[Closed] #TOTW Anyone quit the booze?

Glass of red most nights interspersed with big seshes sounds like quite a lot to me.

I gave up almost entirely during lockdown but have started having the odd drink now and then usually at weekends and still have the occasional blowout but it's pretty rare.

For me it's good to have had the break to show I didn't need it as a default option but I don't feel the need to be rigid about it now. YMMV.

The thing that stops me is socialising. It sounds ridiculous I know, but being the sober one and not having as much fun.

You find different ways of socialising and different people to socialise with. For me it's making it more about eating really good food and coffee etc rather than booze. If you have to be pished to feel comfortable around your mates maybe that's telling its own story.

Yip, trying to knock it in the head. Mainly due to it's impact on my mental health, even having 1-2 drinks does me no favours in the following days.

Considered it before now certainly. For me it's how having a few beers means I can't drive the following day which means the options for doing stuff is quite curtailed...

However I went to the pub with mates for the first time in 2 years on Friday and tried a new drinking strategy. I had a full fat beer, followed by a 0.0% beer, followed by a full fat etc. In the end I had 6 "pints" but only 3 alcoholic beers. Felt like I had had a proper session, had a good time but still woke up at 7am fresh as a daisy and was legal to be up and driving for 9am to go about the weekend.

If you have to be pished to feel comfortable around your mates maybe that’s telling its own story.

Indeed, I know this. I do get anxiety. But need to try it to know.

I had a full fat beer, followed by a 0.0% beer, followed by a full fat etc.

That's a good strategy!

I stopped drinking in the house years ago. I occasionally do now but much more controlled. Still do a big session now and then though but again it’s rare. Drinking most nights and not calling it a lot is good sign to reduce your drinking.

Yeah I have. I started with a break, never stopped. That was 3 maybe 4 years ago now. I still drink low alc. (<1%) beers so technically Ive not quit, but in reality I have.

Thinking about just knocking it on the head. The thing that stops me is socialising. It sounds ridiculous I know, but being the sober one and not having as much fun.

Yes you are less fun and having less fun its true, but now you can drive everyone else, you're even more popular. Weird that....

4 weeks and counting. Not for dry January. Not for a NY resolution. Just decided I really needed to. Been drinking far too much since March 2020 (the end of last year was an embarrassment) and realised it was doing nothing positive for me. First 2 weeks were tough, with lots of wavering, but stuck at it and quite enjoying it now. Might keep it going for a good while yet.

I had a full fat beer, followed by a 0.0% beer, followed by a full fat etc. In the end I had 6 “pints” but only 3 alcoholic beers. Felt like I had had a proper session,

^this is genius

If you are associating alcohol with fun then I imagine you'll struggle but why give up, just drink at more appropriate times. Got the kids and its a nice day tomorrow, don't drink. Wife is taking kids to the cinema & its chucking down, have a drink.

Yep, went from several pints a night and frequent weekend blackouts to drinking only gin to reduce calorie intake and improve health

That developed into having at least half a bottle of gin a night

Then I completely stopped, had exactly the same fears as you "how will I enjoy myself if I'm sober?". A few nights out sober revealed that it isn't that bad at all. Then COVID hit and I wasn't going out anyway which made it a bit easier in that aspect, a bit harder at home

Anyway I went zero alcohol for 6 months and now I just have an occasional beer. Thing is, after you break the hangover cycle and don't have one for months the first time you get one you just don't want to drink ever again, which makes it very easy now to stick to maybe having one but mostly none at all

I had trouble sleeping for the first 2 weeks, waking up in sweats and not getting back to sleep etc but sounds like you shouldn't have that issue if you're not having more than a glass a night

chucking down, have a drink.

Checks weather app...cracks open another bottle 🤣

I think I'll try for a booze free February. Nice short month to attempt it.

I'm 28 days off the booze now.

I'm a fairly heavy drinker, just part of my lifestyle really. Pre Covid as a kid free musician, aged early 30's and living town centre we'd be out drinking 5 nights a week minimum.

Obviously that went out of the window with Covid, but just turned into drinking at home everyday.

Initially I was just going to do dry January (started on 3rd January) but I'm going to turn it into a longer term thing I think. Big test will be this weekend, Thursday I've got Book Club which is meeting at my favourite Belgian bar. Then this weekend we're away for a few days with friends, going for a nice meal on Friday night, then there's the rugby Saturday.

I think long term, I'd really like to be able to just have a couple of pints a week, say after a day in the mountains or whatever. Feels like I'll need an extended period of being teetotal first to get to that stage.

I quit a couple of years ago.

Moderation isn’t a strong point for me, and I have zero filter when I’m drunk, which can upset folk/leads to issues, so it’s easier to to have a blanket ‘no’ policy.

I didn’t drink at home anyway, so when I did go out, it always seemed to be a bender, which isn’t ideal.

That and thinking back, nothing good/lasting has ever come from me being drunk.

i stopped about ten years ago. I used to get pretty bad hangovers, writing off whole days, which then progressed to making me feel shitty pretty quickly. kinda takes the fun out of it so I just stopped.

makes you realise how dependent on alcohol societies social norms are. explaining you really don't want a beer/wine etc gets tiresome.

People seem more accepting if I tell them I'm a recovering alcoholic than I just don't want one....

No, but like many things, I enjoy it more when I do it in moderation.
I don't drink during the week.
I'll have a few beers/wines on either Friday or Saturday but not both.
Sunday I'll generally have a beer in the evening.

The thing is, I like beer and I like wine. A good pint in a quiet pub is one of life's pleasures, it's not one I'd want to do without. So I choose control and moderation.
Drinking doesn't need to be about a skin full on a Saturday night and the associated feeling of dread on a Sunday. It can be about enjoying a beer or 2 occasionally, at the time and circumstances that work for you.

if you can find it, Adrian Chiles, Drinkers Like Me on the BBC is well worth a watch

societies social norms are. explaining you really don’t want a

I've been vegan before for best part of a year, believe me I know how screwed up society is if you don't slot in to norms! Never ending debates/discussions

The thing is, I like beer and I like wine.

I like beer and wine, they just don't like me.

I don't bother with zero-alcohol versions, like vegan bacon etc. not sure I see the point.

I stopped completely beginning of lock down, so coming up to two years now. Surprised how easy it was to flick the switch, given I was a fairly accomplished boozer. Not Champions League or anything, but good solid Prem standard.
I had done a few dry stretches (like 6 weeks) in recent years though, for bike reasons - that helped. People rubbish Jan diets but I think stuff like dry Jan is actually really impactful in breaking down your relationship with alcohol, and giving you control.

Ideally you want balance and if you have a lively social life around the ale that is fine, just needs to rein it in and drink for positive reasons.

Other side of the coin is that your liver is a majestically robust organ, capable of taking what ever you throw at it. Until it isn't. And the transition between the two states isn't as sharp as you might imagine - I found that concerning. That long term you could drink yourself into a really bad place without ever doing anything crazy or having an obvious problem with alcohol.

Wasnt a heavy drinker only a couple of pints each week, during COVID found myself drinking a bottle of lager more often then before and put on some timber. Started hearing more about AF lagers and options, tried all the ones my local supermarket had, found one I liked and havent drank now for maybe 4-5 months, I've been surprised when out eating recently that most places have an AF version although its usually heineken which either full fat or AF I can just stand!

I've not quit but I've massively cut down. Someone said it further up - having done that and then had a bit of a blowout on Fri night, nothing mad, and felt awful Sat I am very clear on what is OK for me now. I was a habitual drinker , no specific reason for knocking it down But now don't drink at all Mon-Thu, i'll maybe have one beer on a fri and one, maybe two on a sat. Small cans. No wine, no whisky or spirits. Sundays maybe a beer, maybe not. Jan was like this and lost 3kg which was helpful but biggest impact was on mood, i've been very anxious and poss a bit depressed last year, drinking really accentuated it. This is the single thing I have noticed the most - a much more positive outlook and ability to deal with 'stuff' now. That's more useful than drinking a bottle of wine. I've also decided not to beat myself up. Fri was one of those things, a few wines and then a whisky or two. Not good but hey ho.

I stopped 4 years ago. Got fed up of hangovers and wasted weekends. (Not a good combination for a morning person).
Still go to the pub with my mates, I just drink non-alcoholic beer.
It's a better life. I miss beer festivals but that's the only downside.

Yep - summer 2018 for me. Can't say I miss it much. Well perhaps when we're out with work and the boss is on the expensive end of the wine list but other than that the benefits have massively outweighed the odd pang of longing I have for a really nice red.

I still go to the pub and there are some excellent AF beers now as well as just the traditional soft drinks and restaurants and the like are getting very good at mocktails as well.

Thanks everyone. Great positive response

I'm going to do it!

I have a night out end of this week, curry and beers. What's a good 0% beer?

I quit about 5or6 years ago in my mid thirties. I was doing a charity bike ride that year and quit/drastically reduced as part of getting fit for it and then just stayed off...

Don't miss it, cirtainly don't miss hangovers, if I go out socially I drink non alcoholic beers rather than coke or similar.

Like others I wasn't a heavy drinker before hand though (was usually the driver when going out).

Still get given lots of alcohol at Christmas from relations though - wife drinks that so she's happy.

Theres a long thread on here of 0% beers...

https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/alcohol-free-beer-reviews-orders-a-big-mixed-box-of-them/page/3/#post-12207232

I gave up for a year about 4 years ago and then, convinced that I had changed my relationship with drinking, started again. Within about 4 weeks I was back to the same habitual pattern of having a drink on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

I stopped drinking during the first summer of Covid. I feel so much better and feel like I get much more out of life. I wouldn't start again if you paid me. I still go to the rugby with my pals but get wired on Irn Bru rather than blotto on Tennants. I don't feel like I'm missing out and I love waking up fresh the next day.

It's evident that some folk can do moderation and some can't. Probably something hardwired into our brains. Luckily, when it comes to alcohol, I'm one of the former. I've not had a serious blow-out for years as I'm usually thinking about the after-effects. It's the nature of alcohol that we can forget our good intentions after the second or third drink though 😀

The thing that stops me is socialising. It sounds ridiculous I know, but being the sober one and not having as much fun.

You don't have to get smashed you know. I long ago learned the art of not drinking so much that I can't operate the next day. Although this is much easier if you're a regular drinker admittedly 🙂. Giving up completely sounds great, but quite frankly IMO being sober around pissed people is intolerable. If I gave up I'd end up a hermit, and I value my social life and the benefits it brings far more than the adverse effects of drinking.

I dont really drink anymore, which the exception of the occasional splash, literally a couple of teaspoons worth in the coffee late at night or if round at my sisters for Xmas/new year. Just really to add to the flavour.

As such a bottle of rum lasts easily 6 months.

Best mate died from alcohol related problems, friend Robin died from alcohol, Neil died from alcohol, other mate Dave died from alcohol, all were alcoholics though.

When most of your friends who packed away a lot of drink died as a result and there it wasn't a social drink, the point was to finish a bottle of spirits in a few hours and go buy another, you get to realize the dangers of drinking to excess, and maybe drinking, even in moderation isn't really something you need to do.

So for the most part I don't feel the need.

Thanks everyone. Great positive response

I’m going to do it!

Fantastic! Good luck.

I sort of have. I have a roller-coaster relationship with booze but never really out of control tbh. Over the last 10 years I have stopped, same time as having twin boys - both are bonkers, one ASD, ADHD/ODD etc, and my wife is FT big job so I have always been very much 50% involved right from the start.

I do drink when out but small amounts. Wife is the same. A bottle of wine lasts weeks on end now. We only drink expensive nice stuff as a result. I guess kids send you one way or the other?!!

I dont go out very often and I get invited less and less. Oh well....

How do I feel? I feel pretty dam good. I am able to keep my weight down, while most people I know for similar build are 15Kg heavier, I am riding lots. MTB, road and Audax, and I have time and energy for my boys sports - rugby, football, cycling and mtb etc.

I still love going out, but not as often. I would not change this now though.

Do it! 🙂

Quit drinking for medical reasons - broken liver doesn't like you pouring booze into it.

Normal 'at home' drinking was replaced by alcohol free beer - it took a while, and starting the STW thread to find some drinkable stuff - social drinking was harder. Not because I craved being drunk but because most pubs sell shit alcho-free beer. Also, as your mates get more pissed, you understand or laugh at less of their jokes. I still don't get the punch line on "She was stood in the doorway and I said come in and she just stood there so I said come in from the door way and then she came in so I shut the door" but it was clearly hilarious.

Also, after a hard days work, kicking back and having a deep swig of alco-free beer simply does not do it for me.

Good news is I have lost 20kg since the stat of September and haven't had to diet to achieve that. Great blood tests and blood pressure too.

I haven't had a drink in over 10 years, not because I used to cane it but due to one too many bumps to my head!*

When I had a big OTB crash in February 2010 that knocked me out cold for 45 minutes shortly after blacking out due to choking a few months before I did some damage to the old grey matter, one of the symptoms was I completely lost my tolerance of alcohol. I was assured it would come back but had to abstain for 6 months. The first few drinks were followed by severe headaches for days afterwards that I figured out were triggered by even a small amount of booze (as in one mothful of a pint brought them on the next day) so after trying to build up a tolerance that October I just stopped. It was a bit awkward explaining it to some friends at the time, it's basically brain damage, but most accepted it. The ones that thought I was doing it for attention or just for laughs were quickly defriended. The only time it's been akward since was at a friend's wedding where the father-in-law was really insistent I have champagne for the toasts despite my mate and his missus already arranging for a lemonade to be made available that had been colour dyed to look the same.

Thinking about just knocking it on the head. The thing that stops me is socialising. It sounds ridiculous I know, but being the sober one and not having as much fun.

Then stop. It takes a bit if time to adjust for social settings but you quickly learn to enjoy watching your friends and family making arses of themselves without doing it yourself. Also you find out who in your circle is actually a bit boring or just an arse without a drink or two inside them! My strategy was to always volunteer to drive for stuff then my mates bought me soft drinks and bar snacks the whole night, cheap or even free social life.

Try it for a bit, you might like it.

* My medical records show 7 concussions, one choking blackout and a carbon monoxide poisoning incident over my 41 years so there's bound to be lasting damage in there somewhere. I've cracked my skull twice!

[i]medical records show 7 concussions, one choking blackout and a carbon monoxide poisoning incident[/i]

That sound like a busy weekend in July for me 🙁

I know it's wrong but that has had me giggling for a minute at least 🤣

It's a great idea. Socialising when you're sober is never as bad as you think

Still trying to cut back, if only because the weekly booze and crisp consumption is making a bit of a mockery of my attempts to lose some weight, it's all very well being restrained during the week but even my 'restrained' couple of cans of beer (usually at the strong end of the spectrum) and bottle of red over the weekend along with the best part of a bag of crisps is something like 2000kCal right there.

Would be fine if I didn't also combine the red wine (usually) with a big carby pasta meal etc. etc.

Maybe one REALLY nice can of Overtone and a couple of those mini bottles of red to start with, and buying individual bags of crisps instead of family sized bags 🙄

Oh, and a surprisingly nice alternative in the pub or at dinner (especially with a curry) is sparkling water with a wedge of fresh lime squeezed into it. Your better pub might also give you it on the house if they think you're the designated driver 😎

You would be surprised at how many people no longer drink booze.
I gave up many years ago for health reasons. I still have fun and friends understand and never push me to 'go on have just one'.

It was easy for me as I needed to do this, but I could understand for others this may not be the case. Going cold turkey does no harm.

im the opposite, could quite happily knock the glass of red/one beer most nights (in fact i pretty much have) and i have massively lost interest in big social nights out!!

its just the post ride pints, calling at the pub after walking the dogs on a sunday afternoon, going to the match or sat outside the cricket club in summer beers that i enjoy too much to knock it on the head completely. obviously its not for everyone but i find it pretty easy to enjoy a drink in moderation, depending on your perception of moderate...

waking up fresh is a huge incentive!

You would be surprised at how many people no longer drink booze.

I am! After I posted, It was a nice suprise to see that actually many of the regulars here are not drinkers/alcolhol free

I find the ‘what you’re not drinking thing’ is not such a thing anymore. I have stopped for a loving period a few times to sort my head out. When I’ve been out and said “No, thanks I’m not drinking at the moment I’ll have a lemonade.” No one really says much.

I've given it up and feel all the better for it. Not having hangovers is a godsend.
The social aspect isn't too bad. By the time my pals are three or four pints in, they've forgotten or aren't bothered that I'm not joining in.
I've not bothered with no/low alcohol beers. I prefer ginger beer or a soft drink. Low alcohol beers would probably make me crave a real one.
Strangely enough, I still brew beer but give most of it away. I've some bottles up the loft for a special occasion that I can't see happening!

I'm two weeks in from my last hangover, I lost a day's work the next day due to feeling awful and as a bonus I caught Covid in the pub I was in (at least that's my assumption).

I do drink perhaps more days than not, but have days off, but my problem is that once I have a couple I don't really know when to stop (one isn't enough, two is too many), this leads to feeling like I've had no sleep at all the day after, 4 pints is enough to do this to me, this leaves me feeling horrible, depressed and miserable, which if I have a skin-full can take a couple of days to pass, my memory is affected by this, not just of the night before but I'm sure in general it has a negative effect on my cognitive abilities.

if that isn't enough, I'm pretty obnoxious when drunk, rude and lairy, it's not a good look at 51.

So, 2 weeks into not having a drink, not yet facing up to the reality that I shouldn't bother to have another one ever, but ultimately coming to terms with the fact that it's bad for me and any perceived social upsides are just the beer talking.

I took a year off drinking recently. It just occurred to me that I'd been drinking consistently since I was about fourteen. Wanted to see what it was like to not drink, and all the pubs were shut due to lockdowns etc so I wasn't missing anything. I'd gotten in to some bad habits just before I stopped where I'd been drinking a bottle of red every night, which kind of felt acceptable, but was in reality pushing up my tolerance so at the weekend when one wanted to blow off steam I'd end up drinking huge amounts. Then compound the damage the next day by ordering crap food for the hangover etc. It's so bloody easy these days to just use an app to order another bottle when you've run out, or a load of filthy food the next day. Couple of bottles of wine delivered in ten minutes at 4am? No problem!

So yeah, what's my point? Dunno really, it did break that habit, been drinking again for a few months and will have a few beers. Honestly a few 😉 on a Friday/Saturday night, but can see it starting to slide if not careful. I'm thinking of cutting it out completely except for Christmas/New Year. I was really productive during my year off and definitely noticed more mental clarity and less low-level angst. But not sure I could be a full-time non-drinker. Not for the sake of the buzz of booze, which is crap compared to say, psychedelics, but just because I'd never see my family and friends again. This country seems to run on booze.