zlhzlh

Since I stopped drinking its like the blinkers have been taken off. This weekend I helped at a Charity function and I was genuinely shock at the amount of alcohol is in our daily lives.
Conversation was dictated by how much people had the night before, how early they were going to have a drink that day and where and what they would be drinking tonight.
I have started to really tune in on this lately. I certainly am not one to preach to folks....but boy oh boy I just wanted to shout out Change the record !!!!

I can not tell you how happy I am to be off that hamster wheel. To be free , it's the most amazing feeling.

Bobbieka

My daughter recently pointed out to me how much alcohol is on facebook. People constantly sharing what bar they are in and how much they have had to drink. Seems like there is always a meme about wine or fireball also.

FarToGo

Yep, FREE, free of all the hangovers, the associated health problems, the smell, the ridiculous behavior, the obsession with where the next one was coming from.................. oops! You got me on a roll!
xx

bluedog97

Yea, I suspect a lot of those people even have a problem with it and don't even realize it yet.

zlhzlh

It's worrying, from the moment you wake up Alcohol is everywhere.

Soberjoy1

Yeah, when you give up alcohol, sometimes it feels like you are doing something subversive in this society. I know loads of people who might not be alcoholics, but who act like the idea of giving it up is insane! But they don't drink quite the way I did. If they did, they'd understand.

zlhzlh

Or just ignoring it......honestly, it worries me because I have teenage children and this massive alcoholic culture that is sweeping our nation is becoming the norm.

zlhzlh

Also it's quite unnerving to see how much of the supermarket is taken over by booze. There is more aisle space donated to alcohol than vegetables!

tursiops999

my perception really changed after I got sober. It all seemed so normal and natural, when I was drinking, to see alcohol everywhere, and I thought nothing of it. Now I see all the posts on facebook, all the space in the stores, all the booze ads in the media ... it's very interesting. I think it has far more influence over drinkers than they may realize.

MiaG

Yeah, I've just had a birthday and one of my friends said he'd really noticed just how many cards were booze themed since he knew that wouldn't be appropriate for me.
It's hard....like on an evening all the cafes shut at 5 or so so the pubs are the only place to go. That northern European hard drinking tradition is going strong!

zlhzlh

Also the lack of imagination now when organizing a night out! Everything has to revolve around the pub. To organize an activity to have fun without booze is a no go for people.

Soberwolf

Dee74

When I quit I saw alcohol everywhere...but as the years have gone on I find I'm not looking for it anymore, and I only notice it when it's in my face. Kinda a nice way to be IMO

D

Venecia

I know how aware we become of the presence of alcohol in both our immediate lives and the larger culture around us, the latter exacerbated by social media.

But you know what? There is a whole world out there of people for whom alcohol plays a minimal role, at the most. There's no beer in their fridge, or if there is, it lingers there a long time. They leave a single glass of wine unfinished when they go out to dinner.

We see what is most on our minds when we're knee-deep in trying to relegate it to our past. The time comes when we see the rest of the world.

greens

This is quite common when we give things up, I stopped noticing after a while, but have noticed the same phenomenon when I've given up other things like caffeine or meat. Once you quit something it seems like it is everywhere. alcohol is a legal drug so that makes it okay to indulge in, right? Just kidding of course but that is the common theme along with "I've worked hard and I deserve this".

thomas11

If I look for it, I can find it everywhere, but I have also noticed that many people live their lives in which alcohol is not omnipresent (hoping I am using that word properly). In fact I am starting to see that for many of my acquaintances who drink its a once or twice a month deal. The rest of their time is living life.

FLCamper

I'm with Thomas on this - most of my friends don't drink or only drink on occasion.

MIRecovery

I hang out with light or non-drinkers so it doesn't effect me much. I just find drink exploits to be incredibly boring sort of like some telling me their favorite place to eat Brussels sprouts . Sorry but I just don't care

grizzlybearblue

I went to a kid's birthday party Friday night, and I was the only adult not drinking. I went to my son's swim team party Saturday night and there were only 2 people drinking out of about 20 adults. You're right, I can't help but notice either way.

zlhzlh

I seem to have groups......my home group and very close friends No Booze, work colleagues lots of Booze. Unfortunately it is in my face whether I want it to be or not. And yes it's my Achilles heel right now.