To wish I could drink more?

[Noboozebetty]

I wish I could drink like 'everyone else' seems able to.

Sitting here with a cracking headache after a night drinking barely anything - one G&T, a glass of Prosecco and an Amaretto - over about 5 hours.

I know I mixed, but it's not THAT much. DH drank what seemed like loads (though maybe normal amount and it's just me) - I'd say 7 or 8 pints. We were with people I haven't seen for ages, so I wanted to stay out, but I wished it didn't have to focus around booze.

Mostly this morning though I wish I didn't feel so crap after booze. I can't do much about it - alcohol and the medication I have to take don't mix well - but I feel like a killjoy, and I'm always on edge drinking with DH because he likes a drink. (He can be a bit of an arse but nothing worse, it's just the mismatch in how we approach drinking.)

I don't really know what I'm asking - how to be better at drinking?? Do I make it simpler and just not drink?

Some people just tolerate alcohol much better than others. There's nothing you can do about it. Frankly, if three drinks in five hours gives you a hangover, you'd be better off not drinking at all.

Seven or eight pints is a lot, by the way, even for a man. It's not an insane amount but it's certainly a 'big night out' amount and most men would certainly be drunk on that. It does depend a bit on what they were pints of, as eight pints of a 3% beer is different from eight pints of a 5.5% beer, obviously. But even if it was a weak beer, it's a lot.

I'm always on edge drinking with DH because he likes a drink

That's not good, and it's even less good that he can be 'an arse' when drunk. Trying to 'get better at drinking' to match him is the wrong approach here. He needs to stop being a dick around alcohol.

a night drinking barely anything

I don't categorise three drinks as 'barely anything'.

I have no idea how much you weight (not that it's any of my business), or if this is a lifelong thing, or if you have any other conditions or determining factors etc.

But for some people three drinks is quite a lot. Thats not that surprising.

What's more surprising is the competitive benchmarked drinking that seems to be a feature of UK life.

Why would you wish to drink more? I cannot tolerate alcohol so do not drink it. I am perfectly happy with that and have no wish to change it.

alcohol and the medication I have to take don't mix well

Why do you even risk this?! @Noboozebetty

I'd take that as a blessing and accept it, there's certainly no joy to be found down the drinking more path, alcohol gives and then takes twice as much away from you.

That was my first thought - seriously, why are you doing this? Risking your health for the sake of a drink??

I have a pretty low tolerance for alcohol so if I am out for a long night I just either drink really really slowly or just have an alcohol free beer or a mocktail in between alcoholic drinks.

I think your question is really masking the real issue i.e. the amount your DH drinks and his behaviour when drunk. My DH enjoys a drink when we're out but his maximum would be 4 pints. 7 or 8 is really quite a lot.

Drink the alcohol free stuff.

I'm on meds, can't drink. If you are on alcohol free then no hangover. You can keep up (do you really want to?) without worrying about alcohol.

Strange wish imo. Why would you want to drink more. Alcohol is a poison and if your body reacts to it then it’s telling you something.

I can’t tolerate alcohol at all. I’m 51 and have probably consumed no more than 20 alcoholic drinks in my entire adult life and I’m fine with that because I don’t want to feel like shit, why would anyone?

If it's making you ill, don't drink. It's ridiculous to 'try' to drink just because others are. I've been to many events and drank coke, water or virgin cocktails and it's been a non-issue.

For the times I have had a few drinks and felt awful the next day, it's usually down to dehydration ime. If I drink a glass of water between each alcoholic drink then down a glass of water before bed and first thing then I'm feeling right as rain half an hour after waking, even if I had a few too many.

I get horrific hangovers, always have. It took my until my late thirties to identify they were actually migraines, not hangovers.

Even half a pint can trigger an attack.

I was about to agree. I love the taste of alcohol, wine, gin and different cocktails. I’ve never had a high tolerance but since hitting 40 I can’t tolerate more than a glass of wine. It’s fine but I miss the taste and there aren’t many non alcoholic drinks in bars I like.

BUT your reason seems to be because “He (DH) can be a bit of an arse”. That isn’t normal. You shouldn’t have to change your perfectly reasonable behaviour or damage your health to make others happy.

Personally, I can't mix gin with any other drink, so if I start the night on it, I stay on it.

If I know it's going to be a 'big' night or it looks like its turning into one , I make every other drink either water or a low/non-alcohol version of whatever I'm drinking, and I make sure to be hydrated well before I start.

When I say DH can be an arse I don't mean anything awful, just that he can be a bit annoying. And the people we were with (last night and the night before) seemed to be drinking like him - ie no 'I can't have any more, lot of references to other nights out.

I'm peri too, which won't help. To be clear, I can drink on my meds, I just don't feel great.

It just felt like I was the odd one out.