What’s the deal with not liking a drink?

[Shootingstar1115]

Hi all. I’m a 27 year old Mother of two who hadn’t had a drink in a few years. A variety of reasons why, not liking the taste, not liking the effect, not liking hangovers and also some of my relatives have or have had massive drink problems. I seen a lot of shit in my childhood caused by alcohol and it put me off. I also live in the middle of nowhere and taxis are expensive. I don’t have a problem with others drinking in moderation of course.

Every time I mention that I don’t drink. People seem shocked like I’m such an outsider. Oh go on have a drink you will be the odd one out. But it really doesn’t bother me that I don’t drink nor will I give in to peer pressure.

On a hen do recently and they are all shocked I won’t be drinking on the wedding day. I have to drive home anyway so I couldn’t if I wanted to.

Does anyone else feel that you are kinda left out because you don’t drink??

@sobercuriouskind

Well done, it's a big achievement, for all the reasons mentioned.

Not sure if I'll ever go teetotal but I find myself offering to drive more and more so that there's no pressure on me to drink. Still have a few G&Ts on a night in though.

I just can't be bothered with the hangovers, especially in the summer when I'd rather be out hiking.

Good luck!

I don't drink either. Ive tried it a few times but I just don't enjoy it. My parents were both alcoholics and I never felt inclined to join in.

@bluebluezoo

Yeah, I'd assume it meant drinks of all kinds, not just alcoholic ones. I'd assume it was quite an informal gathering of friends getting together to chat. Wouldn't expect much food though.

Definately.

I have no real friends and a big reason I think is because nights outs/social gatherings are geared towards drink and I don't typically drink, certainly not to drunkenness. I might have one, maybe two but generally I'm on the soft drink.

I think the attitude to alcohol in this country is seriously unhealthy and dangerous tbh.
It's viewed as vital to having a good time, vital to recovering from a bad time and an absolute necessity in pretty much any social gathering.

I will never forget on my dads funeral my FIL asking me what I wanted to drink and I said I didn't want one (partly because I don't drink but mostly because I thought it a bit offensive to his passing to be drinking) but I ended up with one anyway because he wouldn't take no for an answer and I didn't want to argue.
To this day I still feel really annoyed about it.

@Bubblemama

I don't drink either. Ive tried it a few times but I just don't enjoy it. My parents were both alcoholics

I grew up with an alcoholic parent too. I think a lot of people who enjoy drinking associate it with having fun but I associate it with misery.

It NEVER bothers me what others think of the fact that I don't drink... I had one friend who KEPT asking me "don't you feel better when you have a drink" - ermmm NO... Absolutely fine without alcohol - it's a toxin But each to their own...

I think the attitude to alcohol in this country is seriously unhealthy and dangerous tbh

It always amazes me how many MC families teach their children to drink.

Dd was thought of as an oddity and I was warned that not teaching her to drink would lead to her going loopy at 18 and she would be in a pub drinking it dry.

Dd has never drunk. Her bf and his family are not drinkers. Alcohol doesn’t feature in their lives.

Regularly Dd mentions that someone that she knows is in hospital with alcohol poisoning or has fallen over drunk and had an injury.
At least 3 have supposedly had their drinks spiked or just drank so much that they couldn’t be roused

It is frightening.

I think a lot of parents want their children to drink because it keeps them company.

I don’t drink much at all, due to many of the reasons you list. I do like the taste of certain drinks with certain foods for example, but we’re talking a small glass of red and then I’m done. I’d say 2 drinks is my maximum. I get terrible migraines and I hate feeling woozy after a drink.
Many people think I’m strange for not really going for it with alcohol but you just have to own it and do not be ashamed of your reasons. It’s tedious I agree.
I have a friend who drinks less than me and to ‘fit in’ she orders expensive cocktails and then just doesn’t drink them. That’s worse imo and such a waste of money. If you want water, order water. Don’t feel Pressured!

I don’t drink at all, haven’t for over 20 years when I think about it.

Loads of reasons.

I couldn’t give a fiddlers fart what people think about that and I never explain myself either, ever. It’s a “no” and that is that as far as I’m concerned.
But then I’m a gobshite and a tad bolshy so it’s really never a talking point.

I am a drinker and I can't understand why someone would pressure a non drinker into drinking!
It's really rude imho.

I also don't drink. My friends are all accepting of it but I met some new people at the weekend who were incredulous and kept trying to convince me to have a vodka even though I was driving. I found it a bit upsetting, tbh.

I agree. People tend to think I am weird when I say I am teetotal, but I don't like the taste of alcohol I've tried and I'm really not bothered enough to persevere (wine tastes like vinegar to me - and I hate vinegar). I used to drink tiny amounts of alcohol when younger - as you do, but when I say to people I have never been drunk in my life THAT shocks them. Why?

I’ve spent the last 4 years either pregnant or co-sleeping with at least one child, so drinking has been a very rare occurrence for me.
I do enjoy a nice flavoured gin, but can count on one hand how many times a year I have alcohol.
DH is completely teetotal. He doesn’t like the taste of most alcoholic drinks, and he has an extremely low alcohol tolerance which results in him becoming an absolute liability even after a couple of drinks - so he just doesn’t bother. He works in a very “macho” environment where alcohol is a big part of social events and he’s always treated like some kind of weird anomaly because he doesn’t drink The way he sees it: why spend £15 on a few drinks that he won’t enjoy drinking, and will then spend the rest of the evening vomiting and making a complete tot out of himself?!

In my mid-60s, having lived in both the UK and Australia, I've have yet to encounter anyone who urged me to have an alcoholic drink when I didn't want one, seen others enjoined to quaff when they didn't want to or heard of such exhortations spoken of in RL.

Possibly a generational thing.

I am a very occasional drinker, and often come across people who just cannot believe that I never have a drink at home in the evening, nor every weekend. I just don't feel the need! I like a glass of wine at an occasion, a wedding etc but I couldn't physically cope with a drink every day! I don't even like it that much!

I enjoy a drink but have never thought it odd or out of the ordinary if someone else doesn't drink.

'Would you like a glass of wine?'
'No thanks. I don't drink'
'Fine. Would you like X, X, or X instead?'

Although I get a lot of incredulous looks and 'really?!'when I tell people I don't drink tea or coffee.

I do enjoy drinking but have lots of friends who hardly drink, or don't drink at all. I don't think I have ever asked them why - that would be weird.

Never commented to them or anyone else either. All I do is make sure they don't go in a round with me as not fair to pay for wine etc