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I'll happily go weeks on end without a drink. Can't be dealing with the hangovers anymore. Still nice to have a few pints every now and then. Non alcoholic beer is so much better these days. Shame it's as pricey as the alcoholic variety.
At the OP, I was drunken so and so, leave the building site on a Friday late afternoon and find myself trying to get Into the house pissed out of my head the next morning.
My Mrs was a diamond then and still Is, anyway what happened was I came home late one night from work (not drunk) but I was too late to see the kids who were already put to bed. I went up to see them and the room was pitch black, couldn't see a thing but I could hear them sleeping, and right out of the blue It hit me, what on earth am I doing getting drunk every weekend or nearly every weekend, I was being irresponsible beyond belief, these were my kids and downstairs was my Wife and I was IMO failing all of them. I shut the door quietly and from that moment some 40 odd Years ago I have never touched a drop since. I'm all the better for It (and a bit richer) I was so-so close to becoming an alcoholic, It was tough walking past a pub when the smell and the noise of the pub was so tempting but I done my 'cold turkey'
My Father had a profound influence on me, he was a lunatic.
At the OP, I was drunken so and so, leave the building site on a Friday late afternoon and find myself trying to get Into the house pissed out of my head the next morning.
My Mrs was a diamond then and still Is, anyway what happened was I came home late one night from work (not drunk) but I was too late to see the kids who were already put to bed. I went up to see them and the room was pitch black, couldn't see a thing but I could hear them sleeping, and right out of the blue It hit me, what on earth am I doing getting drunk every weekend or nearly every weekend, I was being irresponsible beyond belief, these were my kids and downstairs was my Wife and I was IMO failing all of them. I shut the door quietly and from that moment some 40 odd Years ago I have never touched a drop since. I'm all the better for It (and a bit richer) I was so-so close to becoming an alcoholic, It was tough walking past a pub when the smell and the noise of the pub was so tempting but I done my 'cold turkey'
Likewise Ted. Drank everyday and Friday and Saturday generally going out And really because all my family and friends did likewise.
Stopped becauss could not relax without it and it was causing me ill health.
Hardly drink now but still enjoy life and i can go and meet friends and enjoy pub visits still.
Feel greatly better in myself also.
Both my parents dying younger than could have, because drinking and smoking helped me decide also.
All good for me but i got no issues with people that do. Live and let live.
I was, and am, a dyed in the wool alcoholic though and drank myself into psychiatric care and then rehab.
Oddly, was taken on a stadium tour of QPR when I was in psychiatric care. Walked through Redknapp's office at the time which had about 6 empty bottles of red wine in.
Life for me is infinitely better sober, and still a member of AA.
Lots of Rangers in the rooms which is probably no surprise to anyone!
In about 1980 I went to the quack with stomach pain. He said it could be pancreatitis and if so, drinking would be O-U-T, OUT! (With a spacious wave of the hand). I gave it up for, oh, two, no more than that, three, no, four days. Never been so pissed off in my life.
I accidentally became teetotal. We left it very late to have a kid, (which i found a struggle) and my wife was breastfeeding, so i found myslef having the odd drink (was never a big drinker) on my own whilst wifey and baby were in the other room. Felt a bit dark so i stopped expecting to pick it back up, but then found it was 6 months and i hadnt missed it, then a year, still didnt miss it. Now been 7 years.
There are jow some pretty decent non alcoholic beers about. Most pubs serve them. Recently found a half decent white wine too.. a lot of people swaer by Guiness zero, if stout is your thing.
Dont miss feeling a little.under the weather the next day.
I work in the drinks industry and I’m a social drinker but thankfully am able to curb my enthusiasm for the stuff fairly quickly.
One thing on the rise and certainly something we speak about at HQ (other than 0.0% and low abv) is zebra drinking. One alcoholic, one non-alcoholic. It’s something I’ve adopted over the last 18 months and found it useful for avoiding a crucifying hangover the next day.
I have also considered knocking it entirely on the head, slightly out of curiosity as the OP spoke about but also to avoid the bad hangovers which I have always been prone to anyway and as a 45 year old only seem to be getting worse!
I work in the drinks industry and I’m a social drinker but thankfully am able to curb my enthusiasm for the stuff fairly quickly.
One thing on the rise and certainly something we speak about at HQ (other than 0.0% and low abv) is zebra drinking. One alcoholic, one non-alcoholic. It’s something I’ve adopted over the last 18 months and found it useful for avoiding a crucifying hangover the next day.
I have also considered knocking it entirely on the head, slightly out of curiosity as the OP spoke about but also to avoid the bad hangovers which I have always been prone to anyway and as a 45 year old only seem to be getting worse!
Was a very social drinker for years ,then slipped into needing a drink through various stuff going on at the time , work personal stuff wasn’t handling it very well. So morning routine was get up walk the dog , back up of tea two shots of vodka , the. Heas to work ,few more pints lunchtime and repeat did that for I suppose 6 months or so managed to stop the vodka chaser routine first , then stoped totally for about 3 years maybe bit more , rarely drink these days odd glass of red wine with a steak thats about it
I can go months without an alcoholic drink, and like people have said, the choice of non-alcoholic is much better now. The drinking culture of the workplace in the 80s and 90s was pretty bad and I'm very happy that we don't have that pressure to drink alcohol that we used to.
For people interested in life with alcohol, I strongly recommend John Robbins' book Thirst which is an eye-opening story of alcoholism.
Started out working in advertising. Three or four lunchtimes drinking, always a Thursday night party somewhere, probably one or two other nights after work as well. And then the weekend followed!
It tailed off a bit after shifting careers, but still heavy enough and as I frequently took long absences to go travelling, it was a rare week I didn't exceed recommended booze limits.
In 2002 I decided to run a marathon. Long story, took me 3 years to prepare and even then, it was a struggle. Four months out, I decided to go on the wagon! Staying on it was hard, but I managed it.
However, immediately after finishing my first race, I joined family and friends in a bar and knocked back 26 units of alcohol. Next day, a few beers and a bottle of red with my dinner. I got up for work on the Tuesday and felt rough. I realised the booze was the 'sauce' of this feeling more than the soreness from running.
I continued running: four months tee total for full marathons, two for halves. By now, I had significantly reduced booze consumption and like many above, I now go weeks without a drink and unlike before, I've rarely exceed the recommended booze limits in the last 15 years.
I come from a family with heart issues, and I've had mine! I believe the reduction of alcohol consumption has played its role in keeping me alive and I feel infinitely better for it!
When I moved to Lowestoft 5 years ago I was in the pub everyday! Weight ballooned, was falling asleep at stupid times, now it’s just an occasional treat, definitely feel a lot better with it. Don’t think I could completely give it up though. Can’t beat a cold pint on holiday.
When I moved to Lowestoft 5 years ago I was in the pub everyday! Weight ballooned, was falling asleep at stupid times, now it’s just an occasional treat, definitely feel a lot better with it. Don’t think I could completely give it up though. Can’t beat a cold pint on holiday.
I think you’re essentially saying that ‘a little of what you fancy does you good’ there, Loftboy, in which case I wholeheartedly concur.
Mind you, I did find myself strangely drawn to the ‘falling asleep at stupid times’ section of your analysis. This has been a distinguishing quality of mine for as long as I can remember and applies in equal measure to periods of both indulgence and abstinence.
I've been alcohol free for just over nine years now and it's about 12 years with one lapse. Very pleased I managed to kick it, I feel healthier mentally and physically, happier in my skin.
Since my mid-20s I’ve not been a big drinker anyway but find I enjoy it more when it’s the occasional big day rather than the one or two after 5-a-side, the one at half time at Rangers, the one glass of wine at dinner etc.
Have maybe half a dozen days a year whether that be a wedding, big away game, horses, someone’s birthday etc. which adds up to 60-100 drinks and the six hangovers and find that’s a good balance for me. I’ve got enough other vices.
I think you’re essentially saying that ‘a little of what you fancy does you good’ there, Loftboy, in which case I wholeheartedly concur.
Mind you, I did find myself strangely drawn to the ‘falling asleep at stupid times’ section of your analysis. This has been a distinguishing quality of mine for as long as I can remember and applies in equal measure to periods of both indulgence and abstinence.
I get to Rangers on the Reading line to Clapham, so pass both Ascot and Twickenham on the train.
Used to go to the races and the rugby occasionally also and ended up blotto myself.
But yes so am on the train some Saturdays with both sports happening the same days also.
The rugby crowd they do laugh at ridiculously stupid things as you do when you have had a few, but they are no real trouble. But the Ascot crowd is another thing entirely. People can be almost comatose and have lost the ability to stand, sit or speak and also quite regularly there can be aggro due to nonsense said when drunk.
Definitely more aggressive drunks at the races, rather than the rugby.
Seeing people in that state as a sober person, does make you sometimes think you made the right choices.
About 25 years ago I was doing the sorting out for the fortnightly recycling and I realised that I just counted out 11 empty bourbon bottles! So I cut right back.
Then, last year when I started tracking my calories on an app, I discovered that even though my daily maintenance calories was 2900, after all the real food was eaten that didn't leave much leeway for booze (which it turns out is quite fattening! Who knew?) So now I only drink maybe once a month and I make sure that the calories for that come out of my daily carb allowance.
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