Posters don’t drink alcohol

[HannaYeah]

What is it like?

Did you ever drink?

Would love to hear from all perspectives; people that never did, only do very occasionally, used to drink but quit.

I used to drink heavily on nights out, a couple of times a week - I like to think it didn't affect my work or parenting too much, both were reasonably successful. Never drank at home unless hosting dinner.

It used to make me more confident but I have no confidence issues now. Also rather a people pleaser and would drink what I was given; now I can just put it down in front of me.

Post menopause I get a thick head after two so I just prefer tea - and many pubs sell tea, nowadays. Still have the odd glass of wine to conform when needs must.

I just think - all those empty calories - I'd rather have chocolate!

I used to drink what I'd say was normally; got pregnant and gave up completely. After dc was born I found I'd developed an intolerance to it, and now it makes me feel absolutely dreadful if I have more than a thimbleful. So I don't bother any more.

@mudpiemaker

That 3 day “hangover” has happened to me a few times lately also. I know how to avoid it (for me it’s additives in the wine in the US, so if I only drink wine from countries that don’t allow additives, I don’t have any issue). but then I think maybe it’s just a good reason to avoid drinking altogether.

Used to drink socially teens to 50s. Lots of hangovers, but enjoyed drinking. Then menopause. Drinking gives me hot sweats, banging heads, reflux.Dh has never drunk much in the house and not one for pubs And clubs anymore. I can manage maybe a glass of wine or a spirit every few weeks, but it’s for the flavour not the buzz.

Very rarely drink. I wouldn’t care if I never had another alcoholic drink again. I have no interest in it, nor being around drunks.

My mother became an alcoholic in my early twenties and died by time I was 25

Absolutely no way on earth am I subjecting my children to that

I brought up being taught drinking was bad (Methodist), but I have no moral issue about it now. I have drunk it on occasion but I don't like the burning feel as it goes down your throat and don't enjoy the bitter taste. Most of all, being drunk feels like poisoning symptoms (because, of course, that's what it is) rather than pleasurable relaxation, and I don't want to feel that I'm not controlling my own decisions.

I'm early 30s. Drank a lot in my early 20s, mostly for social approval and to enjoy nights out. Since about 27 I rarely drink.

At 31 I drink... once a month? Possibly less? I don't miss it, though I find sometimes other people clearly wish I'd drink more.

Why? I don't really enjoy the taste of most alcohol (only exceptions are really high quality gins and rose wine) and prefer most soft drinks to alcohol. Also do not like the feeling of being drunk and definitely not of being hungover! Possibly a bit of a control freak as I don't like the out of control feeling. I think my hobbies also impact on drinking - I'd prefer to be up bright and early to run or hike. We also almost never drink in the house, never got into the habit of it.

I tried sometimes younger but hate the taste of anything with alcohol in let alone an actual alcoholic drink. If I liked it I imagine I would be drinking now in this lockdown situation

I don’t NOT not drink but I don’t really drink. I’ve had 2 glasses of wine since lockdown began when we had 2 BBQs and I couldn’t be bothered to finish either 😂.

I definitely don’t want hangovers the next day, I don’t want DS to miss out on things because I’m too ‘ill’ to get out of bed.

DH isn’t a massive drinker either and I don’t ever drink beer which seems to be what a lot of our friends drink, even women, so I’ll be drinking something different to everyone else whether it’s alcohol or not!

If I do have a drink, it’ll be a flavoured gin with plenty of lemonade.

I used to drink regularly and used to be friends with people who would go out to drink frequently until 8 months ago when I was assaulted by a friend's husband at a party. The problem was everyone was so pissed they didn't recall it happening or me telling them about at the time. Ironically, I wasn't drinking much that night at all so remember every single detail, but I have not touched a drop since. The blinkers have been lifted. Alcohol can make people change, do things and say things they should not do.

I drank loads as a student, I'd drink a bottle of vodka before we went out. But as I've got older I just cant handle it, I get such severe hang overs now from a couple of drinks that I think I've developed a bit of an intolerance. I don't miss it at all as I've grown out of clubbing and bars etc.

I am allergic to alcohol (Asian flush!). I get drunk after 1 pint of beer, can just about manage 1 pint of cider (which I enjoy) without fainting , throwing up and turning red as a beetroot. During christmas parties, I manage tiny quick sips so I don't drink too quickly. Often I cant quite make 1 drink last 4 hours so I end up pouring drinks into pot plants.

I hardly ever drink but I do have a few favorite drinks- pimms, rekordelig cider, old mount cider, kopparberg (alcohol free and with alchohol). I do enjoy a pint now and again, and my alcohol tolerance is such that i can enjoy a pint of those drinks without any after effects. Though in honesty, I probably would be happy going teetotal. My DH is a whiskey connoisseur and has bottles of £30-100 whiskey lying around which I don't drink so I guess its great for him.

I do dislike the drinking culture in the UK though.

I’ve never been a big drinker, only drink to get drunk, not because I ever fancy a drink? I’ve never drank at home, I don’t even have alcohol in the house. Now I’m a single parent, I don’t get to go out anymore, so probably drink once or twice a year?

DP hasn't had a drink for 25 years (and that was only a mouthful for a toast at a wedding). He got pulled over for a random breath test one Christmas and, when asked when he last had a drink, replied "1995." The policeman thought he was taking the pee till the result was clear.

don't like the taste so it isn't hard not to drink alcohol. Alternatives in pubs (remember those?) have got much better over the last 15 years.

still possible to have lots of fun.

I used to drink a lot in my early 20s. Stopped completely with first pregnancy and bf. Was never a huge drinker after that. On Warfarin now and on a higher dose than most people would be as I had two DVTs. Had two glasses of red wine on Easter Sunday and it made my Warfarin reading too high! I would only drink at Christmas and other bank Holidays and would have just one glass of wine or a small Baileys. It's too dangerous for me plus I have bad osteoporosis too.

I used to drink moderately. Enjoyed it very much but about 25 years ago I noticed that I was getting very ill on a very small amount of alcohol.
So I just stopped. Obviously I had developed some sort of alcohol intolerance. And I haven't knowingly drunk any alcohol since.
I say knowingly because although I always check everything, particularly desserts as they are the worst things for hidden alcohol, people do sometimes think non alcoholic means just a bit of alcohol 🙄
I know within a few minutes as my chest and face turn red, my sinuses close up and I feel nauseous.
So, I check everything very very carefully.

However people do forget and we often get given bottles of alcohol and alcoholic chocolates as gifts. I just say thank you very much and pass them on at a later date as my husband doesn't drink either (health reasons)

I do wish there wasn't a need to shove gin or prosecco in everything though and that there was a better choice of non alcoholic reasonably priced drinks in bars and restaurants.

I used to drink when I was younger but never really enjoyed it. I just drank when I was out because it was the expected thing. Then when I fell pg with dd1 I had a train not to drink and I've been blaming her, dd2 and driving for my not drinking ever since.

I just don't like how it makes me feel. I like to be in control of myself and I feel a bit anxious when I start to get tipsy, so I don't. I drink soft drinks when I go out now, which is fine, and I'm happier than when I used to drink.

What do they add to wine in the US? I have never seen American wine on the shelves.

I used to drink a lot when I was younger. I drank to fit in and be like everyone else. I never liked the taste so I drank quickly meaning I got drunk quickly. I only ever drank when out. Now I don’t drink because I don’t like it. I say no because I’m not trying to fit in anymore. I’ll sometimes have a cocktail but the last time I drank was July and I had 2 cocktails.

Drank so much in my youth and early twenties.
I drink very occasionally now, because I'm diabetic and it makes me sick if I have more than a bit.
I'd rather have a bit of weed tbh.
I don't mind others drinking and would join in if I thought I'd enjoy it and not be ill.

Never was a big drinker and somewhere in the dim and distant past, I just quietly gave it up altogether.

These days it's just 'the blood of Christ', although sadly there hasn't been any of that recently

I have plenty of other vices, though ..... hence the blood of Christ

confused I have never seen American wine on the shelves.

Seriously?!

You’ve never seen Californian wine? They sell it in every major supermarket near me.