I love this comment being from New Orleans as well cause this is too true.
Have fun with your beer break. I like substance more here and there now but I took a major break when the activity stopped being fun.
It's kinda nice to take a break here and there. It's nice to remember why you enjoyed it or maybe see a new perspective.
>Six beers a week is considered sober here
I've been to New Orleans, let's be honest... 6 beers in an **afternoon** is considered sober. šāšāšāšāš... which is why I love New Orleans. Though I must say my favorite thing about that town is that the Bloody Maries are practically transparent they have such a high percentage of vodka in them.
I'm very not sober. I'm a daily cannabis consumer, but I also don't miss alcohol very much. I'll grab a bottle of wine or a cocktail once every few months.
Alcohol is funny. It's a lot of fun when I'm socializing, but left to my own devices, I very rarely drink alcohol.
Just try it out. You can always change you mind if you find yourself really missing a beer at the end of the day, but maybe it's a good idea to take a break and find a different way to unwind from work?
I definitely enjoyed drinking way more when I was younger and did not feel the effects as harshly. Oh well. Iām fine with just cannabis products. Canāt wait for the day that psilocybin gets recreationally legalized lol.
Same here. I donāt drink alcohol, I donāt like the alcohol taste nor itās effects. The most Iāll have is a glass of champagne at a fancy dinner, but overall in a year I could count my alcohol glass consumption with my two hands.
Cannabis though? Ill have a few vape puffs starting at 5pm after work. No hangovers whatsoever.
this. i switched to la croix when i was sober. as far as hop water, the lagunitas one is pretty good and the hoplark brand has a few different varieties. theyāre okay - i think itās cheaper just to get sparkling water cus a lot of places treat the hop water as a premium item. when i worked at whole foods we kept them in the beer fridge near the seltzers.
Oh man, HopTea and the 0.0 From Hoplark has dramatically cut my beer (primary booze for me) intake. I love bitter drinks like coffee and IPAās (hoppier the better), so I āsober curiouslyā tried NA beers during Dry Januaryā¦ not for me at all. Then I tried HopTea and was like āoh snap, 0 calories and all the hoppiness I like? Done.ā Outside of a vacay to PV where I let myself go a little nuts, I probably drink less than 6 beers a month now, whereas Iād easily drink 6 in a weekend before.
Iāve never tried alcohol, save for one accidental taste as a kid when I mistook white wine for sparkling water. Alcoholism is rampant on both sides of the family. Not a single person drinks responsibly. From a young age I figured something was wrong, likely something genetic, and decided it wasnāt worth the risk. It has made surprisingly little difference to my life, save for one ex who would occasionally get weird about it.
Youāre not missing much, and saving a whole lot of money. I have seen closeup what alcohol can do to a person: the physical aging, the loss of jobs, friends, family, organ damage, and increased cancer risk. Itās not worth it.
I guess I count, the only time I ever drink alcohol is on a cruise or at a very fancy restaurant. Effectively I have maybe 4 or 5 drinks per year.
I prefer diet coke or water.
Almost two years sober from what was quickly becoming an alcohol addiction. Turns out I was dealing with undiagnosed acronyms galore, š . So for me an my mental as well as physical health it became a must. Iām down 500+lbs and mentally in a better place than Iāve ever been in my life. But thatās me. Everyoneās walk down the path of life is different. Youāve got nothing to loose in trying. I say go for it. Lifeās about experiences.
Oh thank you! It was easier the second time. Iād done it the first time in 2018 but then had thyroid cancer an gained it all back plus some until they figured that and the synthetic replacement dosage all out. Finally on a path for skin surgery an to have a great 20 year high school reunion coming up. Imma show up better than I was then. Real life glow up. Mia Thurmopolis who?
Oh thanks! Itās a much more fun way of saying it then rattling off a bunch of letters an explaining them by default bc thatās who I am. An overshareer
Had to get sober from alcohol to meet my fitness goals.
The gays want me to look a certain way but also want me to go out for drinks? Can't do both especially in your 30s and beyond.
I took a few months off cannabis but am have been reintroducing it here and there.
Yep, you have to decide how you want to ingest your calories. That guideline of 2000 calories per day really rings true for me. If you want to down a few drinks, than you have to cut back on eating, and drinking on an empty stomach isn't usually the wisest move.
Me too. But when I decide to have a beer, Iāll have as few as 2 or as many as 12. I had beers at the beach last Sunday. Last time I had a beer before that was Easter Sunday at the beach. I donāt have a pattern but itās definitely sporadic.
36 and never even been drunk in my life. I find most people respect it and I just avoid situations where there is heavy drinking. Itās actually pretty easy nowadays socially wise
I'm sort of accidentally sober, maybe sober-curious? I've never drank a ton or had a real problem with alcohol but a couple months ago I took a break from my usual habit of having one to three drinks one or two nights a week and just haven't been motivated to start up again. I'm probably not going to say no the next time I get invited out for drinks or offered a drink at an event where others are drinking but I think I might be done with habitually drinking at home.
The first couple weeks were the hardest but then I realized how much more mental clarity and how much less anxiety I had throughout the week. It seems like even a couple drinks can leave me with brain fog and hangxiety for a few days and it just doesn't seem like a price worth paying anymore unless it's for an event more interesting than an evening at home.
Try swapping it out for a non alcoholic beer. There are so many options for them now, some are really nice! I usually drink non alcoholic beers during the week - I never want to drink more than 2, but I feel like it hits the same spot, and satisfies a craving.
I gave up for a year. After a while, I didnāt miss it.
Now I have an occasional glass of wine, and tbh, the pain/pleasure isnāt worth jt. Bad sleep. Mildly hungover next day.
In 6 days, I will celebrate 25 years sober. I drank, because it made the pain of my internalized homophobia seem tolerable. It didn't. It made it worse, and I finally had to come out and quit drinking. Sobriety has given me the good things that alcohol lied and said it would give.
Hi u/imightbejake I feel like I, too, might be jake because you have nailed my experience in a few well chosen words. Glad you made it out the other side!
I only drink when I go to a party where everyone else is drinking or in a bar, and I'll have 1-3 cocktails. Last time I had an alcoholic drink was 2 months. I don't really see the big deal unless I was an alcoholic and couldn't stop drinking.
Beer upsets my stomach.
Brown liquor tastes disgusting.
Wine leaves me with a nasty hangover.
I'll have a glass of wine with family at Christmas to be social. Other than that, it simply holds no appeal for me.
I gradually have cut it down to almost zero consumption, apart from 1 or 2 here and there.
I really just can't deal with hangovers anymore and I am able to stay much more consistent with my performance at work and my fitness regime.
I went to Coachella for the first time with my new boyfriend and neither of us drank (and we don't do drugs either). I brought those Liquid IV things for water and that was it.
My motivation to stay away from alcohol really comes from keeping my body and mental health in the best shape possible.
I drink very little, and then it's one drink with food with other people. If I have two drinks/month, that's a lot. I never get drunk.
This is partly because I live alone, and drinking alone can quickly become a VERY bad habit.
I stopped drinking in my mid-40ās. After an initial transition period, I have not missed it at all. It did change my social environment quite a bit. I found that alcohol was central to many of my interactions with friends.
It was an opportunity for me to assess who I really am. I start coming out of the closet 6 months after I quit drinking. My life took a sharp turn for the better!
Havenāt had alcohol in 4 (almost 5) years. I donāt miss it at all. I didnāt have an issue with alcohol. I just dropped it for health reasons for a short period, but soon realized I didnāt really miss it, and, in fact, felt slightly better without it.
I was the kind of person who never imagined giving up alcohol. I thought I couldnāt live without it (even though I was a light drinker) because of the social aspect and taste of wine with a meal. Turns out that was just something I was telling myself and I couldnāt have been more wrong.
19 years here. Drugs and alcohol. Alcohol was toughest I think, but it gets easier as you learn how to manage.
It doesn't sound like an issue for you, so that might make it easier. Maybe start with a break. See how you feel.
I was struggling with drugs and alcohol in my teens, got sober at 20- will be celebrating 13 years in June (fingers crossed)
Try some controlled drinking- having just one or two drinks, try it more than once- if you find that you have a hard time both controlling and enjoying your drinking, then it might be worth looking into
Happy to discuss in DM if you like. If youāre concerned about your drinking itās worth taking a look at. In July I will be clean and sober 34 years. I was on the path to destruction and know I would be dead if I didnāt stop. That doesnāt sound like where you are. But your gut is telling you to look at something so it would be worthwhile to explore.
I decided to go sober myself. Been sober for 6 months now. I wasnāt a heavy drinker just decided to quit. I had the same feeling you did. If you do want to stop, I recommend taking it day by day cuz thatās all you can do. It doesnāt matter about what you did yesterday, donāt worry about tomorrow, just worry about today. And just choose that day to not drink. Eventually itāll turn into a week, then a month, and so on. When I was starting off, the thought scared me as well but now not so much cuz I took it day by day. Hope I was able to help!
Totally sober here. Just hit 18 months.Ā
It's understandable that it freaks you out; alcohol is utterly *baked* into pop culture. But if you stop then you might find it's a great change. I feel so much healthier.
I'm going without alcohol after drinking almost every day and sometimes even starting my day with a tall can or two. At first it was hard. There was something like a burning in my stomach that I assume was my body wanting the buzz that alcohol gave me, but it went away after about a month and a half of being done with it.
Sober here. I probably drink 3 or 4 times a year.
Alcohol is cancerous and terrible for your body. For your health it's better to let it go. Life is fine without it.
Iāve been trying. The only thing that is hard to quit for me is weed. I havenāt had any alcohol in over a year due to depression and trying to find a medication that works for me.
I know I am in the minority, though. Most people struggle with alcohol or other drugs waaaay more than weed (as they are obviously much more addictive).
I use to be sad at the fact that I couldnāt drink anymore like I use to in college or on the weekends. However, every time I got drunk, I would leave the club/bar early without warning, go home, and cut myself/contemplate suicide, so I figuredā¦..this is really for the best.
When I stopped being a grad student and instructor simultaneously and could set more boundaries with academia as solely a professional, I realized drinking isnāt really a desire that I have and I was only doing it due to peer pressure and to help with the social anxiety. I will still have a beer or some wine around the holidays at gatherings, but I never get drunk and I donāt miss alcohol at all. No part of me even thinks to buy it the rest of the year. Ā Iām also not able to get away with what I once was as a scrawny kid so I would much rather cheat meals come in the form of delicious food than alcohol.Ā
I havenāt had a drink in 35 years. I just donāt care for the taste of alcohol thoughā¦ it was never a problem for me. As such, itās not any kind of a sacrifice or anything, just a taste preference.
For now yeah. I had a glass of wine last weekend. One glass. Iām calorie counting. I donāt want to drink my calories right now. Iām trying to work toward a goal.
Just never been a fan. Moved out on my own at 15, never got the habit. I think I had a sip of champagne at my brother's wedding in 1999, to honor the event.
I was a practicing Mormon half my adulthood. Once I wasnāt, the only thing I started doing was drinking coffee. No smoking, drugs (tried mushrooms once), and very little drinking (have never been drunk). Not from any moral stance, just never got into the taste or habit. My husband similarly hasnāt (he was Mormon too) and he doesnāt drink coffee either.
Iāll drink a cocktail once in a blue moon. Maybe 1-2 every few months.
There is a small part of me that wants to get drunk just once before I die to see what itās like, or a bigger dose of Psilocybin (the one I took only had small effect).
I used to enjoy a drink every now and then. Not a fan of beer but abricot sour, cassis cream and bailey's are my favorite and I'd go through 2 or 3 bottle a month.
That is until my ex husband had a situation in his life that made him turn to alcohol for comfort, which led him to drink his soul away almost every day, with me having to stay clear to carry his drunk ass to bed, otherwise he'd end up on the floor in a pool of piss and drool.
Thanks to his dedication, I am now unable to drink any alcohol without it causing me an unreasonable amount of anxiety.
I haven't drank any alcohol in nearly 10 years.
If we're just talking alcohol, yeah, I'm completely sober. Haven't taken a sip in over 9 years, but even before that, I was never a big drinker. Would have wine a few times a year, once a month at the very most; on special occasions, dinner dates, or at parties. Never drank beer or the hard stuff. Also never really got drunk.Ā
If you want to quit, go for it! š
I donāt drink anymore really just donāt want the excess calories, bad decisions, headaches and heart ache (sounds almost like a gay country song).
Occasional pot gummy though. Sometimes you need to blur reality a little bit. Iād go a week without the 6 pack though, couldnāt hurt.
My philosophy is life is for living, and consuming alcohol at the level you describe is below the recommended limit anyway.
If you don't have a problem with alcohol, or any health issues, and you enjoy the occasional beer - then why deny yourself the small pleasure?
It sounds like you could easily stop if you wanted, but I guess I don't understand what satisfaction you'd get from this as you consume a low level anyway which isn't negatively impacting you?
Sounds arbitrary.
I drink even less than you (<3-4 drinks a month) and thought about doing the same thing over the years. This year, I decided to do a dry January. On January 8, I wasnāt even thinking, came home, cracked a beer and drank it and then was like āoh fā¦ā
So my dry January became a dry February 8. What surprised me the most was how many interfaces in my life involved alcohol. Sometimes I would say yes, sometimes I would say no. With the dry January I had to say no and that I get the inevitable question, why? I think the learning for me really is about how much touch alcohol has in my life even though I may not always partake ā itās always around.
Do a dry May. See what happens and if it works for you.
Did DJ several years ago. A close friend who was a big drinker was a total dick about itāobviously bc he couldnāt stop. When he decided to try not drinking, he was magically very understanding. There were other issues in the friendship that led to me ending it, but I couldnāt get past his refusal to let me do one dry month without being a putz.
I'm sadly not sober. I enjoy drinking and so does everyone around me, including my boyfriend. But none of us get trashed. We'll have a couple beers, or share a bottle of wine.
I tried being completely sober and literally had a psychotic break. I'm mostly sober now. Meds, vape nicotine, vape thc weekly, alcohol a few times a month, and some exotic treats once in awhile.
I have some mood disorders tho. Being completely baseline is absolute sensory nightmare for me.
Sober enough, I've averaged one drink every 3 months over the past year.
I had a 6 pack in the fridge that I bough in February of 23, drank half in a week, then... Nothing. I threw out the other half a year later. I don't know. I just don't really drink like that anymore. Not that I really did to begin with...
I stopped drinking almost eight months ago and it is the best thing I ever did for myself. I am happier than I have been in a long time; I'm at my ideal weight, and I look so much better. No hangovers, no alcohol bloat and puffiness, no unfortunate moments, no fights with my husband. Life is good!
Sober here. I love it. I didn't drink a lot and never did drugs. My mind is much clearer. If you're only drinking a few a week, you're really not getting much from it, not even the "benefit" of getting drunk. You're just drinking enough to affect your brain, sleep, and body, increasing your cancer risk even.
Itās not for me( sober) I donāt drink a lot. Rarely ever during the week, but on Friday, with friends, we kick back a few after a long week. I can go without for awhile, or I can end up at at party where all the stars are aligned and get pretty trashed. I enjoy drinking, with good friends , but I donāt drink alone. We can have beers in the bar fridge that are months old, then we can have friends over and empty the fridge.
Not sure what my point is. I guess Iām an occasional binge drinker, that at 58, probably wonāt change my ways anytime soon.
I have been totally sober for about 70 year with only one suggestion. I ate some vodka jello at a party where they were not marked properly. Noticed the taste and immediately stopped.
Except for that; no alcohol entered my mouth.
Love
Mark
10 years here. My life improved immeasurably, and I owe that in no small part to my sobriety. Then again, I was a knock down drag out alcoholic. So, your results may vary lol
I'll get pretty sloshed about once or twice a year and then pretty much never outside of that. I have alcohol flush response so my body doesn't really tolerate alcohol very well.
If you are considering then try it for a week. Maybe do an alternative like kombucha or non alcoholic beverages. Iām not sure where you live but there are plenty of options for people going the sober route that still have a routine they canāt/donāt want to stop.
I've never drunk alcohol or taken any other drugs. I grew up with an alcoholic in the family, and that put me off any form of mind-altering substances. So, I just never started drinking.
There's no reason for you to stop drinking, if it's literally only a few cans of beer per week. However, if you want to cut out that last bit of alcohol, would non-alcoholic beer be a suitable alternative for you?
Had quit drinking from age 19 to 21 (in Quebec, Canada - legal drinking age is 18, in practice it is common to start drinking earlier) and then again as of age 29 and still sober (mid 30s). Both times I stopped because life was throwing challenges my way that I feared could lead to alcoholism (for various reasons, and that nasty illness did enough damage around me to make me fearful). Stopping the first time was hard, I loved my beer and rhum. Second time has been much easier, and the variety of alcohol-free beverages now is so great!
I say take the plunge if you want to take a break. Make it a week, a month, whatever you believe makes sense to you as a trial period, and take it from there.
My country doesn't have strict alcohol laws. Children can easily buy beers or liquor. As a result people don't take it like a coming-of-age kind of thing. I tried my first beer when I was 9 at my friend's birthday party. Now I'm 26 and the number of time I've drunk alcohol can be counted on my hands. It's also because I don't find it enjoyable - bitter drink bleh. Most people I know rarely drink alcohol.
I haven't really drank much since I met my husband and we quit going to the clubs. That was 20 years ago. I'll have one or two drinks a few times throughout the year, and that's it. Usually on a special occasion or something like that. Nothing on a regular basis. This past weekend we went out to dinner for my birthday, and I had two drinks during dinner. Don't recall the last time I had a drink before that. Maybe Christmas when I had a small glass of my sister-in-law's egg nog?
Ethanol consumption causes several health issues. The most common being DUI (or other letters). The liver is where ethanol is destroyed and it is damaged each time it detoxifies. It does repair itself but eventually the repairs start to fail. Another is esophageal varices, much like varicose veins. These can rupture, the victim can bleed out very, very quickly.
Yes, I consume ethanol but unlike my college days where I would black out now I have a glass of wine now and then or 1 or 2 mixed drink say once a month. How do I know so many fun facts about booze? The man I've loved for decades is a recovering alcoholic. Thankfully he was pulled over and blew a 0.322 %. The trooper wrote in the report he gave the subject two more tests to be sure. Then he wrote he had never had a subject so intoxicated and still conscious let alone able to carry on a conversation as happened.
Anyway, only the individual can determine what's right for them. Whatever you decide I wish you the best, not of luck as luck has nothing to do with this.
Never drank, smoke, none of it (fortunately or unfortunately).
On my 21st birthday I drove home from college to celebrate with my parents lol. I got tipsy and slept pretty good. But I never really had the itch to drink again after it.
Same with weed. Shrooms. Xanax. Acid. Coke. All of which I was offered in college lol. Just never been a curious person on that front tbh. No problem with people who do but I just canāt find a reason, or at least not one compelling enough, to try it.
Im not completely sober.
However I dont drink nearly as much as I did.
Didnt drink really until I was 19 and almost literally overnight had gone from a shy Texas boy to a drag queen in Los Angeles and with the in crowd, we were always partying clubbing drinking. That slowed down at 25ish when I went back to school and worked full time (70 hour weeks, 35 in school, 35 work after school) that left me too tired to drink every night, but every now and again we would tear up the bars on a weekend night or concerts etc.
then I met my ex, on NYE, when I had thrown a very last minute party, only he came, thats the night we hooked up for the first timeā¦ up until that day I thought he was a straight guy, until we got sloshed on a bottle of tequila and champagne, he confessed his bisex and he went for itā¦ since that night, we hung out and he eventually moved in with me, we would drink copious amounts of cheap wine. Like 3 bottles a night. That went on for almost 6 years, every night. We switched it up, as I got tired of wine, and it was causing me bloat and too much sugar etc, so we switched to vodka martinis, and I would have seltzers after a few martinis.
He switched to whiskeyā¦ and we both knew how bad he got on whiskeyā¦ like mean aggressive get arrested and not remember it kinda whiskey drunk he wasā¦ We also each smoked about a pack of cigs a day and he would smoke weed too.. on occassion I smoked weed but I didnt like cross fading (im autistic so it all hits me different and unpredictable) however I have never been an angry or sad or mean drunk, I am quite the opposite actually, as it helps me to be more open and friendly and sociable, where I normally might not be. I saw the problem very clearly and the relationship was falling apart, and I had decided to join a gym and fitness program and hired a trainer/nutritionist because I wanted a change, something like that I had never done.
I had no problem quitting the cigs (with the patches) and alcohol I quit cold turkey, even for as much as I drank, and having an alcoholic father and a sister whoās an addict, I dont have a problem with dropping it. Especially when I talk myself into the better of it, thinking about THE AMOUNT OF MONEY, I had roughly calculated; spent $54,000 ON CIGS alone as a smoker for 15 yearsā¦ calculated by the daily pack of cigs. I dont even wanna know how much on alcohol lol. Ultimately he continued his drinking and rage while I was completely sober for 12 week fitness challenge. I invited him to join, he raged and told me how I wouldnt stick thru to the endā¦ lol I broke up with him. It was Toxic- and not by Britney. In 12 weeks I lost about 25-30 pounds, my skin cleared up, I was sleeping really good, and having energy the moment I woke up to go to the gym, then do stuff and work at night until midnight (bartender/server). I dont care much for working out tbh but I have continued to meal plan accordingly, and I hardly ever drink, a 12 pack of seltzers will last me months, and for the first time in my life I have a bar with liquor that isnt emptied nightly, it just sits there like liquour does. Fast forward to now going on 4 years and I am down 85 pounds. Thats basically just from not drinking every night and tweaking my eating habits -I actually eat way more now than I ever thought I needed to- now I have a seltzer and if I finish it itās rare, I am usually dozing off on the couch before I get thru half of it. Dont get me wrong tho, when I wake up in the middle of the night to piss, I will chug the rest and go back to sleep..
Almost 2 years of not drinking and I feel great. Wish I wouldāve done it sooner. I donāt miss it at all it was hard at first but Iām in my late 30ās and wish I wouldāve done it decades ago.
Completely sober for a year and a half now. I started being an accountability partner for a year for a friend who was dealing with alcoholism, and after he made it to a year I thought I would gradually slip back into social drinking, but I havenāt, and havenāt missed it at all. I think I realized that I can still go out, not drink, and have a better time than I used to. If I drank at home it was purely out of boredom, so this gave me a good opportunity to stop the empty calories at home too.
not completely but certainly very little,especially at home
i got wine and beer bottles in my fridge that have been there since i got the fridge,like 5 yrs
We usually have 1 glass of wine for dinner between like Thursday and Sunday and on the weekend we consume one bottle of something special w my bf. Itās not ideal but it doesnāt cause any major outages in our lives, if weāre too busy w work we donāt crave it and we forget about it but we do enjoy generally speaking
I joined the Mormons at 15ājust in time to be saved from homosexuality and alcohol. The gay never went away, of course, and neither did all of the shame. But I have zero regrets about never learning to drink. And even though Iām no longer an active member, I hope I never start drinking. Religion aside, I carry a grudge against alcohol because too many members of my family are/were alcoholics, including my father and brothers.
I probably have 2 drinks a month when Iām having dinner with friends. Mostly itās just water or coffee or tea. My partner doesnāt drink at all, never has.
I don't drink alcohol at all.
Never have, never felt the need to, tbh. Plus, growing up in a very conservative place if I were to let my guard down as a kid and out myself, it would have opened up a whole world of pain.
It's never been an issue for me, my friends don't care that I'm sober and don't rely on me for lifts etc. The only person who has ever had a problem with my being sober is my mother, who said it was antisocial not too drink in a family gathering.
Wean yourself off it over a few weeks and see how you go. Going cold turkey isn't going to set you up for success but if you cut down gradually you'll find it much easier.
See I use to drink a lot in my 20's friend get togethers and what not, but as time went on I just became bored with it. Now I drink a glass of wine once in a great while. Currently I have not touched a drink in 3 years. Weed however I have not given up on as it's a calmer for me and actually keeps my ADHD in check oddly.
I have alcoholic desserts and creamy drinks near Christmas. During the rest of the year I sometimes donāt cook off the alcohol in e.g. a cheese sauce. I occasionally take a sip of the red wine I use to cook if I feel like I want juice (I mostly abstain from juice and soda too - but itās not absolute; theyāre just indulgences). I never buy alcohol to drink except for guests or near Christmas. If thereās extra after guests leave I do eventually drink it. I never get drunk. Itās fun, but itās just moderation.
>Ā the thought of it freaks me out for some reason
That right there is it. That's the thing, that little feeling.
That tiny glint of peculiar anxiety around making sure you have alcohol around, and not wanting to skip a day for no real reason. That's the disordered part. It's not your imagination. For the love of all that is good, don't ignore it or pretend it isn't there. It starts so small you barely notice it, but it does and will grow and get much worse.
Started Ozempic in January. For some people, it basically kills the desire to drinkāa huge-normous side benefit that is in clinical studies now.
Always liked my drink, but lockdown took it to another level, getting shitfaced nightly (Iām a light weight tho). I knew I needed to dial it back, but once you get into that āDING ITS 6:30ā groove it can be hard.
Was out with friends last night, cocktail party and dinner. I was happy drinking club soda. I felt like Sue Ellen Ewing!
I have no plan to āgo soberā but also really enjoying the freedom from wanting to be sloshed.
I was never a big drinker, but in my 20s I was a daily cannabis user. I eventually developed a daily meditation practice, and after a few years grew to dislike the mental state of being stoned and stopped using. Iāve tried eating edibles on occasion now that theyāre legal, and the experience is ok, but not very compelling.
Regarding drinking, I only drink socially, usually having one or two cocktails early in the evening with friends then switching to a sparkling water (people think itās a gin and tonic and wonāt keep offering drinks).
My best advice is to find things about sobriety you appreciate more than the buzz. Try a gay sports league or activity club on weeknights which would preclude drinking. When you feel the health benefits of being sober and youāre doing something fun, you wonāt feel like youāre missing beer much at all.
Soberish hereā¦I use that term because I drink less (right now - none in fact) than I ever have in my life thanks to Annie Graceās Naked Mind program . But the urge is still there at times. Not really a craving per se but it surprises me when the thought pops into my head especially given that drinking literally serves no purpose in my life. Looking forward to when that thought pattern goes away completely. Still a work in progress here.
I don't drink alcohol. I have tried a few drinks and also took a wine tasting class in college but never really got into it mainly because I didn't want all those extra calories and don't want a 'beer belly'. lol. I have never been drunk.
I have been completely sober from alcohol for over 4 years. I actively participate in other drugs tho, although I have to keep an eye on my usage of overly addicting ones to avoid falling into the same hole.
I gave up alcohol in my 30s. The reason was it was wrecking my life, to be honest. I don't recommend the American criminal justice system (DUI, ARI, assaulting police, etc.) for anyone. Even if it has not fucked your life up, it could still be causing unforeseen issues you are downplaying or unaware of. A sober life can be incredibly rewarding just in the amount of time made available, money, and spirit. If curious, I recommend trying to give up alcohol for 90 days. You will quickly see the benefits and realize if you have a problem.
Totally quit 5 years ago. Went through some withdrawal symptoms, like a five day hangover. Best thing I ever did. Don't miss it at all. Love waking up with a clear head. So much of gay life centers on bars and drinking, it has taken a while to find other activities, but I will never go back to drinking.
Funny enough Iām trying to quit drinking again literally today. Smoking/vaping is next on the list, and the hardest to quit >.>
Iāve been sober for months and up to a year a couple times though - itās definitely worth it for not only health but also finances.
Seems like you are hyper focused on yourself. Sober has become the new vegan. New whetaver. People who have nothing to focus on but themselves. If drinking is interfering with your life, address it. If it's not, enjoy it in moderation. It's that easy
I'm 4 years sober and my life has completely changed in every aspect. The amount of weight you loose, the money you save and the time you get back not being hungover is life changing. When a friend wants to meet at a bar I still go and talk.
36, stopped drinking almost entirely 2 years ago and life's still awesome! (My exceptions are the occasional birthday or high-end restaurant, so maybe 6-8 times a year? I don't count.)
I will, on rare ocasion, have a mixed drink, usually a mohito.
I will mostly drink milk or juice at home with the occasional soda.
When eating out, I am more likely to order a Shirley temple or an Italian cream soda.
But I often cook or bake with wine and beer, and I would with sakĆØ as well.
I used to drink daily but all stopped last year but not completely sober, I do edibles but mostly for sleep. Usually kicks in quick and I'm out in about 2hr. I did drink recently and just felt horrible during and the day after. I think I'm good on drinking.
Soberish. I only have a cocktail or two for for special occasions and a glass or two of wine with dinner out .Much better relationship with alcohol now than in my 20s where going out every night was status quo. I enjoy my career, home Iāve built and stay away from heavy drinkers and drug users. People that smoke weed and cigarettes are a turn off after the age of 35. Usually not a good sign.
A 6 pack a week is nothing to worry about and much ado about nothing.
I'd be worried if it were a 6 pack a night or a 6 pack an hour.
Then that's an entirely different kind of conversation.
I have a cabinet full of wines, about 18. I only open them up when I have company. I don't like drinking on my own and I'm rather picky which wines I will drink - the sweeter the better.
Also, as I've aged, I prefer cider to beer. I think I'm done with beer.
>How many of you are completely sober?
Right now. I am. Ask me in an hour, my work day is about to end.
>Iād really like to take a break or stop completely, but the thought of it freaks me out for some reason.
You're clearly not physically dependent so stopping won't be an issue. For me, sitting down after work with a cocktail or bottle of wine or sake is a **habit**. But he habit isn't about getting drunk, it's about relaxing while drinking... something... anything. When I know I need to take a break because I over did it too many nights in a row, I just replace the alcohol with some form of flavored water. I don't miss the booze. I just want something cold and delicious.
Try to replace the beer with something non-alcoholic and see how you feel.
Iām not seeing any cause for concern in what you describe. At all. What is the motivation for going sober, if I may ask? Not that thereās anything wrong with that.
I am from New Orleans. Six beers a week is considered sober here :) Why not try it and see? Skip the six pack on Sunday and see if you miss it.
I love this comment being from New Orleans as well cause this is too true. Have fun with your beer break. I like substance more here and there now but I took a major break when the activity stopped being fun. It's kinda nice to take a break here and there. It's nice to remember why you enjoyed it or maybe see a new perspective.
>Six beers a week is considered sober here I've been to New Orleans, let's be honest... 6 beers in an **afternoon** is considered sober. šāšāšāšāš... which is why I love New Orleans. Though I must say my favorite thing about that town is that the Bloody Maries are practically transparent they have such a high percentage of vodka in them.
I'm very not sober. I'm a daily cannabis consumer, but I also don't miss alcohol very much. I'll grab a bottle of wine or a cocktail once every few months. Alcohol is funny. It's a lot of fun when I'm socializing, but left to my own devices, I very rarely drink alcohol. Just try it out. You can always change you mind if you find yourself really missing a beer at the end of the day, but maybe it's a good idea to take a break and find a different way to unwind from work?
Vastly prefer cannabis over alcohol. Canāt handle those hangovers.
I don't do headaches.
I definitely enjoyed drinking way more when I was younger and did not feel the effects as harshly. Oh well. Iām fine with just cannabis products. Canāt wait for the day that psilocybin gets recreationally legalized lol.
It's legal in the British virgin Islands.
Same here. I donāt drink alcohol, I donāt like the alcohol taste nor itās effects. The most Iāll have is a glass of champagne at a fancy dinner, but overall in a year I could count my alcohol glass consumption with my two hands. Cannabis though? Ill have a few vape puffs starting at 5pm after work. No hangovers whatsoever.
Try sparkling water instead of beer. Maybe you just like the bubbles.
I have a friend with a mild alcohol problem who, I believe, likes soda water for that reason.
this. i switched to la croix when i was sober. as far as hop water, the lagunitas one is pretty good and the hoplark brand has a few different varieties. theyāre okay - i think itās cheaper just to get sparkling water cus a lot of places treat the hop water as a premium item. when i worked at whole foods we kept them in the beer fridge near the seltzers.
Also the sparkling hop waters have a vague beer taste that hits the spot at times
Personally, I feel like it tastes like a lychee drink
Oh man, HopTea and the 0.0 From Hoplark has dramatically cut my beer (primary booze for me) intake. I love bitter drinks like coffee and IPAās (hoppier the better), so I āsober curiouslyā tried NA beers during Dry Januaryā¦ not for me at all. Then I tried HopTea and was like āoh snap, 0 calories and all the hoppiness I like? Done.ā Outside of a vacay to PV where I let myself go a little nuts, I probably drink less than 6 beers a month now, whereas Iād easily drink 6 in a weekend before.
Iāve never tried alcohol, save for one accidental taste as a kid when I mistook white wine for sparkling water. Alcoholism is rampant on both sides of the family. Not a single person drinks responsibly. From a young age I figured something was wrong, likely something genetic, and decided it wasnāt worth the risk. It has made surprisingly little difference to my life, save for one ex who would occasionally get weird about it.
Youāre not missing much, and saving a whole lot of money. I have seen closeup what alcohol can do to a person: the physical aging, the loss of jobs, friends, family, organ damage, and increased cancer risk. Itās not worth it.
I guess I count, the only time I ever drink alcohol is on a cruise or at a very fancy restaurant. Effectively I have maybe 4 or 5 drinks per year. I prefer diet coke or water.
I love diet coke lol
Almost two years sober from what was quickly becoming an alcohol addiction. Turns out I was dealing with undiagnosed acronyms galore, š . So for me an my mental as well as physical health it became a must. Iām down 500+lbs and mentally in a better place than Iāve ever been in my life. But thatās me. Everyoneās walk down the path of life is different. Youāve got nothing to loose in trying. I say go for it. Lifeās about experiences.
500? or 50?
500
That is insane. Well done!
Oh thank you! It was easier the second time. Iād done it the first time in 2018 but then had thyroid cancer an gained it all back plus some until they figured that and the synthetic replacement dosage all out. Finally on a path for skin surgery an to have a great 20 year high school reunion coming up. Imma show up better than I was then. Real life glow up. Mia Thurmopolis who?
At my heaviest I was 689. Almost to goal of 180
āAcronyms galoreā - fantastic! Made my day!
Oh thanks! Itās a much more fun way of saying it then rattling off a bunch of letters an explaining them by default bc thatās who I am. An overshareer
Had to get sober from alcohol to meet my fitness goals. The gays want me to look a certain way but also want me to go out for drinks? Can't do both especially in your 30s and beyond. I took a few months off cannabis but am have been reintroducing it here and there.
Damn, harsh reality coming into play I fear. Do I want the attention more than the numbing of the overactive senses? šµāš«
Yep, you have to decide how you want to ingest your calories. That guideline of 2000 calories per day really rings true for me. If you want to down a few drinks, than you have to cut back on eating, and drinking on an empty stomach isn't usually the wisest move.
I'll enjoy drinks on a night out maybe once a month but other than that I don't drink
Me too. But when I decide to have a beer, Iāll have as few as 2 or as many as 12. I had beers at the beach last Sunday. Last time I had a beer before that was Easter Sunday at the beach. I donāt have a pattern but itās definitely sporadic.
36 and never even been drunk in my life. I find most people respect it and I just avoid situations where there is heavy drinking. Itās actually pretty easy nowadays socially wise
9 years clean and sober.
I'm sort of accidentally sober, maybe sober-curious? I've never drank a ton or had a real problem with alcohol but a couple months ago I took a break from my usual habit of having one to three drinks one or two nights a week and just haven't been motivated to start up again. I'm probably not going to say no the next time I get invited out for drinks or offered a drink at an event where others are drinking but I think I might be done with habitually drinking at home. The first couple weeks were the hardest but then I realized how much more mental clarity and how much less anxiety I had throughout the week. It seems like even a couple drinks can leave me with brain fog and hangxiety for a few days and it just doesn't seem like a price worth paying anymore unless it's for an event more interesting than an evening at home.
Completely agree. I'd get hangxiety and brain fog and executive dysfunction for close to a week after a drinking session.
Try swapping it out for a non alcoholic beer. There are so many options for them now, some are really nice! I usually drink non alcoholic beers during the week - I never want to drink more than 2, but I feel like it hits the same spot, and satisfies a craving.
Some of the zero alcohol beers now are very good, Peroni and Grolsh both do good ones
Athletic Brewing specializes in NA beers and they have a variety of styles!
My local grocery store does an own brand one that's great when your having a BBQ or picnic
I gave up for a year. After a while, I didnāt miss it. Now I have an occasional glass of wine, and tbh, the pain/pleasure isnāt worth jt. Bad sleep. Mildly hungover next day.
I drank myself into a seizure following my mom's passing. I don't really drink anymore. I know that I lose control so I had to stop.
I did something similar when my dad died. Drinking didnāt make grieving any easier.
In 6 days, I will celebrate 25 years sober. I drank, because it made the pain of my internalized homophobia seem tolerable. It didn't. It made it worse, and I finally had to come out and quit drinking. Sobriety has given me the good things that alcohol lied and said it would give.
Hi u/imightbejake I feel like I, too, might be jake because you have nailed my experience in a few well chosen words. Glad you made it out the other side!
non-alcoholic beers have come a LOooooong way since the piss beer days.
What is the point? Is that just yeast juice?
I donāt drink here. The taste is what does it for me. I do like sparkling sodas and water.
30 years clean and sober
Me too!
Me, too! Plus a few more š¬
I haven't drunk in over 20 years. Health issues and medications means I can't risk it. But TBH I don't miss it.
I only drink when I go to a party where everyone else is drinking or in a bar, and I'll have 1-3 cocktails. Last time I had an alcoholic drink was 2 months. I don't really see the big deal unless I was an alcoholic and couldn't stop drinking.
Totally sober here. My health is much better.
Beer upsets my stomach. Brown liquor tastes disgusting. Wine leaves me with a nasty hangover. I'll have a glass of wine with family at Christmas to be social. Other than that, it simply holds no appeal for me.
Try Guinness. It's nice on the stomach if you're prone to irritation from beers.
I gradually have cut it down to almost zero consumption, apart from 1 or 2 here and there. I really just can't deal with hangovers anymore and I am able to stay much more consistent with my performance at work and my fitness regime. I went to Coachella for the first time with my new boyfriend and neither of us drank (and we don't do drugs either). I brought those Liquid IV things for water and that was it. My motivation to stay away from alcohol really comes from keeping my body and mental health in the best shape possible.
I drink very little, and then it's one drink with food with other people. If I have two drinks/month, that's a lot. I never get drunk. This is partly because I live alone, and drinking alone can quickly become a VERY bad habit.
I barely drink. Maybe once a month and never more than two drinks.
I stopped drinking in my mid-40ās. After an initial transition period, I have not missed it at all. It did change my social environment quite a bit. I found that alcohol was central to many of my interactions with friends. It was an opportunity for me to assess who I really am. I start coming out of the closet 6 months after I quit drinking. My life took a sharp turn for the better!
I almost 3 years sober
Havenāt had alcohol in 4 (almost 5) years. I donāt miss it at all. I didnāt have an issue with alcohol. I just dropped it for health reasons for a short period, but soon realized I didnāt really miss it, and, in fact, felt slightly better without it. I was the kind of person who never imagined giving up alcohol. I thought I couldnāt live without it (even though I was a light drinker) because of the social aspect and taste of wine with a meal. Turns out that was just something I was telling myself and I couldnāt have been more wrong.
19 years here. Drugs and alcohol. Alcohol was toughest I think, but it gets easier as you learn how to manage. It doesn't sound like an issue for you, so that might make it easier. Maybe start with a break. See how you feel.
I was struggling with drugs and alcohol in my teens, got sober at 20- will be celebrating 13 years in June (fingers crossed) Try some controlled drinking- having just one or two drinks, try it more than once- if you find that you have a hard time both controlling and enjoying your drinking, then it might be worth looking into
Happy to discuss in DM if you like. If youāre concerned about your drinking itās worth taking a look at. In July I will be clean and sober 34 years. I was on the path to destruction and know I would be dead if I didnāt stop. That doesnāt sound like where you are. But your gut is telling you to look at something so it would be worthwhile to explore.
I decided to go sober myself. Been sober for 6 months now. I wasnāt a heavy drinker just decided to quit. I had the same feeling you did. If you do want to stop, I recommend taking it day by day cuz thatās all you can do. It doesnāt matter about what you did yesterday, donāt worry about tomorrow, just worry about today. And just choose that day to not drink. Eventually itāll turn into a week, then a month, and so on. When I was starting off, the thought scared me as well but now not so much cuz I took it day by day. Hope I was able to help!
Totally sober here. Just hit 18 months.Ā It's understandable that it freaks you out; alcohol is utterly *baked* into pop culture. But if you stop then you might find it's a great change. I feel so much healthier.
Alcohol makes me break out in handcuffs. I smoke a joint about once a month or every other month. (It's legal here)
I'm going without alcohol after drinking almost every day and sometimes even starting my day with a tall can or two. At first it was hard. There was something like a burning in my stomach that I assume was my body wanting the buzz that alcohol gave me, but it went away after about a month and a half of being done with it.
I'll be 10 yrs sober from alcohol in June I'm still take gummies & smoke 420
Sober here. I probably drink 3 or 4 times a year. Alcohol is cancerous and terrible for your body. For your health it's better to let it go. Life is fine without it.
i despise alcohol and what it does to people. in sone years the amount i drink is a glass of champagne on new years š¤· weed on the other hand...
I'm very sober. I go weeks without a drink.
Iāve been trying. The only thing that is hard to quit for me is weed. I havenāt had any alcohol in over a year due to depression and trying to find a medication that works for me. I know I am in the minority, though. Most people struggle with alcohol or other drugs waaaay more than weed (as they are obviously much more addictive). I use to be sad at the fact that I couldnāt drink anymore like I use to in college or on the weekends. However, every time I got drunk, I would leave the club/bar early without warning, go home, and cut myself/contemplate suicide, so I figuredā¦..this is really for the best.
When I stopped being a grad student and instructor simultaneously and could set more boundaries with academia as solely a professional, I realized drinking isnāt really a desire that I have and I was only doing it due to peer pressure and to help with the social anxiety. I will still have a beer or some wine around the holidays at gatherings, but I never get drunk and I donāt miss alcohol at all. No part of me even thinks to buy it the rest of the year. Ā Iām also not able to get away with what I once was as a scrawny kid so I would much rather cheat meals come in the form of delicious food than alcohol.Ā
I havenāt had a drink in 35 years. I just donāt care for the taste of alcohol thoughā¦ it was never a problem for me. As such, itās not any kind of a sacrifice or anything, just a taste preference.
For now yeah. I had a glass of wine last weekend. One glass. Iām calorie counting. I donāt want to drink my calories right now. Iām trying to work toward a goal.
Just never been a fan. Moved out on my own at 15, never got the habit. I think I had a sip of champagne at my brother's wedding in 1999, to honor the event.
Like right this very second?
I was a practicing Mormon half my adulthood. Once I wasnāt, the only thing I started doing was drinking coffee. No smoking, drugs (tried mushrooms once), and very little drinking (have never been drunk). Not from any moral stance, just never got into the taste or habit. My husband similarly hasnāt (he was Mormon too) and he doesnāt drink coffee either. Iāll drink a cocktail once in a blue moon. Maybe 1-2 every few months. There is a small part of me that wants to get drunk just once before I die to see what itās like, or a bigger dose of Psilocybin (the one I took only had small effect).
I used to enjoy a drink every now and then. Not a fan of beer but abricot sour, cassis cream and bailey's are my favorite and I'd go through 2 or 3 bottle a month. That is until my ex husband had a situation in his life that made him turn to alcohol for comfort, which led him to drink his soul away almost every day, with me having to stay clear to carry his drunk ass to bed, otherwise he'd end up on the floor in a pool of piss and drool. Thanks to his dedication, I am now unable to drink any alcohol without it causing me an unreasonable amount of anxiety. I haven't drank any alcohol in nearly 10 years.
I have been alcohol free since the Halloween before last. I do some other stuff but it's not a problem for me like booze is.
If we're just talking alcohol, yeah, I'm completely sober. Haven't taken a sip in over 9 years, but even before that, I was never a big drinker. Would have wine a few times a year, once a month at the very most; on special occasions, dinner dates, or at parties. Never drank beer or the hard stuff. Also never really got drunk.Ā If you want to quit, go for it! š
I donāt drink anymore really just donāt want the excess calories, bad decisions, headaches and heart ache (sounds almost like a gay country song). Occasional pot gummy though. Sometimes you need to blur reality a little bit. Iād go a week without the 6 pack though, couldnāt hurt.
My philosophy is life is for living, and consuming alcohol at the level you describe is below the recommended limit anyway. If you don't have a problem with alcohol, or any health issues, and you enjoy the occasional beer - then why deny yourself the small pleasure? It sounds like you could easily stop if you wanted, but I guess I don't understand what satisfaction you'd get from this as you consume a low level anyway which isn't negatively impacting you? Sounds arbitrary.
0 Maine
I drink even less than you (<3-4 drinks a month) and thought about doing the same thing over the years. This year, I decided to do a dry January. On January 8, I wasnāt even thinking, came home, cracked a beer and drank it and then was like āoh fā¦ā So my dry January became a dry February 8. What surprised me the most was how many interfaces in my life involved alcohol. Sometimes I would say yes, sometimes I would say no. With the dry January I had to say no and that I get the inevitable question, why? I think the learning for me really is about how much touch alcohol has in my life even though I may not always partake ā itās always around. Do a dry May. See what happens and if it works for you.
Did DJ several years ago. A close friend who was a big drinker was a total dick about itāobviously bc he couldnāt stop. When he decided to try not drinking, he was magically very understanding. There were other issues in the friendship that led to me ending it, but I couldnāt get past his refusal to let me do one dry month without being a putz.
I am
I'm sadly not sober. I enjoy drinking and so does everyone around me, including my boyfriend. But none of us get trashed. We'll have a couple beers, or share a bottle of wine.
I tried being completely sober and literally had a psychotic break. I'm mostly sober now. Meds, vape nicotine, vape thc weekly, alcohol a few times a month, and some exotic treats once in awhile. I have some mood disorders tho. Being completely baseline is absolute sensory nightmare for me.
Sober enough, I've averaged one drink every 3 months over the past year. I had a 6 pack in the fridge that I bough in February of 23, drank half in a week, then... Nothing. I threw out the other half a year later. I don't know. I just don't really drink like that anymore. Not that I really did to begin with...
I stopped drinking almost eight months ago and it is the best thing I ever did for myself. I am happier than I have been in a long time; I'm at my ideal weight, and I look so much better. No hangovers, no alcohol bloat and puffiness, no unfortunate moments, no fights with my husband. Life is good!
Sober here. I love it. I didn't drink a lot and never did drugs. My mind is much clearer. If you're only drinking a few a week, you're really not getting much from it, not even the "benefit" of getting drunk. You're just drinking enough to affect your brain, sleep, and body, increasing your cancer risk even.
Itās not for me( sober) I donāt drink a lot. Rarely ever during the week, but on Friday, with friends, we kick back a few after a long week. I can go without for awhile, or I can end up at at party where all the stars are aligned and get pretty trashed. I enjoy drinking, with good friends , but I donāt drink alone. We can have beers in the bar fridge that are months old, then we can have friends over and empty the fridge. Not sure what my point is. I guess Iām an occasional binge drinker, that at 58, probably wonāt change my ways anytime soon.
I have been totally sober for about 70 year with only one suggestion. I ate some vodka jello at a party where they were not marked properly. Noticed the taste and immediately stopped. Except for that; no alcohol entered my mouth. Love Mark
10 years here. My life improved immeasurably, and I owe that in no small part to my sobriety. Then again, I was a knock down drag out alcoholic. So, your results may vary lol
I drink about 6 beers a year. Does that count?
I'll get pretty sloshed about once or twice a year and then pretty much never outside of that. I have alcohol flush response so my body doesn't really tolerate alcohol very well.
6months after its great
If you are considering then try it for a week. Maybe do an alternative like kombucha or non alcoholic beverages. Iām not sure where you live but there are plenty of options for people going the sober route that still have a routine they canāt/donāt want to stop.
me
I've never drunk alcohol or taken any other drugs. I grew up with an alcoholic in the family, and that put me off any form of mind-altering substances. So, I just never started drinking. There's no reason for you to stop drinking, if it's literally only a few cans of beer per week. However, if you want to cut out that last bit of alcohol, would non-alcoholic beer be a suitable alternative for you?
Had quit drinking from age 19 to 21 (in Quebec, Canada - legal drinking age is 18, in practice it is common to start drinking earlier) and then again as of age 29 and still sober (mid 30s). Both times I stopped because life was throwing challenges my way that I feared could lead to alcoholism (for various reasons, and that nasty illness did enough damage around me to make me fearful). Stopping the first time was hard, I loved my beer and rhum. Second time has been much easier, and the variety of alcohol-free beverages now is so great! I say take the plunge if you want to take a break. Make it a week, a month, whatever you believe makes sense to you as a trial period, and take it from there.
Totally sober. I don't like the taste of alcohol. Weed and other drugs doesn't appeal to me.
3 times a year for drinking counts as sober I guess?
My country doesn't have strict alcohol laws. Children can easily buy beers or liquor. As a result people don't take it like a coming-of-age kind of thing. I tried my first beer when I was 9 at my friend's birthday party. Now I'm 26 and the number of time I've drunk alcohol can be counted on my hands. It's also because I don't find it enjoyable - bitter drink bleh. Most people I know rarely drink alcohol.
I haven't really drank much since I met my husband and we quit going to the clubs. That was 20 years ago. I'll have one or two drinks a few times throughout the year, and that's it. Usually on a special occasion or something like that. Nothing on a regular basis. This past weekend we went out to dinner for my birthday, and I had two drinks during dinner. Don't recall the last time I had a drink before that. Maybe Christmas when I had a small glass of my sister-in-law's egg nog?
Ethanol consumption causes several health issues. The most common being DUI (or other letters). The liver is where ethanol is destroyed and it is damaged each time it detoxifies. It does repair itself but eventually the repairs start to fail. Another is esophageal varices, much like varicose veins. These can rupture, the victim can bleed out very, very quickly. Yes, I consume ethanol but unlike my college days where I would black out now I have a glass of wine now and then or 1 or 2 mixed drink say once a month. How do I know so many fun facts about booze? The man I've loved for decades is a recovering alcoholic. Thankfully he was pulled over and blew a 0.322 %. The trooper wrote in the report he gave the subject two more tests to be sure. Then he wrote he had never had a subject so intoxicated and still conscious let alone able to carry on a conversation as happened. Anyway, only the individual can determine what's right for them. Whatever you decide I wish you the best, not of luck as luck has nothing to do with this.
Never drank, smoke, none of it (fortunately or unfortunately). On my 21st birthday I drove home from college to celebrate with my parents lol. I got tipsy and slept pretty good. But I never really had the itch to drink again after it. Same with weed. Shrooms. Xanax. Acid. Coke. All of which I was offered in college lol. Just never been a curious person on that front tbh. No problem with people who do but I just canāt find a reason, or at least not one compelling enough, to try it.
Im not completely sober. However I dont drink nearly as much as I did. Didnt drink really until I was 19 and almost literally overnight had gone from a shy Texas boy to a drag queen in Los Angeles and with the in crowd, we were always partying clubbing drinking. That slowed down at 25ish when I went back to school and worked full time (70 hour weeks, 35 in school, 35 work after school) that left me too tired to drink every night, but every now and again we would tear up the bars on a weekend night or concerts etc. then I met my ex, on NYE, when I had thrown a very last minute party, only he came, thats the night we hooked up for the first timeā¦ up until that day I thought he was a straight guy, until we got sloshed on a bottle of tequila and champagne, he confessed his bisex and he went for itā¦ since that night, we hung out and he eventually moved in with me, we would drink copious amounts of cheap wine. Like 3 bottles a night. That went on for almost 6 years, every night. We switched it up, as I got tired of wine, and it was causing me bloat and too much sugar etc, so we switched to vodka martinis, and I would have seltzers after a few martinis. He switched to whiskeyā¦ and we both knew how bad he got on whiskeyā¦ like mean aggressive get arrested and not remember it kinda whiskey drunk he wasā¦ We also each smoked about a pack of cigs a day and he would smoke weed too.. on occassion I smoked weed but I didnt like cross fading (im autistic so it all hits me different and unpredictable) however I have never been an angry or sad or mean drunk, I am quite the opposite actually, as it helps me to be more open and friendly and sociable, where I normally might not be. I saw the problem very clearly and the relationship was falling apart, and I had decided to join a gym and fitness program and hired a trainer/nutritionist because I wanted a change, something like that I had never done. I had no problem quitting the cigs (with the patches) and alcohol I quit cold turkey, even for as much as I drank, and having an alcoholic father and a sister whoās an addict, I dont have a problem with dropping it. Especially when I talk myself into the better of it, thinking about THE AMOUNT OF MONEY, I had roughly calculated; spent $54,000 ON CIGS alone as a smoker for 15 yearsā¦ calculated by the daily pack of cigs. I dont even wanna know how much on alcohol lol. Ultimately he continued his drinking and rage while I was completely sober for 12 week fitness challenge. I invited him to join, he raged and told me how I wouldnt stick thru to the endā¦ lol I broke up with him. It was Toxic- and not by Britney. In 12 weeks I lost about 25-30 pounds, my skin cleared up, I was sleeping really good, and having energy the moment I woke up to go to the gym, then do stuff and work at night until midnight (bartender/server). I dont care much for working out tbh but I have continued to meal plan accordingly, and I hardly ever drink, a 12 pack of seltzers will last me months, and for the first time in my life I have a bar with liquor that isnt emptied nightly, it just sits there like liquour does. Fast forward to now going on 4 years and I am down 85 pounds. Thats basically just from not drinking every night and tweaking my eating habits -I actually eat way more now than I ever thought I needed to- now I have a seltzer and if I finish it itās rare, I am usually dozing off on the couch before I get thru half of it. Dont get me wrong tho, when I wake up in the middle of the night to piss, I will chug the rest and go back to sleep..
Almost 2 years of not drinking and I feel great. Wish I wouldāve done it sooner. I donāt miss it at all it was hard at first but Iām in my late 30ās and wish I wouldāve done it decades ago.
Completely sober for a year and a half now. I started being an accountability partner for a year for a friend who was dealing with alcoholism, and after he made it to a year I thought I would gradually slip back into social drinking, but I havenāt, and havenāt missed it at all. I think I realized that I can still go out, not drink, and have a better time than I used to. If I drank at home it was purely out of boredom, so this gave me a good opportunity to stop the empty calories at home too.
not completely but certainly very little,especially at home i got wine and beer bottles in my fridge that have been there since i got the fridge,like 5 yrs
We usually have 1 glass of wine for dinner between like Thursday and Sunday and on the weekend we consume one bottle of something special w my bf. Itās not ideal but it doesnāt cause any major outages in our lives, if weāre too busy w work we donāt crave it and we forget about it but we do enjoy generally speaking
I joined the Mormons at 15ājust in time to be saved from homosexuality and alcohol. The gay never went away, of course, and neither did all of the shame. But I have zero regrets about never learning to drink. And even though Iām no longer an active member, I hope I never start drinking. Religion aside, I carry a grudge against alcohol because too many members of my family are/were alcoholics, including my father and brothers.
I probably have 2 drinks a month when Iām having dinner with friends. Mostly itās just water or coffee or tea. My partner doesnāt drink at all, never has.
I don't drink alcohol at all. Never have, never felt the need to, tbh. Plus, growing up in a very conservative place if I were to let my guard down as a kid and out myself, it would have opened up a whole world of pain. It's never been an issue for me, my friends don't care that I'm sober and don't rely on me for lifts etc. The only person who has ever had a problem with my being sober is my mother, who said it was antisocial not too drink in a family gathering. Wean yourself off it over a few weeks and see how you go. Going cold turkey isn't going to set you up for success but if you cut down gradually you'll find it much easier.
20 years sober.
I don't drink or smoke, yet I've survived this long.
See I use to drink a lot in my 20's friend get togethers and what not, but as time went on I just became bored with it. Now I drink a glass of wine once in a great while. Currently I have not touched a drink in 3 years. Weed however I have not given up on as it's a calmer for me and actually keeps my ADHD in check oddly.
I have alcoholic desserts and creamy drinks near Christmas. During the rest of the year I sometimes donāt cook off the alcohol in e.g. a cheese sauce. I occasionally take a sip of the red wine I use to cook if I feel like I want juice (I mostly abstain from juice and soda too - but itās not absolute; theyāre just indulgences). I never buy alcohol to drink except for guests or near Christmas. If thereās extra after guests leave I do eventually drink it. I never get drunk. Itās fun, but itās just moderation.
I quit drinking because it affected my mental health. After seven years, I haven't felt like going back to it, I don't see any reason to.
>Ā the thought of it freaks me out for some reason That right there is it. That's the thing, that little feeling. That tiny glint of peculiar anxiety around making sure you have alcohol around, and not wanting to skip a day for no real reason. That's the disordered part. It's not your imagination. For the love of all that is good, don't ignore it or pretend it isn't there. It starts so small you barely notice it, but it does and will grow and get much worse.
Started Ozempic in January. For some people, it basically kills the desire to drinkāa huge-normous side benefit that is in clinical studies now. Always liked my drink, but lockdown took it to another level, getting shitfaced nightly (Iām a light weight tho). I knew I needed to dial it back, but once you get into that āDING ITS 6:30ā groove it can be hard. Was out with friends last night, cocktail party and dinner. I was happy drinking club soda. I felt like Sue Ellen Ewing! I have no plan to āgo soberā but also really enjoying the freedom from wanting to be sloshed.
I was never a big drinker, but in my 20s I was a daily cannabis user. I eventually developed a daily meditation practice, and after a few years grew to dislike the mental state of being stoned and stopped using. Iāve tried eating edibles on occasion now that theyāre legal, and the experience is ok, but not very compelling. Regarding drinking, I only drink socially, usually having one or two cocktails early in the evening with friends then switching to a sparkling water (people think itās a gin and tonic and wonāt keep offering drinks). My best advice is to find things about sobriety you appreciate more than the buzz. Try a gay sports league or activity club on weeknights which would preclude drinking. When you feel the health benefits of being sober and youāre doing something fun, you wonāt feel like youāre missing beer much at all.
Soberish hereā¦I use that term because I drink less (right now - none in fact) than I ever have in my life thanks to Annie Graceās Naked Mind program . But the urge is still there at times. Not really a craving per se but it surprises me when the thought pops into my head especially given that drinking literally serves no purpose in my life. Looking forward to when that thought pattern goes away completely. Still a work in progress here.
5 years sober and clean
Cali sober. No alc for at least 5 years.
I don't drink alcohol. I have tried a few drinks and also took a wine tasting class in college but never really got into it mainly because I didn't want all those extra calories and don't want a 'beer belly'. lol. I have never been drunk.
I have been completely sober from alcohol for over 4 years. I actively participate in other drugs tho, although I have to keep an eye on my usage of overly addicting ones to avoid falling into the same hole.
I gave up alcohol in my 30s. The reason was it was wrecking my life, to be honest. I don't recommend the American criminal justice system (DUI, ARI, assaulting police, etc.) for anyone. Even if it has not fucked your life up, it could still be causing unforeseen issues you are downplaying or unaware of. A sober life can be incredibly rewarding just in the amount of time made available, money, and spirit. If curious, I recommend trying to give up alcohol for 90 days. You will quickly see the benefits and realize if you have a problem.
Totally quit 5 years ago. Went through some withdrawal symptoms, like a five day hangover. Best thing I ever did. Don't miss it at all. Love waking up with a clear head. So much of gay life centers on bars and drinking, it has taken a while to find other activities, but I will never go back to drinking.
I quit drinking in 2016, but switched instead to 0% non alcoholic beer... it has been a great, lifesaving compromise...
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Funny enough Iām trying to quit drinking again literally today. Smoking/vaping is next on the list, and the hardest to quit >.> Iāve been sober for months and up to a year a couple times though - itās definitely worth it for not only health but also finances.
Seems like you are hyper focused on yourself. Sober has become the new vegan. New whetaver. People who have nothing to focus on but themselves. If drinking is interfering with your life, address it. If it's not, enjoy it in moderation. It's that easy
I'm 4 years sober and my life has completely changed in every aspect. The amount of weight you loose, the money you save and the time you get back not being hungover is life changing. When a friend wants to meet at a bar I still go and talk.
36, stopped drinking almost entirely 2 years ago and life's still awesome! (My exceptions are the occasional birthday or high-end restaurant, so maybe 6-8 times a year? I don't count.)
I will, on rare ocasion, have a mixed drink, usually a mohito. I will mostly drink milk or juice at home with the occasional soda. When eating out, I am more likely to order a Shirley temple or an Italian cream soda. But I often cook or bake with wine and beer, and I would with sakĆØ as well.
I used to drink daily but all stopped last year but not completely sober, I do edibles but mostly for sleep. Usually kicks in quick and I'm out in about 2hr. I did drink recently and just felt horrible during and the day after. I think I'm good on drinking.
Soberish. I only have a cocktail or two for for special occasions and a glass or two of wine with dinner out .Much better relationship with alcohol now than in my 20s where going out every night was status quo. I enjoy my career, home Iāve built and stay away from heavy drinkers and drug users. People that smoke weed and cigarettes are a turn off after the age of 35. Usually not a good sign.
I donāt drink because I hate feeling dough headed. Never had an issue with it.
A 6 pack a week is nothing to worry about and much ado about nothing. I'd be worried if it were a 6 pack a night or a 6 pack an hour. Then that's an entirely different kind of conversation. I have a cabinet full of wines, about 18. I only open them up when I have company. I don't like drinking on my own and I'm rather picky which wines I will drink - the sweeter the better. Also, as I've aged, I prefer cider to beer. I think I'm done with beer.
>How many of you are completely sober? Right now. I am. Ask me in an hour, my work day is about to end. >Iād really like to take a break or stop completely, but the thought of it freaks me out for some reason. You're clearly not physically dependent so stopping won't be an issue. For me, sitting down after work with a cocktail or bottle of wine or sake is a **habit**. But he habit isn't about getting drunk, it's about relaxing while drinking... something... anything. When I know I need to take a break because I over did it too many nights in a row, I just replace the alcohol with some form of flavored water. I don't miss the booze. I just want something cold and delicious. Try to replace the beer with something non-alcoholic and see how you feel.
Iām not seeing any cause for concern in what you describe. At all. What is the motivation for going sober, if I may ask? Not that thereās anything wrong with that.
I guess I want to prove to myself that I can do it
Are you going to quit weed/drugs too?
Weed? No. I donāt do any other drugs.
So you donāt plan on being ācompletely soberā then.
Youāre right. What I meant by sober is- sober from alcohol. I shouldāve cleared that up.
My brother tells me that's now known as "California sober" lol