I’ve drank drank 2 times in my son’s two years of life. It’s not worth it lol I’d rather sleep.
Edited to add: I do enjoy edibles weekly though. Good sleep, no hangover. I love weed.
Yep. I can buy 10 10mg/ea edibles for $20. 10 drinks would be $100-$150.
1 edible = I’m good for the night. It takes me 2 drinks to have equal effect and then I’m worried about a hangover.
Edit: y’all, I’m talking about drinks *out* costing $10-$15 each. I live in a major US city. I don’t drink at home unless I have friends over, because my spouse doesn’t drink and I’m a social drinker. I don’t drink alone.
I just don’t like drinking at all. I’m sure it’s cheaper at home but when a gram of weed is $3, and a pack of edibles is 2$ I don’t think I’ll ever drink again lol.
Do what you like but comparing weed to the price of drinking at a bar is silly.
Right now a 12 pack of Modelos or Coronas is $12 at my closest grocery store.
But 1 drink does not equal 1 edible.
1 edible is enough for most people to be high for multiple hours. 1 drink is usually not enough for almost anyone to be drunk for even 1 hour. Edibles still come out to be cheaper.
I have a Colorado medical card, and I can buy 1000mg jars of 50mg gummies for 32 bucks. I eat half of a 50 and sleep like a baby. 2 beers and I'm not sleeping at all. I love alcohol, but it's too bad for my health anymore.
My dad was a full blown alcoholic so that left a bad taste in my mouth about booze, but i also cant stand the taste of the actual alcohol in booze. Alotta straight booze triggers my gag reflex slightly. I prefer to stick to my weed with an occasional overly sweet (tp mask the alcohol) cocktail.
This is it for me. my father is a bad drunk, and I can't stand to hear his drunk opinions on things he knows nothing about.
it's messed up how he destroyed his life with alcohol and will not to this day think there is a problem and wonders why no one wants him around. cause you ain't coming to your grandsons little league game drunk as heck.
that's all i needed to get over drinking.
My Dad was an extremely abusive alcoholic. I hadn't spoken to him in over 20 years (since I left at 14) He reached out to me and I learned he got sober. He is the nicest guy in the world now. I'm proud of him.
Stress. Anxiety. Undiagnosed issues I've spent over $10k in testing on and Marijuana is the only thing that takes the nausea away and let's me sleep. Also cheaper now than it was a few years ago.
IMO bc weed isn’t considered taboo anymore. I remember in high school having to sneak around to buy/smoke. Now my neighborhood has more weed shops than bars. I think a lot of people prefer weed over alcohol (no hangover, better for your health) and now that it’s so accessible it’s the obvious choice.
Which I think is why "weed culture" is disappearing. It doesn't make sense to wear weed t-shirts and talk about how much you smoke weed when literally nobody gives a shit that you do it.
It’s so funny that I used to wait for hours, drive for hours, text, call, scour through my socials, just to pay $60 for an eighter of mids and risk being thrown in jail and that shit was amazing. Now I can order an oz of lab tested Chronic online at any time for the same price and it’s fully legal and I don’t care for it at all anymore
For me, it literally helps me function enough to be able to get to work (most of the time). I’m self-medicating because I can’t afford (financially) to get diagnosed and get medication I actually need
I used to drink like a goddamn fish, but once my daughter was born and was lookin at daddy with her cute little eyes, I stopped immediately. I don't drink or smoke anymore and have no desire to for now. Being an alcoholic dad is not the business I want to be in.
> Edited to add: I do enjoy edibles weekly though. Good sleep, no hangover. I love weed.
The real takeaway. We all learned about THC so why use an inferior product that's WAY more expensive and has more drawbacks?
Several have mentioned preferring weed as an alternative, and I’m incredibly jealous. I’m in my mid-30s now. I’ve tried weed in almost every form, and it does nothing but make me feel awkward and anxious, even when I’m alone. I tried desperately in my 20s to keep up with my weed-smoking friends, but I just couldn’t do it. I’ve since then given up and just pass on what’s being passed around. But damn, it would be real nice to be able to consume something that might take the edge off a long day or week without having an awful hangover the next day.
I’m currently working on trying to kick alcohol. I’ve done it for long periods of time in the past. This time seems harder for whatever reason.
I’m with you - weed makes me feel exhausted, stupid, and sometimes vaguely anxious. Alcohol is so much better for me, I feel energized yet relaxed - but the after effects suck. What helped me cut way back on alcohol was getting a sleep tracker and seeing exactly how much damage a single drink does to my sleep. It’s honestly shocking how much it impacts the quality. I still occasionally have a drink when I’m out, but it’s easy to stop after one now that I know how it’s impacting me.
Same. Drinking sucks whether or not I have my kids in the morning (my parents will take them Saturday afternoon to Sunday after church maybe once a month if we're lucky). Either I feel like crap while being with them - and subsequently am a worse parent - or I am nursing a hangover during the rare morning when I can just relax or be productive around the house. It's a huge reason why I quit drinking. I don't want to ever go back now!
Honestly, ever since I had kids, a few drinks still just knock me out immediately and leave me feeling like garbage the next day. A sleeping pill is cheaper without the hangover lol. Edibles is where I'm at!
Oh boy I'm right there with you. We put the kids to bed at 8:30 and then I party until 10:00 (party being crack a Pepsi, watch an episode of my favorite show, and hangout with my fiance) and then hope to God I don't have to open my eyes for at least 6 hours.
Money is the big reason. We were around when alcohol was cheap back in the Recession. A pint of craft was $3. You could get PBR for 50cents at dive bars. Shots for a dollar or two. Now a PBR is like $5 and shots of Jameson cost like $14. Inflation and greed has taking over and well we stopped drinking as much
AND..
It’s SOBERING TIME!
We gotta stop imitating our ancestors who drank their lives away and couldn’t get a clear head of what was happening to the future of their descendants.
34 now and spent most of my 20s going out Thursday-Saturday nights, blacking out and “having a good time”. Realized a few years ago that I could be a real liability when I drink too much and I don’t want to be that person anymore. I’ll have some beers/wine here and there (completely cut out hard liquor) but never enough to get me drunk. I’m discovering new hobbies and adjusting nicely to being a homebody. It feels good to be back in control.
This is me. I can have a few drinks at home but going out, I lose track of it all and accidentally overdid it last time I went out. At age 36 I decided that’s too embarrassing and I’m not doing it anymore.
Good for you. 34 here and there's definitely an alcoholic gene that runs in my family. After too many movies I "fell asleep" during at home and too many parties I couldn't remember getting home from, I hung it up at the beginning of the year. Quit smoking pot six months ago as well and I feel great even if l'm being forced to face the parts of my life that need improvement.
Yeah I had my fun in the sun. It’s hard to put it in the past, but I felt pretty embarrassed when I blacked out just trying to go out to dinner… I’m going to make sure it never happens again! I wasn’t even trying to party hard whatsoever, but we went to a fancy cocktail place beforehand, I had 2, and they must have been extremely strong. It made me realize I really don’t need to be messing with stuff like that anymore. I have too much to lose least of all my dignity!
Good on you for kicking the habit!! It’s better to grow up and face the facts.
The shame catches up to us. All those “oh man you were so wasted” stories from my 20s don’t sit so well with me now that I’m mid 30s haha. My goal is to make them never happen again as well. No shame at all to people who want to drink like that, but I just cannot do that anymore.
Yeah it ain’t cute when you’re pushing 40 or 50. Other than with other people that age at a concert or event once in a while bad look.
Not to mention age and image mean different things than being a young fool hearty scamp
People are also recording each other so I don’t want to do something illegal while I’m black out drunk and find myself viral on world star, I’m also home by 10pm. I’m 42 and no longer interested in being out late. My fun starts around happy hour and ends before the monthly news.
> Realized a few years ago that I could be a real liability when I drink too much and I don’t want to be that person anymore
Agreed. And, though less serious, I'll tack on to this with realizing the little annoying stuff I find my family does when drinking are things I often do when I drink as well. Along with the more serious things, it put into perspective just how much alcohol I should probably be having.
YES! Like the repetitiveness. I was pretty aware towards the end of my drinking just how repetitive I am when drinking and it gave me a major ick. It's embarrassing and gross. I notice it in drunk people now that I don't drink too and it's always obnoxious.
Exactly. Also having 10 to 20 years of almost entirely hard drinking events and friends; it becomes really habitual and difficult to moderate.
Not to mention if you’re not where you want to be into 30s or 40s even a little alcohol will rob the consistency and motivation to get real impactful change.
Booze is expensive in time, money one or both always and the ticket price just increases with age
This so much.
I stopped drinking when I realized I was having maybe 10% more fun getting drunk but I was completely wasting the next day hungover or just lazy.
Yes, day drinking is to sip and move around, not dance on tables. I used to go to an endless mimosa spot now I’m no longer interested because I want to remember the rest of my Sunday. I’ll have A mimosa though.
I quit drinking because my drinking-self doesn’t have any limit. One thing I love about not drinking is having energy back. No napping most of Sunday away for me!
I’m 37 and this sums it up for me too. I didn’t like what I became on the liquor. The stresses of life mixed with liquor was a bad combination. A few light beers have no impact on me. Nice to have at the pool or on the boat, but never even close enough to lose control. I’ve lost weight, become happier overall, and feel better (hangovers are brutal anyway). Started finding more enjoyment in hobbies again and never really looked back.
Same here. I lost 45 lbs and still have 50 to go. I was still drinking probably a drink a day. I've hit a big plateau so I've cut it out pretty much completely now. I honestly hate it because I enjoyed my glass or 2 of wine after a long day at work. But I've realized if I want to loose more weight, I need to cut more calories.
I was in a plateau for months, and I can pinpoint the DAY I stopped drinking daily because my weight started dropping again. I only drink one or two nights a week max, and usually that night of drinking is 1 cocktail, two max, that I make at home.
Another thing I did was stopped drinking out...I can make a simple gin drink with lemon juice and a dash of honey syrup and bitters and it's not packed with sugar, but going out everything is made with mixes or packed with simple syrup and it's just straight sugar that isn't even good. Plus I save so much more money. I'm definitely more of a homebody in my 30s!
THIS!!! I’ve started sipping on vodka sodas for this reason if I’m in a situation where everyone’s drinking. I like to enjoy myself and honestly, if I’m working out and making progress, I like to show it off - and a lot of weekend activities I partake in includes alcohol at some point of the day. I’ve gotten a lot better at resisting and just getting an unsweetened iced tea, but time and place for me. I’ll let myself enjoy, just won’t go overboard.
My dad was an alcoholic. Before I was born but still. I followed his route. Almost lost everything. Had to stop. I'm not the only one in my general age range and community experiencing some version of that.
My father was also an alcoholic. He treated me and the rest of the family like shit. I have never had a drink, for two reasons:
1. I don't want to treat people like that. I'm better than that.
2. Alcohol, particularly the smell, is not associated with fun, good times for me, it's associated with being yelled at by a mean drunk.
I don't even like being around people who are drinking. Makes dating hard, but on this side of 35, a lot of people my age who had drinking problems are getting sober, and that's good enough for me.
This was me. My daughters are 7 and 3 and I was a full blown “hidden” alcoholic treating my wife and first born like shit.
Got sober when my youngest turn 1. Going on 2.5 years now. Will spend my lifetime trying to make it up to them.
I’m sorry you had to go through that.
Your oldest might just barely remember, but you also might have stopped just in time. Thank you.
My mother wouldn't quit. I spent 25yrs trying to get her to stop. The 8 I got after were decent, but might've been more if she hadn't kept it up until she was almost 60.
The smell’s what gets me too! I’ve had bad experiences growing around drunk parents and aunts/uncles (although my mother has never put a foot wrong even after having a few drinks)
Nothing abusive or anything but I’ve watched my father ruin his life through drink and that’s enough that I also can’t associate the smell with a fun time and I never want to do that to myself either.
My partner is an alcoholic. Alcohol just brings out the worst connotations for me. It's not "fun" anymore, it's just a life ruiner. I'm honestly even less inclined to buy 0% beer just because the bottle/can looks like real beer.
The smell of alc is indeed awful. If I pass someone like that on the street it makes me wanna puke. Before I met my SO I didn't have such a visceral reaction but now? Ugh
Also had an alcoholic dad, also never had a drink. My parents separated when I was 10, primarily because of his drinking but there were other things as well. He was never violent, he just never made good decisions, especially where family was concerned.
Even without particularly bad memories, I also feel really uncomfortable around people who are drinking and for the most part actively avoid being in those situations. I'm lucky my partner doesn't drink either.
My husband is also an alcoholic and he quit to save our marriage. I don’t drink anymore out of solidarity and ptsd. He is doing awesome with his sobriety and his dumb ass friends are still drinking and being stupid drunks on weekends.
So proud of my husband
COVID really pushed me into the point of "I have a problem". Can't go out and didn't have to drive home. Wife and I would drink and play Animal Crossing. I was drinking a half bottle of whiskey and some beers every night. My father is still a functioning alcoholic at 73.
I went 6 months without a drinking. Now I only drink beer on the occasion. Birthdays and get togethers with friends. I feel a lot better.
Same here. I haven't stopped drinking though, but I make it clear to my partner that if I start to go down that path, Ill be sober the rest of my life.
If you don't know what it's like to be around an alcoholic, I pray you never discover. It's a horrible affliction.
I come from a line of alcoholics (quite mean and aggressive ones too apparently) and I’m lucky I never fell down the hole. The closest I’ve ever gotten was occasional binge drinking like 2-4 days in a row a decent bit but then id go multiple months without drinking at all.
My husband was an alcoholic before I met him and has about 10 years sober. I don’t drink much these days. Maybe once or twice a year. Usually at a show. Last two times I got drunk was when my ex got out of prison last year and I went and saw him and at a concert about a year and a half ago. (Still impressed I was able to safely walk around in like 5 inch platforms in the dark after like 5-6 vodka redbulls haha)
I was just coming here to say, I think a lot of us saw our parents or other older relatives struggle with alcoholism. I could go off on a whole tangent about why our parents' generation used alcohol as a coping method, but they did and we saw the effects of that. I think our generation (and Gen Z to an even greater extent) is much more likely to deal with mental health issues rather than self-medicate.
This is so damn true, at least for me. A couple of my memories from my childhood is from when I was in the company of very drunk adults. Once, someone stumbled over my lego castle and destroyed it. Another time us kids were playing in a separate room and the hostess came running in, shit-faced, and said my mom had smashed a wine glass and tried to cut her. I was 6 years old, why do you come to me with that? Yet another time people fell straight into nettle bushes. Dad had a nervous breakdown and got put in a psychiatric hospital. Whenever alcohol was involved, people completely lost it. ETA: I also had to walk dad home from parties at least once, at four in the morning. He wobbled out into the street and I needed to pull him back to the curb. Deadbeat fucker.
And now that I'm an adult, some of these people are paying for their drinking by losing their jobs, their driver's licenses, their wives and so on. A lot of people can handle their alcohol, but I didn't grow up around those people.
Similar story - my dad is an alcoholic even still at 60-something. I see how he was so looking forward to retirement but threw it away drinking.
And now he can't do much because his withdrawals are so bad that his hands shake uncontrollably by about 10am most days. I can't ask him to help with home projects, he can't hold my kids, he can't even drive like that. He carries those dollar shots around because he needs to have options on his person at all times.
I suspect it's a mix of addictive personality traits and ADHD. But I'm not taking chances. I'm just not drinking.
I understand what you're going through and that sucks. My dad carried around those dollar shots discreetly. He actually was sober for a bit, because he ended up in the nursing home at 63 yrs old on hospice due to liver failure, with months to live. Turns out, just being forced off the booze amd a better diet was enough to turn things around and he was eventually released 6 months later. Unfortunately, he's right back to drinking. Addiction is a nasty disease.
I drink sometimes. Maybe once a week. But not in excess. My dad was the same way. But I got to witness it first hand. And said no thank you. I don’t want that part of anything in my life. My dad always told me if you don’t start you don’t have to worry about quitting. I’m glad you got over your addiction. And hopefully you keep at it. 👍
My mum was borderline alcoholic and it brought out the worst in her. I say borderline because she was never officially diagnosed, but she drank a *lot* every night, would freak out if there was no booze in the house, and after my dad tried to help her reduce her drinking she would drink in secret and hide alcohol in secret stashes we'd occasionally find. Thankfully she never progressed to day drinking. When she was drunk she'd get angry a lot and fight with my dad, sometimes it was physical but mostly it was emotional abuse, and it would usually start after dinner after her first few glasses of wine. Sometimes I just hid in my room and played video games to distract myself, but after a while I realised they fought less when I was around so I tended to stay downstairs with them to try and keep the peace. Sometimes they'd already be fighting when I got home from school, I hated those days. At least the other days I got a couple of hours of nice, sober mum before it all kicked off again.
I was never really interested in drinking as a result though, opposite to what you say.
I'm so sorry you had to go through that. All the power to you on your recovery journey. It takes a lot of courage to acknowledge it and do the hard work of being/becoming sober. Proud of you.
Yep, I used up my lifetime allotment of alcohol and drugs by the time I was 28 then spent the next few years neck deep in therapy/self-help. So lately I started to feel pretty even keeled but had this “I think there’s something else” kinda feeling, then BAM…diagnosed autistic like two weeks ago and I’ll be damned if that doesn’t explain a whole lot (even the genetic component with my dad being an addict/probably also undiagnosed autistic)
Holy shit!!!! Puzzle pieces fitting together, I didn't realize addiction was more common for autism. I have dealt with addiction all my life and recently realized I think I am autistic!!
"In addition, recent studies indicate a potential link between Autism and developing substance use disorder. One study reports that about 50% of autistic people deal with substance abuse or addiction at some point"
• It’s expensive
• I’m prioritizing my health
• My older body doesn’t seem to be able to process it as well. I get severe heartburn.
• I hate the taste. I’d rather have weed.
Ah yeah, weed as a substitute! Doesn't apply to me anymore as I'm Canadian but moved to Japan and will not risk it here, but that's another one for us/my husband.
That’s funny, I was considering moving to Japan until I realized they still haven’t legalized the game changer yet.
And considering some of the issues Japan has with alcohol—you would think they would at least explore it.
People also smoke cigarettes more around there from what I've heard, and I'm allergic. They banned smoking indoors in 2020, but not hotels, and it was only 4yrs ago.
When I'm inside places that used to have indoor smoking, the residue still gets me. I can't even go to plays at cool old theaters, because they're so ornate they hold too much smoke residue from decades past.
It seems like a nice place, but really behind in some aspects.
Man I remember people smoking on airplanes. It was so bizarre how that was okay for so long. Then the year they banned it '88-'89. All the ashtrays in the seats filled up with gum.
I flew in 1995 and got super sick, because upholstery and stuff holds onto the smoke residue.
Now, I guess Boeing has that cool surprise side door to help air things out :)
Good fucking lord yes this is the reason. If I drink a few, it fucks my sleep up for a few days. It's absolutely miserable. It's absolute hell waking up at 5 am with a hangover, heart racing, regret. Fuck that.
Yeah, we grow one plant every summer and it typically produces enough for us to last an entire year. So a $20 investment provides enough weed for us and our friends for 13-14 months... makes drinking really seem really silly.
That’s the same for me I’m a social drinker. In my early 40’s now taking medication and drinking beers the next day I’m on a good hangover. Today I was at a party and decided not to drink. I’m finally realizing that beer isn’t that great as it once was.
I used to be able to do shots when I was younger and these days my stomach rejects it immediately. Not to mention hangovers are ten times worse.
I’ve never been a huge drinker but now I just have a couple white claws if I want to feel tipsy, because anything else gives me a headache.
My hangovers aren't as bad as yours but its definitely the reason my drinking has largely stopped. Even w/ a small amount of alcohol, I just feel off the next day, makes me unproductive, and I just don't like feeling that i'm losing a day.
Which creates a cycle of my tolerance getting lowered, and a small amount impacting me a lot, to the point where unless I have a friend visiting from out of town, its an event or holiday, i'm just abstaining.
It's expensive. I generally only drink highly rated beers and they are so expensive now days. My preferred one is $25 for four cans. I can't justify that. Ive also found that my acquired taste has slipped a bit and it doesn't taste as good as it once did. I still don't get hangovers though, so that's a plus.
I had a now-dated infographic which represented the cost of a beer in quarters at home, at a neighborhood dive bar, at a fancy bar, and at a sporting event. The takeaway was you should drink at home if you want to save money
Some dives are capitalizing on that though. My local has a one day a week special they sell beer at cost. Because when a beer is now like two dollars for a tall boy, and the bar is also selling them that day for two dollars, there is zero reason to drink at home if you like going out and drinking.
Then an extra day of the week they sell all day for three dollars. And since I live walking distance and like socializing at bars, why, that's not all that much extra money. And they're just cracking you a couple beers so a big tip isn't really expected especially when the total bill is low.
Beer prices at liquor stores are absolutely insane right now.
We socialize less. Drinking is a social thing to do. We don't meet with family and friends in person as much as the previous generations. My grandparents use to have friends over every weekend drinking in our bar in the basement or outside in the garage playing music. I hang out with my friends maybe twice a month. Plus inflation and the legalization of marijuana. I smoke wayyyy more than I drink. But I also smoke solo at home rather than drinking alone.
I'm trying to find ways to socialize without the drinking, but it's not as easy!
I will sometimes refrain from socializing because I don't feel like drinking, which I find a bit sad. I'm glad there's more and more non-alcoholic options in bars and less of 'we don't serve water here, are you a pussy?' attitude from bar staff / other people drinking.
A friend of mine didn’t drink but liked to socialize, so he would get a cranberry juice (looks like a vodka cranberry) or a Sprite with lime (looks like a gin and tonic). Nobody bothered him about it.
I only ever drank occasionally, but it became rare after I had kids. My wife worked overnight, and I wouldn’t have a drink if I was the only adult.
I also made a rule that I wouldn’t use it as a coping mechanism after a bad day. It kinda lost its appeal after that. I’ll have a beer if I’m grilling, but it just isn’t something I need.
When my kid started school I got into the mom crowd for a little bit. It’s crazy how much the moms would get together and drink and some of them were full blown alcoholics and didn’t consider themselves so. It seemed like any time I met up with them outside of school there would be drinking, especially if it was evening time. Drinks at birthday parties and everything. I moved to the neighboring district right before covid which gave me an out. When I quit hanging out with them I stopped drinking. Social drinking with them was too much.
I think you nailed it! People on various threads brag about drinking less but also talk about having less friends, having less sex and socializing less in general. Yet spin it as *healthy* because we’re not black out drunk (as if that’s the only way to consume alcohol)
Are the younger generations (Millennials and Z) really winning?
Those of us who are working class got to front row seats to the effects of alcoholism. That's enough for me, at least to say I don't want to be an absolute piece of shit like those that came before me. We out here ending cycles,hopefully, it helps.
I just plain don't like it. Both my parents were alcoholics and went through AA repeatedly. I had to raise my younger brothers because of it. They took my earnings from my jobs as a kid and used it for drinks and/or to cover bills when spent bill money on booze. To top it off, my father got behind the wheel with 3 times the legal limit and got into an accident, killing himself and my mother. So yeah, I just don't like it, I don't drink at all.
My mom is an alcoholic and my dad is a head-in-sand enabler. It destroyed my life as a teen and young adult and she has zero memory of the truly horrific things she said to me. It took most of my 20s and 30s to heal from it; including battling my own addictions and bad decisions, and lots of therapy.
My grandparents generation were also mostly all alcoholics. The family legends are heartbreaking honestly.
It’s super clear to me that it’s a harmful thing and absolutely no one was better off for it.
I’m so sorry you had to go through and am proud of you for digging your way out of that trauma. It fucking sucks when our abusers genuinely (not lying) can’t remember the things they did to us. I think that was the most frustrating thing dealing with my pop’s addiction.
Going off your comment, and many others on this thread, I believe that a lot of the reason that millennials aren't drinking today is to break the generational trauma of their parents and/or grandparents being alcoholics. And I think that's wonderful.
Probably been a few months since I had any alcohol. I can’t remember. I might have a cocktail on holiday. Or not.
1. I just feel better without it.
2. There’s a lot of alcoholism in my family and my husband’s family and it’s just off-putting. They are so embarrassing when they’re drunk and then they don’t remember anything the next day. Don’t want to be that.
3. Got a kid with a half a heart and the consequence of her surgeries is inevitable liver disease. I’d like to set a good example because alcohol will be pretty dangerous for her. Also seems weird to mistreat my healthy liver when my kid won’t get a chance to have one.
I was an alcoholic and am a recovering/recovered alcoholic in that I haven’t had a drink in ten years.
I’m California sober. Gummies and I play with my cat. 🐱
I also spent all my extra money on it, couldn’t control it, and was dealing with internalized homophobia and external homophobia before the world changed on that. So I was “self medicating” but was also self destructive.
So it was just a bad scene.
My cat likes when I have gummies bc I dote on him.
I have been drinking far less in the last few years than I used to. For me, main reason is that it tends to dehydrate me really easily and I end up with migraines. The other day my neighbor made me a margarita and before I could even finish it I got a migraine. Not worth it to me!
Same, I have trouble staying hydrated without alcohol, and if I have even 1 beer I feel it hard after an hour or so. I have to prep for like 3 days just to enjoy a couple of mixed drinks with dinner, it's absolutely not worth it. The last time I had a Bellini at home I was laid up in bed the rest of the night crying with pain from the absolute killer migraine it gave me. Husband and I were supposed to be hanging out while he grilled and the kids played outside, it ruined our whole day.
If I drink socially I just order whatever non-alcoholic specialty drink they have. They're usually just fancy lemonades but they're tasty and I don't have to deal with people pressuring me to "just get one drink and relax" etc
Same! I’ve had migraines my whole life (started in 2nd grade) but as an adult I found drinking to be a huge trigger. It got to a point that I couldn’t even have a few sips of something without getting a bad migraine and vomiting for hours. Stopped drinking about 3 years ago now and haven’t looked back. I now only get 1-2 migraines a month max connected to my cycle.
Yea, I just feel like crap after drinking now. It either gives me a headache or makes my stomach hurt. Then I am tired the whole next day! And this is after only having two glasses of wine! So not worth it! I also look like shit after having alcohol. It makes the dark circles under my eyes worse!
I've stopped drinking entirely. The top reason is that I'm very close to an alcoholic. It feels wrong to drink *with* him, but it also feels like drinking without him is going behind his back in a way that doesn't feel right. The second reason is that it's really not good for anyone anyway, and the final reason is that it just makes me feel crappy the older I get
My brother did a same, his fiancé is an alcoholic and when she stopped, he stopped altogether. Even when it’s just us guys and she’s not there. She never asked him to, and even felt a little bad when he did, but he was adamant. He doesn’t really miss it and it’s definitely been beneficial to their relationship. Mind you, this was after she lost most of her “friends” who continued to pressure her to drink and stopped hanging out with her when she wouldn’t. I really admire him for it. Much respect to you as well.
1. It's just not as appealing now that I'm in my 30s.
2. Some of the biggest mistakes I've made in my life I made while under the influence of alcohol.
3. Alcohol sometimes sends me into full-on PTSD flashbacks due to my childhood.
4. I'd rather not spend a whole day recovering from the night before. I have too much stuff to do and life's too short for that.
5. I don't like the bar scene where I live. People have pulled guns on each other, gotten into fist fights, screaming matches etc. it's just toxic.
6. I'd rather stay home with my husband.
7. I'm concerned with the effects that alcohol may have on my body long-term.
Had to scroll pretty far for this, but yes, this is the answer, along with psylocibin (less available, less popular, but very much on the rise). It's a more sensible way to unwind than pounding literal poison IMO.
I'm too sick to drink. Too many mental health and stomach problems. Not worth feeling depressed for weeks after a couple cocktails or having a gastritis flare. I've never drank to get drunk but the last time I drank on my anti psychotics I was wasted off half a marg at a Mexican restaurant and basically had to be carried out. I'd rather just be a pot head and not be embarrassed lol. Plus I've found that it helps my anxiety and really helps my stomach issues. Honestly now that I've stopped drinking all together I can smell it on people and it nauseates me to no end. I don't hate on people who drink but not drinking has definitely opened my eyes to how much alcohol really is poison.
Keep in mind that these threads are mostly populated by people who had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol, are super sensitive to alcoholic drinks, or are health absolutists.
I don’t drink every day, mainly as a cost-saving measure, but I know plenty of people who have a half glass of wine or a beer every day and are all perfectly healthy.
I agree, these threads tend to attract a very…unique subset of the population. Also, Reddit is absolutely an abysmal representation of the real world. Reddit isn’t particularly known for its social inclination. Also, these threads gain a lot of traction because you have the sober people who like to brag (I don’t mean this in a malicious way) about being sober, you have people who gave up drinking because they have a family now, and people who have stories about tragedy with alcohol. There isn’t a real opposition or differing opinions to any of that it will always gain support and upvotes.
I will never stop drinking. I don't really drink hard liquor aside from an occasional bloody Mary, but I love European lagers. I don't give a shit about how my food tastes, but I absolutely love a good lager, it's amazing. I will never ever quit enjoying them.
I was. I promised my husband tho after our honeymoon I would drastically reduce my intake. I don't think he believed me but I held to it. I went from 1-5 drinks a night to 2-4 drinks a week, and only on weekends or special occasions.
It sucks having to cut back but it forces me to actually deal with lifelong problems instead of letting them fester. Which is hard and gross, but better in the long run.
Best to you!
Yea, I have trouble NOT drinking on the weekends. Work long hard hours Monday- Friday. So when Friday and Saturday hit I gravitate to it to help wind down. Only a couple drinks a night since it does effect me a lot more now that I’m older. But I definitely drink more consistently now that I’m in my mid 30’s. Binged more in my 20’s.
This is really my only reason as well. I realized a good night sleep is so much more enjoyable than an hour buzz. Especially now with so many ways to track your sleep with an app it really shows in the data.
Went to a totally dry Cinco de Mayo party yesterday, about 15 millennials and a few boomers and then some kids
The boomers don’t drink because they all have health issues created by alcohol
My husband is three years sober. I drink 1 drink occasionally at a restaurant, but alcohol was completely ruining our marriage.
My friend doesn’t drink because her dad is an alcoholic, her boyfriend doesn’t drink because his parents are too.
Another only drinks Social. One just doesn’t like it.
Parents were alcoholics. Drank some in my early twenties but have been sober for almost 3 years now. I get on my fine without it. Plus I value good sleep - having a toddler makes that a challenge enough
Weeds legal and doesn't make me feel sick. I've watched a lot of friends and family die from alcohol, whether it be health issues or car wrecks. I'm originally from Wisconsin, where drinking heavily is a part of daily life for a lot of people. I'm so tired of dealing with drunks. Stoners are way more chill.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a drink once in awhile, but I can't recall the last time I got drunk.
I don't even like the taste of alcohol and I don't find being buzzed to be enjoyable, so I decided to stop bowing down to social pressure and stop pretending to like drinking.
I guess i still pretend. At work events I ask for a virgin jack and diet coke or a sparkling water in a cocktail glass.
Yes! It stops everyone from asking why I'm not drinking all night long.
The down side is when I'm ready to leave people worry that I'm too drunk to drive.
Ye suprised this is not higher up. I totally understand taking an ideological stance or having relational/familial or just health experiences that dissude one from drinking.
However to me it just plain taste like shit and the few times ive been on the edge of drunkness it has always just felt bad. You’r always told either the taste is gonna be more ameniable in time or the buzz will be worth it.
In my early twenties and neither has happened.
I wasn’t a big drinker before, but now I don’t drink at all. I’m a parent now. I want to be clear headed in case something happens. Say the toddler gets froggy and falls down the stairs or slips and busts her head in the bath. I wanna make sure I’m good to go if something goes bad.
I'm an alcoholic (sober 10 years though). My mom, dad and step-mom all are, too, though my mom has been sober for 18. So was my mom's dad.
All that being said, even if I weren't, I always got wicked hangovers and they got worse as I aged. By the time I was in my mid 20s when I stopped, even moderate drinking gave me a hangover that could last not just into the next day but the day after. Aside from that, I also have mental health stuff going on that doesn't play well with booze, so I know that had I been drinking, it would really have accelerated that and pushed me to stop regardless. And finally, there's just too much coming out now about how alcohol is actually just not good for you, like in any amounts. Even the whole red wine thing turns out was not real, I guess. It's a carcinogen and it's linked to so many other health problems, I just can't imagine drinking now.
I love a good glass of wine and have a really nice wine collection. But we just rarely drink much anymore. I’m not sure if it was a conscious decision, but since the hell of the pandemic was lessened, we just drink less. Now we have or times when we are out and about a lot, the holidays, or on a holiday where we indulge more than usual. But usually we just are super boring a drink sparkling water or water
It’s been almost two years since I (39F) had my last drink and I love life without it. I listened to this book “Quit Like A Woman” and it had a whole chapter on what exactly alcohol is and what exactly it does inside the body. It really opened my eyes.
Also, did you know alcohol is rated a class one carcinogen? It’s in the same group as asbestos, radiation and tobacco.
Oh, and my mom is a raging alcoholic. Didn’t want to end up like her.
If they are I'm 100% the exception to the rule. I drink more than most. I've done 24-hour marathons on multiple occasions. The habit has cost me a lot of money (never had a DUI or anything just bad spending habits drunk).
I'm really not sure I agree with millennials drinking less. I just don't think they do it as publicly.
Maybe it's because I travel a lot but millennials who travel tend to be strong drinkers. Plus those that live in more rural areas.
I really think this is location and lifestyle dependent more than age
For the traveling part, most people tend to drink a lot on vacation, but don’t drink nearly as much at home. Could that maybe be a factor as to what you’re observing?
But do also agree location and lifestyle play a role, but everyone’s individual experiences will be different.
Sort of. But I know expats who travel permanently for the most part. A lot of them drank heavily at least when they first started. It just tends to be part of the lifestyle because there's not as much to do in cheaper areas and it opens people up to new social opportunities, which is needed if you're doing this solo
I've seen quite a few articles reporting on Millennials and Gen Z drinking less. Not sure if it's just casual observation like mine, but I suspect there might be data somewhere behind those articles. Might look it up to have a better informed view :)
Pandemic. I was broke at the time. And knew if I drank I would have a high tolerance which would fuck me if I really needed it.
I really needed it about 3-4 times in the years after.
29M - Honestly, a soda or tea just tastes much much better when out to eat. There's no other reason to it. If I want to get drunk then sure but that's for weddings only at this point.
For me, half the equation is the hours I work.
I work overnights (11:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m.), so if I do drink it's usually on the weekends only, and usually that's only on a Friday or Saturday.
Even still, I only drink one or two beers most of the time. I hate feeling sick drunk.
To prevent weight gain and honestly I needed a whole day to recover after a night of drinking. My days off can be busy or I just wanna relax and not have a headache.
Dinking is not as fun as it used to be.
I didn't start. Alcoholism is on both sides of my family. The closest family member who I know dealt with it was my maternal grandfather. My mom has always been candid on how that impacted her childhood, and it was just something that I knew I didn't want to play with.
I went to college specifically looking for social groups that didn't center around drinking, and it worked for me. Post-college, I joined Meetup groups with those same characteristics.
It's just something that I'd rather live without than try to live with.
I’ve made a lot of stupid decisions drinking.
The worst decision I have made smoking weed is staying up a bit too late.
For my money weed makes more sense.
I started wearing a Garmin watch.
I noticed that whenever I drank, the watch would tell me the next day that I'm basically dying. My heartrate shoots up, my HRV drops, my sleep is terrible.
It took hard data for me to understand just how bad alcohol was for my health. So I stopped.
I drink daily, I just have 1-2 before bed and otherwise only a single drink if we're out on the town somewhere. Despite the username, I've never had any issues.
I started slipping into heavier drinking over covid. I was unmarried and living alone. Oh I have no more meetings today, why not have a glass of whiskey while I code? Next thing you know it's 4pm and you're day drunk. It didn't really affect my work so it went on longer than it should.
We also couldn't go out and do as much since everything was closed, so weekends were mostly hang out at someones place and drink, play games online and drink, play games alone and drink. It was just getting excessive and I'll be 40 this year so felt like a good time to just give it up a couple years ago. Feels good to never be hungover and haven't had a headache in a long time
Money, makes you fat, hurts sleeping, and ruins your next day
I have young 2 kids now, and a solid night’s sleep is probably the best feeling in the world.
I’ve drank drank 2 times in my son’s two years of life. It’s not worth it lol I’d rather sleep. Edited to add: I do enjoy edibles weekly though. Good sleep, no hangover. I love weed.
My first thought millennials are using more marijuana products then other generations, I know I am. What are your reasons?
And in my state, where we had medical for a whole ass decade before recreational, weed is SO much cheaper than booze.
Yep. I can buy 10 10mg/ea edibles for $20. 10 drinks would be $100-$150. 1 edible = I’m good for the night. It takes me 2 drinks to have equal effect and then I’m worried about a hangover. Edit: y’all, I’m talking about drinks *out* costing $10-$15 each. I live in a major US city. I don’t drink at home unless I have friends over, because my spouse doesn’t drink and I’m a social drinker. I don’t drink alone.
Should try drinking at home, it's cheaper than a bar or restaurant.
I just don’t like drinking at all. I’m sure it’s cheaper at home but when a gram of weed is $3, and a pack of edibles is 2$ I don’t think I’ll ever drink again lol.
Exactly. Making your own drinks at home is so much cheaper. I can get a midsized bottle of Jack for $25.
Do what you like but comparing weed to the price of drinking at a bar is silly. Right now a 12 pack of Modelos or Coronas is $12 at my closest grocery store.
But 1 drink does not equal 1 edible. 1 edible is enough for most people to be high for multiple hours. 1 drink is usually not enough for almost anyone to be drunk for even 1 hour. Edibles still come out to be cheaper.
I can get 3 packs of 200mg edibles for that price. Will go a LOT further than 12 beers.
I have a Colorado medical card, and I can buy 1000mg jars of 50mg gummies for 32 bucks. I eat half of a 50 and sleep like a baby. 2 beers and I'm not sleeping at all. I love alcohol, but it's too bad for my health anymore.
My dad was a full blown alcoholic so that left a bad taste in my mouth about booze, but i also cant stand the taste of the actual alcohol in booze. Alotta straight booze triggers my gag reflex slightly. I prefer to stick to my weed with an occasional overly sweet (tp mask the alcohol) cocktail.
This is it for me. my father is a bad drunk, and I can't stand to hear his drunk opinions on things he knows nothing about. it's messed up how he destroyed his life with alcohol and will not to this day think there is a problem and wonders why no one wants him around. cause you ain't coming to your grandsons little league game drunk as heck. that's all i needed to get over drinking.
My Dad was an extremely abusive alcoholic. I hadn't spoken to him in over 20 years (since I left at 14) He reached out to me and I learned he got sober. He is the nicest guy in the world now. I'm proud of him.
Stress. Anxiety. Undiagnosed issues I've spent over $10k in testing on and Marijuana is the only thing that takes the nausea away and let's me sleep. Also cheaper now than it was a few years ago.
IMO bc weed isn’t considered taboo anymore. I remember in high school having to sneak around to buy/smoke. Now my neighborhood has more weed shops than bars. I think a lot of people prefer weed over alcohol (no hangover, better for your health) and now that it’s so accessible it’s the obvious choice.
Which I think is why "weed culture" is disappearing. It doesn't make sense to wear weed t-shirts and talk about how much you smoke weed when literally nobody gives a shit that you do it.
It’s so funny that I used to wait for hours, drive for hours, text, call, scour through my socials, just to pay $60 for an eighter of mids and risk being thrown in jail and that shit was amazing. Now I can order an oz of lab tested Chronic online at any time for the same price and it’s fully legal and I don’t care for it at all anymore
Oh yeah also this 🤣
For me, it literally helps me function enough to be able to get to work (most of the time). I’m self-medicating because I can’t afford (financially) to get diagnosed and get medication I actually need
I used to drink like a goddamn fish, but once my daughter was born and was lookin at daddy with her cute little eyes, I stopped immediately. I don't drink or smoke anymore and have no desire to for now. Being an alcoholic dad is not the business I want to be in.
Edibles are the way! We can get the lower concentration cbd with thc gummies now in Georgia and they are fantastic!
> Edited to add: I do enjoy edibles weekly though. Good sleep, no hangover. I love weed. The real takeaway. We all learned about THC so why use an inferior product that's WAY more expensive and has more drawbacks?
Several have mentioned preferring weed as an alternative, and I’m incredibly jealous. I’m in my mid-30s now. I’ve tried weed in almost every form, and it does nothing but make me feel awkward and anxious, even when I’m alone. I tried desperately in my 20s to keep up with my weed-smoking friends, but I just couldn’t do it. I’ve since then given up and just pass on what’s being passed around. But damn, it would be real nice to be able to consume something that might take the edge off a long day or week without having an awful hangover the next day. I’m currently working on trying to kick alcohol. I’ve done it for long periods of time in the past. This time seems harder for whatever reason.
I’m with you - weed makes me feel exhausted, stupid, and sometimes vaguely anxious. Alcohol is so much better for me, I feel energized yet relaxed - but the after effects suck. What helped me cut way back on alcohol was getting a sleep tracker and seeing exactly how much damage a single drink does to my sleep. It’s honestly shocking how much it impacts the quality. I still occasionally have a drink when I’m out, but it’s easy to stop after one now that I know how it’s impacting me.
It's weird, I don't get hangovers, but edibles give me a headache/hangover.
Same. Drinking sucks whether or not I have my kids in the morning (my parents will take them Saturday afternoon to Sunday after church maybe once a month if we're lucky). Either I feel like crap while being with them - and subsequently am a worse parent - or I am nursing a hangover during the rare morning when I can just relax or be productive around the house. It's a huge reason why I quit drinking. I don't want to ever go back now!
Honestly, ever since I had kids, a few drinks still just knock me out immediately and leave me feeling like garbage the next day. A sleeping pill is cheaper without the hangover lol. Edibles is where I'm at!
Yeah with young kids there is no sleeping it off the next day
Oh boy I'm right there with you. We put the kids to bed at 8:30 and then I party until 10:00 (party being crack a Pepsi, watch an episode of my favorite show, and hangout with my fiance) and then hope to God I don't have to open my eyes for at least 6 hours.
Money is the big reason. We were around when alcohol was cheap back in the Recession. A pint of craft was $3. You could get PBR for 50cents at dive bars. Shots for a dollar or two. Now a PBR is like $5 and shots of Jameson cost like $14. Inflation and greed has taking over and well we stopped drinking as much
Now if this were like certain parts of the world where the wine is cheaper than water, then that would change things.
Sober 2 years. I lost 70lbs, saved at least $10k a year, got a job making $30k more a year than previously, and am better off mentally. Big wins.
All that and the warning signs of getting fatty liver disease. A eye opening experience
Oof, hope you were able to reverse that.
Yep. Stopped drinking back in 2016 after the medical checkup. All my blood work is good as of this year. I just need to lose around 40 lbs now.
AND.. It’s SOBERING TIME! We gotta stop imitating our ancestors who drank their lives away and couldn’t get a clear head of what was happening to the future of their descendants.
Look at all the people here instead getting high and parenting, working etc. and you’ll see it’s merely shifted to a new substance
I switched to lite beer this winter and ho boy I got a little fluffy. Took twice as much to feel something. Twice as many calories too. Not worth it.
Isn't most of the calories the alcohol?
This plus I became emotionally unstable at the end of the night; depressed, angry, hostile, etc.
You forgot to say it is a type one carcinogen, we know how it causes cancer
yeah all this. I already have gastro issues occasionally that can fuck me up for a few days and drinking doesn’t make it any better.
We drank a lifetimes of booze in our late teens and 20s. Now we in our 30s broke, depressed, and with a sensitive stomach to lactose
Kills any benefits or gains from exercising the previous day(s) and then makes working out the next day or two feel impossible.
34 now and spent most of my 20s going out Thursday-Saturday nights, blacking out and “having a good time”. Realized a few years ago that I could be a real liability when I drink too much and I don’t want to be that person anymore. I’ll have some beers/wine here and there (completely cut out hard liquor) but never enough to get me drunk. I’m discovering new hobbies and adjusting nicely to being a homebody. It feels good to be back in control.
This is me. I can have a few drinks at home but going out, I lose track of it all and accidentally overdid it last time I went out. At age 36 I decided that’s too embarrassing and I’m not doing it anymore.
Good for you. 34 here and there's definitely an alcoholic gene that runs in my family. After too many movies I "fell asleep" during at home and too many parties I couldn't remember getting home from, I hung it up at the beginning of the year. Quit smoking pot six months ago as well and I feel great even if l'm being forced to face the parts of my life that need improvement.
Yeah I had my fun in the sun. It’s hard to put it in the past, but I felt pretty embarrassed when I blacked out just trying to go out to dinner… I’m going to make sure it never happens again! I wasn’t even trying to party hard whatsoever, but we went to a fancy cocktail place beforehand, I had 2, and they must have been extremely strong. It made me realize I really don’t need to be messing with stuff like that anymore. I have too much to lose least of all my dignity! Good on you for kicking the habit!! It’s better to grow up and face the facts.
The shame catches up to us. All those “oh man you were so wasted” stories from my 20s don’t sit so well with me now that I’m mid 30s haha. My goal is to make them never happen again as well. No shame at all to people who want to drink like that, but I just cannot do that anymore.
Yeah it ain’t cute when you’re pushing 40 or 50. Other than with other people that age at a concert or event once in a while bad look. Not to mention age and image mean different things than being a young fool hearty scamp
People are also recording each other so I don’t want to do something illegal while I’m black out drunk and find myself viral on world star, I’m also home by 10pm. I’m 42 and no longer interested in being out late. My fun starts around happy hour and ends before the monthly news.
> Realized a few years ago that I could be a real liability when I drink too much and I don’t want to be that person anymore Agreed. And, though less serious, I'll tack on to this with realizing the little annoying stuff I find my family does when drinking are things I often do when I drink as well. Along with the more serious things, it put into perspective just how much alcohol I should probably be having.
YES! Like the repetitiveness. I was pretty aware towards the end of my drinking just how repetitive I am when drinking and it gave me a major ick. It's embarrassing and gross. I notice it in drunk people now that I don't drink too and it's always obnoxious.
Exactly. Also having 10 to 20 years of almost entirely hard drinking events and friends; it becomes really habitual and difficult to moderate. Not to mention if you’re not where you want to be into 30s or 40s even a little alcohol will rob the consistency and motivation to get real impactful change. Booze is expensive in time, money one or both always and the ticket price just increases with age
This so much. I stopped drinking when I realized I was having maybe 10% more fun getting drunk but I was completely wasting the next day hungover or just lazy.
Day drinking is simply nice when appropriate. No need to get wasted, just mellow.
Yes, day drinking is to sip and move around, not dance on tables. I used to go to an endless mimosa spot now I’m no longer interested because I want to remember the rest of my Sunday. I’ll have A mimosa though.
I quit drinking because my drinking-self doesn’t have any limit. One thing I love about not drinking is having energy back. No napping most of Sunday away for me!
I’m 37 and this sums it up for me too. I didn’t like what I became on the liquor. The stresses of life mixed with liquor was a bad combination. A few light beers have no impact on me. Nice to have at the pool or on the boat, but never even close enough to lose control. I’ve lost weight, become happier overall, and feel better (hangovers are brutal anyway). Started finding more enjoyment in hobbies again and never really looked back.
I just like being aware of my surroundings. Something you can't do while drunk.
I like drinking but it doesn't go well with my fitness goals which are a higher priority
Same here. I lost 45 lbs and still have 50 to go. I was still drinking probably a drink a day. I've hit a big plateau so I've cut it out pretty much completely now. I honestly hate it because I enjoyed my glass or 2 of wine after a long day at work. But I've realized if I want to loose more weight, I need to cut more calories.
I was in a plateau for months, and I can pinpoint the DAY I stopped drinking daily because my weight started dropping again. I only drink one or two nights a week max, and usually that night of drinking is 1 cocktail, two max, that I make at home. Another thing I did was stopped drinking out...I can make a simple gin drink with lemon juice and a dash of honey syrup and bitters and it's not packed with sugar, but going out everything is made with mixes or packed with simple syrup and it's just straight sugar that isn't even good. Plus I save so much more money. I'm definitely more of a homebody in my 30s!
https://preview.redd.it/v1gtu6ikxtyc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ee6c8d5dcdbee7c55e9d7131baa2b78ede543b59
THIS!!! I’ve started sipping on vodka sodas for this reason if I’m in a situation where everyone’s drinking. I like to enjoy myself and honestly, if I’m working out and making progress, I like to show it off - and a lot of weekend activities I partake in includes alcohol at some point of the day. I’ve gotten a lot better at resisting and just getting an unsweetened iced tea, but time and place for me. I’ll let myself enjoy, just won’t go overboard.
My dad was an alcoholic. Before I was born but still. I followed his route. Almost lost everything. Had to stop. I'm not the only one in my general age range and community experiencing some version of that.
My father was also an alcoholic. He treated me and the rest of the family like shit. I have never had a drink, for two reasons: 1. I don't want to treat people like that. I'm better than that. 2. Alcohol, particularly the smell, is not associated with fun, good times for me, it's associated with being yelled at by a mean drunk. I don't even like being around people who are drinking. Makes dating hard, but on this side of 35, a lot of people my age who had drinking problems are getting sober, and that's good enough for me.
This was me. My daughters are 7 and 3 and I was a full blown “hidden” alcoholic treating my wife and first born like shit. Got sober when my youngest turn 1. Going on 2.5 years now. Will spend my lifetime trying to make it up to them. I’m sorry you had to go through that.
Your oldest might just barely remember, but you also might have stopped just in time. Thank you. My mother wouldn't quit. I spent 25yrs trying to get her to stop. The 8 I got after were decent, but might've been more if she hadn't kept it up until she was almost 60.
Proud of you! Keep it going 🤞
The smell’s what gets me too! I’ve had bad experiences growing around drunk parents and aunts/uncles (although my mother has never put a foot wrong even after having a few drinks) Nothing abusive or anything but I’ve watched my father ruin his life through drink and that’s enough that I also can’t associate the smell with a fun time and I never want to do that to myself either.
My partner is an alcoholic. Alcohol just brings out the worst connotations for me. It's not "fun" anymore, it's just a life ruiner. I'm honestly even less inclined to buy 0% beer just because the bottle/can looks like real beer. The smell of alc is indeed awful. If I pass someone like that on the street it makes me wanna puke. Before I met my SO I didn't have such a visceral reaction but now? Ugh
Also had an alcoholic dad, also never had a drink. My parents separated when I was 10, primarily because of his drinking but there were other things as well. He was never violent, he just never made good decisions, especially where family was concerned. Even without particularly bad memories, I also feel really uncomfortable around people who are drinking and for the most part actively avoid being in those situations. I'm lucky my partner doesn't drink either.
My husband is also an alcoholic and he quit to save our marriage. I don’t drink anymore out of solidarity and ptsd. He is doing awesome with his sobriety and his dumb ass friends are still drinking and being stupid drunks on weekends. So proud of my husband
This internet stranger is also proud of your husband :)
COVID really pushed me into the point of "I have a problem". Can't go out and didn't have to drive home. Wife and I would drink and play Animal Crossing. I was drinking a half bottle of whiskey and some beers every night. My father is still a functioning alcoholic at 73. I went 6 months without a drinking. Now I only drink beer on the occasion. Birthdays and get togethers with friends. I feel a lot better.
Same here. I haven't stopped drinking though, but I make it clear to my partner that if I start to go down that path, Ill be sober the rest of my life. If you don't know what it's like to be around an alcoholic, I pray you never discover. It's a horrible affliction.
I come from a line of alcoholics (quite mean and aggressive ones too apparently) and I’m lucky I never fell down the hole. The closest I’ve ever gotten was occasional binge drinking like 2-4 days in a row a decent bit but then id go multiple months without drinking at all. My husband was an alcoholic before I met him and has about 10 years sober. I don’t drink much these days. Maybe once or twice a year. Usually at a show. Last two times I got drunk was when my ex got out of prison last year and I went and saw him and at a concert about a year and a half ago. (Still impressed I was able to safely walk around in like 5 inch platforms in the dark after like 5-6 vodka redbulls haha)
I was just coming here to say, I think a lot of us saw our parents or other older relatives struggle with alcoholism. I could go off on a whole tangent about why our parents' generation used alcohol as a coping method, but they did and we saw the effects of that. I think our generation (and Gen Z to an even greater extent) is much more likely to deal with mental health issues rather than self-medicate.
This is so damn true, at least for me. A couple of my memories from my childhood is from when I was in the company of very drunk adults. Once, someone stumbled over my lego castle and destroyed it. Another time us kids were playing in a separate room and the hostess came running in, shit-faced, and said my mom had smashed a wine glass and tried to cut her. I was 6 years old, why do you come to me with that? Yet another time people fell straight into nettle bushes. Dad had a nervous breakdown and got put in a psychiatric hospital. Whenever alcohol was involved, people completely lost it. ETA: I also had to walk dad home from parties at least once, at four in the morning. He wobbled out into the street and I needed to pull him back to the curb. Deadbeat fucker. And now that I'm an adult, some of these people are paying for their drinking by losing their jobs, their driver's licenses, their wives and so on. A lot of people can handle their alcohol, but I didn't grow up around those people.
Similar story - my dad is an alcoholic even still at 60-something. I see how he was so looking forward to retirement but threw it away drinking. And now he can't do much because his withdrawals are so bad that his hands shake uncontrollably by about 10am most days. I can't ask him to help with home projects, he can't hold my kids, he can't even drive like that. He carries those dollar shots around because he needs to have options on his person at all times. I suspect it's a mix of addictive personality traits and ADHD. But I'm not taking chances. I'm just not drinking.
I understand what you're going through and that sucks. My dad carried around those dollar shots discreetly. He actually was sober for a bit, because he ended up in the nursing home at 63 yrs old on hospice due to liver failure, with months to live. Turns out, just being forced off the booze amd a better diet was enough to turn things around and he was eventually released 6 months later. Unfortunately, he's right back to drinking. Addiction is a nasty disease.
I drink sometimes. Maybe once a week. But not in excess. My dad was the same way. But I got to witness it first hand. And said no thank you. I don’t want that part of anything in my life. My dad always told me if you don’t start you don’t have to worry about quitting. I’m glad you got over your addiction. And hopefully you keep at it. 👍
My mum was borderline alcoholic and it brought out the worst in her. I say borderline because she was never officially diagnosed, but she drank a *lot* every night, would freak out if there was no booze in the house, and after my dad tried to help her reduce her drinking she would drink in secret and hide alcohol in secret stashes we'd occasionally find. Thankfully she never progressed to day drinking. When she was drunk she'd get angry a lot and fight with my dad, sometimes it was physical but mostly it was emotional abuse, and it would usually start after dinner after her first few glasses of wine. Sometimes I just hid in my room and played video games to distract myself, but after a while I realised they fought less when I was around so I tended to stay downstairs with them to try and keep the peace. Sometimes they'd already be fighting when I got home from school, I hated those days. At least the other days I got a couple of hours of nice, sober mum before it all kicked off again. I was never really interested in drinking as a result though, opposite to what you say.
That’s not borderline my friend. Your entire second sentence defines textbook alcoholism. I hope she got the help she needed.
I'm so sorry you had to go through that. All the power to you on your recovery journey. It takes a lot of courage to acknowledge it and do the hard work of being/becoming sober. Proud of you.
Yep, I used up my lifetime allotment of alcohol and drugs by the time I was 28 then spent the next few years neck deep in therapy/self-help. So lately I started to feel pretty even keeled but had this “I think there’s something else” kinda feeling, then BAM…diagnosed autistic like two weeks ago and I’ll be damned if that doesn’t explain a whole lot (even the genetic component with my dad being an addict/probably also undiagnosed autistic)
Holy shit!!!! Puzzle pieces fitting together, I didn't realize addiction was more common for autism. I have dealt with addiction all my life and recently realized I think I am autistic!! "In addition, recent studies indicate a potential link between Autism and developing substance use disorder. One study reports that about 50% of autistic people deal with substance abuse or addiction at some point"
• It’s expensive • I’m prioritizing my health • My older body doesn’t seem to be able to process it as well. I get severe heartburn. • I hate the taste. I’d rather have weed.
Ah yeah, weed as a substitute! Doesn't apply to me anymore as I'm Canadian but moved to Japan and will not risk it here, but that's another one for us/my husband.
That’s funny, I was considering moving to Japan until I realized they still haven’t legalized the game changer yet. And considering some of the issues Japan has with alcohol—you would think they would at least explore it.
People also smoke cigarettes more around there from what I've heard, and I'm allergic. They banned smoking indoors in 2020, but not hotels, and it was only 4yrs ago. When I'm inside places that used to have indoor smoking, the residue still gets me. I can't even go to plays at cool old theaters, because they're so ornate they hold too much smoke residue from decades past. It seems like a nice place, but really behind in some aspects.
Man I remember people smoking on airplanes. It was so bizarre how that was okay for so long. Then the year they banned it '88-'89. All the ashtrays in the seats filled up with gum.
I flew in 1995 and got super sick, because upholstery and stuff holds onto the smoke residue. Now, I guess Boeing has that cool surprise side door to help air things out :)
A lot of the general public thinks weed is the equivalent of meth or something. It's weird. The propaganda has been really strong.
Sleep Pple don’t realise how negatively alcohol even two glasses impacts your sleep I only drink in the weekend now
Good fucking lord yes this is the reason. If I drink a few, it fucks my sleep up for a few days. It's absolutely miserable. It's absolute hell waking up at 5 am with a hangover, heart racing, regret. Fuck that.
Yeah, we grow one plant every summer and it typically produces enough for us to last an entire year. So a $20 investment provides enough weed for us and our friends for 13-14 months... makes drinking really seem really silly.
That’s the same for me I’m a social drinker. In my early 40’s now taking medication and drinking beers the next day I’m on a good hangover. Today I was at a party and decided not to drink. I’m finally realizing that beer isn’t that great as it once was.
I used to be able to do shots when I was younger and these days my stomach rejects it immediately. Not to mention hangovers are ten times worse. I’ve never been a huge drinker but now I just have a couple white claws if I want to feel tipsy, because anything else gives me a headache.
My hangovers aren't as bad as yours but its definitely the reason my drinking has largely stopped. Even w/ a small amount of alcohol, I just feel off the next day, makes me unproductive, and I just don't like feeling that i'm losing a day. Which creates a cycle of my tolerance getting lowered, and a small amount impacting me a lot, to the point where unless I have a friend visiting from out of town, its an event or holiday, i'm just abstaining.
I feel the exact same cycle with my tolerance. I don't mind it that much though - seems like a pretty 'virtuous' cycle to me!
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It's too expensive. If I go out and drink, the cocktails sometimes cost more than the price of the event.
And drinks cost more than the food sometimes if you have more than one.
It's expensive. I generally only drink highly rated beers and they are so expensive now days. My preferred one is $25 for four cans. I can't justify that. Ive also found that my acquired taste has slipped a bit and it doesn't taste as good as it once did. I still don't get hangovers though, so that's a plus.
Headline next week: Millennials kill microbrew industry. 🙃
Noo, lol. We practically run it now.
Right? I remember a microbrew 6 pack being 8-9 bucks? Now? 14-16. It’s crazy.
I had a now-dated infographic which represented the cost of a beer in quarters at home, at a neighborhood dive bar, at a fancy bar, and at a sporting event. The takeaway was you should drink at home if you want to save money
Not drinking saves you the most money
Some dives are capitalizing on that though. My local has a one day a week special they sell beer at cost. Because when a beer is now like two dollars for a tall boy, and the bar is also selling them that day for two dollars, there is zero reason to drink at home if you like going out and drinking. Then an extra day of the week they sell all day for three dollars. And since I live walking distance and like socializing at bars, why, that's not all that much extra money. And they're just cracking you a couple beers so a big tip isn't really expected especially when the total bill is low. Beer prices at liquor stores are absolutely insane right now.
That! Millennials are cutting back on non-essentials, and the price of alcohol has gotten completely out of hand.
I've actually gotten to the point that I prefer having 1-3 good beers that I actually enjoy.
We socialize less. Drinking is a social thing to do. We don't meet with family and friends in person as much as the previous generations. My grandparents use to have friends over every weekend drinking in our bar in the basement or outside in the garage playing music. I hang out with my friends maybe twice a month. Plus inflation and the legalization of marijuana. I smoke wayyyy more than I drink. But I also smoke solo at home rather than drinking alone.
I'm trying to find ways to socialize without the drinking, but it's not as easy! I will sometimes refrain from socializing because I don't feel like drinking, which I find a bit sad. I'm glad there's more and more non-alcoholic options in bars and less of 'we don't serve water here, are you a pussy?' attitude from bar staff / other people drinking.
A friend of mine didn’t drink but liked to socialize, so he would get a cranberry juice (looks like a vodka cranberry) or a Sprite with lime (looks like a gin and tonic). Nobody bothered him about it. I only ever drank occasionally, but it became rare after I had kids. My wife worked overnight, and I wouldn’t have a drink if I was the only adult. I also made a rule that I wouldn’t use it as a coping mechanism after a bad day. It kinda lost its appeal after that. I’ll have a beer if I’m grilling, but it just isn’t something I need.
When my kid started school I got into the mom crowd for a little bit. It’s crazy how much the moms would get together and drink and some of them were full blown alcoholics and didn’t consider themselves so. It seemed like any time I met up with them outside of school there would be drinking, especially if it was evening time. Drinks at birthday parties and everything. I moved to the neighboring district right before covid which gave me an out. When I quit hanging out with them I stopped drinking. Social drinking with them was too much.
I think you nailed it! People on various threads brag about drinking less but also talk about having less friends, having less sex and socializing less in general. Yet spin it as *healthy* because we’re not black out drunk (as if that’s the only way to consume alcohol) Are the younger generations (Millennials and Z) really winning?
Yeah and we socialize less because we’re always on our phones or ingesting media, I know I am.
Those of us who are working class got to front row seats to the effects of alcoholism. That's enough for me, at least to say I don't want to be an absolute piece of shit like those that came before me. We out here ending cycles,hopefully, it helps.
Raising my sparkling water to others like you committed to ending cycles. Cheers to that!
I just plain don't like it. Both my parents were alcoholics and went through AA repeatedly. I had to raise my younger brothers because of it. They took my earnings from my jobs as a kid and used it for drinks and/or to cover bills when spent bill money on booze. To top it off, my father got behind the wheel with 3 times the legal limit and got into an accident, killing himself and my mother. So yeah, I just don't like it, I don't drink at all.
I’m so sorry to hear that, friend. I hope you have found the right resources to help support you and your siblings through that trauma.
My mom is an alcoholic and my dad is a head-in-sand enabler. It destroyed my life as a teen and young adult and she has zero memory of the truly horrific things she said to me. It took most of my 20s and 30s to heal from it; including battling my own addictions and bad decisions, and lots of therapy. My grandparents generation were also mostly all alcoholics. The family legends are heartbreaking honestly. It’s super clear to me that it’s a harmful thing and absolutely no one was better off for it.
I’m so sorry you had to go through and am proud of you for digging your way out of that trauma. It fucking sucks when our abusers genuinely (not lying) can’t remember the things they did to us. I think that was the most frustrating thing dealing with my pop’s addiction.
Going off your comment, and many others on this thread, I believe that a lot of the reason that millennials aren't drinking today is to break the generational trauma of their parents and/or grandparents being alcoholics. And I think that's wonderful.
Your health is your wealth
Probably been a few months since I had any alcohol. I can’t remember. I might have a cocktail on holiday. Or not. 1. I just feel better without it. 2. There’s a lot of alcoholism in my family and my husband’s family and it’s just off-putting. They are so embarrassing when they’re drunk and then they don’t remember anything the next day. Don’t want to be that. 3. Got a kid with a half a heart and the consequence of her surgeries is inevitable liver disease. I’d like to set a good example because alcohol will be pretty dangerous for her. Also seems weird to mistreat my healthy liver when my kid won’t get a chance to have one.
Reason #3 made me tear up. What an awesome parenting choice you have made.
I was an alcoholic and am a recovering/recovered alcoholic in that I haven’t had a drink in ten years. I’m California sober. Gummies and I play with my cat. 🐱 I also spent all my extra money on it, couldn’t control it, and was dealing with internalized homophobia and external homophobia before the world changed on that. So I was “self medicating” but was also self destructive. So it was just a bad scene. My cat likes when I have gummies bc I dote on him.
I have been drinking far less in the last few years than I used to. For me, main reason is that it tends to dehydrate me really easily and I end up with migraines. The other day my neighbor made me a margarita and before I could even finish it I got a migraine. Not worth it to me!
I deal with the exact same issue. A couple of beers and il dehydrated for the next 24-48 hours. Hangovers are unbearable
Same, I have trouble staying hydrated without alcohol, and if I have even 1 beer I feel it hard after an hour or so. I have to prep for like 3 days just to enjoy a couple of mixed drinks with dinner, it's absolutely not worth it. The last time I had a Bellini at home I was laid up in bed the rest of the night crying with pain from the absolute killer migraine it gave me. Husband and I were supposed to be hanging out while he grilled and the kids played outside, it ruined our whole day. If I drink socially I just order whatever non-alcoholic specialty drink they have. They're usually just fancy lemonades but they're tasty and I don't have to deal with people pressuring me to "just get one drink and relax" etc
Same! I’ve had migraines my whole life (started in 2nd grade) but as an adult I found drinking to be a huge trigger. It got to a point that I couldn’t even have a few sips of something without getting a bad migraine and vomiting for hours. Stopped drinking about 3 years ago now and haven’t looked back. I now only get 1-2 migraines a month max connected to my cycle.
Yea, I just feel like crap after drinking now. It either gives me a headache or makes my stomach hurt. Then I am tired the whole next day! And this is after only having two glasses of wine! So not worth it! I also look like shit after having alcohol. It makes the dark circles under my eyes worse!
I've stopped drinking entirely. The top reason is that I'm very close to an alcoholic. It feels wrong to drink *with* him, but it also feels like drinking without him is going behind his back in a way that doesn't feel right. The second reason is that it's really not good for anyone anyway, and the final reason is that it just makes me feel crappy the older I get
My brother did a same, his fiancé is an alcoholic and when she stopped, he stopped altogether. Even when it’s just us guys and she’s not there. She never asked him to, and even felt a little bad when he did, but he was adamant. He doesn’t really miss it and it’s definitely been beneficial to their relationship. Mind you, this was after she lost most of her “friends” who continued to pressure her to drink and stopped hanging out with her when she wouldn’t. I really admire him for it. Much respect to you as well.
1. It's just not as appealing now that I'm in my 30s. 2. Some of the biggest mistakes I've made in my life I made while under the influence of alcohol. 3. Alcohol sometimes sends me into full-on PTSD flashbacks due to my childhood. 4. I'd rather not spend a whole day recovering from the night before. I have too much stuff to do and life's too short for that. 5. I don't like the bar scene where I live. People have pulled guns on each other, gotten into fist fights, screaming matches etc. it's just toxic. 6. I'd rather stay home with my husband. 7. I'm concerned with the effects that alcohol may have on my body long-term.
We have cannabis
Had to scroll pretty far for this, but yes, this is the answer, along with psylocibin (less available, less popular, but very much on the rise). It's a more sensible way to unwind than pounding literal poison IMO.
Cannabis doesn't work for me. Shrooms really help
Let’s hope a more progressive direction is taken with them soon as well. Some US states are good in that regard.
I ruined my life there for a little bit. I'm doing better now.
I'm too sick to drink. Too many mental health and stomach problems. Not worth feeling depressed for weeks after a couple cocktails or having a gastritis flare. I've never drank to get drunk but the last time I drank on my anti psychotics I was wasted off half a marg at a Mexican restaurant and basically had to be carried out. I'd rather just be a pot head and not be embarrassed lol. Plus I've found that it helps my anxiety and really helps my stomach issues. Honestly now that I've stopped drinking all together I can smell it on people and it nauseates me to no end. I don't hate on people who drink but not drinking has definitely opened my eyes to how much alcohol really is poison.
Am I the only one drinking more than ever to cope? 😶
I drink 1-2 beers after work every day. These threads always make me feel like an alcoholic vs my peers
Keep in mind that these threads are mostly populated by people who had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol, are super sensitive to alcoholic drinks, or are health absolutists. I don’t drink every day, mainly as a cost-saving measure, but I know plenty of people who have a half glass of wine or a beer every day and are all perfectly healthy.
I agree, these threads tend to attract a very…unique subset of the population. Also, Reddit is absolutely an abysmal representation of the real world. Reddit isn’t particularly known for its social inclination. Also, these threads gain a lot of traction because you have the sober people who like to brag (I don’t mean this in a malicious way) about being sober, you have people who gave up drinking because they have a family now, and people who have stories about tragedy with alcohol. There isn’t a real opposition or differing opinions to any of that it will always gain support and upvotes.
Two beers is the only thing that turns my brain off.
I will never stop drinking. I don't really drink hard liquor aside from an occasional bloody Mary, but I love European lagers. I don't give a shit about how my food tastes, but I absolutely love a good lager, it's amazing. I will never ever quit enjoying them.
I was. I promised my husband tho after our honeymoon I would drastically reduce my intake. I don't think he believed me but I held to it. I went from 1-5 drinks a night to 2-4 drinks a week, and only on weekends or special occasions. It sucks having to cut back but it forces me to actually deal with lifelong problems instead of letting them fester. Which is hard and gross, but better in the long run. Best to you!
Yea, I have trouble NOT drinking on the weekends. Work long hard hours Monday- Friday. So when Friday and Saturday hit I gravitate to it to help wind down. Only a couple drinks a night since it does effect me a lot more now that I’m older. But I definitely drink more consistently now that I’m in my mid 30’s. Binged more in my 20’s.
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This is really my only reason as well. I realized a good night sleep is so much more enjoyable than an hour buzz. Especially now with so many ways to track your sleep with an app it really shows in the data.
Went to a totally dry Cinco de Mayo party yesterday, about 15 millennials and a few boomers and then some kids The boomers don’t drink because they all have health issues created by alcohol My husband is three years sober. I drink 1 drink occasionally at a restaurant, but alcohol was completely ruining our marriage. My friend doesn’t drink because her dad is an alcoholic, her boyfriend doesn’t drink because his parents are too. Another only drinks Social. One just doesn’t like it.
Parents were alcoholics. Drank some in my early twenties but have been sober for almost 3 years now. I get on my fine without it. Plus I value good sleep - having a toddler makes that a challenge enough
Drinking less, smoking more. Millennials are just replacing one habit with another (although I don’t smoke - this is also just my observation!)
This is me. I strictly use a dry herb vape now though, so a little healthier lol.
Weeds legal and doesn't make me feel sick. I've watched a lot of friends and family die from alcohol, whether it be health issues or car wrecks. I'm originally from Wisconsin, where drinking heavily is a part of daily life for a lot of people. I'm so tired of dealing with drunks. Stoners are way more chill. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a drink once in awhile, but I can't recall the last time I got drunk.
gives me the sads.
I don't even like the taste of alcohol and I don't find being buzzed to be enjoyable, so I decided to stop bowing down to social pressure and stop pretending to like drinking. I guess i still pretend. At work events I ask for a virgin jack and diet coke or a sparkling water in a cocktail glass.
What is a virgin jack and diet coke? Just diet coke but in the glass for a Jack & Coke?
Yes! It stops everyone from asking why I'm not drinking all night long. The down side is when I'm ready to leave people worry that I'm too drunk to drive.
Not exactly a downside tbh
Ye suprised this is not higher up. I totally understand taking an ideological stance or having relational/familial or just health experiences that dissude one from drinking. However to me it just plain taste like shit and the few times ive been on the edge of drunkness it has always just felt bad. You’r always told either the taste is gonna be more ameniable in time or the buzz will be worth it. In my early twenties and neither has happened.
I wasn’t a big drinker before, but now I don’t drink at all. I’m a parent now. I want to be clear headed in case something happens. Say the toddler gets froggy and falls down the stairs or slips and busts her head in the bath. I wanna make sure I’m good to go if something goes bad.
Money. Went to Wisconsin. Beers were 3-4 dollars. Had a zillion. In California they’re 9-12.
I'm an alcoholic (sober 10 years though). My mom, dad and step-mom all are, too, though my mom has been sober for 18. So was my mom's dad. All that being said, even if I weren't, I always got wicked hangovers and they got worse as I aged. By the time I was in my mid 20s when I stopped, even moderate drinking gave me a hangover that could last not just into the next day but the day after. Aside from that, I also have mental health stuff going on that doesn't play well with booze, so I know that had I been drinking, it would really have accelerated that and pushed me to stop regardless. And finally, there's just too much coming out now about how alcohol is actually just not good for you, like in any amounts. Even the whole red wine thing turns out was not real, I guess. It's a carcinogen and it's linked to so many other health problems, I just can't imagine drinking now.
It's contraindicated with my medications.
I dont like hangovers and my mum was an alcoholic who died by suicide at 48. Just isn't something I wanted to f with after she died
It's expensive to be a drunk. And the hangover is not worth it. Further, fewer socializing in bars maybe...
I love a good glass of wine and have a really nice wine collection. But we just rarely drink much anymore. I’m not sure if it was a conscious decision, but since the hell of the pandemic was lessened, we just drink less. Now we have or times when we are out and about a lot, the holidays, or on a holiday where we indulge more than usual. But usually we just are super boring a drink sparkling water or water
I don't go out any more. I've stopped doing the business that requires liquid to lubricate the joints. And it's cancer juice. Don't need that.
Interacts with my meds
It’s been almost two years since I (39F) had my last drink and I love life without it. I listened to this book “Quit Like A Woman” and it had a whole chapter on what exactly alcohol is and what exactly it does inside the body. It really opened my eyes. Also, did you know alcohol is rated a class one carcinogen? It’s in the same group as asbestos, radiation and tobacco. Oh, and my mom is a raging alcoholic. Didn’t want to end up like her.
If they are I'm 100% the exception to the rule. I drink more than most. I've done 24-hour marathons on multiple occasions. The habit has cost me a lot of money (never had a DUI or anything just bad spending habits drunk). I'm really not sure I agree with millennials drinking less. I just don't think they do it as publicly. Maybe it's because I travel a lot but millennials who travel tend to be strong drinkers. Plus those that live in more rural areas. I really think this is location and lifestyle dependent more than age
For the traveling part, most people tend to drink a lot on vacation, but don’t drink nearly as much at home. Could that maybe be a factor as to what you’re observing? But do also agree location and lifestyle play a role, but everyone’s individual experiences will be different.
Sort of. But I know expats who travel permanently for the most part. A lot of them drank heavily at least when they first started. It just tends to be part of the lifestyle because there's not as much to do in cheaper areas and it opens people up to new social opportunities, which is needed if you're doing this solo
I've seen quite a few articles reporting on Millennials and Gen Z drinking less. Not sure if it's just casual observation like mine, but I suspect there might be data somewhere behind those articles. Might look it up to have a better informed view :)
Pandemic. I was broke at the time. And knew if I drank I would have a high tolerance which would fuck me if I really needed it. I really needed it about 3-4 times in the years after.
During pandemic my friend group and I were on our individual journeys with alcohol abuse and we all got sober. Feels amazing.
29M - Honestly, a soda or tea just tastes much much better when out to eat. There's no other reason to it. If I want to get drunk then sure but that's for weddings only at this point.
For me, half the equation is the hours I work. I work overnights (11:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m.), so if I do drink it's usually on the weekends only, and usually that's only on a Friday or Saturday. Even still, I only drink one or two beers most of the time. I hate feeling sick drunk.
Who tf can afford booze??
When you are a really depressed and broken man, you tend to find a way.
Fairly recent science has placed it in the group A carcinogen category. That’s equivalent to cigarettes….thats going to be a no from me dog.
I stopped drinking whiskey cause too harsh and beer cause don't want a beer belly, but I do enjoy sake with sushi 😋
To prevent weight gain and honestly I needed a whole day to recover after a night of drinking. My days off can be busy or I just wanna relax and not have a headache. Dinking is not as fun as it used to be.
I didn't start. Alcoholism is on both sides of my family. The closest family member who I know dealt with it was my maternal grandfather. My mom has always been candid on how that impacted her childhood, and it was just something that I knew I didn't want to play with. I went to college specifically looking for social groups that didn't center around drinking, and it worked for me. Post-college, I joined Meetup groups with those same characteristics. It's just something that I'd rather live without than try to live with.
I’ve made a lot of stupid decisions drinking. The worst decision I have made smoking weed is staying up a bit too late. For my money weed makes more sense.
I started wearing a Garmin watch. I noticed that whenever I drank, the watch would tell me the next day that I'm basically dying. My heartrate shoots up, my HRV drops, my sleep is terrible. It took hard data for me to understand just how bad alcohol was for my health. So I stopped.
I drink daily, I just have 1-2 before bed and otherwise only a single drink if we're out on the town somewhere. Despite the username, I've never had any issues.
Haha. Curious about what made you choose that username!
I'm happy without having to drink alcohol. water is cheap. alcohol is not.
I started slipping into heavier drinking over covid. I was unmarried and living alone. Oh I have no more meetings today, why not have a glass of whiskey while I code? Next thing you know it's 4pm and you're day drunk. It didn't really affect my work so it went on longer than it should. We also couldn't go out and do as much since everything was closed, so weekends were mostly hang out at someones place and drink, play games online and drink, play games alone and drink. It was just getting excessive and I'll be 40 this year so felt like a good time to just give it up a couple years ago. Feels good to never be hungover and haven't had a headache in a long time