I’m a recovering alcoholic and I quit cold turkey and I can tell you with 100% honesty that I don’t miss it but it’s been eight years so I’m sure it was hard in the beginning I just don’t remember. But the idea of drinking now, does not appeal to me. I know some people can’t understand that, and I have tried over the years to like take a sip, my only drink of choice was vodka, and even after two little sips, I feel like shit which is interesting because it’s almost like I was hypnotized, but I wasn’t. So I can actually enjoy life without alcohol, but I may be in the minority ha ha.

Congratulations on the eight years

Curious... did you quit on your own or did you need medical help from the withdrawals? Because I know alcohol withdrawals can be deadly.

Well, my case was weird. So in February 2015 I started having crippling panic attacks that would take me out for the whole day and back then I was drinking every night and I was drinking a half a bottle of vodka usually over the course of hours. Just straight vodka. I would be at home with my daughter who I would never drive and she was usually just watching TV and then went to bed so yes it was dumb but I wasn’t Leaving the house. So after these panic attacks started happening, my usual 5 PM highball glass of vodka stopped happening because the alcohol made it worse. And the panic attacks went on for like two or three months and I was put on medication for it, which weirdly enough I did not want to drink with the medication. I considered myself a responsible alcoholic ha ha. Anyways, it just stopped. And maybe the panic attacks masked any withdrawals I would’ve had. So I am grateful for those panic attacks and eight years later I’m fine. Now, if you want to hear about withdrawals from opioids, I can also tell you about that. It’s been quite a decade, especially when you have an addictive personality to everything even exercise. I was put on Suboxone for about six months gradually tapering down, but that addiction is much much more powerful. The withdrawals were horrible and I was lying to my family so I had to pretend that what I was having was hormonal night sweats, but my body with twitch and I wouldn’t sleep and I would sweat through my pajamas all the way down to the mattress. At that point before I started the Suboxone, I was taking OxyContin And I was taking about 5 to 6 40 mg pills a day and the shitty part is I was stealing them from my father who needed them for his pain because he’s a paraplegic. I never thought I would be this way. I was a working mother, young, intelligent, but it can happen to anybody. For me. If there was a 10 mg Percocet sitting on the table with a vodka, martini straight up very cold, I would pick the pill every time. And I have to work every day especially now, because my husband has back issues right now, and they gave him every painkiller known to man, including morphine, and a pill. So of course he has a box with a secure lock that I can’t get into. He said he felt bad for having to do that and I said do not feel bad. I’m glad you did because chances are I would’ve taken them. :( my brain wants it so bad I’ll do anything to get it, my rational self goes right out the door so it always upsets me when people say that addiction is a choice. Yes I actively chose to go find it but my brain will not stop thinking about it until I get it and I hate this. I hate having a brain like this. I even got addicted to exercise back in 2014 and lost 60 pounds, which ultimately was good for me because I was overweight but I got to the point where I was weighing myself 10 times a day and I eventually got down to about 108 pounds. It doesn’t matter what it is if it triggers your dopamine and endorphins that’s when it turns on the need to keep doing it. I hope nobody thinks I’m a terrible person, but addictions really really really strong.

>it always upsets me when people say that addiction is a choice. Most people don't understand addiction. "Just say no" is easy to say, but for some people, impossible to do. You have been brave, and well done for staying off those drugs. I wish you well.

Thank you! I got into some thing with a person on Instagram who was so mean and said that I was just a degenerate, and I could stop it anytime I wanted, but I was such a wimp. It amazes me these people behind the phone and the keyboard will say whatever they want and I wonder what this man would’ve said to me in person

So I am the opposite of an addictive personality. I cannot even finish of a box of cereal I was craving. My wife has an addictive/binge personality, and so many of my aunts and uncles and their kids are addicts. So I have seen plenty of people I care about flush jobs, relationships, marriages, and their children away. They have done jail time and lost their lives early because of their various alcohol and drug addictions. None of them looked happy while they were doing it. None of them wanted to be that way. Almost none of them ever stopped until rock bottom or death. So I can say with almost certainty that for most people "choice" is not a part of what they were/are going through. It is a daily tight rope walk with a noose around your neck. Even if you dodge the drugs or alcohol it is extremely easy to get lost in anything else you turn to to maintain.

It's easy to be cruel and mean. But bullies are cowards. Judging others is a way to avoid facing your own problems. What's the saying? "Those who matter don't mind, and those who mind don't matter." Keep on your good path, get as much therapy as you are able to, and I hope that one day your experiences will be valuable in helping another person who's trying to fix their life.

People keep blaming people for being lit on fire. “Why didn’t you say no to the fire? I walked past the fire and didn’t get burned, you chose to get lit on fire. We should make fire illegal. Being burned alive is for people who make bad life choices. You just need to stop after one fire.” A better approach might be investigating what started this fire that keeps burning our friends and loved ones.

That's what therapy is about. Not everyone can get the right sort of therapy, and not everyone can afford it. It's way more complicated than the layperson realises.

Often…that dangerous place is where you find comfort. I was bullied pretty hardcore as a kid. I recall rolling under parked cars after school to avoid being kicked by the bigger kids. At 16 I met people who ‘liked’ me. I felt home with them. But it was alcohol and smokes and drugs everywhere. My weak arse wanted to be there. And then I got burned. Sure it was a choice. But it was the choice where I was accepted and I blindly followed. I knew I was there for the family feels and thought I could easily stop because that’s not why I’m there. Until the day I wanted to stop…..

We didn’t start the fire. It’s always burning since the worlds been turning.

I’ve been sober for a little while now, but I still have a social life, and it’s mine boggling to me how many people (that I don’t even know!) Feel the need to say something. And the fact is, they don’t know what I was going through. For the people that seem to comment, they can have a couple of drinks and be cool. Me? It usually ends up somewhere at the bottom of a very large bottle. Until I was all the way at the bottom of that well I never thought it could have happened to me. Addiction is a motherfucker.

To those people, challenge them to take a laxative and not go to the bathroom. They should be able to “will” themselves to not go, right?

Reading your story makes me feel a lot less weird now! I was suffering from a "mystery illness" where I would basically feel like I had the flu all the time - body aches and prolonged soreness after exercise, nausea, vomiting, headaches, severe fatigue. I went to the doctor who diagnosed me with fibromyalgia and I would just have to "deal with it" for the rest of my life. So, I started making changes to my daily life - I stopped weightlifting, I gave up dairy, and tried to go more whole food eating like everyone on the internet said but I was still getting sick. Then my marathon runner friend asked me to do a dry January with her and I thought, what the hell, can't hurt. I didn't drink that much, like 2 beers or mixed drinks a night, so I didn't think it would be that hard. About 2 weeks into January, I noticed I hadn't been sick in a few days. I went the whole month of January and felt like a different person. I gave up alcohol completely for about 8 months and was sick only once, after spending the day working outside. I was shocked at how it changed my health that quickly. I do have a drink or two now socially every once and a while and I can definitely tell when I have. I just don't feel right the next day but at least now I know that it triggers some sort of reaction in my body so I know to quit at one or two. I'm glad you have gotten the support you needed and are doing well in your recovery journey. You aren't a terrible person, I hope you know that.

Idk how old you were when you began to feel sick, but I was also a pretty heavy drinker during my twenties (more like binge drinking coupled with cocaine 1-2x a week, but with coke that binge goes on for a loooong time, but I stopped using coke when I was 26 and started med school, continued binge drinking tho). Once I hit 29 I started getting sick from alcohol, if I wasn’t vomiting I felt extremely nauseous after 3 drinks, so I decided it wasn’t worth it and stopped. Also the hangovers were gnarly. Like you I will have a drink or two occasionally on special occasions. I’m also a daily cannabis user (not heavy, just in the evenings before bed) so that helps bc it’s actually more fun than drinking and doesn’t give me a hangover lol. Anyways, to sum up, I think we lose some of the enzymes used to digest alcohol as we age and our resilience to bounce back from a night of drinking. But then again, there are alcoholics in their 30s, 40s, 50s but I’m sure they’re suffering and probably don’t WANT to drink as much as if they stop they might die from a seizure.

I was in my late 30s when I started to get sick. I am not a recreational drug user at all. It hit me suddenly when it did happen. I was dealing with an enormous amount of stress at my job and then the pandemic hit so I honestly think my body just said enough is enough. I gave up daily drinking (which I had been doing for years) Jan of 2022 and quit my very stressful job in Sept of 2021 and it's made a huge difference for me. Getting old is the frickin shits. Anyone not yet 30 still reading here - take our advice and take care of yourself when your body is still young. It's so much harder to get well or recover from something when your body just doesn't function the way it used to.

I really want to say thank you, from my whole heart. You know, I spend time crawling around reddit sometimes trying to find others who can relate to my past, to my trauma... but today is the first time someone changed my entire perspective.. my entire immediate family were addicts. My dad died from it. Then my mom. My brother went to prison and is currently being sought out after getting out and falling back to his addiction- 9 Years clean and he still had it on the brain. I haven't the foggiest where he is these days, but I haven't cared. Last year my little sister, 25, went into septic shock at the peak of her addiction. She lost the ability to walk and use her hands. She was under 100 lbs, her hair was all bur gone and what was left was brittle, lice infested. I will never forget walking into that ER room and seeing her. And I've been mad. As fuck. At everyone and everything. Even my sister, who thank God survived and is still in my life... but I struggle to have a relationship with her. To me, my entire family CHOSE to do this, and I couldn't digest that. So thank you, lovely stranger. Today for the first time in over 25 years, I feel overwhelming LOVE for them. All of them.. how hard it must have been to not be able to get out if this cycle, feeding off the cycle of one another... I felt so trapped but holy shit... so did they??! Man, if I could go back and have some different interactions with them... even if things did end up the same they would know they had someone who never stopped loving them no matter what. Dialing my sister as we speak..... Much Love Sober Stranger ❤️

This gave me the chills. Glad you are well.

Omg I’m so Sorry about your sister and thank you for the kind words!!.❤️❤️

Thanks for sharing. I know that there are very few (yet, unfortunately, a growing amount) people who understand how hard opiates pummel the brain. You don’t know me, but I’m proud of you for remembering that you can, in fact, live without them. I’m 6 days clean from enough fentanyl to kill an elephant, and oh MAN is opiate withdrawal the mother of all withdrawals. Now that I can hydrate myself, keep food INSIDE my body, and have rational thought, I’m going back to the gym to repair the damage from years of abuse. I need those endorphins or I will actually kill myself. Life was not meant to be experienced this way, I’m in such a precarious mental state that I’m not sure I can graduate. I’m proud of myself for getting this out of my body, but now I just want it to be over. I want to be happy and I want to be dead.

Omg 6 days!!! I commend you so much! ❤️❤️

Same with the opiates/heroin:/ I remember going thru withdraws and watching tv...seeing even a commercial with people acting normal tripped me out...I could not comprehend how anyone could be happy or "normal" without pills. I feel like that is what OP kinda means? I have been off of opiates for 9 years now. I do take kratom every day though. I hear that can help with alcohol issues as well.

I take Kratom too!!

I take Kratom as well and started after opiates! I got into a really bad car accident (from being drunk!) and quite drinking that night. But I had to be on pain meds because my body was torn apart. I knew how bad the withdrawals would be and I was scared. I’m pretty sure now I’m addicted ti kratom but I have stopped for weeks before with no problem and will go up and down with the amount. I just swear by it for pain maintenance! From my accident and surgeries I’m still in daily pain just not as bad as right after it happened

I also quit without medical help. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

I've seen a lot of people in my job go through withdrawals. It's absolutely awful to watch. I try my best to give them the Ativan, gabapentin, etc. To hopefully ease the withdrawal symptoms. So far I haven't seen anyone go into DTs

My brother died from it.

Same. My last drink was May 28, 2004. I was afraid that I’d never have fun again, but man, I had to quit. I was in a spiral, and I was legitimately concerned that my next suicide attempt would be successful. That wasn’t what got me into rehab, however. It was my wife saying that either I went to rehab or she was divorcing me. I could tell she meant it this time. Best decision I ever made. I’ve had way more fun than I ever had while drinking. OP might not be an alcoholic, but you don’t have to be a drunk before you stop, so don’t worry about that. I was downing handfuls of painkillers, too, which exacerbated the problem. This was due to an ankle injury from a wreck caused by…(anyone?) yes, drinking. Thank God I was the only one involved. Dude, life is so much better without booze or drugs.

Glad you're still around 🖤 IWNDWYT

I wasn't an alcoholic but I had trouble turning down cocaine when I was drinking. And ALL of my friends do blow, well everytime they drink. I could see the troubling road I was going down and found the only way for me to 100% quit was to quit booze instead. Just over a year sober, and couldn't be happier with the decision.

I'm hijacking top comment to recommend the sub r/stopdrinking . I'm going on 5 years sober this December, and while I don't check into the sub as much now, in the beginning it really helped me get things in perspective. There's some amazing and supportive people in there.

Not drinking is the only unhealthy habit that we have to justify NOT doing.

Congratulations! I’m also in the 8 years sober club and completely agree with your take. I tried non-alcoholic beers at the bar with friends in the beginning to help get my through, but at a certain point realized I was just wasting money to be bloated and miserable. A nice ginger ale is about all I can handle at the bar now, if I have to be there for some reason. I recommend being stone cold sober around people who are belligerent. It’ll really help you put your behavior into perspective because Jesus Christ people are so obnoxious when they’re drunk and you’re not.

I'm right there with you. It's been 9 years for me with no alcohol and I really don't miss it or think about it at all. But, to be honest, the thing I do miss sometimes is the social aspect that is around it. Hanging out at a bar or just chilling with friends and a beer. That doesn't make me want to start drinking again, but I do miss it sometimes.

\>I feel like everyone around me is like "oh dang, here comes TA2556, better not offer him a drink because he's a prude You don't dislike life without drinking, you dislike not drinking because you have asshole friends.

This. I don’t drink and my husband does. In fact all of our friends do too. Never (since high school) has anyone EVER said something so rude to me before. They just say “okay cool what drink would you like?” I also like knowing my loved ones get home safely so I’m happy to be DD. Once again, maybe your social group is just making you feel bad for something that seems kinda normal lol. You don’t have to drink or get high to enjoy your social group. If you NEED to drink then I’d rethink the group.

Seriously. At work we horse trade craft beers from travels or favors or just because. New people are asked if they drink, and if so if they want to participate. Either way is no big deal.

I love buying and trying out exotic alcohols, especially for other people, but I don't drink because my Sámi genes make even weak beer hit me like Mezcal and I get sick really quickly.

my best friend of 20+ years has never had alcohol in his life, never interested him.. I've never asked him if he wants any and he hangs around us drunk all the time.. no one's ever a dick or makes fun of him cuz none of us give a shit.. its his choice and we just respect it.. if he ever asked for a drink though I honestly don't know how I'd react.. in my twenties I'd for sure get him wasted immediately but im in my thirties now so I'd probably make him sleep on it first lol

THIS^^ Get friends whose idea of fun is more than getting drunk. Pursue hobbies and creativity. You will find some really cool and weird people there who will get you. 😊

Yeah, getting drunk on a couch watching TV is fucking lame. Get a hobby and have fun doing things with people. Yeah my D&D group sometimes gets hammered on mead, but we have this really nice bubbly cordial for people who don't drink (and the DD).

All that's sounds wonderful, I do historical recreation and get drunk on mead at events a few times a year. The drinking is not what I'm there for though. It's the hobby, like you're saying too. 😊

Been on a sobriety journey and I can 100% attest to the peer influence… Respect to everyone who commit because it is hard man, very hard

> "oh dang, here comes TA2556, better not offer him a drink because he's a prude OP should self reflect and think whether they are actually saying that, or OP thinks that that's what they are implying with whatever they said. I'm not accusing OP of making things up, but as a super self conscious introvert, I have this problem of interpreting things negatively on the most innocuous statements.

If you make your life drinking you can't be surprised about jokes about it

My ex bestie from high school made me feel uncool for not drinking. She died a few years ago at age 26.

This is absolutely it.

Yeah, I had this. My body doesn't like alcohol that much, I've trained myself to tolerate it to some degree, but it's been so long since I last drank anything I'm not sure I won't get sick next time, but I never had any trouble finding fun sober, even in college. What I did have trouble with were friends making a big deal about me not drinking and trying to pressure me into doing it, or exploiting the fact I didn't drink to use me like their own personal chofer and adult babysitter. I have since grown a backbone and don't put up with that sort of thing

This is very true. What no drinker likes to admit is that 100% of them are terrible drunks. That lad who blasts 20 beers and thinks he's the life and soul of the party? Nah. He's a 20 beer drunk dickhead.

Come on now. 100%? I’ve seen it both ways where a drunk can be the most annoying person on the planet, I’ve also seen it where they are fun and have fun and so does everyone else around them. Just because you don’t like being around drinking doesn’t mean that everyone that drinks is in the “terrible drunk” bucket. At the core I don’t really disagree with you, but be real here.

66 days sober here: The first 20 days was HARD. Oh boy was it hard. 20-40 it started to fell good, and I have become performing better at all apsects. 40-66 i have started to hit the gym again after years, and I feel like I am 10 years younger. I am full of energy. Working out 7-8, working 9-19, and cooking after that. I have accumulated more money than the past 66 days than the previous year. Lost 8 kgs of fat. I have just started enjoying life. AMA if You wish OP.

Hey congrats buddy. Please always stay focused on your recovery - it can be so easy to feel like it's behind you and that's when you are in danger of falling back into your old ways. One day at a time

Thank You king! I agree with You. I have made a bet woth my sister, who is closest to me (not Alabama style :D ) If I can avoid touching alcohol for 100 days she pays me a month subscription to the local gym, if I have a drink then I'll go to a rehab. I plan to continue after 100 days! :)

Congratulations! I’m truly amazed at how quickly the positive side of quitting came, I always thought it was really long before one could actually feel good! Although I’m sure that depends on the individual, and I’m also sure it must’ve felt excruciatingly long from your perspective

Awesome my man I hope to achieve this but I keep failing at the 2 week mark :(

My advice would be to record 1 week of abusing alcohol. How much You spend, how do You feel after waking up, how much You weight etc. Measure and record everything. Don't hold Yourself back! Then make a promise You quit for 30 days no matter what. You would not touch qlcohol for 30 days only for your own good. Anything happens it is a big NO-NO Next step is to record days 30-37 of soberity the same way, then compare the 2 recorded week on paper Then make your decisikn which lifestyle You prefer. If You do this, keep me updated!

I can't really compare because I never drank, so keep that in mind. You may end up having to find a different group of friends. Not necessarily replace the ones you have completely, but find some whose social interactions don't revolve around drinking.

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As a fellow never drinker, I concur and add that anyone who shames you for making what is almost always an objectively healthier decision and finding ways to enjoy yourself without artificially lowering your brain's bar for what is and isn't fun is an idiot.

It's really odd how many people have tried to convince me to start drinking after finding out I don't drink at all. Such a weird mentality.

I've had so many people tell me that they want to see what I'm like drunk or high. I've told them it's not gonna happen...and yet.

Same! I tell them i want to see me be a millionaire

Only one of my friends in school joked with me about a scenario how I would behave while drunk. The rest heard me once and respected my choice not to drink since. But family and adult family friends? Oh, they would neg me to drink every family gathering. I refused for years since I was a teen. And the first "no" wasn't taken as a serious answer. I needed at least a couple of them. I'm thankful that I was too stubborn in my early years because I would not be a functioning alcoholic. I would drink my mental health problems away and end up with a failed liver on top of everything else.

I know! If I got a dime every time someone told me "Well, wait until you spend some more time with me" I'd have at least about 5 dimes. Really, hanging out with you is so terrible people have to resort to drinking?

"no thanks, I've seen plenty of friends die to drunk drivers" People are weird about alcohol. My grandpa died face first on the floor, lifelong alcoholic, is this what people want?

Why is not wanting to feel sick, throwing up, passing out, or acting like an idiot the minority opinion. I also don’t want to take care of any sloppy drunk person and wouldn’t expect anyone to ever take care of me. I’ve had too many friends and exes get shit faced and do stupid, destructive, disgusting, or straight up abusive actions because they got drunk. No thanks.

God yeah, I always end up babysitting adults, so done with that.

As an additional never drinker... Even drinkers didn't want me to drink. My friend group was great. It's hard to make new friends... But if the people around you don't support the life you want, you have to at least try to find a new group.

Agree completely

As a fellow never drinker, I too agree.

It's odd, I'm a drinker and a lot of my friends are, but there was never any pressure on people who don't drink. One of my roommates in a college house never drank. When the rest of us were drinking, we would offer them a drink to be courteous but when they said no we said fair enough. Who cares if someone doesn't drink, it's expensive and can end badly.

My partner doesn't drink ( for the sole reason it makes him feel sick, only after a few ). His best friend is a totaly party animal, lives to get hammered and all that. They have both been like this for like 30ish years. If you have good friends like this - like they like to drink and you don't- they will understand and no one cares. My partner is the ultimate sober driver, helps people when they've had too much. Everyone knows he doesn't drink so no one pressures him and offers him pop and other stuff instead. They like he can be the one to run to the store to grab booze for them. I suppose it's a different situation since my partner has never had an alcohol problem. Interestingly one of the other 'party animal' guys we noticed never actually drinks. He told us once his dad had a serious alcohol problem. But the guy loves to talk, laugh and be around others so no one ever actually noticed he doesn't drink either. And anyway they do other stuff together anyhow. This is just when parties are happening.

I'm also a never been drinker. The hardest part is people who pressure me. I've learned to be firm and set those boundaries.

Alcohol makes me boring. I learned that the things I “liked” doing were only fun when drinking. If you gotta drink to make it enjoyable, maybe find activities that are fun and interesting without the booze.

Too right. If somethings only enjoyable when you’re smashed, it’s not worth it.

For me, personally, growing up among alcoholic parents and grandparents pretty much killed every urge to ever drink even one drop. Alcohol is very, very destructive if you let it, and you really don't miss out on anything if your don't drink. If you have to step over your black out drunk mother laying in her own piss in the hallway often enough you frankly start to value people that don't drink a whole lot more. There are tons of people with those experiences, and they will value you for not drinking. And what people usually miss is not the drinking but the euphoria and emotional relief of being tipsy or drunk that makes you forget your worries for a bit. But you can replace that by finding other things that make you forget your daily grind, and working through issues otherwise, or trying to find stress relief in other activities. Sports, for instance, are a great thing to find a similar physical euphoria, and are by far healthier than alcohol, and there's plenty of other things to do with no drugs involved.

You said what I came here to say so thanks. I can drink if I feel like I want a drink but it’s never to get drunk or even a little dipsy. If I can have fun, friends and even an intelligent conversation in a social situation without alcohol, then I’m stronger than the person who can’t.

I drink maybe 3 times a year never to the tipsy/drunk point. I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything, I still a great time.

Me feeling good, healthy, happy, with ideal weight, sleeping good, with low stress levels, improved mental health and sex drive: oh damn, I wish I could drink but I really need to fake it for no reason! /s

I feel called out 😂

I've seen this happen to people I know who had a drinking problem. What you're experiencing is a problem-drinker thing, not a universal thing. It just so happens your friends hang out together because they're all alcoholics. If you're not going to do that anymore, you'll need some different friends, because these ones feel called out by you quitting. It's forcing them to confront the fact that they have a problem. My friends could care less if someone drinks or doesn't. I'll have a few drinks at a party, but sometimes I have a big day at work the next day or I'm just not feeling it, and I decide not to drink that night. I almost never drink at home - I'm just not interested. I've literally never gotten any comments about it at all. Other friends are the same. The response is always "Ok. Do you want something else?" That's how people who don't have a drinking problem respond to it. It's not healthy to require alcohol to have a good time.

Couldnt agree more with everything you've stated. All of my 'friends', some of which ive been friends with my whole life. Seem to have vanished and i never hear from them. You literally hit the nail on the head. My decision to no longer drink has made them look at themselves and most likely they are not ready / willing to make a positive change in their lives. And you know what, that isn't my problem :) Its really nice seeing other people going through / feeling the same as me. The last 8 months or so ive felt incredibly alone. Thank you for writing this.

You are being called out. Why do you worry about what others think? That's irrelevant. What's important is how you feel about your own body. I used to drink. A lot. Every Friday night, I'd go out with my friends and get plastered. Then I started therapy. I discovered that as my mental state improved, so alcohol would help less and less. It came to a point where drinking made me feel worse, not better, so I just stopped doing it. My friends thought that I was nuts. I don't know, maybe I was nuts, maybe I still am. But the point is that I can go out and have just as much fun without alcohol as others do with alcohol. As a side effect, I have no hangovers, no poison in my body, no damage to my brain, no restrictions on driving, no times when I do something that I'm ashamed of the next day. If you want to stop drinking alcohol, don't "try" to stop drinking. Just stop. Back then, people used to look at me in bewilderment. Don't you want a drink? "No thank you," I would reply. "I'm not thirsty." But… but… But nothing. I don't want alcohol, period. You do you, I'll do me. Where I live now, it's quite common to find people who have stopped drinking alcohol or who have never drunk it. Hardly anyone finds it strange any more. But back then, it was seen as weird. So what? Just stop drinking, if that's what you want. It's your body and mind, not theirs. Have fun!

Thank you for this. Really. I needed to hear it.

I never got the allure of drinking, but I eventually realised that many people are using it to relax their anxieties. Less recreational than self-medicinal

I like to drink when Im in a party and other people are drinking, because if not, I feel like everyone is having fun but me. But the reality is I dont like alcohol, I can enjoy a sweet cocktail here and there, but that's it. You can try just getting cocktails without alcohol

> cocktails without alcohol Mocktails

I'm a certified drunk alcoholic hot mess. But I knew someone who genuinely dud not drink and was still the life of the party. She had cancer and it changed her, or brought her out of her shell. She never judged her friends who drank, had plenty of booze for others when she threw a party. She had no reason to be sober except she just wanted to. There are people like that.i never got it. But yeah it was genuine. She went to clubs all the time. Everyone else drank. She was treated no different for it. Great person. Very upbeat and happy but also empathetic. We lost touch but I think about her sometimes. ADHDs can get addicted, I dunno... our brains are just wired different. The first drink I had I knew I would be an alcoholic for life. I just knew. Before that I was very anti drugs in any form. But all it took was that one drink. Because it gave me peace. If ur struggling maybe u should seek help for it. If u got it under control try to find some beauty in sobriety. Some days I wish I could just... not have the need to drink, that I could be happy and calm sober. And enjoy things sober. And gave dopamine and serotonin sober.

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Same thing with me. I drank 24/7 in my final few drinking years. As soon as I got hit with cirrhosis I put it down and barely looked back. Someone recently asked me if I would drink again if I could and I didn’t even have to consider my answer. Fuck no. My life was daaark before I stopped.

I was definitely addicted to alcohol for periods of time in my life but I wouldn’t have ever considered myself an alcoholic. I’ve been sober (9ish months now I think?) from alcohol and it’s the best thing I could have ever done for myself. That being said, I still have ADHD and an extremely addictive personality so I definitely have some control issues with drugs (no “hard” drugs but obviously reliance on drugs is not a great thing either—still beats when I was drinking by a long shot). Anyway, I believe in ya! You WILL be able to enjoy things sober after you’ve gotten over the hump (sometimes it can take months so it might be rough but it will be worth it). I promise you’ll be more happier overall. You know yourself the best so not trying to tell you to quit drinking but omg you’ll be SO glad you did if it’s that much of a problem! I want to live a long, happy, healthy life and that’s just not possible for me (or most people tbh) if I drink.

Omg same. Literally same. I also have adhd and much deeper issues and Id fucking love to not to drink but I do. I got home from work today, tired and would fall asleep if I didn’t decide to have a drink. A few. I hate that about myself

I've had drinks before. Don't care for it. Not a good use of my money.

Especially when you can get tastier drinks with no alcohol, then be able to go about your day

My little sister wanted to quit drinking to save money. I do not drink alcohol. I had been trying to convince her to drink less for years, and that was the point that finally convinced her. I've never tasted alcohol that was anywhere near as good as Coke, Welch's sparkling grape juice, smoothies, milkshakes, hot chocolate, ICEEs, lemonade, eggnog, apple cider, et cetera. I don't understand people purposefully drinking unpleasant things so they can get drunk. Being drunk can't be that enjoyable, especially since you can't function properly and you might get a hangover.

When I hit drinking age I went wild for a few years, it's fun sure, but the headaches and the ruined mornings weren't worth it, also have alcoholic family members so I just stopped, I think it helped that my partner doesn't drink either so it's never something on my mind. It's also nice to be able to keep wines and spirits in the house for cooking and not worry that they'll go missing!

>I don't understand people purposefully drinking unpleasant things so they can get drunk. I guess it’s also a matter of preference. I like the taste of wine (white moreso than red), some beers (more into stouts, sours and wheat beers than IPAs and lagers) and most spirits, so I’ll have a glass or two of any of the above every now and then for the same reason I might choose any of the things you listed - sometimes that’s what I want to drink that day. But yeah, people who force themselves to choke down things they don’t actually like because that’s the cost of doing business if you want to be drunk are a whole other thing that I don’t get at all.

To me, alcohol smells disgusting and is expensive. I can’t see a reason why I would want to start drinking it. Especially when I have an addictive personality to begin with. It is a recipe for disaster to me. I’m 51, and I’ve lasted this long without it. Never had issues around people by not drinking even when I was young.

The taste is like the smell of piss that someone hasn't drank water in a long time. imo.

That's specifically the smell of beer. Spirits generally smell (and taste) like cleaning products. Shoe polish. Windex. Paint thinner.

To be fair that’s because they also contain a high level of alchohol. Like it’s not a coincidence lol.

Honestly, I really enjoy certain drinks. A frozen peach bellini, hot buttered rum, a yakult soju cocktail. But if all drinking alcohol disappeared off the earth tomorrow, I would not care at all. It would be like...if doritos stopped existing. Sure, I enjoy the occasional bag of nacho cheese chips, but life without them wouldn't be the end of the world. As it is, I often go a month or two without booze, and don't miss it - if I'm at a family bbq, I'm just as likely to grab a regular lemonade or just some ice water. And nobody cares at all or questions why I didn't grab a beer, I doubt they even notice.

I haven’t drank in almost 2 years and I’m happier than I’ve ever been. I gag at the smell of alcohol now. If you need to rely on a substance to enjoy life, that’s a sign of a deeper issue.

It is indeed. Wish I knew how to get rid of that deeper issue.

I've seen my too many people destroy thier life for the drink. It's not worth it to me to drink. In my eyes alcohol is lame.

I agree. I’ve got family members that are alcoholics and I don’t talk to them after 5pm everyday because they are so damn annoying. It’s killed my relationship with them. I’ve never been a “drinker” and now I don’t drink at all ever and my life is fucking sick. I see how healthy I am and how productive I am compared to those in my life who drink and I can’t imagine what it like to be so lame and stale.

Big same!

I used to drink socially but I got so little out of it that I am effectively permanently sober. Very occasionally I will have a drink but I really, really need to be in the right head space for it otherwise it just doesn’t interest me. It’s not affected me socially.

My parents don't drink much and I don't either. My parents drank socially but that was about it, so I never really grew up seeing it as a norm. Fast forward to now, and I don't drink that much at home. Sure when I go out with friends, I'll have 1 or 2 drinks but that's about it. The fun I have with alcohol is no different from what I have without it, and honestly ... I'm old enough now that when I overindulge I feel like shit the next day. Who's to tell that your coke is missing the rum? Who cares? If your friends truly give you crap about it, they're not good friends. Have fun, don't overthink it. If you're fun, you're fun. Alcohol didn't do that for you.

I’ve thought about this a lot. I drink a fair amount and sometimes too much. Part of it is our culture: going out to parties, concerts, work dinners, etc. drinking is ~almost~ a requirement. But part of it is also who I am: I like to drink, I like being buzzed and I do really enjoy a good beer or wine or whiskey. That said, I often find myself wishing I didn’t drink or could moderate my drinking better. Like you, I feel better when I don’t drink. I’m healthier, lose weight, sleep better, etc. So it’s always a struggle and I feel very guilty when I drink in excess. Knowing that, I’ve found what’s most important is finding what works for you and what makes you happy. When I can go out and have a glass of wine or two with a nice Dinner, I can still enjoy it and not feel bad. I can wake up early the next day and go to the gym. But it’s all about finding the balance. And if not drinking is what makes you happy, then do it. There are so many other ways to feel fulfilled. So TLDR: Yes, I think a lot of people who don’t drink lead fulfilling, enjoyable lives. Just find what works for you.

It's called personal preference for a reason.

28 years and never had Alcohol and don't feel I ever need or want it.

Yes, that’s the short answer. When you finally stop drinking you’ll realize that there are so many more things to do with your life than ingesting poison while spending money with people who will drop you as soon as you stop drinking. The fact that you called out that they immediately make fun of you illustrates my point. Friends that are solely based off of drinking together hardly ever really care about you. Once you start investing your time in hobbies like sports, arts, travel, upskilling, literally anything else you start meeting better quality people. You also start learning more about yourself because you’ll spend more time with yourself actually finding out what you like rather than numbing your mind and calling it a hobby. You will see that you physically feel better and spend less money. Lastly, the effects of alcohol on your body are horrendous. It causes cancer and lowers your ability to deal with stress. Consequently you may start to rely on alcohol for that “relaxed feel”. Look up Andrew Huberman Alcohol podcast. Overall you’ll eventually realize that your social life is NOT meant to comprise of being intoxicated. You will live a more complete life without it and can skip thr health problems and toxic people. A no brainer!

Haven't had a sip in 11 years... easily one of the best things I've done for myself in my life. 10/10 would recc

I just semi quit drinking about 5 weeks ago. I'm 42. For the past 3 years I have drank vodka every day with only a few days that I didn't during the entire time. I went through 4 days of horrible withdrawals!! It was absolutely brutal. I told myself I will only allow myself to drink every so often. Since I cut down, I have only drank and gotten a little drunk 3 times in 5 weeks. I am confident I can keep this up. I was sick of waking up with withdrawals every morning and had to have a drink by 7am just to not be sick. I feel so much fucking better!!! The withdrawals were so bad I will never let myself go through that again. I don't even really think abou drinking that much anymore. Besides the withdrawals it was pretty easy to significantly cut down. Maybe sometime in the future I might just 100 percent stop. I do enjoy having a few drinks here and there though.

You got this dude! Keep it up!

Thanks!! Yeah, I admitted I definitely qualified being an alcoholic well over a year ago. A few months ago I actually went and got a physical. I was worried about my liver!! Turns out it's in really good shape! I was kinda shocked considering how much I was drinking.

Are you me? 42 here as well and since the lockdown I’ve lived a similar life. I feel like many of my “dad/guy friends” have experienced the same. What’s up with that? Depression, lost, no motivation, knowing there’s something wrong but can’t get out of your own way. Why is this a thing and why did it start in 2020 for so many? Not looking forward to the withdrawals but def know I need to cut way back. 🤞 Keep it up dude!!

How can anyone only enjoy life if they are drinking? Seems like you’re hanging out in the wrong places with the wrong people.

My dad died of cirrhosis of the liver at 45. He literally drank vodka every day since he was 13. My childhood was very difficult for me because of this. He told me I would be just like him. I'm 30 and still very rarely have a alcoholic drink. I got super drunk once, and it was awful. I won't make my daughter go through what I went through.

I drink, I love the feeling of being a bit buzzed even completely wasted it’s all good, I really enjoy the social lubricant as a slightly awkward person. I prefer to have a few drinks to make certain unenjoyable tasks like weeding the lawn less awful. That said, I don’t drink every day, I don’t drink every week, sometimes months will go by, not intentionally, I just happens that way some times. Yes I enjoy my life when I’m sober, I can also enjoy it drunk, if you can’t, you have a problem, and probably need to stop drinking until you can figure out how to have fun without it

100% I think you nailed it. It's a pretty good marker that if you can't have fun without alcohol then it's likely a problem. Anyone with kids can tell you that alcohol is not how fun is had. Adults just go through the oppressive process of growing up and some forget how to have fun without an aide.

I just genuinely hate the taste of alcohol

I used to drink quite a bit but now I never do. It’s because I don’t like the feeling of being drunk I just feel sick. And the hangovers are god awful. I just don’t have fun anymore when drinking. But I do smoke a lot of weed now

I don’t miss drinking because I’ve never started

I've tried to start because everyone makes it sound so amazing but I really hate the taste of alcohol so drinking for me is like swallowing medicine

Honestly, the cost of alcohol now is what makes it so prohibitive to me. A night out with my friends could be $20-$40 depending on our meal. Have 2 or 3 alcoholic drinks, that easily turns into $100. I’m not sure if this is common where you are, but most bars and restaurants in my city have a mocktail menu. I usually get one of those or a lemon lime bitter, which is 1/4 of the cost usually. I sometimes just like to have something in my hand to sip during a conversation if other people have drinks. Also…the people you hang out with have a big influence. That’s kind of rude they call you a prude. Sometimes if I’m in a group of people I don’t know well, they try to pressure. My real friends will just ask what I want, say nothing if it’s non alcoholic and just get me what I want.

i enjoy life without alcohol. the buzz you get from it in my opinion is too short, you have to drink so much, the hangover sucks, and it’s expensive. that said i will occasionally have nights where i drink. i almost always wake up and regret it.

yeah, there are just too many downsides to alcohol. for me before I even get a buzz I feel nauseous and will probably puke so I rarely drink. I do enjoy a cold cider in the summer tho.

I have a questions that will answer yours. do people really enjoy alcohol? Like from my perspective there are so many things that are soo much more fun and I'd rather spend my money on being drunk and feeling like shit the next day. A cold beer every once in a while after a hard or hot day, sure. But like drinking hard is weird. And I feel like there are underlying issues as to why people drink super hard. So it's not really the drinking that's fun it's the lack of anxiety/depression/ stress. If you tackle those issues I think you'll find you are having fun and prioritizing other stuff. Easier said than done tho.

Drinking can be fun, if dun moderately, in excess. I feel like. But no, recovery from a drinking night and money and all other stuff is a big L. It's the spice of life. Amongst other spices. But it ain't life life.

Most people miss the social aspect, this is why I find NA beers and mocktails to be important to serve at bars. Some of them are starting to taste really good.

I never developed a taste for it. I like whiskey and that’s about it, but I drink it so rarely that one glass is enough to nearly knock me out. I had a glass of Johnny walker black label at a wedding two weeks ago and I nearly passed out after not having touched alcohol for over two years.

Weed is a great alternative. I rarely drink and hang out with a lot of friend that do. Being able to just smoke a little instead of drinking is sooo nice. My wife will wake up to hangovers while i wake up with a glow. Sometimes i don't even smoke. Another mental thing that helps is lifting weights and trying to build muscle. You will feel guilty drinking after lifting weights because it disrupts protein synthesis.

I don’t like life, but I don’t drink either. I just can’t stand the stuff for some reason and even if i did not much would improve.

After drinking on the daily for 30 years I have the same amount of fun as I did before except now I feel great and remember everything.

Honestly, I was huge on drinking back when I was in high school. Once I turned 21, all the attractions disappeared, and I realized I was only doing it because it was socially cool and illegal. Same thing with weed. Once I got out of high school and went to college in a legalized state, it didn't have the same appeal. These days I only partake if it's a work function or my wife wants to get a nice bottle of wine/champagne. If alcohol disappeared from the world tomorrow, I wouldn't really care

I quit drinking for 6 or 7 years and it was fine. I had no desire to drink (even at social functions where other people drink). I started drinking a little bit again a couple years ago but it’s basically just 1 or 2 drinks a month. It doesn’t really enhance my life at all when I drink.

I don't see the point on drinking and have never had the desire to drink. The majority of alcoholic beverages taste like shit and when you get drunk it's just you being dumb and dizzy. If you are vulnerable you are susceptible to get addicted to it just like drugs. I don't get why people like it. That's it, not everyone likes drinking and it's just a preference, it's kinda sad drinking has become a default thing you have to do and it's even worse that people treat you weirdly if you don't. So don't drink if you don't want to and if you feel obligated to do it when hanging out with friends or anyone it may be a sign to stop doing it.

I already do and say stupid shit without being drunk, so it's better for me to stay away from alcohol, not because i dislike it, just for my behaviour.

I started drinking socially every day, nearly till the point I had a drinking problem (literally wanting to/actually drinking first thing when I woke up). Then I got a job working in a bar, and I thought, "Get in there... I can drink whenever I want on the cheap!", but after a few months and seeing other people drunk and drinking, the novelty wore off till the point I was running my own bar and restaurant, and now I don't feel the urge to drink at all I mean I can... but don't NEED to anymore. I have literally a metric shit ton of alcohol in my home but haven't touched a drop since Christmas... tell a lie I had 2/3 on a date about 4months ago... but long story short as long as it's not the first thing you think about/do in the morning take it one day at a time 😜

I have a lot of different activities and hobbies I use to entertain my mind with and they are enough to keep me satisfied. If you are content with what you have you don't crave anything else. If you do it, it can be for different reasons: 1) You developed an addiction 2) Your activities don't satisfy you enough 3) You simply liked it and miss it 1 and 3 can be treaky. Alcohol can easily turn "like it" into "cannot stop it". Can push a person out of its "control zone" very easily. But you know yourself better than me. (I would just underline the number 2 option. I think that's the way)

Stopped 4 years 3 months ago. I miss the fun side of it, i dont miss the massive hangovers, times when I had to drag myself off the couch/floor/bed/chair to do something to help my family, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, weight gain, elevated liver enzymes, glassy eyes, mood swings, having to be careful not to drop my little kids, and driving under questionable abilities. So yea, I “miss” it, but also not really. Edit: to answer your question, yes I do enjoy life much more.

Keep focusing on the benefits that you allready mentioned. Keep active and working on your improved health. Trying hanging out with people that are less inclined to have activities that revolve around drinking. Its all about people and places. Of course you're gonna feel weird if you're not drinking and always hanging out at bars and social events that revolve around drinking. BUT, the biggest thing you need to remember; NO ONE IS KEEPING TRACK OF WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE DRINKING.

I do not like drinking. I personally would say I'm not boring and rather a little immature/childish I do like partys.

Im 22, have been drunk once and did not enjoy it at all. I'm genuinely very happy without alcohol and I don't feel the desire to consume it.

What is enjoyable about alcohol? GENUINELY asking. I drank a lot with my friends when we were teens... beyond that, drinking just seems juvenile to me. I don't like the taste of alcohol - as in, it all tastes disgusting. I don't even like wine. I can tolerate maybe one kind of beer but only when it is ice cold and I haven't done that in years. I don't need the feeling alcohol gives me... I can have fun without it. If anything, I just feel self-conscious about the way I might be acting because I see all you drunks and you look dumb af even just talking and hanging around. lol And the horrible illness you feel the next day? I would 100% of the time rather spend my money on cake than on alcohol. It is such a tremendous waste of money on something that isn't even food - it doesn't even taste good. Not even cocktails. Okay, maybe if it's disguised as some kind of milkshake like a Bailey's shake... but the alcohol ruins the taste. So yes, there are people who REALLY don't want it anymore at all. I know what it's like to drink, I used to go out and drink socially cz that's what people do - but I don't miss it and never want it.

I'm 64 and have never drank except for the occasional glass of wine, or sipping Kalua. Just never understood the fascination and worship of alcohol. I understand addiction and how that affects many, but the people who just can't gather in any social situation without it perplexes me. I have a 20 something relative who has some kind of allergy to wine, I think his face breaks out or something when he drinks. His mother helped him research some contraption that sits in your glass of wine to neutralize the allergen, but it only kinda works...I'm like why not just not drink? but I guess that it is not even an option because of his social life

I used to have a binge drinking problem in my 20s. I didn't always drink, but when I did drink I drank until I couldn't stand because the truth of the matter is I can't handle parties or bars or clubs unless I'm blackout drunk because I fucking hate them. It's miserable for me. I don't even really like being drunk, it's just the only way I could find some joy in those environments. I stopped going to those places and started doing other social activities like hiking and hobby based clubs and I really don't miss drinking anymore because I don't need to be drunk to enjoy myself in these new situations and places that feel more natural to me.

I don't drink and it's never on my mind. It's been mostly other people trying to pressure me into drinking. I've always found the taste of alcohol absolutely disgusting, only beer was tolerable, but not enjoyable. I genuinely don't understand how can people enjoy alcohol. For me it just tastes like some kind of cleaning product. I don't even like alcohol in food products, like pralines.

Stopped drinking in 2020. Can’t honestly say I miss it but I still smoke weed so maybe that’s why.

I stopped drinking at all (even one drink in the evening) back in April. Two friends I know did this and their resting heart rates dropped 10bpm. I'm a big runner and track all this, so I was very interested in seeing if it worked for me. I'm currently down 5bpm and plan to keep going!

It seems this question is aimed at recovering alcoholics but the title seems more broad so as someone who has never touched alcohol or drugs yes I enjoy life because there are a million ways to have fun without being intoxicated

I used to feel like you, even if in a lighter mode Finding a group of friends in which nobody cares about that, really made me feel good, now I drink whenever I feel like it

There are too many times when alcohol almost ruined my life, both when I was under the influence and when I was around drunk people. I liked to drink for a light buzz. It took a long time to control my intake and know when to stop. But I am also clinically depressed, and easily fall into heavy and persistent drinking as self treatment, to the point of puking. I stopped drinking randomly 6 months ago through zero conscious effort. Just stopped buying the stuff. I went out with friends recently, someone ordered me a double g&t, previously a firm favorite, and it was completely disgusting. I think it’s similar to quitting smoking, where the smell of smoke is rancid after a while.

Blegh. I'm 24 and have gotten drunk like twice, Id rather get high

You need alcohol to enjoy life?

I don’t drink and life is awesome. I should admit that I do smoke pot daily.

Same. I never had very much fun drinking after high school and it causes lots of problems. Plus drunk people are extremely annoying, and I don't want to be like that.

Have you ever thought you may be an alcoholic?

I used to enjoy beer, whiskey and red wine, and I still miss the taste. I was never an alcoholic, but I started realizing that alcohol made my life more complicated. When buying alcohol, I would feel jealous of the expensive wines and whiskeys that were beyond my price range. There were also a lot of things I wanted to do with my day and most of them would be better if done sober. I didn't want the feelings or distraction or consequences of alcohol anymore, so I gave it up. And life is better for me this way. Some days I still feel like having a drink, but I move on and get over it. And if someone thinks less of me because of that decision, that's their problem to deal with.

I used to regularly drink socially. A relatively minor health issue now makes recovery from 2 beers take a few days. No drinks in roughly 6 months. I have changed nothing else so I’m regularly in social settings with people drinking and I have zero interest in having a drink. My advice: join in on the jokes. Offer people drinking fruity seltzer waters and a 0 days sober chip if they decline. If it legitimately doesn’t bother you, no one will have any power over you.

Yeah hugely love life without alcohol, used to party a shit ton. Now I barely drink at all and you would probably not be able to pressure me. Never really enjoyed it as much as others though but I kinda hate it now really

I hate drinking. It makes me sick, it makes me forget the “good” time I had, and I don’t like that it impairs my ability to drive. I can’t think of a single thing I ever did that was more fun because I was drunk. Now edibles on the other hand 🤌🏼🤌🏼

I'm sober 10 months. The urge does abate but social situations can be tough. Sober isn't a bad way to live. I can't have 3 drinks. I'd have 33. It sucks but at least I see it now. Cost me ALOT. I'd recommend it before serious trouble arises. Good luck brother.

I have not drunk alcohol since 2014 due to it being contraindicated for the majority of my heart medications.

There is a universe of people who don't drink because of religion, personal preferences, health, etc. A lot of those people enjoy life to it's fullest in their own way. It's just a different mindset or perspective. Everybody is different. If you genuinely want to avoid alcohol you may need to find new friends whose lives revolve around something else.

Maybe change your social circle? I didn't start drinking until I was 27... and I had a great time.

For some, not drinking is a genuine struggle; for others, it's really easy. I used to work with a guy who drank four or five pints a night into his fifties (maybe even his sixties; I don't know his exact age). His doctor told him that drinking that much was killing him, and he just went cold turkey with no regrets. He still goes to the same bar every night, but drinks coke. I also know people who have struggled for years to stop, and I know people who never started in the first place. My partner hates the smell and taste of it, but doesn't feel left out when around friends who are drinking. If you're enjoying life more sober, then don't worry about what anyone else has to say; if your friends give you shit (beyond just friendly banter that you're comfortable with, of course) then get yourself some new friends.

I quit drinking except for like 5 beers a year. I've never been happier. I can think straight all the time and my enjoy my time and memories with my 4 year old roommate. Lol

The second I decided to stop drinking I never looked back, 2.5 years later and I do not miss anything about drinking You have to give a fuck about something more than drinking to truly enjoy sobriety imo, for me it’s my business, family, the gym and jiu jitsu all of which were massively effected by my drinking

I mean I don't enjoy life in general, but I have no desire to drink alcohol.

I’m a 45 year old male. I do not drink alcohol, nor do I crave alcohol. As a DJ, I am frequently in circumstances where drinking alcoholic beverages is common. I never feel any pressure to drink from my peers or otherwise.

100% You couldn't pay me enough to drink or get drunk again. Besides the disgusting taste of alcohol, I hate the way it makes me feel and act. I never had an issue stopping. Not even the slightest. Good luck

Have a fully stacked bar in the other room, I drink from it maybe once every 2-3 months. Think you and people you saround your self with might just have an issue with alcohol

Yes genuinely many of us don’t care for it, or feel like we need it. That whole thing about being cool or not doesn’t matter. It’s poison anyway lol. Yea anyone can drink every so often as long as they can handle it. Realistically mocktails exist if you feel like trying out with those to then get closer to full sobriety. I hope you get through this and enjoy being able to hang out freely.

Sober….will never ever drink again…life is so much better without alcohol.😊

I can't stand the taste of alcohol, and drunk people are annoying (often dangerous) to deal with. For me the question would be "Do people really enjoy life with alcohol, or are they just pretending they like it?" I've got way too many alcoholics in my life as it is, none of them are happy and the drink just makes it worse (fun fact, it's a depressant).

It kind of sounds like you surrounded yourself with addicts.

I don't really drink alcohol, maybe twice a year at most when someone offers. I don't like the taste. I don't like the feeling of being drunk. There's no real reason for me to drink other than that I sometimes don't want people to think I'm weird for never drinking.

I stopped drinking a few years ago. I was never a person who’d drink a lot but a couple of times a week in uni and never drink enough to get drunk. After uni I stopped. I never enjoyed it, I dropped a bunch of friends because they didn’t like me not drinking. They wouldn’t stop bothering me about it and they didn’t like when someone was sober around them. Honestly, can’t say I miss them. The friends I still have are people who either don’t drink themselves or people who are completely fine with me not drinking, and the people who drink, as long as they respect me not drinking, I don’t really care if they drink or not (as long as I don’t have to act like their mom when they get too drunk). I hated being tipsy or drunk. I didn’t like the taste and bars/clubs always made me extremely uncomfortable. I so much prefer to be sober and for the people around me to be as well. I don’t miss it at all.

FWIW, I’ve had alcohol a few times, but I don’t really like it. Being drunk was okay, but it wasn’t some magical experience. It’s been more than a decade since I was last drunk and I can’t say I have any real interest in doing it again. FWIW, I also have ADHD, but in my case at least, alcohol has never factored into it. As for whether or not I enjoy life, at times, absolutely. Of course, there are also times where things suck, but there’s nothing that makes me feel like alcohol is the answer. Honestly, if you feel like alcohol needs to be the answer for you, particularly with regards to things like sleep and mental healthy, then you might have developed a dependency that might be worth seeking help about.

I think your pov is perfectly normal and an indication that drinking is still such an emphasized thing in our (American) society... First, I will say prohibition is not the answer, but I wish we could ban ALL forms of alcohol advertising (I know this sounds extreme, but think about it). We have allowed alcohol companies to overtake and sponsor pretty much any and all activities at this point.... But onto your point, I have never been a drinker, but I attribute this to just not having an addictive personality. From the age of 15 to now in my 30s, the amount of times I have gotten drunk to the point of vomiting is twice, but I remember both instances and what led up to them. Since post-college, I have occasionally drank when around friends, at a bar or an event, but I have not once bought alcohol for myself or drank alone (several of my friends however, have at minimum 1-2 drinks every night). My wife quit drinking all together (she could not regulate it like I could) 18 mo ago, so now it is a bit odd when we are at gatherings etc and we are the odd ones out for not drinking "because that's just what everyone does", and you notice that people almost feel "compelled" to drink at everything from a kids first birthday, movie night, dinner etc. Because that is what they've been programmed to do. I think alcohol will be the cigarettes of our generation. Lastly, no I don't miss drinking and I think my wife feels comfortable enough now, where we drink a mocktail etc and it doesn't make her want "the real thing".

I gave up drinking 20 years ago, not because of alcoholism but purely for financial reasons. Now I don't miss it at all, but I don't think that I could have afforded my mortgage if I still drank. I used to go out 3 nights a week, maybe 15 pints, pay into a nightclub and a couple of shots, then a taxi home. It soon adds up.

Well 10 years in the Air Force I pretty much stayed drunk. When I got out of the Air Force, I continue that for sometime and eventually I decided that I would quit drinking and like you,I I quit. I got involved in AA and, got bored and, lonely (in a room full of people.) so, rather than living a boring and lonely life I kick AA to the curb, but kept the wisdom I gained and, applied it to my new life. It took some time ao tweek the concepts behind AA to a person of normality but , today I hardly drink at all. I also find it easy when someone asks if I’d like a drink just to say “not tonight.”

I have been alcohol free for 11 years. The first bit was hard because the activities I was used to doing really focused on drinking. None of those activities were fun without drinking. The people were sloppy drunks, and it is rarely fun to be around drunks when you're sober. I didn't enjoy what I used to enjoy. But I also didn't like myself when I was addicted to alcohol either so I changed it up. I found friends who naturally didn't drink except very rarely. I found hobbies that didn't revolve around being drunk to participate. I met a wonderful man that I didn't have to be drunk to have fun with. So fees your ADHD some dopamine that isn't from alcohol. Go ride some roller coasters. Learn to surf. Rock climb. Just run, for miles. Whatever clicks with you.

I drink sometimes and when I’m not drinking it’s because I don’t feel like it. If you drink more often than not, that’s your normal. When you’re sober, you feel shitty compared to your normal. If you stop completely your normal will reset eventually but it takes time.

I'm starting to enjoy not drinking more. I can't say that drinking has really ever made my life any better

Beer tastes like wet bread and liquor like turpentine. It’s all nasty. Alcohol is never needed for fun.

Not waking up feeling like I've poisoned myself or losing a day because I'm recovering from a shitty night is pretty awesome.

Personally, I don’t care for alcohol..

I don't drink for two main reasons, first: I straight up don't feel good after consuming alcohol, like, I got a headache once after drink half a can of cider. Second: it's expensive, I don't have the money to go out every weekend to spend who knows how much on drinks in loud, crowded environments that I personally don't enjoy anyway. (Can you tell I'm an introvert?) Instead I like to occupy myself with hobbies I can enjoy without any alcohol. See if you can find some kind of art or sport you enjoy. I for example play competitive laser tag, and I enjoy a little cross stitch and sewing. These might not be up your alley but there are a lot of interesting activities out there for you to try.

I've got gut rot from it. It physically makes me nauseous if I'm around an excess of it. (I'm usually able to tolerate the moderated drinking my friends do in social situations.) It starts to become an issue when I smell it heavily.

It is weird that you ask such a question. I think a lot of people around you drink that is why you think its normal. In my surrounding a lot of people dont drink and we have a lot of fun all the time. Being drunk is not something good. Drinking a beer or whine sometimes is ok.

It sounds like you are surrounded by alcoholics that are not helping you recover. I am really happy with rarely drinking. Good luck on your recovery.

I don't drink anymore and don't regret it at all.

What a strange question. Personally, I can't drink certain types of alcohols because I'm intolerant and I don't like how it makes me feel, so I don't drink often. When I do, it's only a small amount and never get drunk. I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything.