To ask if you drink alcohol everyday?

[knockknockw]

I’m having a break from alcohol as I’ve drank far too much recently. I’m about 10 days alcohol free atm.

Been thinking about my drinking a lot recently, and I’ve realised whenever I try to keep 3-5 days alcohol free, it inevitably creeps up again until im drinking everyday again. Not a lot mind, one or two a day and always with dinner, (more on weekends)

does anyone else drink daily with dinner?

And if you don’t drink, how’s life without alcohol?

I'm surprised at how little people are drinking! I wonder how representative the responses are?

I have a couple of glasses of wine most nights with dinner. We have tiny wine glasses so it's still less than 175ml in total, but I get the enjoyment of pouring myself a second glass! If I'm the only one drinking, a bottle will last at least three days, usually more (white wine kept in the fridge).

Why? To be honest I just really enjoy it. I enjoy the ritual, the taste, the feeling of gentle relaxation. I'm fortunate in that I have a pretty low tolerance for alcohol and really dislike the feeling of being properly drunk, so I'm rarely tempted to drink more. I'm similar with chocolate etc - I absolutely love having a box of chocolates on the go, but I genuinely had the physical feeling of feeling too full, so they will last for days without me feeling like I'm having to consciously deprive myself.

Cheese on the other hand....

If I could have a drink and not feel awful the following day id probably drink more than the 3 or 4 times a year that I do now. Detest feeling rank and ruining the day(s) following so just don't bother.

Not really. Maybe at the weekend, but it isn't a regular thing and I'll go weeks without having any.

Life without alcohol is fun! I can have fun with booze, but real life has more fun options by being sober.

Apart from about a 2 week Christmas period where i drink 1 or 2 units a day on most days for a few weeks, less than once a month and only a double measure of a very high quality whisky.

I don't like drinking too much, being hungover, but mostly i realy hate that awkward feeling after one drink where I immediately want more or have to spend an hour sobering up. It stops me being able to craft as well 🤣 so it's just inconvenient.

I was a big drinker as a late teen but I've never been into wine culture - drink with dinner, in the bath, at lunch etc.

No just a couple of drinks xmas day and New Year's Eve and maybe a drink on a night if I'm on holiday. I know if Ive had an alcoholic drink because I sleep crap on a night

I rarely drink. It's not that I have made a conscious decision not to but it just doesn't occur to me to buy alcohol. I'm a single parent so in charge of 2 children by myself most nights so don't want to drink in case they suddenly needed medical attention. I am also not a fan of drinking alone! I live quite remotely so if I do go out I am usually driving, so that's another reason not to drink. Drinking just isn't a regular habit of mine, I don't reach for alcohol

I drank quite a bit (everyday) after my mum died and after a particularly heavy night I just realised it wasn’t serving me or making me better as a person.

So I am 6mths sober now, I miss it slightly less each month , I drink non alcoholic beer etc if I’m out and I truly believe by leaving it out I am healthier

I usually get given a bottle of Baileys at Christmas and I usually finish it by Easter, added to coffee rather than on its own.

Apart from that I don’t drink any alcohol, at home or anywhere else. I really hate the creeping fuzzy blurry feeling that alcohol causes and I hate the taste.

I crept up to everyday during covid. I gave up alcohol completely nearly 2 years ago.

Life is so much better without it ❤️

A glass of wine normally on a Friday and Saturday ( I usually go out these nights….,never more than one….none if I’m not going out…..I don’t drink at home….I’m 59 now …it’s enough for me….although I enjoy the one

I can easily go a month without drinking without thinking about it, occasionally two or more months. I do drink too much diet coke though... I used to drink more, never thought I should cut it down, just naturally happened.

Me too.6 weeks yesterday.Ive got a wedding coming up and I'll drink then but I don't want to drink for no reason anymore

I drink most evenings unless I need to drive somewhere....or might need to.
As you said usually not much and usually with or after dinner. A lot of the time I don't even finish the glass.
I don't think it even relaxes me, I just like the taste and I have that positive association with that taste....probably more so because I don't binge or have hangovers anymore so there is no negative association.

I have not found a soft drink that matches it.

I have done dry January etc when I stop drinking at home, but then we go out for a meal and that's much harder.

Rarely drink, like probably once every 6-8 weeks I have a drink or two.

I’m very happy and healthy and don’t need to drink

On holiday yes I drink every day.

Day to day I drink Thur (1 glass), Fri and Sat.

Honestly, most people who will respond will say they don't drink. It's the demographic of Mumsnet, plus people don't want to admit it.

I have a busy job, a nice life and I have a glass or two of wine most evenings after i've put the work away and dealt with stuff. Some evenings nothing,some evenings a few more.

Shockingly, I am still able to work full time, exercise, run half marathons and be absolutely normal and good at my job.

Social media and mumsnet would have you believe a glass of wine a night is dysfunctional. Not my experience growing up (European family) or now. It's not all or nothing. Most people are perfectly capable of drinking wine with dinner,enjoying it, and yet not being mad alcoholics.

Are we related! That’s basically me….

I drink daily and enjoy it, sometimes I do try to cut down and only drink on weekends but food and drink is a big part of who I am and my identity, my husband weirdly is teetotal and I do sometimes wish I drunk a lot less than I do but part of me doesn’t want to either, no kids, maternal family health worries means I’m happy to live my life now because we don’t tend to get past 70!!

Very glad I totally gave up. It was the waking at 3 am with whirring brain that was worst. Difficult to do but really worth it. No alcohol beer and wine has improved so socialising easier in pubs.

I hardly drink. At the most one or two bottles of lager some weekends.

id feel awful if I drank everyday

Drink wine at the weekends, two nights a week...sometimes 3 times. Very strictly one bottle between the two of us.

Rarely drink and my life is fine

Not drinking alcohol as often or at all is not about not experiencing happiness I am not sure why people make that connection.

I was also functional, never late for work etc but I would know I had terrible sleep, I would wake up a few times a night and just be restless, my skin was looking awful, it made my IBS worse and it was expensive. As I got older I noticed more and more that it was affecting me, it would make me very tired after 2 glasses so I think I got into a habit of using it to fall straight to sleep (at 9.30pm) but then wake up still feeling tired and just Bleugh. It wasn’t until I connected it with my weight gain that I stopped and I don’t really miss it much so I don’t know why it was important to me for so long tbh. I have no idea

Yes, I have a couple of glasses of wine most evenings with dinner (unless I am driving), I enjoy the taste, I think wine complements a nice meal. We always had wine at home with our evening meal so I suppose it was the way I was raised (& my DPs still in pretty good health in their 90s!).

I don't get drunk or binge drink ... on the occasions that I don't drink I don't feel any different/better.

Typically yes.

Usually a bottle of beer with dinner (330ml)

Then wander to the local for 3-5 pints.

Possibly a g n t when home

currently 4 pints under

I have wine every night. I also follow a plant-based diet. Animal fat is worse for the liver than alcohol.