To ask if anyone has quit alcohol recently?

[SGS1805]

I'm done with it.

I don't drink a lot I suppose, but I'm just done with it.

Every celebration, meet-up, weekend etc revolves around the stuff and my eyes have been opened to the insanity of it.

I'm really hoping my anxiety and depression are improved even slightly.

Anyone else?

YY to shutting up the constant tug of war in the brain - shall I / shan’t I drink tonight? It was exhausting.

And I seem to have so much more time! The day used to end when the bottle opened. Now I’m still writing/exercising/reading/watching a film/whatever into the evening.

I mean, I used to walk my dogs pissed. What was the point of that?

@LunaNorth

YY to shutting up the constant tug of war in the brain - shall I / shan’t I drink tonight? It was exhausting.

And I seem to have so much more time! The day used to end when the bottle opened. Now I’m still writing/exercising/reading/watching a film/whatever into the evening.

I mean, I used to walk my dogs pissed. What was the point of that?

Worse than that, I used to be in charge of my children pissed. It does frighten me a little that there were times we were both watching telly of a Friday night, yet wouldn't have been able to drive to a hospital if a child got sick or hurt.

I'm 3 years off the booze, I'm not going back. Some people were a little funny about it, but I see that as a reflection on them. And the FOMO you realise that most of the evening is everyone talking over one another, and probably the best snippets of the evening can be condensed into half an hour.

I don't mind hanging out with drunk people, I just get a bit uncomfortable if they get really serious though. And repeat themselves!

@SGS1805

If you have friends who only like you when you are drinking, they don't actually like you and who you really are.

Slightly harsh.

I meant more in a 'this person isn't drinking, therefore I'm uncomfortable with drinking therefore I'm going to cancel/not arrange anything'

So much socialisation is centred around alcohol, people are quite rightly worried about how they'll cope with socialising in a new way

I know it's harsh and I'm sorry if it's too much so. Your friends love you for you, not who you are with a load of drinks.

Not recently but.. I grew up in pubs so have always been a bit take or leave it about alcohol and never really drank at home much

2015 I met a really nice man. Except I started realising he was drinking every single night. Usually 2 bottles of wine. Started to dread hearing the bottle open, was sick of always being the driver and I ended it. Did talk with him first but ultimately he chose alcohol over me

Met another guy. Same story. We would go to the shopping centre for a meal and on the way back he would be "stop at the pub? Just one?" Every time. He couldn't just sit at home and have a brew, it had to be alcohol. Ended that too, and he was caught 3 times the limit drink driving last year

When I drink, I probably binge on nights out which is maybe twice a year and have a really really high tolerance for alcohol, always have. Once in a blue moon I crave a ice cold cider so buy one and drink it (once a year maybe?) but apart from that I don't drink at home. Haven't had any alcohol for about a year. Never occurs to me to drink at home, I just have cordial or water or a tea and I feel the odd one out! Single for ages now partially because of the alcohol thing, I don't want to be with someone who drinks every night but it seems to be the normal

I have. Decided I needed another break from it at the end of Jan (have been doing this every now and again for about 18mths) as I could feel the anxiety creeping up. Plus I'm terrified of getting dementia. I really think this time that it's for good.
I was a classic weekend binge drinker. Nothing Sunday - Thurs, but come 5pm on Friday the gins would start getting stronger and stronger. I'd then feel desolate on Monday and just back to normal by the middle of the week before it's nearly time to start the cycle again. I just got fed up of it. I'd love to be able to drink in moderation, but I know I can't.
My only concern is how to fit in socially when every occasion seems driven towards having a good drink. DP is fully supportive but I do wonder how it will play out when life is back to 'normal'. We were great drinking buddies, used to really enjoy weekends away discovering new pubs and cocktail bars (rolling out of a Belgian rock bar at 3am having had a blast on my 40th was a particularly good one) and I do worry that I won't be as fun anymore. But then I think I'm doing him a disservice, as he's absolutely not so superficial as to bin me off just because I'm drinking Heineken 0% these days and has told me it makes no difference to him and completely understands my reasons.

I know it's harsh and I'm sorry if it's too much so. Your friends love you for you, not who you are with a load of drinks.

Yes I agree but I'm also saying that sometimes, people making healthy decisions shine a light on other people's bad decisions. People will sometimes avoid that

Highly recommend the unexpected joy of being sober.

@Newmum29

Highly recommend the unexpected joy of being sober.

Currently reading and it's really resonating despite that I've never drank as much as her. Completely get where she's coming from though.

Stopped nearly 3 years ago. I was always the one who didn't want to stop and suggested shots when everyone was ready to go home. I don't miss it one bit. I hated losing 2 or sometimes 3 days of the week to a bad hangover. I hated the post night out anxiety, what did I say, what did I do. I've had lots of interesting reactions from friends and family, but they have all got used to it now and many of the negative comments were from people who were unsure about their own drinking and thought me being sober meant I would think badly of them (I don't!) Most people don't care. My friends love the fact they never have to drive. I love being really present with my conversations and remembering them the next day. I'll never drink again. The book that changed everything for me was the Unexpected joy of being Sober.
Also, alcohol is ethanol (poison) and is put in car engines. It really puts you off.

I'm not much of a drinker and now
I find that even a small glass of wine affects my sleep quality so have decided not to bother drinking alcohol again which I don't find difficult at home but it's what to have if I am out that I struggle with. I don't want juices or coke or lemonade and feel I can't just ask for water or tea!

Yeah I'd love for it to be trendy to drink tea at night when out.

This is a great thread

I’ve gave up for 4 months ( was 1 but kept just going) and I felt better, looked better, had more energy, felt like I was a better parent but I still went to every social engagement and just am had AF beer. I would have missed the social aspect.
Now I drink wayaaay less than I used to and have AF months at a time. The only reason I didn’t go cold turkey forever is because I didn’t want to be the person who could have a glass of fizz on NYE or at anwedding.
Highly recommend not drinking but if you become one of those people who get the RAGE about alcohol in society you will give yourself a hernia! Best to live and let live .

One of my BFs didn’t see me practically the whole months I wasn’t drinking but called me up when I was drinking again as I was ‘fun’ again apparently! Just the one tho... everyone else was just ‘oooh, I wish I could do that’ etc

I can relate so much to this.

Take last night for example, the sun was out so I had a gin at the bottom of the garden. I went to put tea on and poured another....

I served tea to the kids, I poured another because by this point I’m not hungry....DH arrived home and I pour another....

Before I know it it’s 7:30pm, I have hardly seen my children, the Dog hasn’t been walked....

I feel something needs to change with me too 😞

I haven't quit completely but I've cut back a lot. I used to drink wine or gin nearly every night of the week, now I will just have a few at the weekend. When I was drinking regularly I never had a hangover as such but was always tired and irritable, not to mention fat and bloated!

During the week I feel fresher, more alert, more motivated, happier and I've lost loads of weight. The amount of calories in booze are shocking.

I try to see it as a treat rather than a daily habit. Some people can't moderate though and total abstinence is better for them.

I was drinking way too much, had to give up when I got pregnant. 7 months in now and I don't miss it and won't go back. Have just had a massive argument with DH over his drinking as he has carried on the way he was and it's getting more and more even more days a week and earlier in the day - the way it does. I've told him I don't want alcohol in the house any more and ordered him Jason Vales book about quitting drinking. He says he doesn't want to drink anymore so we'll see if he sticks to it. It's not good enough to have drunk parents in a house with children. I want better than that for my kids.

@user1497787065

I'm not much of a drinker and now I find that even a small glass of wine affects my sleep quality so have decided not to bother drinking alcohol again which I don't find difficult at home but it's what to have if I am out that I struggle with. I don't want juices or coke or lemonade and feel I can't just ask for water or tea!

@user1497787065 I order a soda or tonic water with a slice of lime. It looks like it might be alcoholic to the casual observer so I feel like I fit in more, and it's not as sickly. Once you get more confident not drinking though you will order a cup of tea in a bar with no shame!

@user1497787065

I'm not much of a drinker and now I find that even a small glass of wine affects my sleep quality so have decided not to bother drinking alcohol again which I don't find difficult at home but it's what to have if I am out that I struggle with. I don't want juices or coke or lemonade and feel I can't just ask for water or tea!

There are so many good options on the market now. I too hate juices and coke etc. But I fake g&t can be really nice, refreshing and not so sweet!

This entire thread has been so relatable. My drinking has been a problem since I was 18. I'm honestly amazed I didn't kill myself. I was hospitalised so many times due to alcohol poisoning and got myself into situations where I came close to being raped on more than one occasion. It got a bit better when I got into my 20s and then I had my daughter at 27. Being pregnant showed me that I am actually quite antisocial and there are very few people I want to be around for extended periods of time when I'm sober.
I'm 30 now and I don't binge drink to those extremes but I drink regularly and I drink too much. I can easily put away two bottles of wine in one sitting. It makes me anxious and tired and depressed and the cycle continues. I can never just have one either. I actually find it easier to not drink at all than to just have one.
I'm trying so stop and am currently on day 3. I actually don't want to never drink again but would like to cut it down to maybe twice a month. The worst part for me is how much money I waste on it. We are saving to move so I'm using that as motivation.
Interesting about people always remembering their first taste of alcohol and how disgusting it was. I took a huge mouthful of champagne because I thought it was orange juice at a wedding aged 4 and instantly spat it out all over the table. Interesting that we train ourselves to enjoy something we naturally find repulsive.

I have stopped. It was pretty acceptable over lockdown to drink pretty much whenever you wanted really. And it was gradually creeping up. I stopped drinking a month ago and I am feeling much better.

Wine made me throw up every time I was drinking and my digestive system seems to be all over the place when I drink regularly.

I have some social things coming up- which I am slightly dreading. Overall though I am actually feeling better over all.

I don't think that I had a drinking problem though.

Yep, gave up the frog in July 2019.

My life is not perfect now, but equally, there's not a bit of it that hasn't improved. I'm a better parent, partner, employee, I'm calmer, more confident and a reliable friend.

I have one friend who I feel has changed her attitude towards me, but all my other friends have been nothing but supportive.

You can do this, sounds like you are absolutely ready for it .

@Buffaloskull I really resonate with your story , you're doing brilliantly

For frog, read grog.........

Been teetotal since january 2020 (504 days wooo) and love it!
I wasn't drinking huge amount by British standards, but still more than health guidelines, and I was finding myself worrying about my intake more and more often.
And I found it hard to moderate, I had a bit of the "no off switch" thing.

Then I quit, initially for dry january, but knew quite early on that I'd keep going after that.
It has been so liberating!
I don't miss alcohol, and overall, I don't miss the chatter in my brain ('You drink too much, can't be good for your health, maybe you're an addict, you had wine yesterday already" etc...)

I've been through big parties, a wedding (not mine), a pandemic, picnics, work socials, Christmas, BBQs, all of that without a drink. A bit of dread at the beginning, but it all went well.

The other day, some friends were talking about the wedding, apparently there was a karaoke at some point. I was like "ho no I don't remember" and then realised that I don't remember just because I was busy chatting with friends, not because I drank too much that night.
It's just so so sooo liberating.

No problems at all with my friends, they know I don't drink and never made a fuss about it. I can still see some of them in one to one, they have a white wine or a beer, I have a non-alcoholic drink and that's it.
Most people don't care, and some even said "I love seeing you because I know that I won't drink much"

One thing that I realised also: Socialising always feels a bit awkward at the beginning of an event, even when you drink. You think you drink the awkwardness away, but in reality, whether you drink alcohol or not, you just relax and the more the night goes, the more relaxed you are. And I may even say, knowing that you're not at risk to lose control or being sick or whatever, you relax even more because you know you can rely on yourself.
And at some point, you just leave, because you're tired or had enough of being with people. You don't stretch the night just because you want to drink more (which I did a LOT, the good old "one more? OH COME ON one more it's on me)

And don't get me started on the hangover-free mornings. I swear, after 1 year and 5 months, it doesn't get old.