Totally with you. Ginger beer has that extra layer of complexity that you miss when you don't have alcoholic drinks. 13 months af here
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[Drinking] Alcoholic/like a beer or two too much?
- Thread starter StillHateBellotti
- Start date
Totally with you. Ginger beer has that extra layer of complexity that you miss when you don't have alcoholic drinks. 13 months af here
I'm anticipating my biggest test yet to come next Saturday. I've been seeing a women for a short while now and never even mentioned the fact that I don't drink. Plus the times we have met I have always been driving either that night or early the next day so it's not even figured. But next weekend she's coming here and so now I either join her in a few glasses of wine or I 'fess up to being a non-drinking oddity? Plus I wouldn't want her to feel uncomfortable drinking alone.
I never said I would never drink again, just not today. It's been 7 months and alot of the reason I wasn't drinking was because I was pretty unhappy with life and it seemed to me that drinking would just make that worse. So I stopped. But now I feel pretty happy again, so perhaps it's safe to fall off the wagon?
Still feel a bit conflicted as I genuinely enjoy not drinking now. Who knew?
I'm 100% with you. I haven't stopped drinking, I just haven't had an alcoholic drink for 13 months. I could, and might, have one tomorrow. I probably won't. I feel better, sleep better, make better decisions and life is simpler if I don't drink. I've got past the "will it make others uncomfortable if I don't drink" stage. If she really likes you, she'll respect you for it. If you are true to yourself, why would that make her uncomfortable? Be authentic, you'll be fine.
Palacefinder General
Well-known member
- Apr 5, 2019
- 2,594
Be interesting to do a poll on here on the psychology of drinking i.e. do you drink for social confidence; because others do/to conform to a perceived social norm; because you always have; to take the edge off things/relax; out of habit; addiction; for the taste/enjoyment etc. NSC is certainly a classic drinkers demographic (middle aged men on the whole) and threads like ‘Friday/dat Night Drinking Thread’ certainly feed into that ‘need to conform’ to a vague extent and the machismo bonding to be had over being in the booze trench’s together to confirm that we’re not alone in our choices, a vague whiff of oneupmanship/snobbery over alcohol choices yadda yadda all feeding the machine.
Maybe we should have a regular Friday Night Class A/B/C Drug Taking thread as well.
Maybe we should have a regular Friday Night Class A/B/C Drug Taking thread as well.
Garry Nelson's teacher
Well-known member
Be interesting to do a poll on here on the psychology of drinking i.e. do you drink for social confidence; because others do/to conform to a perceived social norm; because you always have; to take the edge off things/relax; out of habit; addiction; for the taste/enjoyment etc. NSC is certainly a classic drinkers demographic (middle aged men on the whole) and threads like ‘Friday/dat Night Drinking Thread’ certainly feed into that ‘need to conform’ to a vague extent and the machismo bonding to be had over being in the booze trench’s together to confirm that we’re not alone in our choices, a vague whiff of oneupmanship/snobbery over alcohol choices yadda yadda all feeding the machine.
Maybe we should have a regular Friday Night Class A/B/C Drug Taking thread as well.
Old git with a metronomically regular but very limited habit here. When younger I used to be able enjoy (endure) a reasonable session, but even then I could never really grasp the almost pathological need for groups of blokes to drink all day. I suffered from the most almighty hangovers which were a curse at the time but which (in retrospect) prevented me from becoming a big drinker; I just couldn't face it.
First day back yesterday - two bottles of Becks at lunch and then a can of Old Speckled Hen and a bottle of Becks with supper. I enjoyed the first one and then felt sad that I hadn't stayed dry - probably the effect of the alcohol, it can make me morose!
Sometimes I drink because I fancy a glass of wine or a beer, other times because I have had a shit day and feel I "need" one, and at times out of habit. I should stick to the ones I most enjoy, those consumed when I just fancy something for the taste or to go with a good meal. Roast beef and a glass of red today then!
Sometimes I drink because I fancy a glass of wine or a beer, other times because I have had a shit day and feel I "need" one, and at times out of habit. I should stick to the ones I most enjoy, those consumed when I just fancy something for the taste or to go with a good meal. Roast beef and a glass of red today then!
Palacefinder General
Well-known member
- Apr 5, 2019
- 2,594
Very similar experience, as much as I aspired to be a bigger drinker in my younger days, appalling hangovers put paid to that, even drinking two pints of water and taking Extra Strength Anadin before bed after a session did little to counteract the day after. When, a few years ago, it got to the point of one beer giving me a banging hangover I knew it was game over. 40 and 50-something friends who can still get a skin-full down them, and with zero ill effects, are completely different biological animals to me.
I'm anticipating my biggest test yet to come next Saturday. I've been seeing a women for a short while now and never even mentioned the fact that I don't drink. Plus the times we have met I have always been driving either that night or early the next day so it's not even figured. But next weekend she's coming here and so now I either join her in a few glasses of wine or I 'fess up to being a non-drinking oddity? Plus I wouldn't want her to feel uncomfortable drinking alone.
I never said I would never drink again, just not today. It's been 7 months and alot of the reason I wasn't drinking was because I was pretty unhappy with life and it seemed to me that drinking would just make that worse. So I stopped. But now I feel pretty happy again, so perhaps it's safe to fall off the wagon?
Still feel a bit conflicted as I genuinely enjoy not drinking now. Who knew?
Tricky - but I'd suggest you just do whatever feels right at the time.
As others have said recently on here - I am a drinker, and I enjoy drinking. But my enjoyment had undoubtedly gone too far and my nearly-7 month dry stretch last year helped me find a balance with alcohol again.
From my own long dry spell last year, the length of the AF stretch became a thing I didn't want to break, which is why I drew things out for as long as I could. This extended to not having "night before the holiday" drinks at our airport hotel and not having "wahay - we're going on holiday" drinks at the airport, nor on the flight.
I'm starting to feel that same feeling now, on day 29, and I know I'm soon going to start calculating how long I can practically keep this going for, which very possibly could be when we go on holiday this Summer - although there's nothing booked yet.
thedonkeycentrehalf
Moved back to wear the gloves (again)
- Jul 7, 2003
- 9,353
Great advice. [MENTION=600]Bry Nylon[/MENTION] - think about it the other way. Would she be impressed if you have a few drinks that you are now not used to and turn into a alcohol induced idiot?
Palacefinder General
Well-known member
- Apr 5, 2019
- 2,594
The crux of it for those looking to cut down, breaking or challenging those mental associations - Friday night wind down time, there’s football on TV, going on holiday tomorrow etc.
Well the 7 month plus AF stint came to a spectacular end last night with a bottle and half of red wine FFS 
Back on the wagon. Day one.
Back on the wagon. Day one.
Insel affe
HellBilly
Well the 7 month plus AF stint came to a spectacular end last night with a bottle and half of red wine FFS
That’s what the Albion will do to you.
Uncle Spielberg
Well-known member
Well the 7 month plus AF stint came to a spectacular end last night with a bottle and half of red wine FFS
Back on the wagon. Day one.
I guess this was with the new lady, lol ?
Machiavelli
Well-known member
Well the 7 month plus AF stint came to a spectacular end last night with a bottle and half of red wine FFS
Back on the wagon. Day one.
Sounds like a nice way to end a 7 month AF stint in my view. And, by the way, congratulations for going that long without a drink. That's a real achievement.
If it wasn't clear already, I have a slightly different relationship with alcohol than you do, in that I really, really want it to continue. I'm really no longer that interested in beer, and I can easily go a year without drinking spirits but wine, that's a different matter.
withdeanwombat
Well-known member
476. Not tempted.
Insel affe
HellBilly
Minutes or seconds ?
Well the 7 month plus AF stint came to a spectacular end last night with a bottle and half of red wine FFS
Back on the wagon. Day one.
Average that over the last seven months and you've had less than a thimbleful a day!
maffew
Well-known member
Well the 7 month plus AF stint came to a spectacular end last night with a bottle and half of red wine FFS
Back on the wagon. Day one.
Keep posting on here mate whatever you do. Your diary of your relationship with booze and how you approach it and your honest and realistic (vaguish) goals/expectations is a real pleasure to read
Thank you.
I really wanted to see if I could do the 12 months AF, but time, place and circumstances intervened and last night was the right time for me to cut free so although I haven't reached my goal I'm not sad about that. In reality, my goal was only ever 'one day at a time' until the right moment arrived. So the fact that the right moment came last night isn't a problem.
But I have a completely fresh and far more healthy relationship with alcohol now. I know a bottle and half of red wine on a Saturday night hardly suggests that, but I see it as very much a one-off and don't intend to drink again for a couple of weeks I should imagine, if at all.The very fact that I know I can do this now is exactly where I want to be.
Good luck to all those cutting it out or cutting down.