Dojang

I was always a social drinker. Most of my friends drink socially. It was never a problem for me. My parents have wine with dinner for holidays & special occasions. I have never had any concerns about my drinking or any problems from it. I could take it or leave it. But since seeing the destruction alcoholism can cause, I feel repulsed by it. I miss being able to relax with a glass of wine, but there's too much pain associated with it, and I can't enjoy it anymore.

KidsR#1

I rarely drink and always have been that way. Very often I was the only one in a group setting not drinking. I found now that I am so much more aware of how much people drink. However, since we got rid of all the alcohol in the house I miss the possibility of being able to have a glass of wine if I want one. (One bottle could last me months.)

ghosseir

That brings up an interesting topic. How many of us affected negatively by our loved ones' alcoholism actually drink and enjoy it?

Dojang

I used to enjoy it. I have never kept it in the house because it would go to waste. But I had dinner with my parents the other night, and had no desire. It made me nauseous even thinking about it.

PinkCloudsCharley

I can't stomach alcohol anymore. I used to enjoy a drink now and then, but now even hearing others talking about having a glass of wine makes my stomach knot up.

NWGRITS

I can, but my Crohn's Disease has gotten to where it makes my stomach swell up and I get headaches. It might be my allergy to mold and fungi expanding to all fermented things, but who knows. All I can say for certain is it's not worth the trouble, even when we're having dinner parties with our friends.

Thumper

I mostly quit in the last few years with ah and the first year after. I drink socially now (still kind of rare because I don't have hardly any opportunities to socialize) and enjoy it.

Stung

I still like to drink socially. In whole foods today I almost bought myself a bottle of wine but I feel really guilty having it in my home. Plus, I'm such a light weight at this point that nearly any alcohol in my system is going to leave me with even a mild hangover the next day. Not really worth it.

torquemax777

For awhile I could enjoy drinking, but only if I was completely away from AH, like a weekend out of town with friends or family. Lately however, not only do I never want to drink again or be associated with it, I can't stand any drunk people even if they are not alcoholics, just non-alcoholics who have happened to have had a little to much that time. And when my husband talks about drinking in a sort of minimized flippant way, or any way at all really, it's almost as if he's speaking sexually perverse words. That's how repulsed I am about that topic any more, and I've made up my mind that if I arrive to a residence or situation or event to a bunch of tipsy attendees, I am just going to politely excuse myself; or maybe better yet (since they always beg you to stay) is that I will just silently slip away and drive off (they never seem to notice that.)

Flavia2

I drank socially too. Now alcohol gives me a huge panic attack- even just a glass of wine with dinner

LadyinBC

Well my daughter has a very hard time drinking in front of me. In fact, when I first moved in with her, she wanted a beer one night and actually drank it in her bedroom cause she felt bad drinking it in front of me. I have been sober over 2 years now and she can now start having a drink in front of me.

Thanks for starting this thread it is good to get your views on this issue as I have never really looked at it from your guys point. I told her one time not to be silly, but I see that it does cause a lot of discomfort for others. It makes sense.

Butterfly

I used to love to drink socially and really enjoyed it, not so much now!! I rarely have a drink now after seeing the damage it does I don't enjoy it so much.

LBrain

About a year ago my wife got drunk one night at a party. A very rare thing for her. After surviving the hangover, headache and a crappy feeling all day she said was done drinking alcohol. Just like that. She hasn't had a drink since. She always answers with I don't drink. She got a six month head start on me - but she didn't have any problems with drinking at all.
It's funny how someone without a drinking problem can say, 'I don't drink' without even thinking about it. Yet for many of us problem drinkers there seems to be a stigma attached to saying that. We are silly.

Rosalba

There's a saying in AA "Come to AA - and we'll ruin your drinking for you!" I enjoy a drink, though two glasses of wine in the course of an evening is enough for me. Since seeing the destructive effects of alcohol (primarily through working on an acute mental health ward and seeing patients with Korsakoff Syndrome) I've never felt entirely comfortable with it. I hate being around very drunk people, too. Not talking about alcoholics, just heavy social drinkers.

And I cringe inwardly when I see or hear people boasting about how pissed they were the other night, fell down stairs, threw up all over the landing etc etc. Somehow it seems to be socially acceptable.

mry

I only drank 1 girly drink a month and now I can't even manage that any more. The therapist told my teens that alcohol will likely be a trigger for them - it represents what happened to our family.

Now, I'm beginning to notice what my therapist calls Maintenance Drinkers - people who have to have 2 drinks a day no matter what. There's nothing like 2 of those and an early RAH on vacation - the mood swings were pretty intense.

WendyOR

I have a huge problem with it. I know I need to wrap my head around it. You go to social media and you see all these posts that are somehow related to relaxing and wine.... or beer... etc. It is a HUGE trigger for me. I also get triggered when I stop at the convenience store at any time of the day, and there are people there counting out their change to buy the alcohol... you look back in line and then in front of you, and most of the people are there to buy beer. I actually get my heart pounding. I tell myself, it is not your job to be watching this, or taking notes mentally on this... get your coca cola and go.... but my head wraps around it and it lingers in my thoughts. It makes me sad actually. I do not have a desire to drink. I also see a lot of my friends that drink a lot. When they ask me to do things, I have no desire as I know most of them will be drinking. I didn't like the beer gardens at the fair either. A family event with a lot of kids and here are all these people walking around with their beer. Just felt odd. Not that all of them have the disease.... but our senses become more acute to notice all of these things perhaps.

Tansy

I feel like a hypocrite social drinking even tho I know I 'm not an alcoholic. I rarely drink now and never alone like x did. I feel put off the stuff he drank. Just looking at it in the shop makes me feel sick.

Rev 3:16

I was a pretty good social drinker, bordering on being a good time Charlie. And, it didn't have to be a social situation for me to start tossing them back. Gradually moved from spirits to wine. Then 8 months ago, I just stopped. I was finding that drink number 3 led to number 10. I've dropped 30 pounds, hit the gym and am feeling great and looking good for a guy who's 65. No desire at all for any alcohol.

My wife is the drinker now and I'm concerned. Will post in another area, don't want to thread jack.

redatlanta

I used to socially drink quite a bit - loved meeting friends after work.

Pretty much a non -drinker now it is the rare occasion I have a drink. I started this initially when RAH and I moved in together and it was not a request, rather a boundary for him that he would not tolerate me coming in drunk or buzzed. i agreed.

Now its 100% my choice. I don't like drinking that much anymore. I enjoy not ever having a hangover. I feel great. When I have a drink, even if its one, it just doesn't agree with my stomach anymore.

Butterfly

I hate being around drunk people they make me very uncomfortable, nervous and anxious!!