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?

@Sharonthecat

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

Ha! I liked frog for some reason

@FastFood

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.

Thanks for sharing, sounds lovely

Stopped over 7 months ago. Get a full night's sleep every night and feel calm and less anxious overall.

I have health issues which knock me backwards but in general I'm so happy to be done with drinking.

This is such a useful thread. I really identify with the person upthread who said they'd drink half a bottle of vodka, intend to have one or two the next day just to get over the hangover, but finish the bottle, two days gone and the cycle starts again.

I stopped drinking a few years ago because of this. What I appreciate most is the freedom - I can drink the same (non-alcholic)drink at lunchtime as in the evening. I don't have to worry about getting home from places because I can drive. That used to be such a big thing, , working out who'd be driving.

Once a friend asked me on Thursday if I could drive her to the airport on Sunday - I refused with a made-up excuse because that would mean not drinking from Friday to make sure I was sober enough to take her on Sunday.

Chanjer I'm intrigued as to what happened when you started drinking again after 15 years. Because despite everything, I'm still thinking hmm maybe I could do that and it will be different this time . . .

My main reason for stopping drinking when I did was because it would cause professional consequences and I'd lose my job and career. I thought for years that once I retired I'd start drinking again. I got to a point of no longer thinking that, but I have times when I'm not so sure.

Yes, I gave up at the start of the first lockdown and haven't drunk since. I want to be sober and never drink again but am in two minds about it. The thought of never having a boozy conversation down the pub again, ever, is a bit crap. I'm ok not drinking, would often go to the pub and drink soft drinks, but I have an alcohol intolerance and get drunk very quickly and am often sick. I would have spent lockdown drinking wine and watching crap TV, so I just went sober. It's been just over a year now and I'm planning on staying sober this year too.

I think I'll just see how it goes. As you get older, societies' view of you changes and the world is changing regarding booze in much the same way as smoking.

I stopped years ago. Frankly, I'd be dead now if I hadn't.

Anyway, it was way harder to quit back then and I lost quite a few friends.

Now, there's far more choice in non alcoholic drinks and having colleagues who don't drink on religious grounds makes life so much easier. The drinking culture has changed massively too. Drinking was very much geared for volume rather than quality and the number of pubs was massive compared to now.

Would I drink again? No. I can have a shandy and taste whatever flavoured water the wife drinks without ever getting the urge. This works for me as I know damn well if I started drinking again I couldn't moderate any more now than I could then.

I couldn't moderate my way out of a wet rizla

Ho what alcohol meds did you get prescribed ?

This month is 7 years since I had a drink. Apart from Easter 7 years ago it would be 9 years. I'm only 28.