heavily yourself or it puts you off for life. I guess it depends what kind of alcoholic you lived with too.

Like PPs have said, it makes me feel ill, pounding headache etc withing a few minutes of drinking anything alcoholic.

I just don’t like the taste of wine at all. Red wine is worse than white. I’ll drink a glass if I have to but I’d rather order a soft drink. I also don’t like the taste of spirits, give me a rose lemonade any day. And I get a headache with even the tiniest bit of alcohol, it’s really not worth it for me.

Mid teens I would get legless but after passing my driving test at 18, soon found out I could enjoy being out with friends sober and then drive home.

I drink occasionally, and have been drunk a couple of times in the last few years, its hit and miss if I have alcohol when out. for a few years I described myself as Tee total as just never fancied any kind of alcohol.
I have no idea why I don't 'drink' and can take it or leave it.

DH is recoverying alcoholic so has a very different relationship with alcohol.

Because I self medicated with it. Of course it made my mental health so much worse.

I also found once I started I couldn’t stop. So I guess that classes as an alcohol problem.

Early days (7 months now) and my life has changed for the better.

Xxxx

pawpatrol Interesting - I think you're right, although I also think it depends on the character of the child witnessing it... I avoid alcohol while my brother drinks way too much and has done since he was 15!

A few reasons.

Don't really like the taste
Struggle to drink large quantities of anything even tea/coffee soft drinks
Very put off by relatives with drink problems binge drinking disgusts me
Don't like hangovers
Don't like loss of inhibitions

I'm teetotal because drinking makes me too sluggish the next day even if I only have a very small amount, and I run my own business and struggle with mental health if I let any work build up - so I need to be on top mental form and often physical too

Alcohol detracts from my quality of sleep and I really need my sleep for the same reasons

Alcohol makes my snoring worse too and I wake with a sore throat

I also refuse to drink anything calorific, so alcohol is included in that. I need all my calories per day to be for FOOD (large appetite!)

Gumbo

I really think when you seen the damage that alcohol can do it can put you off for life.

I'm it teetotal, I will have a glass once in a blue moon to toast a wedding or something but I'm happy to never drink.

I was never amazingly struck on alcohol, although I did enjoy a beer or two. However, when I passed my driving test and got my first car, it occurred to me that I could have most drinks and then still drive whenever I wanted, but if I drank alcohol, I'd have my rip-off to insure car and my licence, but I would have voluntarily taken away my ability to safely use them for the rest of the day, however much I wanted to or needed to. I chose to stick to soft drinks and keep my full driving possibilities open to me - and have stayed like that ever since.

I used to drink a lot. I really like the taste of beer, white wine and gin and tonic. Can't drink red wine or fortified wine since having dc (gives me dreadful acid reflux). I sometimes toy with the idea of giving up totally, but tbh I don't drink much any more and never get hangovers even on the rare occasions I drink a bit more, so I've no real reason to give up totally.

Interesting how many people seem to have some kind of intolerance symptoms with alcohol after having children!

I relied on alcohol at most social occasions. Nearly always woke up with regrets about something I said or did. Also, I started having hangovers so bad it just wasn't worth it anymore.

I don't like the taste. I'd much rather drink lemonade/orange juice/something genuinely delicious.

My father was an alcoholic who died of cirrhosis.

I've never met anyone who becomes nicer or funnier when they've had a drink. It's usually quite the reverse.

I now have cancer and a baby, neither of which lend themselves to getting pissed.

I've been essentially teetotal most of my adult life. My experience is that people find the "don't like it" very difficult to understand, but will accept "alcoholic father" or "medication" as valid reasons for not being a drinker. Dead annoying really.

I never loved the taste, only would drink socially.
I was desperate to try anything in hopes of making my skin better so trialled giving up alcohol. Realised I didn’t miss it so never went back to drinking
Although no change in my skin