I stopped drinking alcohol some years ago. Before that I hardly consumed any alcohol at all for many years, but in my college years and maybe some years after that, I drank socially like “everybody else”. But I gradually kind of got tired of dealing with the bad feelings (physical and emotional), so I drank less and less.
And maybe because I drank less and less, even one beer often just made me feel kind of bad, so then I just stopped altogether. Anyway, I’m curious if this has happened to anyone else? And how do you go by it socially? What do you order at a bar? Maybe I’m a little afraid to go to places that has an “alcohol culture”, even if there are some places I would like to go. I don’t want to drink, but at the same time I don’t want to appear weird about it either.
Not really, I used to drink a lot on weekends, stopped when I was 22 or so, because the drunk was not worth the health problems it was causing. Drank about once a year till I was 40 or so, then picked it back up as my social circle changed and more opportunities to host parties, and I am a good cook and enjoy flavors so just got into making drinks as part of food culture. Now I drink a little on weekends - like one drink two or three days a week, not every week, and always take a month off in July, sometimes October as well. This pattern feels good to me. Moderation, I’d call it, intentional drinking of intentionally made, delicious drinks. I never drink anything just because it’s got alcohol, I drink the things I find delicious.