Thinking of becoming a teetotal dry****é that can't hack the session and is no fun

cloud493

I've never drank so I can't say what its like changing, but being a dry ****e in the middle of a bunch of non dry ****es is incredibly boring.

Fukuyama

imitation wrote: »

Step 1 is find some non drinking activitys, make friends with people who like activities like hillwalking or surfing. Its a lot easier to not drink if you've beeb doing something all day and you know you'll be doing something the next day. If your social life is all about nights out and thats all your friends do, your going struggle.

I guess I'm lucky that I never really fell in with that crowd. Most social occasions do involve drink but most people there wouldn't be of the 'live for the weekend' mentality.

I've read that it's best to replace a bad habit with a good one so I think I'll look into taking up a new sport or activity.

trapattack

Man up FFS your 22. Wait for another few years and you'll know what a hangover actually is!

Packrat

I was 28 when I packed it in. I'm going to be 41 at Christmas.
Changed my life. Lost a lot of friends. Made some others.
For me it has been overwhelmingly positive. However, it's very difficult to enjoy a night out in the pub as much. The shyte talk starts to grate after a couple of hours.
Some women won't date you. Some other morons won't trust you.
You won't have more money, - you'll just spend it on other stuff.

What I'd say to you is this: If you can modify your drinking, then do that. If that's not an option then go ahead and quit it. You know yourself which is appropriate. Disregard friends opinions, - they have skin in the game (make themselves feel normal).

Life is a long long time, more so when each week will now have 7 rather than 6 days. :pac:

catallus

22 year old shouldn't even be getting hangovers!

Fukuyama

Packrat wrote: »

I was 28 when I packed it in. I'm going to be 41 at Christmas.
Changed my life. Lost a lot of friends. Made some others.
For me it has been overwhelmingly positive. However, it's very difficult to enjoy a night out in the pub as much. The shyte talk starts to grate after a couple of hours.
Some women won't date you. Some other morons won't trust you.
You won't have more money, - you'll just spend it on other stuff.

What I'd say to you is this: If you can modify your drinking, then do that. If that's not an option then go ahead and quit it. You know yourself which is appropriate. Disregard friends opinions, - they have skin in the game (make themselves feel normal).

Life is a long long time, more so when each week will now have 7 rather than 6 days. :pac:

Thanks for this!

The ****e talk from drunk people does make me grit my teeth so I guess I have to get a mouth guard or something.

In a way I'm kind of excited. It's a big step to make (particularly in Ireland) so I'm interested to know what the effects will be on my social life, mentality, fitness etc... in a years time

Highflyer13

Good on ya OP ya dry ****e

yipeeeee

70 euro is considered a lot on drink??

Yikes.

SEPT 23 1989

you are just having a wobble OP it will pass

geegeebeebee

Dean0088 wrote: »

Thinking of giving up the booze totally - not just for a few months but forever (will probably only last a few months).

Woke up on Sunday morning realising I'd spent the guts of €100 and had nothing to show for it. Spent the first few hours of the day getting rid of a headache then just watched old episodes of The Simpsons on my laptop because I was too tired to do anything. Feel like I wasted a load of money and an entire day. I'm also noticing the makings of a beer belly beginning to appear under my belt and I'm never motivated to go for a run the day after drinking (even only 2-3 pints).

The idea of giving up drink has been on my mind for the past few months. The only problem is that I always have a few events coming up (people's birthdays, get-togethers etc...) that all center around drink. I know you don't HAVE to drink at these events but the idea of being in a nightclub sober isn't one I like the thought of.

Today I just decided "fcuk it, I'm done". I'm sure I'll get the usual comments, questions and slagging but I really don't care anymore. I'm fed up pissing away €5 a go on pints. I'm fed up doing or saying silly things when drunk and cringing the next day (and for all eternity).

I suppose there are other reasons why I'm deciding to give up drink quite young (22). My family (direct and distant) is littered with alcoholism which I won't go into too much but needless to say I gradually witnessed what alcohol can do to people (and those around them) as time passes. I also don't really like who I can sometimes become if I've had one too many drinks. I've never gotten into a fight or anything but I can have a shorter fuse with people which has led to me needing to apolagise the next day a couple of times.

Anyone ever thought of giving up drink before? Or actually done it? Any recommendations, tips or whatever?

I'm a bit apprehensive and kind of expecting my social life (which is small as it is) to go down the pan.

*sups tae*

- Dean

i have been off alcohol over four years for medical reasons and to be honest i dont miss it one bit.

the only draw back is that in ireland , everything revolves around drink and being the only sober person can get annoying after a time.

i rarely go to pubs these days and prefer to meet a friend for coffee ect , maybe take up a sport , so that if you have a match on a sunday morning , you wont feel the need to drink.
you could make giving up the drink part of a new healthy way of living (if that is your thing) i was quite sick when i took the decision to give up.

i hope that it works out for you

Chunners

Dean0088 wrote: »

I'm both looking forward to this and dreading it at the same time.

I HATE hangovers because


a) They suck
b) I miss an entire day to "recovering" and lazing around

However, the thought of facing a night like New Years where it seems everyone is drunk is daunting. I can't stand drunk people when I'm sober. I've had jobs dealing with drunken idiots before and I hated them on a molecular level.

Guess I'll have to start giving New Years a miss. Was never a big fan anyways.

But thats the thing, you won't have to face drunk people, trust me when others are drunk and hear you are sober they avoid you like the plague. You don't have to go out for new years all you have to do is say "Naaa sorry I'm not drinking" and they all just say "Oh okay" and move on. Drunk people don't want sober people around them drunk people want other drunk people around them because if they do something stupid the other drunk people are most likely to forget whereas a sober person never forgets. There is nothing more scary for a drunk person than a sober person with a camera and direct access to youtube

Tarzana2

catallus wrote: »

22 year old shouldn't even be getting hangovers!

I've been getting terrible hangovers since I started drinking at 17.

The Wild Bunch

edit

Macavity.

I couldn't live without drink.

Chocolate Lions

I've more or less packed it in. The very odd occasion where I would have a few is still a bit of craic but the next day is as you say completely wasted. And I don't feel 100% the second day either. There's still that edge of mental acuity that's not quite equilibrated.
So ya, I hate the wasted money and the wasted time. And I also don't like that it messes with the exercise and diet. Clean living feels amazing and there's loads of time to do things.
You'll find yourself at times bored but then at others you'll find you're genuinely growing as a person. More time to read, learn, be active, do some DIY etc. And in my experience you do save money and of course exercise more sense. It's great waking up every morning feeling rested. What people put themselves through is pretty astonishing considering how nice it is to look after yourself and be healthy.
Anyway, good look with the initiative. I've gone the same way and I certainly like it.

Uncle Ruckus

I rarely drink but I hate how the following day is pretty much written off-too shattered to do anything and asleep for half the day.

Fukuyama

Chocolate Lions wrote: »

I've more or less packed it in. The very odd occasion where I would have a few is still a bit of craic but the next day is as you say completely wasted. And I don't feel 100% the second day either. There's still that edge of mental acuity that's not quite equilibrated.
So ya, I hate the wasted money and the wasted time. And I also don't like that it messes with the exercise and diet. Clean living feels amazing and there's loads of time to do things.
You'll find yourself at times bored but then at others you'll find you're genuinely growing as a person. More time to read, learn, be active, do some DIY etc. And in my experience you do save money and of course exercise more sense. It's great waking up every morning feeling rested. What people put themselves through is pretty astonishing considering how nice it is to look after yourself and be healthy.
Anyway, good look with the initiative. I've gone the same way and I certainly like it.

Thanks!

I'm hoping to do more of this. I've had highly productive months before in terms of exercise, diet, work, reading etc.. and they all seem to coincide with not drinking.

I'm the same as yourself - even the second day after drinking I'm still not as sharp as usual.

Adamantium

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yGJGTjV2WE

Pyr0

Why not just tone your drinking down? You don't have to get smashed every time you go out.

As another poster mentioned, find a beer/whiskey that you actually like the taste of an crack open a bottle or get a glass out every now and again instead of going on mad ones.

shalalala

eviltwin wrote: »

Tell them to fcuk off. I gave up 5 yrs ago. I'll have a few at Christmas, birthdays and so on but I no longer drink unless its a special occasion. People can't handle it because it makes them think about their own drinking. I'm as much fun as I always was, more so because I'm not falling asleep on someone at the end of the night. I feel a lot better too.

This would be my thoughts. I was never a big drinker but recently it just made me ill. I haven't drank in about 4 months and the people that are your friends won't give a ****. Just don't be the party pooper and make it obvious you aren't drinking, have the laugh and act like you are on a normal night out! I still dance crazy so no one would know really :pac:

RonanP77

I'm quitting after Christmas, I only drink every month or 6 weeks anyway but I'm fed up of it. I love the taste but hate the effects.

Pyr0

Pyr0 wrote: »

Why not just tone your drinking down? You don't have to get smashed every time you go out.

If there is a thread of alcoholism running through his family, he might do better to stick with the plan and give it up for that reason. It's a risk eliminated in that case.

I don't drink. I never say 'Sorry, I'm not drinking' because I don't see what there is to apologise for in that. It's gotten much more acceptable to everyone else since we've gone over 25 than it was at 20 to be a non drinker. Your social life will become more diverse as you find other things to do other than go to the pub, and your weekends become much more productive and fun when you're not nursing punishment. Mondays will probably be easier too.

Anyone who negatively judges you or hassles you for not drinking isn't a friend. Anyone trying to bully you into drinking isn't a friend. Anyone who changes their opinion of you as a person just because you're not going to drink isn't a friend either.

If you're excited about this decision, then I suspect it's the right decision for you, and that is what matters. Just try to avoid sounding too smug about the benefits, it can sometimes come across as preachy to drinkers.

Last_Minute

It's a proven fact that people who don't drink have less important lives than people who do.

Bpmull

I'm a non drinker. I'm 20 now and I've never drank alcohol. I just never got into it or never really seen the point of it. I've never once actually wanted to too have a drink. As for social well I'm in college 3rd year and I go out with friends granted not to the extent drinkers go out. But I've never had major issues although you do tend to leave pubs at around 12 when the sh!t drunk talk starts. It can be annoying when you tell people you don't drink you get this weird blank look like there is almost something wrong with you.

Tbh I think I've gone through the worst of that as when I qualify and finish college and have a full time job not drinking isn't seen as a big issue to most. I have no regrets really when it comes to not drinking special when some crawl into the class in the morning absolutely fcuked and they can't remember what happened the night before and then everyone laughs when they check there balance and there down 100-150 euro I would have no interest in that.

geegeebeebee

Bpmull wrote: »

I It can be annoying when you tell people you don't drink you get this weird blank look like there is almost something wrong with you.

this is what i find annoying too , or the question what do you do for fun then ?? ive started telling people i steal sweets from small children for fun ! the looks i get are priceless

Putins Future Assassin

geegeebeebee wrote: »

this is what i find annoying too , or the question what do you do for fun then ?? ive started telling people i steal sweets from small children for fun ! the looks i get are priceless

That's the look people have when they hear cringy jokes.

geegeebeebee

Putins Future Assassin wrote: »

That's the look people have when they hear cringy jokes.

ask a stupid question ... get a stupid answer !! thats the way i see it

fro9etb8j5qsl2

I find that generally the people who make an issue out you not drinking are the ones who have some sort of a problem with their own drinking habits. The attitude towards alcohol in Ireland is shocking, there seems to be this misinformed belief that you're not leading a fulfilled life unless you spend your weekends acting the twat and pìssing a fortune down the drain.

Dayum

I know a fella that drank a bottle of whiskey and died...

Lightweight.

Nabber

Then you get married and have kids... think to yourself, 'I wish I could go out and get hammered and spend the next day watching The Brass Eye while nursing a head ache'.....