[Drinking] I’ve gone off Alcohol

[Deportivo Seagull]

I don’t think i’ve had an hangover of any merit for at least two years, if i have a couple of beers nowadays i feel rotten

same here. What would our younger selves think of it?

 

[BNthree]

Strangely over the last couple of years for no particular reason i’ve been drinking less and less alcohol to the point where i’m quite happy with soft drinks when i go out.

I’m 54, touchwood in good health and i use to love slamming the booze down. I’ve have never been told to knock it on the head and i use to feel quite worried many years ago if there was a possibility i couldn’t have a drink. Nowadays I’ll have one beer before a dinner out, somehow make that last the entire sitting and have water or coco cola for the rest of the night. I’m just not that fussed anymore.

For some reason almost like someone has flicked a switch i really don’t get excited or even enjoy drinking alcohol now, i know some people who struggle with the amount they drink would love this conundrum but i wondered if anyone else has crossed this pathway.

Similar sort of age and similar sort of story. For teens, twenties and most of thirties I was a hedonist getting mashed (booze or whatever was available ) every weekend without fail. Now I’m just a bit bored of it and just don’t feel the need.

 

[Chicken Run]

same here. What would our younger selves think of it?

One word, Lightweights

 

[ElectricNaz]

I will say, as an alcoholic (please don't judge) I'm still at the point of falling off the wagon occasionally. It's becoming less and less after a couple of years but it still happens.

What I will say, is that I do have fun when I'm not drinking. But my cravings for booze do come back every now and then. Not sure that will ever change but for now I'm early in the journey and will take each day as it comes. Just do what works for you and if you're truly happy, that's the main thing

 

[Weststander]

One word, Lightweights

I first heard that in the 90’s. If anyone dared to have a lager top or Shandy.

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

One word, Lightweights

and a career lasting draft to the crabs!

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Strangely over the last couple of years for no particular reason i’ve been drinking less and less alcohol to the point where i’m quite happy with soft drinks when i go out.

I’m 54, touchwood in good health and i use to love slamming the booze down. I’ve have never been told to knock it on the head and i use to feel quite worried many years ago if there was a possibility i couldn’t have a drink. Nowadays I’ll have one beer before a dinner out, somehow make that last the entire sitting and have water or coco cola for the rest of the night. I’m just not that fussed anymore.

For some reason almost like someone has flicked a switch i really don’t get excited or even enjoy drinking alcohol now, i know some people who struggle with the amount they drink would love this conundrum but i wondered if anyone else has crossed this pathway.

Yep. Exactly the same happened to me at the end of 2020. Haven't had a drop of alcohol since I made myself a gin and tonic on new year's eve, had a mouthful and then just left it.

Like you, I completely went off it - and don't miss it at all. Really weird, but maybe that's more to do with how much society is based around alcohol, that we think we 'should' drink...

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Same with me nearly five years ago. I found I wasn’t enjoying alcohol and also that I found the next day harder if I had a few (not even rat arsed).

I didn’t mean to stop altogether but found that I wasn’t missing it so haven’t started again. I don’t drink the low or no alcohol stuff - if I wanted a beer I’d have a beer but I just stopped enjoying the taste.

Same. I love(d) Guinness, but the zero alcohol one gives me a headache, ironically!

 

[mile oak]

I wish we sold non-alcoholic lager ON TAP at the Amex

 

[Colonel Mustard]

I did Dry January this year and have just kept going. It’s now 91 days without booze and the way I’m feeling, could quite happily not bother with it ever again. To put this in context, I was drinking far too much, and had been for years. I was drinking the recommended weekly units every day pretty much, and it had been like that for as long as I can remember. So I was anxious about stopping for a month. Weirdly, I’ve barely thought about booze these 3 months. In fact, drinking has started to seem a bit ridiculous. I think I’m done with it. I feel a lot better and have lost nearly 20 lbs without really trying.

 

[Chicken Run]

Yep. Exactly the same happened to me at the end of 2020. Haven't had a drop of alcohol since I made myself a gin and tonic on new year's eve, had a mouthful and then just left it.

Like you, I completely went off it - and don't miss it at all. Really weird, but maybe that's more to do with how much society is based around alcohol, that we think we 'should' drink...

But can you pin it on anything? I went from being a fairly regular drinker to losing interest quite quickly for no apparent reason?

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

I did Dry January this year and have just kept going. It’s now 91 days without booze and the way I’m feeling, could quite happily not bother with it ever again. To put this in context, I was drinking far too much, and had been for years. I was drinking the recommended weekly units every day pretty much, and it had been like that for as long as I can remember. So I was anxious about stopping for a month. Weirdly, I’ve barely thought about booze these 3 months. In fact, drinking has started to seem a bit ridiculous. I think I’m done with it. I feel a lot better and have lost nearly 20 lbs without really trying.

I did Dry January five or six years ago, and never stopped (or never restarted I suppose).

Don't miss the booze or the headaches or the poor quality sleep or the expense or the terrible decision making or the regrets or making apologies for my behaviour or not being able to drive whenever I like.

I haven't stopped drinking alcohol, I just choose not to and can't see me going back.

One other thing I do notice is how rampant product placement has become. The booze industry has been brilliant at connecting everything to drinking alcohol but the level of drinking in the media is astonishing and insidious. Did you watch The Gentlemen!!

 

[BN9 BHA]

I wish we sold non-alcoholic lager ON TAP at the Amex

The alcoholic stuff tasted bad enough when I was drinking, I definitely wouldn’t drink non alcoholic lager from a tap there.

 

[BN9 BHA]

Non alcoholic Fosters…….really?

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Non alcoholic Fosters…….really?

You wouldn't touch that shit when you did drink booze, why subject yourself to it when you don't?

However, there are some astonishingly passable no-lo beers around these days. And it's getting better.

 

[BN9 BHA]

You wouldn't touch that shit when you did drink booze, why subject yourself to it when you don't?

However, there are some astonishingly passable no-lo beers around these days. And it's getting better.

Exactly, see my post above the one you have quoted

I have only had a few non alcoholic beers but not seen many places selling them on tap.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Same. I love(d) Guinness, but the zero alcohol one gives me a headache, ironically!

I had a morning-after headache after two bottles of Beck's blue. I guess it was the chemicals. Never again.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

I’ve not tried any no- or low-alcohol beers and don’t feel any desire to do so. If you’ve managed to get rid of the enthusiasm for beer it seems risky to drink anything that resembles its taste. Mind you, the selection of non-alcoholic drinks in pubs and restaurants is absolutely shocking. So much sugary, chemically crap. Would it be too hard to stock a few smoothies or freshly squeezed juices?

 

[pearl]

Non alcoholic Fosters…….really?

I wouldn't flush my toilet with Fosters!

 

[albionalba]

Yes similar decline in interest in alcohol for me, not quite zero but I really don't care if I drink or not nowadays. There are still times when a thirst makes me have a (non-craft) branded draught lager and I'll sink that to quench my thirst but anymore than that just really makes me thirsty and isn't enjoyable. If I have a second beer I'll have a Coke Zero alongside with alternate sips (weird and not healthy I know).