C0ntr0ls

A majority of people don't care if your drinking or not but then there's the smaller group that does care that you're not drinking. It's the smaller group that I care about.

Hodd

😀 I’d find that latter group quite laughable. No one can stand there red faced and beer bellied and present a good reason why anyone should drink. Don’t worry about them.

BackandScared

I have been asked by a handful of people whose relationship with me revolved around alcohol, even if we were pretending otherwise. For instance, a fellow colleague who lives in another country: we would meet up at conferences and professional events. The reason to meet was professional in appearance, but we were the two standing bodies at the end of any working session with a bottle of wine. Since I quit I had to say I was not drinking any more. She has never questioned it. Now we share dinner together. She drinks. I don't. But nights are not prolonged into the early hours. We have never been closer.

Other than that, I have never had to explain anything. I say, 'no, thank you, I am thirsty. I prefer water or whatever'. Nobody cares. Most people don't have an alcohol problem.

C0ntr0ls

Hodd, you missed it. It's your close friends and family members that care, truly care [In a good way] that you're not drinking.

The reset really don't care one way or the other.

Hodd

🙂 I misread you, thanks for the correction.

Definitely. My wife has never drunk so never understood the addiction nor how much effort early withdrawal was. The enormity of it came about when one of her friend’s husband was diagnosed with alcohol-related cirrhosis. Without a doubt that was going to be me in maybe two or three years.

Plus, looking back, I really was an a***hole a lot of the time as she still likes to remind me!

Nonsensical

It was terribly disappointing to discover nearly no one gives a rat's patootie whether I drink alcohol or not. It's quite rude of them not to care, after I spent so much time and effort anxiously obsessing over what I would say.

C0ntr0ls

Hodd, I think I was playing with my words when typing it originally.
My former wife and now prob my best friend is kind enough not to rub my past behavior in my face and is truly happy I'm not the male appendage I was when drinking. Funny how that works. lol

Hodd

🙂 It’s off topic, but it’s shocking how we, at least behaved, as drinkers. Even in mornings or afternoons before I’d had a drink, I’d have the shortest temper imaginable and think the worst of everyone. That’s totally changed now. I’m like some sort of diplomatic Mr Cool (most of the time)

fishkiller

LOL
I LIke that

Steely

I had a bloke say, "I can drink anytime I like." It was a sorta put down, until I said, "so can I." Haha

Lpg

I always just respond ‘no thanks, I don’t drink it doesn’t suit me’ and that’s usually enough. When I first quit I was only 26 so I think I got a lot more questions in the beginning, being so young people seemed to expect you to be out there living the party life and having a drink. Now I’m 30 nobody really bats an eyelid. It’s funny seems alot of pressure on young folks to be out there drinking because that somewhat means your living your best life, probably many are…but not me!

Lpg

😂 this made me lol

so rude
*folds up my ‘I’m not drinking’ speech*

Dropsie

I gotta say asking someone why they are not drinking is so uncool. If people are not drinking at an event where drinking is part of the program there is a good chance they are pregnant or have stopped for a reason. If they wanted to tell you why they would volunteer it. If not, none of my business. People do ask me, I dont mind, but others feel uncomfortable and feel forced to fib.

Rar

i was thinking about this the other day. I live in an Over 55 community in Florida. It seems drinking is a way of life here and even begins around or shortly after lunch. Most folks I know are wine drinkers and it seems they are normal drinkers, but who knows? Everyone I know is also on some sort of medication and they drink anyway. I did. Anyway, while they may be drinkers, it seems folks are very accepting of non drinkers. Everyone ALWAYS has water as an alternative to alcohol. I know I do. I’ve never had anyone ask why I’m refusing a drink.

My husband mowed the lawn of a neighbor the other day. As a thank you, she asked him what kind of beer he drank. When he said he wasn’t drinking, she said, “Okay. Let me know when you start again”. 🤔.

I saw a statistic a couple of weeks ago that said there was a 110% increase of drinking in the elderly. I don’t know the accuracy of those statistics or what time period it encompasses, but my community has lots of old drinkers.

DriGuy

I'm going to add it to my list of most sarcastically funny quotes. Loved it.

Hodd

🙂 Not sure about normal, but it’s certainly unhealthy to be drinking at lunchtime, and that might contribute to the fact they have to take medication.

I’m not that far off 55 and used to have very high blood pressure, never lower than 160/90 which isn’t surprising when I drank a lot, did no exercise and was obese. I was on my way to becoming a drug company’s dream, but once I fixed those three problems, the BP went down to normal.

zoobadger

I'm frank about the fact that I'm in recovery. In three years I've never had anybody react inappropriately to that, or encourage me to have a drink, anyway. On the contrary, some people overreact and think they can't have a glass of wine in my presence.

My 18 YO daughter doesn't drink (and never had) and it's harder for her socially. But her close friends understand h her choice.

Dee74

I don't live in a community like that although my folks are moving to one soon.

It seems like a place full of activities and things to do...seems odd people drink at or before lunch, but as you say they may be normal drinkers enjoying their retirement.

D

Rar

AGREED! I found out a few weeks ago that our community has an AA. I was surprised, I have never seen any notice on the bulletin boards, newsletters, etc. I asked where the meetings were and that person said it was confidential. 🤔😳.

Dee74

That's a head scratcher rar....

D