Anyone else feel their life is just better with booze?

[Towineornottowine]

I read those quit lit books about amazing women who have impressive careers and full on family life etc, and can totally see why their life is far better WITHOUT booze, especially when they are drinking quite a bit more than i do.

I don't have a career and having so much frustration with trying to get a visa (we are abroad) so can't even apply for anything. I can't have children and haven't fully accepted that loss yet. My mum is very ill at home. I haven't been able to make new friends here bc pandemic. I have a frozen shoulder and tbh sleep better on nights I drink.

I did dry january and keep between 2 to 4 nights alcohol free per week. However this is more booze than this time last year, and I like the idea of drinking less but then feel resentful I have nothing pleasurable at all, can anyone relate to this?

I love beer. I mean i really really love beer, all the different kinds of beer, the way they're made, the taste, everything. It's become a hobby, i even make my own (badly). But i also have some control with it. At the start of lockdown i was drinking every night. I then cut it down to Thursday-Sunday. Recently i had a 4 week break, and now I'm back drinking but not as much. Much like @JensonsAcolyte i now listen to my body when making a decision to drink. This can mean i don't drink when i did previously, maybe stop earlier than i did, but sometimes if it's going down well I'll have a bit more than i expected.

But i still love it

I think it really depends on your relationship with alcohol. Personally, I'm unable to enjoy 1-2 glasses of wine. If the bottle is open, I will finish it, then probably have a couple of gins afterwards - I don't have an 'off switch'. So for me, personally, I'm far better without it.

If you can enjoy 1-2 glasses of wine 2 or 3 nights a week, then there are recognised health benefits of a moderate alcohol intake.

Towineornottowine I can relate to how you feel.
I was teetotal until mid 30s.Gradually I started drinking spirits then wine never mire than 7 units a week so half the safe level.It became something to look forward to when df was seriously ill and then died.
I also have terrible anxiety at times so this was a crutch to feel better just for a while.
This yr I did a dry January and gave up for lent some thing I never thought I could do.
I have had a couple of units each month so slipped up.I mentally don't feel better but I did want to try and get healthier and reduce my cancer risks and not let my few drinks become a problem.
Why not just start by halving the amount you drink.It is definitely do able if you just take some small steps.
I agree get a hobby or learn something new to replace the space left by drinking.

I drink copious amounts of Prosecco Friday and Saturday. It’s one of the things I look forward to.

Booze might temporarily help and if you’re only drinking a low amount probably fine but if you’re drinking a lot to cope with life I’d say life will be better without booze. It’s hard to see that when you’re still drinking but take it from someone who could easily do a box of wine (4 bottles) every weekend. It took a serious health issue for me to stop and believe me my life is much better without it

I like wine but I also like exercise, I'm in pretty good nick

It’s not the only factor, but I don’t think you’ve said exactly how much you drink per week, @Towineornottowine?