Health Alcohol - quitting and coping with age

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edgie said:
I'm not ostracised because I don't go out for money reasons, but because I used to work back to back close and open shifts all weekend in the days when it was more common for my social group to go out.

When you're trying to hit people up to accompany you for a big night out on Wednesday you realise how fickle people can get when your routine doesn't fit in to the norm. The kebab shop used to stay open for me and the one mate I could rely on though. That was nice of them.
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I was in a similar experience for a good two years after finishing school and working early shifts Sunday mornings.

Mid week night outs honestly just suck. Well in Melbourne at least. Each time I'd go somewhere midweek first year of uni I'd end up in a good mood ready to have a long night out and you just couldn't because everything would be dead by 1am.

Then there's the sports factor which I think makes weekend night outs far better. Nothing better than starting somewhere late Saturday afternoon/early evening watching some footy, then heading out and then finding a pub/going home to watch the early morning premier league. My favourite time of the year to go out is winter purely because of the sports factor. Places just seem more vibrant.

It's also much more socially acceptable to rock up pissed on a Sunday morning at work than it is on a Thursday morning. Who knows why.
 

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Melbourne isn't that good on the weekdays. I know people like saying not many cities are but towns like Glasgow and Edinburgh of smaller populations have mid-week stuff because music is so big there. I've quite often gone out on Monday and Tuesday nights and generally there's a pub to wind up on on Monday and a shitty Tuesday night club which kicks everyone out by 2am. If you're at uni and find yourself in the spot you can have some good times I reckon, just depends on your friend situation and the vibe... a lot of my mates in Melbourne don't play footy anymore and work in bars/supermarkets so it was pretty common to drink mid-week. Sort of nice when you're loading up on a Wednesday and everyone else is at work... feels like you're cheating the system.

It's a bit different to the weather but Perth loves a beer on a Sunday. Pretty easy to park somewhere when the sun is out, but it's pretty common for people to drink a fair bit on a Sunday. Go to a pub at 4pm on a Sunday to play some pool, watch the last game of the round, have a parma, and head home by 10pm and it's generally really quiet. Upside is most venues do a decent Sunday meal special. The other option on a Sunday is to be at Revs at 10am which I find absolutely ******* grotty and gross. I guess most people just like winding down the weekend in their houses, cooking tea, which is fine and I totally get it but if you work in hospitality or even retail then a Sunday night beer is pretty good.
 
Silent Alarm said:
Americans are people I used to respect but you go there and they're generally rude campaigners in New York City or else ignorant, dullard campaigners who deserve the reputation, fat, bad food, terrible TV, and s**t presidents they get.
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Maybe it's you?

I found New Yorkers in particular to be very polite and friendly, going out of their way to be helpful. I've met some stereotypical Yankees, but they were generally in the minority in the bigger cities (NY, Boston, Seattle).
 
Kram said:
Silent Alarm I reckon I would seriously get like 10 times the amount of productive things done with my spare time these days when not drinking at all.
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And risk burning out?

Life is about enjoyment. I only drink Friday to Sunday and don't eat bread or milk or sugar or flour or read meat and do 8Ks a day walking but I still love a beer and won't be giving that away. It's my once exception really. Will have a steak once a month but if I limited myself to a six pack once a month... * that. I've found a balance and it's working well in heaps of ways.

It's good to be aware of your habits and question them but eh, * it, if you are down the line and good with most of your diet and exercise, then drinking a few pints and stubbies every Saturday is your exception. Works out well and I'm not going to let go of one of the main things I like.

Sent from laptop while drinking lagers after a pint at the pub.
 
I’m 270 days without a drink as of today, and even then it was just a couple to get me through a long flight (I’m a nervous flyer).
 

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Has anyone noticed they feel and are sensitive to more emotions when they stop drinking?

Even with three or four days off I feel a lot more in tune with how I feel. Small things can get me in a positive mode and I can linger on that. But at work I probably get more pissed off and resigned.

Alcohol I guess gives you that state of enjoyed s**t talking, melancholy, or the day after just dealing with feeling okay will all just take up the space you have for emotions.

I think the highs and lows are probably a little duller and longer lasting as opposed to bigger and shorter spikes when you’re regularly drinking but yeah, sort of realised it the other day.

During the week I’m more prone to experience wider emotions.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app
 
Gone like 2 weeks without a beer. Longest for a while. Been doing different shifts. Days/nights/arvos weekly change stuffs u round.
Last night of arvos when i last drank had 8 cans of Carlton Dry and was feeling it when i got up. Usually would do 8 comfortably. Getting old.



On [device_name] using BigFooty.com mobile app
 
Gave up drinking "with the intent of getting blind drunk" on New Year's Day. It wasn't a planned resolution, but I woke up with no memory of a good two hours or so, weird videos I recorded arguing about the price of a taxi, and what resembled vomit on my bed. The last one freaked me out the most as people can die from that.

I figured giving up drinking was unrealistic and undesirable, but now aim for 4-6 beers max on a night out. Maybe half a bottle of wine on a night in. I might be a light weight but that seems to get an optimal level of buzz without the loss of control and hangover the next day. It's only March but I'm pretty happy with my decision.
 
I have drank oceans dry.

I have drank everywhere in the world with every kind of person.

One of my favorites was drinking with an Indigenous lot under a drain pipe in Ceduna as the sun went down over the glorious bay. There was a lot of a laughter and human mercy during that sunset.

And for some strange reason known only unto God, fate or DNA, I am still here.

And to that I say.....


Boooooooooooooo Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
 
I find winter to be the biggest temptation to drinking more often than I should. It's cold, you go to work in the dark and get home in the dark so having a couple of drinks is something to cure the boredom. The hardest thing has been not playing competitive sport this year for the first time, you don't have the 3 nights training and game day that largely prevents you from drinking.

The thing is, is it that bad if you're having a few drinks every night? Some people would happily label you an alcoholic for that without second guessing themselves when they say "I can't start the day without a coffee".

I'm lucky to be someone who doesn't have an addictive personality (is that real?) but I do find the older I get the less I care about, say, having a couple of beers on a Monday night if I feel the need.
 
craigos said:
I find winter to be the biggest temptation to drinking more often than I should. It's cold, you go to work in the dark and get home in the dark so having a couple of drinks is something to cure the boredom. The hardest thing has been not playing competitive sport this year for the first time, you don't have the 3 nights training and game day that largely prevents you from drinking.

The thing is, is it that bad if you're having a few drinks every night? Some people would happily label you an alcoholic for that without second guessing themselves when they say "I can't start the day without a coffee".

I'm lucky to be someone who doesn't have an addictive personality (is that real?) but I do find the older I get the less I care about, say, having a couple of beers on a Monday night if I feel the need.
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There are lots of people with functioning addictions. I would say the majority of people do this, and as I always say there are people with bonafide sugar addictions, spending addictions, or lifestyle addictions. They aren't as classic as your piss head or junkie but they are crutches, vices, and the little spikes of fun that keep a bland life consistent.

Did you ever go out much or drink socially a lot?

I see a lot of people now getting into that couple of glasses a night sort of thing. Most of it is boredom and routine and a sense of reward. Weirdly enough when I had a really long day I'd feel more guilty having a $10 solo down the pub after work than I would getting through six or seven alone with a week day off the next day. As people lose that regular social contact which is either beers after uni, big blow outs with their mates every weekend, the cheeky Tuesday session you generally lose your excuses for drinking. And fundamentally drinking feels good, and to a certain extent, it reminds you of those times. Throw in the fact that at 25, 26 you're going to get more out of sitting down the pub for eight hours with your mates, or at home getting through a few, than you are at a shitty nightclub. I'd rather sit in and have a few ales and chuck on some music when the buzz is hitting, or catch up with the old man with a few, or watch some footy and do some cooking while consistently knocking open a beer every half hour... so in a way it's way more alluring to drink more consistently, but to lesser amounts, for a more 'relaxed' version of it.

I can see it being dangerous when you're that 40 year old woman who doesn't have kids and never really had the husband and definitely doesn't now. If you have a small social circle then it's going to invite pretty scary behaviour. I saw a lot of women buying three bottles of wine every single night which is scary. The other one is lots of older blokes (and women) who are at that 50-65 range, where the kids have all moved out, you still work like a dog, your social life is the odd work event/one or two close friends/going out with the person you're married to. Very easy to not have much to do but have more money and less sort of 'framework' (not running around after kids, not stressing about a big dinner for everyone, a smaller and smaller mortgage). That's when you're going to start getting into that habit of a couple of beers down the pub a few times a week, probably drinking 10 or so in a sitting on the weekends, and not giving two shits about having a few on a weeknight.

That's the experience with the adults I know through my mates and stuff: their dad's get into home brewing, or craft beers, whatever.

To be honest is there that much wrong with it?
 
Silent Alarm said:
There are lots of people with functioning addictions. I would say the majority of people do this, and as I always say there are people with bonafide sugar addictions, spending addictions, or lifestyle addictions. They aren't as classic as your piss head or junkie but they are crutches, vices, and the little spikes of fun that keep a bland life consistent.

Did you ever go out much or drink socially a lot?

I see a lot of people now getting into that couple of glasses a night sort of thing. Most of it is boredom and routine and a sense of reward. Weirdly enough when I had a really long day I'd feel more guilty having a $10 solo down the pub after work than I would getting through six or seven alone with a week day off the next day. As people lose that regular social contact which is either beers after uni, big blow outs with their mates every weekend, the cheeky Tuesday session you generally lose your excuses for drinking. And fundamentally drinking feels good, and to a certain extent, it reminds you of those times. Throw in the fact that at 25, 26 you're going to get more out of sitting down the pub for eight hours with your mates, or at home getting through a few, than you are at a shitty nightclub. I'd rather sit in and have a few ales and chuck on some music when the buzz is hitting, or catch up with the old man with a few, or watch some footy and do some cooking while consistently knocking open a beer every half hour... so in a way it's way more alluring to drink more consistently, but to lesser amounts, for a more 'relaxed' version of it.

I can see it being dangerous when you're that 40 year old woman who doesn't have kids and never really had the husband and definitely doesn't now. If you have a small social circle then it's going to invite pretty scary behaviour. I saw a lot of women buying three bottles of wine every single night which is scary. The other one is lots of older blokes (and women) who are at that 50-65 range, where the kids have all moved out, you still work like a dog, your social life is the odd work event/one or two close friends/going out with the person you're married to. Very easy to not have much to do but have more money and less sort of 'framework' (not running around after kids, not stressing about a big dinner for everyone, a smaller and smaller mortgage). That's when you're going to start getting into that habit of a couple of beers down the pub a few times a week, probably drinking 10 or so in a sitting on the weekends, and not giving two shits about having a few on a weeknight.

That's the experience with the adults I know through my mates and stuff: their dad's get into home brewing, or craft beers, whatever.

To be honest is there that much wrong with it?
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Drinking is still very much part of my social release. Not to make that sound like I can't have fun without it but most socialising with friends happens at a bar. On the weekend we all caught up around 2pm, had a few beers each (I drove so not many) watched some footy and I was home by 7pm where I had a few on my own whilst cooking dinner. I can happily have a pint or two and just talk smack with friends (we're all over 30 now) for hours and sometimes that leads to the occasional 7/8 pint midnight session but rarely will I be out later than that (struggle to function the next day if I do).

I also have no problem with a few on my own either, for example the Champions League night I headed out into the city solo and just had beers on my own whilst watching the game. Ended up chatting to that old Dicko bloke from Australian Idol about football for a minute or two and grabbed a tram at 9am home. Little weird things like that are what makes life interesting, if I didn't enjoy drinking then I am sure I wouldn't have many interesting tales to tell. Being a non-drinker would be cool and you'd save some money, but for me, my life would have been a lot less of an experience so I regret none of it.

If boozing ever started to effect my finances, health, relationships or work then that will be the time to address it I feel. For now, if I want to have a beer and watch the World Cup replays after I finish work then I shall. Some people enjoy responsibilities like kids and a mortgage and work hard to keep them, I work hard to avoid having any responsibility.
 
craigos said:
If boozing ever started to effect my finances, health, relationships or work then that will be the time to address it I feel. For now, if I want to have a beer and watch the World Cup replays after I finish work then I shall. Some people enjoy responsibilities like kids and a mortgage and work hard to keep them, I work hard to avoid having any responsibility.
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How much longer do you think you'll live like this? Because to me it's my goal for the next... ten years. Not long ago I thought I'd probably have a kid or something at 30 but that's no chance for lots of reasons and generally not something I actually want. At the same time, I used to think I'd be off the grog at 30 and thought it was pathetic to drink at 60 or something. Now I think that, if you drink in accordance to your age, there's no shame or issue with it – those old fogeys nursing icy schooeys watching the trots for a few hours every afternoon with a mate or four look like the most relaxed people around.
 
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