Why do you not drink?

estebancambias

What influenced you not to drink/or give up drink?

I have never touched alcohol, as I found the youth culture of consuming alcohol really annoying. Also, why be so bland and fit in with the crowd, by not drinking at least I differ. I am an individual.

Your reasons?

NonDrinkersClub

Yeah, I gave up drinking about four years ago just to see if I could do it! I never really drank that much anyway, half a pint and I was falling over...so then about three years ago, I discovered that I had night-time epilepsy and I've been on medication since. I can't drink with the meds, so it looks like I'll be a non-drinker for life. Sometimes I miss it, but then again, sometimes I don't!

Richie860504

Don't drink cos it changes my personality, I'm the nicest bloke in the world when I'm not drinking but once I have a few I'm an absolute pr*ck. Also been atteding a psychiatrist and was told if I kept drinking, I'd end up either in prison or dead in a couple of years.

Fabio

I never even began drinking. It's a fear of getting caught in the addiction cycle that keeps me away from it. The gene for it supposedly runs in my family and though I have never had to witness any violence or intimidation or whatnot, I stay away from it cos I want to keep control of myself.

Earthhorse

Medical reasons. I have a bad stomach. I could probably drink sometimes but then people would think I was back drinking and I'd have a whole different battle to fight.

legspin

I prefer cannabis and don't like the combination of the two

geminilady

yeah agree with most people don't want to get attachment as alcohol runs in genetics, i think? and there so much empty calories in alcohal too and the way some people get really silly with it that annoys me!

star-pants

I'm not a tee totaller but I might drink a handful of times a year.
I have the same amount of fun either way - and there's a lot of alcohol I just don't like, and cider makes me unwell, and Vodka I think I'm allergic too cuz I'll be sick for a week.

Doesn't bother me if I drink or not, doesn't change my night that much

Betty Tart

I was a lightweight and puked too much.

dubtom

When i'm asked that question my usual reply is 'we don't get on'. I haven't drank in 20 years. When i did,I got too drunk too soon,puked, made an ass hole of myself and felt rotten the next day. As much as I miss sometimes sitting outside on a hot day with a pint of carlsberg watching the world go by,the reality for me is within an hour I'd be plastered and not really enjoying myself very much. It made me feel depressed too. Give me a coffee any day.

StephenInsane

Not worth it for me, my hang overs are too severe. I think my bodys next-day reaction to alcohol has saved me from a life of alcoholism.

johnny_ultimate

Didn't drink until I was 18 and then only briefly. Didn't really see much point in it.
Also... the almighty ollar. I have better things to be spending money on.

monkeyfudge

geminilady wrote: »

yeah agree with most people don't want to get attachment as alcohol runs in genetics, i think?

I do remember reading that there is a type of taste bud that finds the taste alcohol far more bearable than normal taste buds.. and this can be genetically inherited. And people with the gene are more likely to become alcoholics.

So while alcoholism itself isn't inherited, some people do inherit an ability to tolerate the consumption of alcohol to a larger degree than others.

CerebralCortex

A strong desire to be more than the average "drunk Irish" also a philosophy of you only get one body so why fill it with toxins like alcohol.

witnessmenow

20 , never really drank, but i have tried it. Could probably count on two hand how many times i have drank. I actually have a high tolerence to drink for someone who doesn't drink. I've only really been drunk once, and even then i wasn't bad remembered everything i did and said! I'm suprised my reason hasnt come up yet, i just plain don't like the taste! If i was dying of thirst i'd struggle down a pint, MAYBE! I also saved alot of money by not drinking , which i put towards a car. I'll never get into it now ... yet i still get request from friends every few months to go out and get hammered!

BrianCalgary

2 reasons

The Bible says don't get drunk, so I don't.

When my first child was born, she is about to turn 19, I realized that no matter what time I stayed up drinking, she was going to wake me up about 6:00am. Why should she suffer with my problem from the night before?

Since then I limit my consumption to 1, whenevr i do drink, which may be 4 or 5 times a year.

Mweelrea

never saw the need to drink, there are plenty of better ways to enjoy yourself

Top marks to whoever set this fourm up!

Ballerina

im only 19 so my opinion may change but recently iv been drinking very little and find myself have maybe one or two and then just switching to diluted orange.i find im drinking less and less everytime i go out.

I think iv just seen so many people who are usually fun, change completely when drunk and it just isnt attractive or fun to be around them when they're drunk and dont want to be the same.i know some people who have a reputation of being "the one who always gets plastered" and no one likes that.my nights out are getting way better because of it i think!:D

af_thefragile

Cuz drinkin' is stupid man!!

Haha, smugness aside, there are many reasons i don't drink.

Probably the main one is that i've never drank in my life and i've always been scared of getting drunk and doing something embarrasing/stupid. I just don't like the idea of losing control of myself and my conscious.

Then the whole club culture never really fascinated me. People getting drunk and doing stupid things and all. I was never into all of that. I've got a really low bordom threshold so i found the whole getting drunk to have fun thing extremely pointless and boring.

I say i don't need alcohol to have fun and a good time. Infact i think i can have more fun and a better time when there's no alcohol involved.

And finally being the extreme adrenalin freak i am, I never really felt the need to alcohol or drugs to get my buzz from. Extreme sports and music is pretty much that does the trick for me! Nothing can really beat the buzz and excitement of doing things absolutely on the edge!!

Timans

Exact same reasons as you esteban, and the fact I don't particularly like the idea of anything altering my mind in any way. In fact, I hate the idea.

I also can't stand people when they drink and shudder at the thought of myself acting that way.

Ekancone

I cant drink because of the medication i take. It also turns me into a nutball.

I dont miss it.

Saruman

I do drink... now... However I started when i was 18, then stopped pretty quickly. I did not like being in control and was not too much in to beer.
I did not drink again, apart from odd glass of wine or lambrusco at Christmas until 2004. I was in Prague, i was in a bar with my now wife... she ordered something in Czech which turned out to be mulled wine... as soon i could smell the cinnamon i had to taste it (love it) and i downed my hot chocolate and ordered a mulled wine. I have drank since then... now im a whiskey drinker. Gotta love that middleton

Anyway reason i did not drink for so long, as i said... i did not like not being in control of myself. I still do not so i do not go out on the rip.. get drunk sometimes but not often. couple of times a year at most.

Ruu_Old

Meh, I'd rather spend my money on something else (DVDs or gadgets). I used to go out
(not drinking) quite often but got bored of it so would rather save up for a nice holiday or travel somewhere else nowadays. I don't see the point in blowing a heap of money on drink but thats just me, if my friends want to do so thats grand. I don't judge them.

eire1

I'd have to agree with Ruu, I've better things to spend my money on. Don't know how people can go out and just blow over €200 or whatever and have nothing to show and no memory of it!

SUNGOD

got way too fond of it, and had to give it up if i wanted to keep my sanity,only sober about six months still find it difficult and can be tempted on a regular basis but happier now then when i was drinking and regaining a bit of piece of mind/self confidence/self respect things you take for granted untill they are lost.



good forum only found out about it today

ohtinymeat

hello i used to drink and get up to all kinds of mischief and then one day i took a pill and i've never been the same since. this is why i no longer drink or smoke or do drugs. yay! i think i'm a lesson to all people who think that it'll never catch up with them, it does. I would like to point out that i had no history of depression, psychosis or any other mental illness, some times these things really do just come out of the blue. anyway not to sound completely like a born again but i do much prefer not drinking to drinking sometimes the odd person gives me a hard time (especially if they don't know whats behind it) but seriously i'd say i've gained about 18 extra hours a week from not having hangovers! also i hear there's really nice non-alcoholic mulled wine in Marks and Spencers so happy christmas.

Latchy

I am a moderate drinker but can relate to all the comments for giving up drinking .Growing up in the drink culture puts a lot of pressure on people to be ' one of the lads' .Glad to say i never went down that road and only drank and drink when i feel like it which is about once a week/forthnight and social occasions.Nothing worse than a boring slobbering drunk . I would like to think i can hold my ale and know when i have had enough .

metaoblivia

I have several reasons for not being a drinker (I have an alcoholic drink maybe 5-6 times a year, and usually never finish it).
The first has to be my father. He was, separately, an alcoholic and abusive. I say separately because he would hit and kick us sober just as soon as he would drunk. But obviously the drinking didn't help things. When he got drunk, which was about 5 nights out of the week, he would come home looking for a fight.
Another reason is the taste. I just don't like the taste of beer, wine, or champagne. Some mixed drinks I like, but I honestly prefer them virgin. So then, in that regard, I don't see the point of spending money on something that doesn't taste very good and will only fill me up with empty calories.
Also, I've seen the way other people act when drunk, and it's not appealing. Hangovers, vomiting, waking up half naked in the neighbor's bathtub (happened to a friend of mine) - those are character building experience that my character can do without.
I've always viewed people who depend on the drink too much as trying to escape from something. I'd rather escape from the world by doing my artwork and writing. At least that way, I feel like I'm being productive and may be able to give something back one day.
Sorry for the novel! But this is a topic I feel very strongly about.

izzyflusky

Well I really hated how stupid I felt the morning after me getting drunk, plus hangovers aren't fun.
Also the bible also says don't get drunk, and I don't anymore. And everytime it mentions alcohol it associates it with bad thing (I know it doesn't say don't drink) but why would I if its not meant to be good?;)

tulipandthistle

After a good few years of constant drinking / partying, I wasn't a happy drunk anymore. A few of my friends were dying off as well - 3 friends died of cancer, one very good friend was found dead on his living room floor by his son after his liver burst all between the ages of 35 to 52. Since then I decided that it wasn't worth it, so I stopped 4 and a half years ago. I found it tough in the beginning but then I fell pregnant and am breastfeeding so that is a great incentive to keep off it. Lost interest in going out now as well.

Dinkie

I have a couple of glasses a wine a week(friday night dinner). I don't drink any more then that because I simply don't enjoy any more then that..... and I think that drunken girls look terrible and I don't want to be one of them.

I never drink at home, and am always ensure I'm designated driver if going to the pub, so there is no pressure to drink.

source

I had a lovely incident with a bottle of sambucca a few years ago, and still get violently ill at the smell of it, since then i've drank a little but not very often and now i just get ill if i even have a pint...and i'm not talking about the next day either it usually happens about half an hour after having a pint, so the drink is not for me. I also don't like not being in control of my actions.

davyjose

Man, reading this, I feel like I've wasted the last 12 or so years of my life boozing (I'm 29). I'm definitely gonna give the last year of my 20's the best chance - save cash, stay happy, healthy and fit.

And no, I'm not drunk now - just an industrial strength insomniac (probably brought on by years of drink ).

gillyfromlyre

I haven't drank in 6 years, I bought myself a €40 bottle of wine 3 years ago with the intention of stylishly letting loose for christmas day only to find it gone, the hubby polished it off xmas eve, I took that as a sign, the hand of god in disguise, and haven't ventured near an off license since

johnnyskeleton

If I might troll briefly for a moment...

In a lot of the other threads in this forum, people bemoan being in a pub and being asked why they don't drink. So why is it more acceptable to be asked your reasons on the internet?

People in the pub are probably either:
(a) interested in why you are not drinking because it's unusual and unusual=interesting
(b) just making conversation.

So is there any reason why explaining your reasons is fine on the internet but not fine in real life situations?

Earthhorse

You only have to do it once on the internet.

johnnyskeleton

Earthhorse wrote: »

You only have to do it once on the internet.

Ok, but it seems to me that that is inevitable and is not something to get annoyed about. For example, if I meet some friends that I haven't seen in a long time, they will probably all ask the same questions - how are you? what have you been up to? where are you working? etc and if 10 people all ask the same questions it can get repetitive, but it wouldn't bother me because I know they are all just trying to make conversation and that's not a problem. I believe it is the same when people ask non-drinkers why they are not drinking, and to get annoyed by that is kinda like an unemployed person getting annoyed because people ask what he does for a living.

NonDrinkersClub

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

Ok, but it seems to me that that is inevitable and is not something to get annoyed about. For example, if I meet some friends that I haven't seen in a long time, they will probably all ask the same questions - how are you? what have you been up to? where are you working? etc and if 10 people all ask the same questions it can get repetitive, but it wouldn't bother me because I know they are all just trying to make conversation and that's not a problem. I believe it is the same when people ask non-drinkers why they are not drinking, and to get annoyed by that is kinda like an unemployed person getting annoyed because people ask what he does for a living.

Hiya JS...still trollin' I see...yeah, I reckon the reason why people are asking this question here is pretty obvious don't ya think? The best way I can put it is that it makes non-drinkers feel like there are others out there who don't drink for the same reasons as them and it makes them feel better.

Asking someone 'how are you? what have you been up to? where are you working? etc' ten times is fine because the answer usually changes from day to day. Asking someone why they don't drink over and over is annoying. It's like asking someone why do they wear t-shirts everyday. The answer doesn't change.

I don't show it on the outside but it does annoy me a bit when the same person keeps asking me why I don't drink. I think it's great that people are free to discuss this on the forum. It's not like everyone is so uppity that they're walking out of the pub everytime someone asks them! It's nice to hear what other people's experiences are.

An unemployed person can go get a job and stop the questions. In many cases, a non-drinker doesn't have a choice in the matter. Having a job is a good thing. Drinking isn't a good thing for a lot of people.

You are so concerned with this forum, but why? You seem to be the only person here who agrees with yourself. Why not check out the Drinkers forum? I'm not giving out though - feel free to post here but maybe consider your audience first.

Earthhorse

Yeah, I think it is more that you have to explain yourself to the same people over and over again. I don't mind strangers, people I've just been introduced to, asking me why I don't drink for the first time. It's people you've repeatedly explained your reasons to but somehow feel compelled to ask you again. It took years before many of my friends would accept the fact that I was ordering a soft drink or not ordering anything at all. And, as NDC says, we're not as sensitive as all that, it's just a little frustrating sometimes is all.

TommyGunne

Just to introduce a counterpoint, I do drink, and think its fantastic. It makes me feel warm and fuzzy and happy on the inside!

Yummy yummy yummy I got Jagerbombers in my tummy!

Calibos

I would on average only have about 6 or 7 bottles of bud on a night out. Enough to get me merry but that a bit of dancing at the the end of the night would quickly burn off. I'd always be back on the verge of sober when it was time to go home. I would never have a hangover after those nights.

So I was by no means a heavy drinker to start off with but when you add up the other expenses like taxi's and entrance fees and cloakroom fee's and a bit of grub on the way home, you are still talking about €100 for a night out.

I did a bit of math and I realised that even a light drinker like myself was spending about €400 a month on drink for just 4 or 5 nights. Now I enjoyed those nights with a few drinks but not 'that' much. I knew I was capable of having 95% as good a night without any drink as I had often done that too. Not drinking would also save me Taxi fares as I could drive and would save me crappy takeaway bills cause I wouldn't get the munchies.

So by not drinking I saved 400 euro a month. Added that to the 400 euro a month I was already spending on a car, traded in said car and bought

this........



This is why I haven't had a drop of alcohol in 2 years. Worth it? You betcha!

Now, if only I could give up the smokes as easy, then I could afford an Audi R8!!

NonDrinkersClub

Nice! go you

Amalgam

Feeling down one Sunday, in bed, 4pm, 60 euro down. I was just pondering stuff, looking at the ceiling, I said to myself, ' ..this is crap'. Stopped cold on August 16th, 2007.

Nothing is instant.. took a good few weeks, but I soon noticed my skin cleared up and I could shave without looking like I'd been mugged by a bag of cats.

Enough of an incentive for me.

Took about 3 months before I stopped 'thinking' of drink walking into Dublin, or getting anxious at the thought of being without it.

My Mum was amazed, she thought I'd joined a cult, very pleased. It is great to get feedback from your family and to realise things get better, which they have.

A six pack or a bottle of spirits is a mouldy crutch to lean on.

My reason's pretty simple - I don't like the taste of the stuff. I also tend to puke which is a serious turn off for me.

experiMental

I hate the taste of beer. I also get hammered after two pints. Most important reason, though, is that I can't make up pretentious comments when I'm drunk. I get 90% of my credibility for them