The Positives Of Not Drinking ? (1 Viewer)

Ashdown said:

The biggest positive of not drinking would be the sheer cost of it I imagine. Over the years I imagine it has cost the same as a 3 bedroomed detached house !

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Yep...You're not even exaggerating mate....If you add in the cash I've previously spent on drugs & ciggies too, it becomes eye-watering.....

TBH though, I'm not actually arsed......Gotta spend it on something.....I've enjoyed myself.....and its later than you think

I often worry that I drink too much - which means that I do drink too much. It is health (now that I am almost 50), having a young family, so there are people who rely on me. Luckily, I have never drunk spirits though and don't really drink during the week. Keep is social and enjoy it

The biggest thing though is I don't have an addictive streak in me, so rarely go to extremes (the common sense gene I call it, although it is luck and not any conscious decision or common sense on my part).

My younger brother however, does have those extremes. Basically he is recoveinrg alcoholic (his words), hasn't now drunk for 4 years and has completely transformed his life (job, nice flat, girlfriend, lovely person). I am really pleased for him and it is important to note the impact this can have on loved ones - we are much happier as a famiuly with him being sober (and living).

All a bit serious perhaps, but sometimes life is!

PUSB

I'm 32 now and stopped drinking heavily after my 30th birthday. I wouldn't say I had a drinking problem but when you are younger there are so many nights out, parties and other attractions that boozing is just part of that. The only reason I really cut down was the hangovers were non existent in my teens and twenties yet they seemed to come in full force once I hit 30, I didn't particularly like wasting my entire weekends. Many of those people from that era are now starting families and getting proper jobs etc. I could never completely give up beer though as I'd be a social hermit, I can't stand being in the company of others drinking whilst I'm not.

I gave up drugs nearly three years ago on my birthday in a moment of clarity. I had a particular awful comedown where I wanted nothing more than to end my life on that morning. When your regular Saturday nights involved Ketamine parties at strangers houses you really have to question reality. On more than one occasion some of the parties were raided not by the police but by very angry people who were owed money to, people who really wouldn't have had a problem popping someone, that stuff scared the hell out of me more than the other friends at the time. I still see that core group of people every now and again and they are still doing it every weekend nearly 10 years later. Most of them in their mid 30's -40's and I just find it really sad that they have nothing else to look forward to in their lives.

But I have absolute huge respect and admiration for those who have completely given up alcohol, its a tough thing to do and I'd hope I can do the same in a few years time.

I am now your archetypal binge drinker.

Drank probably 3-4 times a week from about 16/17 until about 30 and then decided as I was a fat c**t to do something about it.

Now, pretty much, I solely only drink on a Saturday (although Sundays have been steadily creeping back in over the past 6 weeks) but the problem is I'll get down the boozer for say half 12 ish and invariably not leave for a good 10-11 hours! I have no idea how many pints, shorts and shots I drink but I'm sure a Doctor would tell me it's not right.

Problem is I have plateaued with my weight now and a chap who trains us has told me knocking the beer on the head for a while is the best thing to do but genuinely I would have zero social life!!!

All of my mates graft for a living and are always on the piss & sticking shit up their nose so I just wouldn't see them unless I sit down the boozer sober with them. I've done this a few times when I've been "off the beer" for a bit but after about 3 pints they all become annoying as hell! Probably a reflection on my pals rather than anything else too be fair!

Kind of a sad state of affairs when you think about it and I have been seriously toying with the idea of having a year off the beer just to see if I could actually do it.

This feels like therapy.

Having read this thread several times now, I'm thinking I need to re-evaluate my booze intake......I also have a young family & I suppose I should reign it all in a bit.....part of the problem is compared to where I was at before kids, I'm a fucking angel these days.

Part of me wants to quit for good......

...but the other part of me wants to get on a serious session with several of the posters on this very thread....

I gave up the booze for a year just to see what it was like and to prove to myself that I could do it. To be honest I felt A LOT better after a few months of not boozing and still wonder why I started again. I slept better, kept the weight off and was generally more active. Nowadays I rarely drink more than a few beers and can't say I particularly enjoy it.

Most of the people in the UK who drink to excess do so due to poor social skills, lack of confidence and empty lives.

jimmyhillsfanclub said:

This feels like therapy.

Having read this thread several times now, I'm thinking I need to re-evaluate my booze intake......I also have a young family & I suppose I should reign it all in a bit.....part of the problem is compared to where I was at before kids, I'm a fucking angel these days.

Part of me wants to quit for good......

...but the other part of me wants to get on a serious session with several of the posters on this very thread....

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I'm getting a thirst on just reading down it now !

Sick Boy said:

I gave up the booze for a year just to see what it was like and to prove to myself that I could do it. To be honest I felt A LOT better after a few months of not boozing and still wonder why I started again. I slept better, kept the weight off and was generally more active. Nowadays I rarely drink more than a few beers and can't say I particularly enjoy it.

Most of the people in the UK who drink to excess do so due to poor social skills, lack of confidence and empty lives.

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Damning....but probably true SB.

Certainly I lacked confidence as a teenager......so beery bravado & being part of a gang of lads getting completely off it was a great mask.....

These days I don't feel I lack confidence or have poor social skills & I certainly don't have an empty life......but I guess when all is said & done, alcohol is just another drug & I've become somewhat dependant upon it.



Fucking hell......A wake up call on a footy forum......cheers lads.

To put some perspective in place (for the sake of some who may be at risk of having an epiphany): I have had a few health issues (not drink related) over the last few years, and get to see a number of consultants from a range of fields of expertise. When I answer the "how much do you drink?" question, they never seem too alarmed. My GP actually said "Monners (he used my real name though), I have patients who drink that much in a day, never mind a week"

So lets not beat ourselves up too much on this fine summers afternoon

All them though, without exception, have a different view when it comes to smoking (and other drugs) - I don't smoke and never have which is a massive plus in the opinion of medical experts.

It is the occasional binge drinking that gets me down though!

Edit: dyslexia is not one of my health issues (soz for the typos - now corrected hopefully)

Ashdown said:

I still drink too much per week though according to the BMA which is not hard to do.

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I'm convinced anyone who drinks at all ends up a binge drinker according to their indexes!

Sick Boy said:

I gave up the booze for a year just to see what it was like and to prove to myself that I could do it. To be honest I felt A LOT better after a few months of not boozing and still wonder why I started again. I slept better, kept the weight off and was generally more active. Nowadays I rarely drink more than a few beers and can't say I particularly enjoy it.

Most of the people in the UK who drink to excess do so due to poor social skills, lack of confidence and empty lives.

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Out of interest; why do you name yourself after a fictional heroine addict?

Monners said:

Out of interest; why do you name yourself after a fictional heroine addict?

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A youthful enthusiasm for Irvine Welsh's novels- sorry to disappoint!

I've/had friends who ended up victims of the harder stuff, which has firmly led me to believe that legalisation is the way forward and needs to happen.

Sick Boy said:

A youthful enthusiasm for Irvine Welsh's novels- sorry to disappoint!

I've/had friends who ended up victims of the harder stuff, which has firmly led me to believe that legalisation is the way forward and needs to happen.

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Maybe I was being slighlty mischievous, but believe me, glad to hear that all is well. I have known people that I grew up with who are either no longer with us, or permanently damaged from drugs.

A whole debate around legalisation to be had, but I wouldn't claim to have enough knowledge to base an informed enough view - unlike alcohol!

jimmyhillsfanclub said:

This feels like therapy.

Having read this thread several times now, I'm thinking I need to re-evaluate my booze intake......I also have a young family & I suppose I should reign it all in a bit.....part of the problem is compared to where I was at before kids, I'm a fucking angel these days.

Part of me wants to quit for good......

...but the other part of me wants to get on a serious session with several of the posters on this very thread....

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Fuck it, I'm in!!

haha..I think I am the same- try and actually do the right think but there is always a desire somewhere to get on it.

jimmyhillsfanclub said:

I used to drink way too much from 16 - 30 years......took way too many drugs of all varieties too. Lost many friends including 2 of my best mates during my 20's.

I'm 44 now.....still drink too much according to the BMA.....if I'm honest I probably still have 50+ units per week.

Stopped taking class A drugs when I turned 30. Stopped smoking nicotine when I turned 40. Think I will probably bin the drink at 50. Gambling at 60. weed at 70.

If I manage to reach 80 (unlikely) I'll go on a massive Hedonistic weekender & take every substance known to man....back to the Dam just like the old days.imp:

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im never going to stop smoking weed and when it's legal I will smoke more ,