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[megatronium]

I'm an alcoholic who's sober. People who drink that ask you why you don't and act weird about it want you to admit you're one or are questioning their alcohol consumption behavior or wonder if they drink too much.

\thread?

 

[MicH]

I don't drink either and my friends and work colleges think it's the most bizarre thing ever. They just can't wrap their heads around the fact that some people don't drink

 

[Autumn Wind]

6 pages worth and I did a search and nothing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-X2zPMB5dk <--- Jim Gaffigan on drinking

 

[Snkfanatic]

I used to drink now and then but about 4 years ago I just stopped. I have a weak stomach and a ulcer so my stomach would always be in knots after I finished drinking. Even if it was only a drink or two, mind you this level of drinking was going on for a few years so it's not like I wasn't used to alcohol.

Luckily my buddies only really asked about it a few times but they understand my stomach issues so they never mess with me about it anymore. After reading the thread I hope some of them don't think I am judging them when I don't drink. Never thought of that angel and it makes sense.

 

[BrettHeazy]

Same boat as OP.

Just completely went off it, if I go to a pub or bar with friends, I'm more than happy with soft drinks.

What's more annoying is occasionally I will fancy a beer, and all my friends are like

"OMGOMGOFUCKASFOOMGOAS JESUS CHRIST, ARE YOU ACTUALLY HAVING A BEER?!"

I really don't understand what people see is weird about no drinking.

 

[Violence Jack]

You're not alone. I didn't drink for the first 28 years of my life. Then when my fiancee left me, friends started taking me out to drink. Once I got over it, I mostly stopped aside from possibly one drink occasionally. These days, I'll have a drink or two on my birthday, and never touch it the rest of the year. I still have a few friends that give me shit for never wanting to drink, but I know they're kidding around. Ginger ale is my go to drink. It's not weird. It is possible to have fun and relax without booze.

 

[Beaniedude]

My friends used to joke about it and such for the first couple of years but now it's all cool.
I have good friends.

It is a bit jarring when I rarely have to answer why I don't drink mainly because I haven't really thought about it but I usually answer something along the lines of, 'I just don't drink.'
And people are generally cool about it.

People are cool.

 

[Krassus]

For the last year or so I have completely given up drinking any sort of alcoholic beverage. For a good while now every time I would drink, after the first beer, I'd get heartburn and a terrible headache almost immediately. I may have an allergy to the stuff so I just stopped drinking.

Yet, when people, friends and family alike, find out I no longer drink there is now a stigma that goes with it. In fact, its a running joke with my brother every time we go out to dinner as a family or to a bar. The look people give me are either I'm some religious nut or I'm a recovering alcoholic. When I say I just don't like to drink it seems (caution, hyperbole ahead!) I'm just above sexual predator on the weirdo scale.

Why is not wanting to drink alcohol such a strange thing to people? I'm still the same guy I have always been yet it seems to be a big deal now that I've been "outted" with friends and family. Anyone else have to deal with this?

I gave up alcohol a year ago also and haven't looked back, who gives a F what other people say or think though?

 

[Tawpgun]

[QUOTE="God's Beard!";162078835]When you're paying five bucks a glass for something that tastes worse than Root Beer you know you have problems.[/QUOTE]

Heeeeyyyy

Beer is awesome root beer is gross its like drinking pure syrup



I love beer and drinking and shit. As evident in avatar. But who cares what people think.

It seems OP, that you used to drink some so you know the experience. And now whenever you drink, even one beer, its bad. I don't blame you for quitting but you should try and get it checked out. Make sure you aren't allegic or something.

 

[dreamcastfan]

I was wondering the same thing OP. I decided after a sip or two of beer, and a couple of sips of different kind of wine, it was not for me. Also, seeing a family member struggling with alcoholism made me swear it off completely, and I made a promise to God I would never touch it, and I haven't, nor any desire to whatsoever. I have gotten quite a bit of ridicule and teasing over the years, But I don't care. People STILL tell me to this day "You're missing out. You need to get drunk once".. Thank you, but no I don't. Telling me I NEED to drink? How would they feel if I told them they NEED to stop? Just a couple of weeks ago, we had dinner with some recent friends, and he offered us a beer. When I told him water is fine, I don't drink, he looked at me like I was out of my mind. I don't get it.

 

[shinobi602]

Because drinking is idolized. 95% of alcohol commercials are about how fucking great it is and how fucking cool you are if you drink.

It's bizarre, really, that some people are so obsessed with drinking a poison.

Pretty much this.

 

[bigmit3737]

As marijuana gets legailzed in more and more states, I wonder if it's going to lead to a reduction of beer consumption.

 

[Crash Station]

Don't drink either. Partially for health reasons, but mostly because I just don't want to. I'll have a (super light on alcohol) White Russian every once in a while, but that's about it. Never been drunk in my life.

At a wedding, a friend tried to get me to drink and was really pushy about it. I said "why are you being a peer pressuring douche?" and he immediately shut up with a pretty horrified look on his face. It seems at least where I grew up, "peer pressure" is a term that no one wants to be associated with, as if they just tried to get someone to try a super dangerous drug that you'd OD on the second you put it on your tongue.

 

[pablito]

As marijuana gets legailzed in more and more states, I wonder if it's going to lead to a reduction of beer consumption.

I hope it doesn't. Craft breweries are booming and I love it.

 

[TwEE-N-Toast]

Lot of the times the folk who don't drink are really preachy, boring or judgemental people. Not all, but a good enough chunk that us beautiful drunkards are weary of you. We just want to unleash our inner werewolf without somebody waggling their finger or clucking their tongue at us.

 

[Box]

It's surprising but people who do drink alcohol are often just as apprehensive and insecure about it as the people who don't.

 

[Bold One]

working with alcoholic smokers is the worst

 

[industrian]

I drink occasionally. Or to put it in more quantifiable terms, I've had less than 10 beers this year so far. I've not many friends that I can drink with, and my girlfriend doesn't drink. So, whatever.

I've noticed in the last year that my body is more or less just metabolising beer directly into fat. That and I'm trying to be healthier now that I'm in my 30s.

 

[BokehKing]

Wanted to post in here a few days ago but didn't get the chance...

I grew up, not liking the taste of alcohol, when it came to my teenage years, I prefered to smoke marijuana over drinking, I wasn't going to do both, I wanted to still be able to function.

As I got older (19/20) we started to go to bars, and of course, can't smoke in there, so I started to drink casually, 1 to 3 beers (or do 5 or 6 shots through out the night), I didn't like the taste at all, but over the course of 6 hours and multiple games of pool, it was whatever.

When I turned 25, I got really bad acid reflux, and a hietal hernia. Alcohol would trigger very painful heartburn, not the type you just make go away with some tums.

Ended up being the best way to let my espophogus heal, was not drinking anymore.
Cut out the the triggers.

So I'm 36 now, and I have not had alcohol in 11 years and I do not miss it at all. What was a pain in the ass was people constantly not respecting my decision not to drink. they thought I was weird for not drinking. "Why don't you have a drink, have a drink come on" blah blah blah.... It got to the point at parties or a bar and I would just pick up a empty bottle and just carry it around with me. I never drank out of it...but no one cared, as long as you had it in your hand. After awhile that charade bored me, it got on my nerves.......why should I pretend for inebriated people?

So now I just drink water when I'm out, I may get the odd look every now and then (I no longer smoke weed anymore, just vape my e-cig, which is crutch enough for me).

Society and Alcohol go hand in hand, we have it with our meals, for celebrations, and toasts...it's instilled in our minds as normal. For some of us, we live where Vineyards are a place to hang out in the summer time (hamptons) It's a social thing

Actually...4 months ago, I picked up a 6 pack, just to have in my fridge in case guests ever wanted one. I had a few tips back of one beer and the acid reflux came back with a vendetta....I realized then....these last 11 years I have not been missing out on anything, and I'll be quite alright never having alcohol again in my life.

 

[Raonak]

I think the general weirdness comes from the idea that someone is abstaining from something which is generally considered enjoyable. Whether that be sex, drinking, gaming, eating meat, etc.