Tell me about your alcohol free life

[Upthebracket22]

I am turning 50 next year, am perimenopausal and basically booze makes me feel SO shit these days! I don’t even drink much anymore and then when I do, I feel so rough.

So I am thinking of having a booze free 50th year to see what it’s like - so can you tell me your stories of being alcohol fre- it’s a big step for me!

i have read a few books like ‘unexpected joy of being sober’ etc but still a bit nervous!!

I stopped drinking 12 years ago when my husband gave up. Alcohol was making his anxiety spiral and he is basically an alcoholic and goes to AA so I stopped drinking in support. I don’t miss it at all. I hate hangovers anyway and I feel clear headed and great!
Ill have a champagne a couple of times a year, if im on a girls weekend or whatever, but even if I go to the pub or out to dinner I tend to stick to sparkling water as I actively like a clear head and a good night’s sleep.
We both love being alcohol free, his anxiety has pretty much gone and AA has done wonders for his mental health.

I think whether it will change friendship dynamics is down to you and your friends OP. For me it did because people have said the most vile, hurtful things to me when they’ve been drunk and because I’m sober I remember. A family member once told me that she speaks her absolute truth when she’s drunk so when she then goes on to say nasty things when drunk to me, it does make me take a step back and avoid her company. But that’s MY choice. If I had people in my life who completely respected my decision not to drink and who still included me on nights out there would be zero drama. I guess what I’m saying is I can still do it in small measures, but once it gets too rowdy I do make my excuses and leave. It’s never as hysterically funny as drunk people think it is ;)

I just wanted to add that I completely agree with what others are saying about mental health & anxiety impact of alcohol. I don’t think alcohol helps anxious people one little bit.

I'm teetotal, dabbled a bit but completely dry for the last 4 years.

Socially it depends, if you are the kind of person who needs a couple of drinks to relax (dance or be silly) then it will be tough to carry on your normal events. If you are the sort who waits for your mates to get drunk so they dance with you, you'll be grand. (I am definitely the later)

I've been teetotal all my adult life, after having a wild few teenager years. The only thing I've found tedious is going on nights out that revolve around getting sloshed. People talk an awful lot of crap and then you have to drive them home. But otherwise it's fine. I just get into the spirit of the event and have a brilliant time.

I haven't been drinking for decades, being married (got divorced) to someone alcohol dependent will do that to you.. next DH had MH problems & could hit the booze when spiralling down..
I don't miss it AT ALL.
I'm a happy person, so can get drunk on lemonade!
On the other hand, (this could be horrible of me) it's hard not to despise people laughing at feck all & falling about.. I give them a very wide berth.

I decided to give it a miss over the last couple of years. I just don't think anything good comes from it. Besides all the associated health risks, it's the hangovers and it's so expensive.

I can go on a night out, not drink, drive home and feel fresh the next day. I don't mind being around people drinking and can have just as good a time. Hangovers used to take out a whole day for recovery.

Also I think most alcohol tastes awful and it's something we learn to like. But would much rather have a nice meal than drink if I had to pick.

Great thread for those of us on dry November.
I stopped smoking in the summer and haven’t missed it at all but just can’t imagine never having a glass of fizz again or rose in the summer. Booze is much harder than cigarettes I think.

One thing I did notice is a lot of you say you lost friends because they felt judged and then go to comment about how sad or annoying people are when drunk. So I think drinkers probably have a point.

Like many here, I'm not totally tee total, but I can go months without one - I live alone and very rarely drink alone, and never drink during the day. I've found most my friends, all post/menopausal, have really eased off drinking too, we just can't hack it anymore. You might find yourself in similar company OP.

I love being able to go out for the evening and being able to drive home when I've had enough without the hassle/expense of lifts and taxis!

I'm turning 50 next year and am about 7 years into the menopause. I've been AF for about 4-5 months now.

I haven't noticed amazing skin but I'm not bloated anymore. I have so much more motivation and energy, I've even started running which I'd never have dreamt of doing. I also do boot camp 3 times a week and I'm fitter and stronger than I've been in years.

I wake up in the mornings feeling so much better, if I feel crap at least I know it's not drink.

I don't wake up still pissed any more or panic that I stink of stale alcohol. I don't wake up at 4 in the morning with terrifying anxiety.

I have more money because I'm not buying alcohol every week.

Good skin, improved sleep, weight loss, restless legs have improved too.

More time available to do things I enjoy.

Less anxiety - I worried a lot about what alcohol was doing to my body, so now I can tick that off my list.

No hangovers!

There’s no real downside.

I don’t drink and haven’t for years. It wasn’t a conscious choice. I just don’t like feeling out of control of my own body so I stopped.

people are always surprised at first - I think it highlights something to them about themselves, but it becomes a new normal and nobody questions it after the first or second time.

I find watching my DH down a bottle every night rather puts me off.

I'm not teetotal but I'm just not one of these who drinks every weekend like I used to. I just don't feel the need. Just lots of things happened in life that made it easier to not drink. I had kids and would sooner not be hungover dealing with them. I live somewhere that it's easier to drive on a nightout than spend £40 on a taxi etc.

I think with your friends, only time will tell. There are some friends that I can still have good conversations and a good time with without needing to drink and I still see them. There are other friends that I had no relationship with beyond someone to keep me company on a night out TBH. They have long gone.

I haven't drunk any alcohol for about 6 years. I suffer from migraines and it was often a trigger so I just stopped drinking. There isn't much to tell - I can't claim any amazing benefits (apart from fewer migraines triggers to manage), no weight loss, slightly more boring social life, but I don't miss it at all. I do get a bit sick of MIL in particular trying to persuade me to drink (she's given me a bottle of wine at Xmas for the least 5 years which seems a bit PA in how it's done). To be honest my favourite drink is fresh water with ice, I know that sounds boring but it's actually what I like! It is a lot cheaper though!

Am 36 and haven't drank for a few years now, nothing in my life changed. I can happily sit in a pub with a soft drink, eat at a restaurant with a soft drink, go to a party with a soft drink, be around people drinking etc doesn't bother me at all. I don't miss it one bit, the feeling rough the next day and deciding alcohol brings nothing good was enough for me to just cut it out. And she's money on taxis too I can just drive everywhere.

AF for 2 years. Less anxious, more awake and alert. Calmer, more patience with DC, get up early and enjoy my day rather than waking with dread.
Lost weight, skin is better.
You won't regret it!