To ask what you enjoy about being sober

[Sunshinesusan41]

I have a really odd relationship with alcohol. I've cut back a lot. First lockdown I was drinking every night. I don't do that now and feel much better for it, but I still do drink at weekends and end up writing days off due to feeling lethargic, unmotivated and anxious the next day. But at the time I just enjoy that tipsy silly carefree feeling.

Yesterday i drank quite a lot with and after lunch. What followed was a terrible nights sleep, anxiety, restlessness and feeling wrung out and stressed yet again today. Why do I do it? It doesn't serve me in any way.

I'm going to cut back and have a few weekends off. I don't need alcohol, I just like it in the same way I like having a chocolate bar with my cuppa. I wondered what others enjoy about a sober lifestyle? I need some motivation on not giving in to the wine witch come the weekend.

Having whole days at the weekend to do things because I'm not hungover

I’m pregnant so no choice in the sobriety currently, but before that I wasn’t really drinking at all. I personally prefer dealing with my toddler not hungover.

Other plus points: saved £££, I don’t social smoke, keeps weight down (booze is just a lot of pointless calories), when you stop drinking you start to see people as they really are - and their dependence on alcohol will put you off too. We’ve become a society too orientated around drinking being ‘the norm’ when really it’s a problem.

I love everything about it, more money, better health, I could go on.

YABU you already know the answer.

I barely drink these days, just the very odd glass of wine. I really enjoy being sober, when I see how stupid people get when they've had a few. I really enjoy being sober so I'm fully in control of myself. I really enjoy being sober when I know I'll wake up the next day without a headache or an upset stomach. I really enjoy being sober when I think about how much alcohol costs. I really enjoy being sober when I think about how my liver and other organs, are enjoying life!

I've also always had a strange relationship with alcohol. In my younger days I used alcohol as a way to lower my inhibitions/social anxieties so drunk quite a lot when I went out but not at home. More recently I used alcohol as a way to relax at the end of a stressful day (as well as when socialising). For a few years I found myself gradually drinking more alcohol and more frequently. Then not long ago an old friend (old as in known for a long time- she was actually on her 40s) died as a result of alcoholism. It shocked me, and I realised there must have been a stage where she felt the same as I did- I knew I was drinking more than I should but it was not really having an impact on the rest of my life (I was not drinking in the day, perfectly fine at work, no immediate health concerns). I haven't had a drink since and the benefits I see are:

• clearer head every day (I hadn't realised how 'fuzzy' I was until I wasn't)
• I do more with my weekends now that I don't feel groggy (used to drink more on Fridays and Saturdays)
• No mental effort spent working out transport arrangements for a night out (like fairly rurally and would previously have wanted to drink if I went out for dinner etc)- I know I can just drive myself
• Feel happier with myself now that I don't think every evening that I probably shouldn't be drinking but doing it anyway

I am not sober but barely drink. I've used alcohol to be more confident for decades. The lowest point was watching my kids being bored all the next day because I couldn't move because of the hangover. That guilt added with 'the fear' had become too much.
I still have a drink but for example last week it was a works day out and people drank from 2pm until about 11pm. I ordered a couple of cocktails I liked the look of and I enjoyed them but I left at 5 to go home and order a chippy with the money I hadn't spent on drink and sit with the kids to watch a movie. I still had a nice time.

My rule now is I have to stop drinking in order to be sober for around 9/10pm, that way there is no hangover.

no feeling shit ans canceling plans because I'm hungover.

weigh loss and no over eating because of a hangover.

no making daft plans because I'm a bit pissed and feeling like everythings a good idea.

more money
more energy
more real happiness

the biggest thing is I've never woke up and thought God I wish I would have drank last night ever whereas I've woke up wishing I didn't a good few times.

I found its mostly habit for me sunny day have a drink, doing the ironing, night out getting ready, dinner out why not. Breaking the habit was half the battle