Give Up the Hooch: Booze Free for as long as you please!

[rosarugosa]

Yes, I figure this will be a good investment in my wellbeing in the long run.  When I quit smoking, I told myself I could chew Nicorette for 38 years if I needed to, whatever it took to stay off the butts, because that was how long I had been a smoker.  Fortunately, I only needed to use it for 6 years, and now I feel like I was under an evil spell for all those smoking years, and I have no desire to ever smoke a cigarette again. 
I'm having fun with the mocktails for now though.  It's also funny to see how my social media newsfeed ads have switched over to all things zero alcohol instead of ads for wine.  Mocktails seem to be quite the booming industry.

[Metalcat]

Yes, I figure this will be a good investment in my wellbeing in the long run.  When I quit smoking, I told myself I could chew Nicorette for 38 years if I needed to, whatever it took to stay off the butts, because that was how long I had been a smoker.  Fortunately, I only needed to use it for 6 years, and now I feel like I was under an evil spell for all those smoking years, and I have no desire to ever smoke a cigarette again. 
I'm having fun with the mocktails for now though.  It's also funny to see how my social media newsfeed ads have switched over to all things zero alcohol instead of ads for wine.  Mocktails seem to be quite the booming industry.

Oh yeah, mocktails are everywhere.

I was recently at one of my favourite little pub-ish restaurants, which has been there for decades, so it's not a new business, it has a very established clientele, and they have seven, SEVEN types of AF beers and ciders.

[Frugal Lizard]

Our Christmas sucked royally. (Eldest gave us covid on Christmas Eve or Day)

I had three glasses of wine over the whole holiday season - and not even full glasses.  Just partial glasses for some toasts with really good wine that DH had been saving for the holiday.  I probably would have had a smaller sip if the bottle was being shared with more people. (if we had gone to a party but nope, we stayed home by ourselves for everything after the 24th.)

[MustachioedPistachio]

I missed it by a few weeks now: over two years AF in mid-December.

There were many opportunities for festive libations, and yet it was easy to simply pass. I had some pushy folks (the guys, and most ironically, my MD friend), but after a few declinations, they moved on to enjoying their own brew.

Alcohol now smells like the chemical toxin it is. Even catching a whiff of some of my formerly favorite liquors left a lingering, odiferous sensation in my nostrils. Like weak isopropyl alcohol...yick.

[LeftA]

@MustachioedPistachio , congratulations on the 2 years! I agree about how bad alcohol smells…

[Hula Hoop]

I know “I’m late to this party”, but here’s my 2 cents. My 8 years older than me brother died of alcoholism at the age of 46. Gruesome stuff. (He was an attorney and could argue until the cows came home about how he didn’t have a problem.) Though only an occasional drinker, I quit drinking the day of his funeral.

Fast forward to 6 months ago. I went to a doctor to talk about my weight. Long story short, I was diagnosed with mild ADHD, at the age of 64. Medication stopped my random eating patterns. I’m now at goal weight and have a quiet mind.

I now wonder how much my brother’s alcoholism had to do with perhaps a case of ADHD?

Good luck to everyone who is working through any of this.

I'm so sorry about your brother.  That is truly tragic.  I was diagnosed recently with ADHD at age 50 and am now medicated and going through treatment.  It's highly hereditary - in my case several very close family members were all diagnosed (or are highly suspected to have had it) at the same time but it's too late for several of them.  Substance abuse disorders, eating disorders and other addictions are all very much associated with untreated ADHD and tragically, until recently, there was very little knowledge of girls/women (in particular) with ADHD and ADHD in general. 

[LightStache]

Just wrapped up three months AF with a glass of wine at a fancy bar with my parents. I really enjoyed the taste and the experience -- it wouldn't have been the same with a mocktail. But the alcohol itself didn't make me feel good.

I had the wine early afternoon, then I went on a five mile weighted hike from 4p-6p. I was tired at 9p and went to bed, but I was anxious and restless until about midnight. My Garmin watch recorded an unusually high level of stress peaking at 1030p. It's impossible to tell if that was due to the late hike or alcohol, but I suspect the latter to have contributed. So I'll be keeping my drinking very light for awhile longer ... maybe forever.

[Blissful Biker]

Just wrapped up three months AF with a glass of wine at a fancy bar with my parents. I really enjoyed the taste and the experience -- it wouldn't have been the same with a mocktail. But the alcohol itself didn't make me feel good.

I had the wine early afternoon, then I went on a five mile weighted hike from 4p-6p. I was tired at 9p and went to bed, but I was anxious and restless until about midnight. My Garmin watch recorded an unusually high level of stress peaking at 1030p. It's impossible to tell if that was due to the late hike or alcohol, but I suspect the latter to have contributed. So I'll be keeping my drinking very light for awhile longer ... maybe forever.

I'm approaching 2 years AF and one of the contributing factors was my Oura ring data on evenings that I drank, even a little bit.  I knew intuitively that I didn't sleep as well but I couldn't ignore it after seeing it so clearly and consistently in the data.  I love sleep!  Far more I loved that glass of wine.  Going AF has been a really positive change for me.

[mspym]

This popped up on my feed recently about the drinking culture in cycling. Man, the cancer linkage is still mind blowing.
https://www.bicycling.com/health-nutrition/a42259477/cycling-drinking-alcohol-effects/

[2Birds1Stone]

Thanks for sharing @mspym, that was a long but good read.

[NotJen]

This popped up on my feed recently about the drinking culture in cycling. Man, the cancer linkage is still mind blowing.
https://www.bicycling.com/health-nutrition/a42259477/cycling-drinking-alcohol-effects/

Great read, thanks!



So here I am.  I only started regularly drinking alcohol at 30, and it probably peaked when I was 40, when my retirement and the pandemic coincided.  I started reducing my drinking last year after reading several articles like the one above about how no amount of alcohol is good for you.  I almost completely stopped drinking at home, and only drank socially.  Unfortunately, I haven't really noticed any benefit to this reduction, other than saving money - was hoping it would be reflected in my weight, but no such luck.

I am currently 10 days AF, not really on purpose (I don't have a desire to drink when I'm sad).  I would try to continue this streak, but I'm moving in a few weeks and can envision 2-4 situations where I may want to have a drink before I leave town, and I want to allow those to occur if I feel up for it.

My goal is a dry February (or whenever in Jan my last social drink is), and will go from there.

[Metalcat]

It's hitting a tipping point folks!

Quitting or reducing alcohol is the new big thing. So for anyone joining this thread, you've picked a great time to cut back.

Note that this article is from the east coast of Canada, a region famous for its drinking culture. So it's a big deal that they're seeing a huge uptick in NA beer demand.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/drinking-guidelines-brewery-reactions-1.6721372

[LeftA]

@Metalcat , for probably the first time in my life I’m avant-garde!!

[PoutineLover]

I was thinking of this thread while reading some reactions to the new two drinks per week guidelines in Canada. A lot of people are very upset about them and are comparing it to prohibition, when it's really an acknowledgement that any potential health benefits are overblown, and even small amounts of alcohol have detrimental effects. Nobody is forcing people to cut down their drinking, but this increases the awareness of alcohol as a harmful drug. The more alcohol free options that exist, the more people can keep up the fun parts of alcohol (socializing, enjoying the taste of a beverage) without the hangover and increased risk of disease.

[Metalcat]

I was thinking of this thread while reading some reactions to the new two drinks per week guidelines in Canada. A lot of people are very upset about them and are comparing it to prohibition, when it's really an acknowledgement that any potential health benefits are overblown, and even small amounts of alcohol have detrimental effects. Nobody is forcing people to cut down their drinking, but this increases the awareness of alcohol as a harmful drug. The more alcohol free options that exist, the more people can keep up the fun parts of alcohol (socializing, enjoying the taste of a beverage) without the hangover and increased risk of disease.

I know, I laugh at people getting bent out of shape about the guidelines. Guidelines don't dictate anyone's behaviour. The guidelines for flossing are daily, for exercise is 150 minutes per week, and for vegetables is 5-10 servings a day, and people happily go about their lives ignoring those guidelines, so why would anyone think alcohol guidelines are any different?

[GuitarStv]

Well, I've given up alcohol entirely since the new guidelines came out.  So there are a few of us out there . . .

[Metalcat]

Well, I've given up alcohol entirely since the new guidelines came out.  So there are a few of us out there . . .

That's not my point at all.

People choosing to follow the new guidelines is not the same as the new guidelines being imposed on people. People are still free to ignore them as much as they want to. So comparing them to prohibition is ridiculous.

[AlanStache]

Well, I've given up alcohol entirely since the new guidelines came out.  So there are a few of us out there . . .

That's not my point at all.

People choosing to follow the new guidelines is not the same as the new guidelines being imposed on people. People are still free to ignore them as much as they want to. So comparing them to prohibition is ridiculous.

I think I may have read some sarcasom in GS's post :-)

Wish I had thought to ask for an NA beer on my last fligth, that would be a real sign of adoption of airlines stocked them.

[Metalcat]

Well, I've given up alcohol entirely since the new guidelines came out.  So there are a few of us out there . . .

That's not my point at all.

People choosing to follow the new guidelines is not the same as the new guidelines being imposed on people. People are still free to ignore them as much as they want to. So comparing them to prohibition is ridiculous.

I think I may have read some sarcasom in GS's post :-)

Wish I had thought to ask for an NA beer on my last fligth, that would be a real sign of adoption of airlines stocked them.

Possibly, but you never know with GuitarStv, he's simultaneously hilariously sarcastic and one of the most argumentative people here. So it could go either way.

[GuitarStv]

Well, I've given up alcohol entirely since the new guidelines came out.  So there are a few of us out there . . .

That's not my point at all.

People choosing to follow the new guidelines is not the same as the new guidelines being imposed on people. People are still free to ignore them as much as they want to. So comparing them to prohibition is ridiculous.

I think I may have read some sarcasom in GS's post :-)

Wish I had thought to ask for an NA beer on my last fligth, that would be a real sign of adoption of airlines stocked them.

Possibly, but you never know with GuitarStv, he's simultaneously hilariously sarcastic and one of the most argumentative people here. So it could go either way.

Truly, to know him is to love him.  Or hate him.  :P

[Metalcat]

Truly, to know him is to love him.  Or hate him.  :P

;P