Going sober

[KTrain]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

If you don't have a dependency then just... don't drink. I'm not being facetious here, but if you don't want to drink then when you go out with friends, just drink something non-alcoholic. Pop or diet pop, iced tea, coffee, tea, non-alcoholic cocktails, or non-alcoholic beer.

As for ways to motivate giving it up, I will routinely cut out alcohol completely when I have fitness goals I'm trying to hit. If you're physically active or trying to be, you could use that as your justification.

I know this sounds flippant, but I agree. If you struggle with going out and not drinking, you might actually have a dependancy. If you feel you need to drink while watching the Flames game on TV, you might have a dependancy.

I've virtually stopped drinking at home. My wife doesn't drink often so I didn't see the need to drink at home alone. It's empty calories. You feel worse the following day. I just stopped buying the booze I like and it was easy. Adding that barrier (going to the beer store) in order to drink helped.

It sounds harsh, but if you can't go a week or month without drinking, you have a drinking problem.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

It's a good time to start thinking about it if you live in BC. As of April 1st, 2023, the liquor tax on alcohol is going up to 50%.

I don't think it's a good thing to be honest. Alcoholics are not going to stop, it is just going to make them poorer.

Our experience with cigarettes tends to suggest that if booze is really expensive we will have way less alcoholics in the future, and the cost will also motivate many to change their drinking habits

[cheevers]

I will stop drinking periodically every now and then to improve fitness. Have only drank once in the past couple months. I have found that the non-alcoholic beers help me. Partake is a great brand and tastes very similar to beer and can really scratch that itch. It's nice too that more and more bars and pubs offer non-alcoholic beers. It allows me to go out and socialize with my friends while not being stuck only having water or pop.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Matata

The negative health effects of alcohol are profound. It's a far cry from sobriety, but if you want something cheaper and way healthier, than weed is a great choice.

Not for everyone. Personally, I hate the way weed makes me feel. It usually just makes me too introspective and I dwell on all my faults. I end up feeling guilty for every negative thing I have ever done in my life or ever happened to me. I usually end up depressed for days after.

[mrkajz44]

Going full sober might be hard for you given the detail provided in the OP. Something that made me really cut down on drinks without going full sober was to only drink when I actually wanted to drink. I know it sounds dumb, but it shifts your mind away from "does this situation mean I should drink?" or "my friends are all drinking so I should too" and turns it into "what do I want to do?"

I've found I drink way less now and I actually enjoy the experience when I do. When pressed on it I think it's easy to say "I don't feel like a drink right now" and just move on.

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by KTrain

I know this sounds flippant, but I agree. If you struggle with going out and not drinking, you might actually have a dependancy. If you feel you need to drink while watching the Flames game on TV, you might have a dependancy.

I've virtually stopped drinking at home. My wife doesn't drink often so I didn't see the need to drink at home alone. It's empty calories. You feel worse the following day. I just stopped buying the booze I like and it was easy. Adding that barrier (going to the beer store) in order to drink helped.

It sounds harsh, but if you can't go a week or month without drinking, you have a drinking problem.

Yeah, you're right. I think when folks think of dependency, they go what they feel is deep deep destruction addiction. When in reality there are A LOT more high functioning alcoholics than many realize. To be honest this question is why I wanted to slow down and likely cut it out nearly completely. Over the pandemic, before I started on antidepressants, it made me realize how much I was self-medicating, and it became a routine. I'm happy to be on this side of it, but yeah, I agree. I genearlly agree most folks don't realize they've crossed the threshold into having a problem.

[Coach]

My anecdotal evidence is that as my friends and I approached our 30's the amount of people who have reduced drinking or basically quit all together has increased pretty dramatically, including myself. I wouldn't say any of them had any addiction issue with it. I hardly ever drink. Although I never really was a big drinker. I definitely smoke more pot than drink, but that's not a difference from before legalization, and actually that has been on a steady decrease as well. Some people definitely have replaced their social lubricant of choice to pot, or even small dose psychedelics. In reality, of the options, booze has the worst effects from getting sick from having too much to feeling like garbage for a full day after.

A lot of transitions away from beer in general as well. As as younger person our intake was basically exclusively beer, with some cheap hard stuff thrown in. Now there are just better casual options that don't make your stomach feel like trash.

[Johnny199r]

Originally Posted by oilfanforever

Lurking the board this morning, and came across a couple posts related to alcohol, so thought I would throw the question out there - has anyone given up booze? And if so, what tactics did you use, or advice do you have?

For a bit of background, I don't have any dependencies, but as I get older it juts doesn't seem as worth it. Having socialized with booze my whole adult life, I am finding it difficult to go sober, and post pandemic socializing a lot, therefore drinking more.

I recently saw some statistics out of the UK that are showing younger generations giving up booze at huge rates. I think you can see this in all of the non-alcoholic drinks hitting the market.

Perhaps it's just me, but feels like society is slowly turning it's back on booze, and I want in.

Tips and tricks much appreciated.

I'm 39. I stopped about 10 years ago.


I don't like the taste all that much. I sure don't party anymore. Alcohol costs a lot of money, it gives you a gut, turns you into an idiot and then you can't drive the rest of the night and sometimes have hangovers the next day.

I see nothing positive about it at all. I just wished I stopped drinking earlier.

[Buff]

I'm going to drink up what is in my house and just not re-supply the cabinet.

I haven't decided if camping will be beer free this year yet but it's highly probable.

I've thought about doing this many times over the past few years but just didn't do it because I truly didn't want to yet. I'm stubborn and if I decide I don't want to do something I just don't.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Johnny199r

I'm 39. I stopped about 10 years ago.


I don't like the taste all that much. I sure don't party anymore. Alcohol costs a lot of money, it gives you a gut, turns you into an idiot and then you can't drive the rest of the night and sometimes have hangovers the next day.

I see nothing positive about it at all. I just wished I stopped drinking earlier.

I'm moderation.

In my 20's I had significant issues with booze, barely keeping it together.

Now, I never drink alone.

I control my intact and if driving never drink.

I like the taste of some booze, specifically Guinness. In fact, I could live with only that the rest of my life.

[Matata]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Not for everyone. Personally, I hate the way weed makes me feel. It usually just makes me too introspective and I dwell on all my faults. I end up feeling guilty for every negative thing I have ever done in my life or ever happened to me. I usually end up depressed for days after.

Ride the Dragon. Fight your Demons. It's the healthiest thing you can do.

[flames_fan_down_under]

I reduced my drinking about 8 years ago, and completely stopped about 5 years ago. I would say, for me, the biggest benefits are emotional stability. No extended lows, or beating yourself up for drinking or maybe latching onto other regrets. No lost days to hangovers. My sleeps are better, though I would say I was never a great sleeper regardless.

I never really had much of an issue with weight gain when I drank in the past, however I do know, now that I am in my late 30s, that my metabolism has slowed considerably and if I had continued drinking I likely would have a gut and other health issues. Plus I love to eat, so when I go out for dinner I can pig out still and not have the added empty calories of beer/alcohol.

Initially stopping was hard as I was working in the restaurant industry for a chunk of it, which is essentially the epicenter of toxic drinking culture. Then I just finally said, enough was enough, and stopped. I think it's getting better but there is still some social stigmatization to sobriety. A lot of people still need a reason when you say you don't drink. Which I find annoying.

Tips for me: Literally just stopping. Just being comfortable enough with your decision and not giving a #### about what others think.

[Sliver]

Hmm, guess I'm going to go against the grain a bit here, but I love drinking with my friends. We have a blast, huge belly laughs and just generally enjoy partying. I drink zero drinks/month just for the hell of it, though. I don't drink at home, don't have wine with dinner, don't have a beer when I'm at a restaurant with my family, etc. But when I go for wings I'll usually have two-three beers and when I go camping or partying with my friends we'll drink to get fairly buzzed, but I haven't been walking-funny or slurred-speech drunk in a probably 20 years.

I also love cannabis. Capsules, flower, vapes...all fun times.

IDK, work and just the daily grind can be a bit of a meh. Alcohol and cannabis can kickstart a great time and that's fun. If it's a party night and a bunch of people decide to sip iced tea I feel like it wet blankets the good time. If they have a problem with alcohol and controlling themselves, obviously that's a different story. One of my friends doesn't drink, but he'll enjoy cannabis and shrooms so he's still a good time.

[edslunch]

I'm moderating my drinking, focusing more on enjoying one good cocktail vs. just drinking whatever is in front of me. Also minimizing drinking during the week and avoiding the third drink on weekends.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

Our experience with cigarettes tends to suggest that if booze is really expensive we will have way less alcoholics in the future, and the cost will also motivate many to change their drinking habits

I would say they are pretty different vices. Alcohol is a mood/mind altering drug. For someone with a true dependency, the experience is more akin to heroin than a cigarette. So far, society's attempt to make those kind of drugs harder to get and more expensive is that addicts end up destroying their lives to get them.

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Not for everyone. Personally, I hate the way weed makes me feel. It usually just makes me too introspective and I dwell on all my faults. I end up feeling guilty for every negative thing I have ever done in my life or ever happened to me. I usually end up depressed for days after.

Psychedelics may be the answer.

[corporatejay]

Nm

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by Yeah_Baby

Yeah, you're right. I think when folks think of dependency, they go what they feel is deep deep destruction addiction. When in reality there are A LOT more high functioning alcoholics than many realize. To be honest this question is why I wanted to slow down and likely cut it out nearly completely. Over the pandemic, before I started on antidepressants, it made me realize how much I was self-medicating, and it became a routine. I'm happy to be on this side of it, but yeah, I agree. I genearlly agree most folks don't realize they've crossed the threshold into having a problem.

So true. People tend to associate alcoholics or alcohol addiction with movie characters like Nic Cage from Leaving Las Vegas or William H Macy in Shameless but those are the extreme cases.

Or they think of extreme drug addicts like Bubbles in the Wire.

But like most things on movies and tv, the nuance of addiction and dependency is totally lost. So often it’s more related to other issues and self medicating but doesn’t become fully destructive the way media has conditioned us to think. There’s such a wide spectrum.


As for quitting, OP there are no shortage of non alcoholic beers available and more places carry them all the time. They’re about as expensive as regular beer but it may help you avoid feeling like the odd man out if all your friends are drinking.

If motivation is a factor, I used an app when I quit smoking that tracked the number of days since I last smoked and gave me little tidbits about the health benefits. I imagine you could find something similar for booze if you were so inclined.

Good luck!

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Not for everyone. Personally, I hate the way weed makes me feel. It usually just makes me too introspective and I dwell on all my faults. I end up feeling guilty for every negative thing I have ever done in my life or ever happened to me. I usually end up depressed for days after.

That’s my baseline. Weed helps me chill the hell out about it. 100% agree that it isn’t for everyone, not even close.

But other then the odd beer or 2 a month with a friend, I don’t drink either. I have ancient liquor bottles in the house for essentially no reason. My parents and all their friends are… problematic. It’s probably why half of us kids don’t really drink, and the other half drink like fish. I love the taste of beer but alcohol just makes me sad or mad.

[OutOfTheCube]

I never drank that often to start with, but as part of our being healthier in 2023 plan I adopted a no liquid calories plan as part of it. So obviously that includes booze - I haven't had a drink since Dec. 31.

We're eating really healthy too. Hasn't been an easy adjustment but I'm seeing big results already keeping me motivated.

I only like CBD, as far as cannabis goes. I don't like the high from THC, don't find it enjoyable.