QUIT DRINKING ALCOHOL NOW

[Cory]

I drink beer. I don't get drunk, and you could hand me a sweet tea and I'd enjoy the moment just thr same in most cases. I'll probably stop completely someday, but it's not a goal or anything. I enjoy it. When I feel it's holding me back at staying in shape or my health I'll ditch it.

My wife doesn't drink. My brother claims he drinks, but I've never seen him finish a full beer and normally he will have a smirnoff fruity bottle thing if given the choice.

What I have a problem with more than drinking, is anyone trying to pressure others into it. I make the choice for myself, and those folks can too. I have little to no tolerance for those who pressure my brother about "don't be a wuss" when it comes to drinking. Even less for those who goad my wife about it. Thankfully we don't wind up around those type of folks much. I get blunt pretty fast about it when we are.

[Kanye Wyoming]

This is a really interesting thread. I’m fascinated by the diverse experiences and perspectives here.

When I was a kid, my parents would occasionally have wine with dinner. We had a bar with various kinds of liquor and mixers, but it was for when they had guests. My father’s parents were heavily into the sauce - when they went out for dinner on a Saturday night they would often split a Budweiser. My grandparents on my mother’s side? My grandmother rarely drank. My grandfather was born in Russia and even though Jewish he had a Russian constitution when it came to alcohol. He was somehow able to get his hands on vast quantities of Soviet Stolichnaya Pepper Vodka and would have a shot or two or three in the evenings. As a teenager I spent long periods of time at their place and was allowed to have a beer or a drink more or less at will. My grandfather once insisted I try the Pepper Vodka and it was the most revolting thing I’d ever had.

I went to an all male boarding school where one enterprising student, a year ahead of me, manufactured fake Missouri driver’s licenses for $10 each. Things were a lot looser in those days, I looked older than I was to begin with, and was able to go to bars, and to liquor stores to buy beer or Southern Comfort (hey, I was 17) with no issues ever. There were a few occasions when our drinking on a Saturday night was to excess.

In college - a beer a day keeps the doctor away, and on weekends more than a few beers and perhaps wine if we went out to dinner. I could put it away, with little ill effect. Law school - every so often, occasionally to excess, particularly in the first year. Little ill effect, and in fact when I had to write my brief for the legal writing course and was stymied, I ended up banging it out from 1 am to 6 am, totally in the zone, after having gotten mildly hammered beforehand. It seemed to channel the thoughts swirling around in my mind and to unlock the creativity and that had been bottled up. Got an A.

When my kids were growing up, we would have wine with dinner on the weekends, or I would have the occasional beer. When they were young teenagers, if we were having wine with dinner we would offer them a small glass. The idea was to instill the notion that moderate social drinking, particularly at a meal, was a natural, routine part of life, and that alcohol was not some mysterious, forbidden substance that they would be tempted to binge on in order to stick it to the man. I was once having dinner in Montreal with a friend and my son, who was 13. The waiter put three wine glasses on the table as a matter of course, and poured his wine. On one of my first visits when my daughter was a freshman in college, I bought her a bottle of Patron Silver so she could acquire a taste for the good stuff. It seems to have been successful in that the kids, now in their late 20s/early 30s, enjoy a drink or a beer or a glass of wine, perhaps two, hardly ever to excess.

Although in my younger days I could put it away, it was a different story starting about 10-15 years ago. After two whiskeys, or more than two beers or glasses of wine, I really feel it, and so that’s it. There are very occasional exceptions when the adrenaline and spirits are running in 4th gear such that I can pound it away with few effects, such as at my son’s wedding last Fall, or at rare raucous gatherings of old fraternity brothers or law school classmates.

A la @Mark D, years ago I came to be convinced that a drink a day was a net benefit health wise. Not more than one - one. It’s takes just enough of the edge off after a stressful day, So that’s my goal, although it usually ends up being only 3-4 times a week.

In some ways my self control when it comes to alcohol is a surprise as I have somewhat of an addictive personality if there is such a thing. For instance, I used to smoke, then quit for a long period of time (10+ years), then had “just one,” and within two months I was back to a pack a day. Rinse and repeat twice. I would love to have a cigarette or two every now and then, but I know I can’t. In addition to manufacturing quality control concerns, it’s why I’ve decided to avoid heroin, meth and crack. I very much admire those who have been able to break free of alcohol dependence and maintain that freedom.

[TGS]

Every once in a while I like getting drunk. Maybe once every year or two. Although I keep a bottle of port and 1-2 bottles of wine in the cabinet, I drink very infrequently, maybe once per quarter. The only exception to this was when I was actively dating, as wine bars and speakeasies were the usual go-to for first dates.

I've honestly just never enjoyed drinking booze that much; even if I'm unarmed on a tropical vacation, I'm just as likely to ask for a tea or soda as I am a pina colada. There's a few drinks that I do like, but not enough to outweigh my desire to be armed outside of specific situations like the aforementioned dating. My social circle is usually mature enough that they would never think to ask why someone isn't drinking, as most well-adjusted adults simply understand that some people don't really drink, the prevalence of alcoholism and compassion for individuals working through it, or are maybe just a DD (I could've been designated the official class DD during my academy, btw). However, in those rare instances I do field those questions in expanded social settings like an engagement party last week, I just say, "Well, I'm carrying, so...", and that usually shuts it down while at the same time my profession allows me to make that statement in a social setting without it being controversial. Prior to LE, I often had the same blunt interactions that @Cory mentioned, as I didn't want to mention my carrying of a gun.

With all that said, some of the comments here are puzzling to me. It seems to me like some of you are equating drinking alcohol at any level as being crippled in life and in need of "saving". If you look at other people and think, "They must be alcoholics because they drink", that's likely a projection of your own habits and addiction than anything else. It's entirely normal and safe to consume alcohol in moderation.

[JHC]

What I have a problem with more than drinking, is anyone trying to pressure others into it. I make the choice for myself, and those folks can too. I have little to no tolerance for those who pressure my brother about "don't be a wuss" when it comes to drinking. Even less for those who goad my wife about it. Thankfully we don't wind up around those type of folks much. I get blunt pretty fast about it when we are.

At a job in the '90's the drinking culture was pretty strong (in TX before there was any carry permit law). I like some drink but if I'm driving then I don't like it so much. Like allow one drink. So one time when I knew the war party was going to be bonkers I had a side bar with the waitress and lined up that for each shot of whiskey delivered to the table, make mine ice tea. I whispered "I can't drink" and she said "bless your heart" and took it a certain way but what the heck. I kept up nicely with the tough guys that evening.

Another time, same gang, same boss and I shared a shot. He went to ordering another round and I politely declined another one and he was all shouting bravado not having none of that. So when the shots were delivered and we held them all up in the center of the table I didn't wait a moment and with him across the table looking at me I tossed back the shot over my right shoulder. Ha! All hell broke loose and I said "I TOLD YOU I DIDN'T WANT ANOTHER ONE." It was all good. Never had a problem with that in any way again.

[Malamute]

At a job in the '90's the drinking culture was pretty strong (in TX before there was any carry permit law). I like some drink but if I'm driving then I don't like it so much. Like allow one drink. So one time when I knew the war party was going to be bonkers I had a side bar with the waitress and lined up that for each shot of whiskey delivered to the table, make mine ice tea. I whispered "I can't drink" and she said "bless your heart" and took it a certain way but what the heck. I kept up nicely with the tough guys that evening.

Another time, same gang, same boss and I shared a shot. He went to ordering another round and I politely declined another one and he was all shouting bravado not having none of that. So when the shots were delivered and we held them all up in the center of the table I didn't wait a moment and with him across the table looking at me I tossed back the shot over my right shoulder. Ha! All hell broke loose and I said "I TOLD YOU I DIDN'T WANT ANOTHER ONE." It was all good. Never had a problem with that in any way again.

I was attending a wake sort of get together at a bar, they started ordering shots and wouldnt hear of me not drinking. I went over to the bar and told the waitress to bring me a shot of water when she brought the next round and set it off to the side and bring it to the table so she was next to me. I said I dont even care if you charge them for booze, im just not drinking and this makes it simpler. She did, all went well....

[blues]

[CDW4ME]

[GAP]

Maybe change the thread title to “Quit Drinking Alcohol Now If You Have No Self Control.”

I drink socially.. beer, wine, or bourbon depending on the mood and crowd. It’s like anything else in life..

I’d argue having a few drinks per week has a much lower negative effect than over consumption of sugar.

STOP EATING SUGAR NOW!

[SecondsCount]

My parents rarely drank, and my mother's dad was a recovering alcoholic so she was very adverse to the idea.

I can only drink with food and have never had more than one drink in a sitting. I feel like it enhances the flavor of certain foods, such as beer and pizza, or wine with certain fish or pasta dishes.

[Trooper224]

I was raised by, or perhaps survived, a violent abusive alcoholic. Consequently, alcohol has never been a big presence in my personal regimen. Due to my diabetes I only drink on occasion and when I do it's always at home. I never drink out in public. Every once in a while, my two sons come over and we kick back a few and have a high old time, but it's not a regular thing.

I don't begrudge anyone for imbibing as long as it's handled responsibly. On the other hand, I have no mercy for alcoholics, or addicts of any kind.