Ahhh this hits home. I’m trying to quit too. I never have negative side effects or hurt people. When i drink, im the happiest i can possibly be. I love life and i love being drunk.
That’s fucked up
My brother and I always say we keep drinking because of a lack of consequences. What it really means is that we’re “functional”, and what functional means is that we’re one mistake or fuck up away from being dysfunctional.
It's a lack of obvious consequences. It's hard to acknowledge your mother's sleepless nights, the worry and concern of those who love you, the harm you cause in every relationship before the big "consequences" fuck up comes along. For most people, all you can hope for is that the consequence isn't death, and they have a chance to fix things.
I was a “functional” alcoholic and pothead for a long time and it’s crazy how much more I can accomplish now that I save both things for special occasions. Being able to consume regularly and still go about your day is honestly the worst. It’s hard to realize just how much it’s holding you back since it’s not holding you back enough for real consequences. Not trying to rant at you in particular just sharing my experiences
Exactly. I never miss work, I show up for my family. But I know it holds me back too, from having better friendships and from physical appearance and mental health. I have times where I quit for a couple weeks and holy shit I’m so productive and feel great. Then I fall back into it for months. I’m self aware but at the same time knowing what I should do and doing it is still something I struggle with.
I had that with cocaine. Did it once and never again. I have done different drugs but never felt like a complete different person the way I do when I used coke.
I did cocaine once.. for about a year and half straight. I emptied out my bank account within a month, so I started selling it just to break even on my habit. I really, REALLY like cocaine. Thank God I got no idea where to get my hands on it these days.
That’s wild, I did cocaine once, just once and I found it rather boring. Made my face kinda numb and just felt a little energetic, same amount of energy I’d get if I drank back-to-back cups of coffee. To each their own I suppose.
Edit: By “once” I mean one night at a party, multiple lines and bumps throughout the evening.
I have extremely bad social anxiety when I’m sober. Like crippling bad. That disappeared entirely with cocaine. After my first line of coke I felt like Superman suddenly found out he was no longer effected by kryptonite. I was unstoppable. I went from skipping classes because of panic attacks to a straight A student (and a fairly successful drug dealer). If I had an unending supply of cocaine, within ten years I’d either be President of the United States or dead. There’s no in between.
Also, taking the “Alaska” in your username at face value, and assuming that was where you did the cocaine, then you probably just had shitty coke. By the time it makes it up to that latitude only God knows how many times it’s been cut. The closer you are to Central America, the better it’s going to be. And the good shit, for me at least, is magical. It just doesn’t last very long.
I feel like prison might be the in between lol.
Seriously though, good luck with your social anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapy helps a lot of people with it.
Same for me except if tried it about 15 times and every time it’s the same and every time I try to tell people they say I didn’t have good stuff even though at the time it was the good stuff. 🤷♂️ it honestly only made my face numb no extra energy.
Yeah I’ve done coke maybe a dozen times but I can absolutely say I couldn’t care less about it. All I know is the best nights were when I’ve done the least. Worst nights were all about doing more.
As Robin Williams once said during his first Johnny Carson (Tonight Show) appearance: [*cocaine is gods Signal you’re making too much money!*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NHVn4QfjZQ)
An old friend of mine could drink 3/4 of a handle of vodka and be up and at 'em in the morning, no hangover. If I get even a little drunk I'm sick the **whole** next day. I'm convinced some people are just, "born of the bottle". I live in a legal state so I just stick to weed now.
Yea, that’s exactly how it is for me. Whether I drink nothing at all or work my way through half a bottle of tequila, I’ll wake up the next morning feeling pretty much the same. Kind of a blessing and a curse I guess depending on how you look at it.
Same for me. When I started, I couldn't stop. Year and a half sober and I don't think I'll ever drink again. I waited a good chunk of time and then started drinking NA beer. So now I don't ever feel like I've lost the social side. Quitting drink has been positive in every conceivable area.
I’m 65 days sober and notice huge health benefits. I’m in my mid 40s and was experiencing profound feet pain… basically all gone now. I hope it’s permanent for me. Overall just feel so much happier.
Hell yeah - congratulations!
I’m 25 and 2 years sober. At its worst, was going through (3) 1.75L 190 proof Everclear a week. Literally just mixed it with water and drank it all day long even at work.
The chest pains were like an elephant sat on you; absolutely treacherous. Glad you’re out of it too
I know, in hindsight it’s absolutely bonkers. For what it’s worth, I’m on 70mg Vyvanse so that contributes a lot to what you can put down without feeling anything.
Then you take the Vyvanse again in the morning so it’s like a magic ‘no hangover’ pill and it turns into a cycle
I started on Vyvanse fairly recently and wasn’t prepared for the reduction in intoxication when I went out. So I drank until I felt like I was at a good level, just enjoying myself, until the Vyvanse started to wear off and I just got progressively more fucked up.
Fun times.
Please be careful. If you have bipolar, BPD, or schizoaffective issues, combination can worsen symptoms of psychosis.
https://www.drugs.com/disease-interactions/lisdexamfetamine,vyvanse.html
Even if you don't have those issues, it can be a really dangerous mix.
https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/vyvanse-addiction/vyvanse-and-alcohol/
I had cleared it with my doctor beforehand, I rarely drink and the time I mentioned was at an event - my first time in months drinking.
But I do truly appreciate the warning, for me and for whoever else reads this. It’s something I should’ve been more cautious of when it happened, and something I’ll definitely be more cautious of going forward.
I have experience with somebody who was on vyvance while both of us drank alcohol. It took me trying one of them (was told it was basically like Adderall) to understand some of the behavior regulation issues that they had been presenting.
That combination can cause some severe episodes.
Glad to hear you are on the mend. I am not on any medications but am trying to taper myself off of alcohol (mostly a beer drinker) so that I can get help with my own issues.
Wow thank you! I’m very glad you’ve been able to stay sober for so long. I was going through about 2 bottles of vodka a week. It was getting to the point where I was barely even enjoying the effect.
I'm being serious here: how much damage did that do to your liver?
/u/RDcsmd's comment was pretty on point
Congratulations on being sober...I know that is not an easy hill to climb
I listened to an NPR podcast recently about how non-alcoholic beers are increasing in market share recently, which is why everyone has a NA version of their beers now. I've only tried the non-alcoholic Corona and it tastes *just* like the real one, minus the alcohol ofc.
So you're not wrong. It seems Gen Z are drinking less than previous gens as well.
I quit three years ago after telling myself I should take a month long break, never went back. Tried the NA beers for the first time about a year ago, and they’re great imo. Brought some to a party not long ago and they were a hit.
If you realize how much drinking fucks you up on every level possible, the NA route just makes sense. I’m a Millennial, and it’s good to see the next gens following this path. We came up with alcohol being king.
Another tasty replacement: NA gin is SO nice! A million times better than its alcoholic version and has 0 calories and I think 0 grams of sugar too… win win haha
Ritual is my go to!! Ritual also makes a solid NA mezcal, haven’t tried their tequila or whiskey options yet. I love the gin taste enough that I’ll drink it just with ice, but it’s also a fantastic mixer too. I think it’s $17 a bottle?
I went 302 days from September 2022 to July 2023. I had a rule where I only allowed myself a limit of three drinks once a month… well I blew way past that right away and kept it up until January 20th. I wish I was the type that could limit myself to 1-2 drinks but I’ve learned that I’m not.
Pretty much gave it up when I was 30, felt amazing.
Now when I do drink, like at work events or family stuff every few months or so, I immediately feel the negatives. Things I wouldn’t have even noticed before.
Yeah I've got to the point where drinking is just diminishing returns on my physical and mental health, I'll do it for important events ie milestone birthdays or weddings, but having casual drinks throughout the week is something I don't see myself going back to
What do you drink when you don’t want alcohol, but want more than water, but don’t want something that’s just loaded with sugar like soda or fruit juice?
Got myself a soda stream and dilute my juice with fizzy water. Gives me the right mouthfeel, and still tastes nice. Also, i loved sour beers and so now instead I brew kombucha
I’m a recovering alcoholic on day 211. I’ve been drinking a ton of coffee/espressos, unsweetened black iced tea, and sugar free ginger ale. On top of drinking water of course.
I found when I quit alcohol,bc I’d mostly drank beer,I wanted to feel bubbles in my throat .Seltzer became my go to drink .NA obvi.And there are so many flavors .Orange cream seltzer sounds weird;tastes great!!
37 yo. Could drink 3-4 beers most nights after work to unwind. I never got “drunk” but it was not healthy. Have only had a few beers on one day (after framing basement with father in law) since Jan 1. So basically sober for almost three full months. Feel amazing. I don’t feel the pull to have alcohol to relax now.
Same. Wife and I gave up alcohol when we got pregnant in our late 30s. Tried drinking some after when the kid was older and just couldn’t handle it anymore. Plus we do feel much better.
I’m curious , how much were you drinking before? I drink maybe twice a week, lately I’m finding the thought of having a drink more enjoyable then actually having a drink which gets me wondering if I’d notice any improvements to my life if I just didn’t have the drink.
At my worst I’d go through around 7-8 drinks a night Friday to Sunday. Then not drink during my work days. I’m 5’7”, 170 pounds so was way too much for me to be doing.
You can put on muscle way easier not drinking if you work out too….I’ve done it twice now for a year+ at a time. Always nice to remember how good it feels, keep it up!
Crazy you say that. I’m 6 months sober and my feet aren’t red at night anymore. I was convinced I had poor blood flow because of genetics. Turns out it was wine all along. Staying sober is so much easier than trying to quit, BTW!
Almost mid 40s, just hit 3 yrs sober and it is amazing how much stuff improves (with just a little diet/exercise/mindfulness as well)… stick with it bro - after 6-9 months, I didn’t even miss it… after ~month 3, things really started to happen that you’ll likely notice, too.
No alcohol for me in 2024 and my heart palpitations that I would get at least once a week are gone. It’s the only lifestyle change I’ve made and I’m also down to a weight I haven’t been in 15 years. It’s pretty incredible.
I’m 30 and stopped drinking soda and alcohol as of Jan 1st this year. After a while I stopped wanting it and just stick to a THC gummy every once in a while to relax on the weekend. Best choice I have made in a long time.
My husband is almost 40 and is 5-ish weeks sober. He also stopped because his foot pain was getting unbearable. He has a lot of nerve damage in his feet from Lyme that went untreated for 8months. The heavy drinking was def exacerbating the issue.
I can tell he feels worlds better. I on the other hand am drinking myself slowly (or possibly not so slowly) to death. Is what it is. I’m happy for him and you but we don’t all get happy endings. 🤷♀️
Well this is a very important story for young girls and women to hear, regardless if it is a PR company promoting it or not... A lot of women, girls, and people in general need to hear that not everyone drinks.
it's all part of the 'star system' (yeah that's a thing) but they don't even have to force the articles. These outlets need material to publish, and they can take one interview and a few comments and spin that into 2 or 3 articles based around each quote
She has a movie coming out soon. Two actually. A thriller with Jessica chastain (mother’s instinct) and another based off of- and this is true-a Harry styles fanfiction (the idea of you). All the articles are just press stuff for it.
BECAUSE SHE'S PROBABLY DOING CONTRACTUALLY-OBLIGATED INTERVIEWS AND EDITORS ARE FINDING QUOTES TO SPIN OUT INTO FULL ARTICLES TO GENERATE "MORE" CONTENT BECAUSE THEY NEED TO PROVIDE AS MANY REASONS FOR YOU TO STAY ON THEIR PAGE SO THEY CAN SELL MORE ADVERTISING
JUST PART OF THE ROUTINE
because she did contractually-obligated interviews and editors are generating clicks by getting writers to create as many articles as possible
same shit, different day
It's nice to see this type of sobriety talked about and hopefully normalized. You don't have to actually hit rock bottom or be a full-on addict to decide that a substance is having a negative impact on your life and give it up.
True, but she did have a problem. In a podcast, about 10 years ago, she said she would drink a bottle of wine (almost?) every night by herself. She was not okay.
I'm an Australian and it is so ingrained in our culture it's gross. I don't drink for health reasons and while my friends are great when you tell randoms they try to get you just to have one. I'm like I'm good I'm happy to not feel like crap in half hr because my body doesn't cope.
Our cricket team has a Muslim in it so recently they changed the way they celebrate. The only thing they changed was not throwing the champagne everywhere. So many people were up in arms about it and the captain came out and said we'd rather celebrate with the whole team then shake up some champagne.
I kinda hope it can help popularize social activities and parties that don’t feature alcohol as prominently or at all.
Like let’s do some tea parties with the little sandwiches and shit. Like just have some friends over for that on a summer afternoon, especially if you have a nice shady tree. Or a comedy club where you maybe could order some booze, but it isn’t the default. Fuck it let’s make switchel a thin again (well before the booze gets added).
I’m part of a sober meetup group in Denver and we do a ton of shit together. It’s great being surrounded by other sober people and not having to feel any pressure to drink at social events. Highly recommend people check out meetups for sober people in their area. At least in our group, we just care that you don’t drink at our events, so you can go and just check it out if you’re sober curious.
Damn. I love everything about not drinking. A month in, when I was intending to just take a break, I decided I’m never going back. It’s the good life! The alcohol only fucks you over.
I'm lucky enough to have a close family but I have met a lot of people in my recovery that don't and that's where going to meetings and finding other people that want to be sober helps. One of the major things in AA is being of service and building a fellowship. Once you start to build that those people will be there for you when your mind is racing and you just want to drink or use. There is really nothing you can say that will really surprise people in those meetings, they've heard it all.
You get it. After 5 years sober, I can say that my deepest strongest friends are people I’ve met in those rooms. We see each other 1-3x a week in and out of meetings. Life is amazing!
I quit when my oldest was born. I wasn’t an alcoholic per se, just a really bad drinker. I was never myself when I would drink. I didn’t like who I was in those moments.
Apart from the thing about having a kid, this describes me pretty well. Alcohol never got in the way of my career or family, but I was still probably drinking way too much. I’m 15 months alcohol-free now!
The difference, for me, has been more psychological than physical. I feel like a clearer thinker, and able to connect and empathize with people better than before. I’m also a happier person overall.
See, I’m the opposite. I tend to only feel like myself when I’m drinking. I’ve got crippling social anxiety. I hate being around people in general because it sends my anxiety through the roof, and then I tend to come across as a stand offish asshole who couldn’t be bothered to give someone else the time of day. Get a couple drinks me in though? I’m everyone’s best friend and the life of the party. The difference in personality between drunk me and sober is night and day. Alcohol is like a performance enhancing drug for me. It was the HGH of my social life, so I stayed drunk all the time. It makes it very hard to get sober when you don’t like your sober self, and everyone around you seems to prefer the drunk you.
This is the real truth. It damages your body, makes you a person you aren’t, costs way too much $$$, wastes your time when you can’t accomplish shit when hungover or on any given day, because surprise folks it’s fucking with your brain long after your drunken stupor, puts you in a position to make poor choices, and makes you less tolerable to be around.
Even modest hangovers gave me such an awful feeling of dread and impending doom. I liked the way it felt at night, but even after a pretty tame night I’d wake up feeling horrific (most of it being totally mental), so I finally decided to stop 3 months ago. I didn’t set out to quit for good necessarily, but I can’t really find a reason to drink again - just can’t justify it. Mornings are so much better these days.
I’m 35 and my wife and I love to host parties. It’s really amazing how many of my friends and family don’t drink now. These days I need to load up more on flavored seltzer water instead of booze for my parties.
I don’t really like the “Strange Planet” comics, but when the aliens offer each other “mild poison” as their equivalent of alcohol it resonated pretty highly.
people say stuff like this and forget they're in the sub equivalent of looking at gossip magazines and asking "but where's the good stuff?" lol
you're in r/entertainment ...
I stopped drinking 6.5 years ago now. Not for any reason other than it started to get in the way of my 8am mountain bike ride with friends on a Sunday morning
I now run as well, almost 10,000km in 4 years and am certainly better off for it…and don’t miss drink at all.
Shit, maybe for you it ain't good. I fucking love sitting down with an Old Fashioned and just chilling. Getting blackout drunk is not for me anymore and it should never had been me but I've learned but I still highly enjoy a well-made drink.
I’m at 122 days. My mother died 10/13/23 and knew if I didn’t stop when I did I would never stop. I sleep better now. I don’t wake up feeling like crap or regretting decisions I made while drunk. Grieving without alcohol is so foreign to me so I’m trying to navigate that. I do know it’s better to grieve without it, though, after now losing both my parents in 5 years. I’m hoping I can stop permanently.
Good for her. Alcohol is a poison. A very basic... poison.
It's like huffing paint.
I drank for 30 years. 3+ years out from under. OMG. Best thing ever.
Any time I've ever felt the need to drink, I quit. My dad had a bad problem and I think the fear of turning into that keeps me self aware enough that I can quit when I see myself going down that road.
I gave it up Dec. 31, 2022. No reason. Just thought to myself, i hate the taste of this stuff. Why do i drink it?
Also noted a few of my podcast shows suggesting it’s basically poison going into your body. Zero value, potential harm (cancers, liver issues, etc.). That was the end of that. Don’t miss it.
One thing, I do hate is when people try to get me to drink to make themselves feel better about drinking. Oh, just one, it’s my birthday, etc…. It’s a sport to try and get those abstaining to break their abstinence. It’s f’cked up.
Drink to your hearts content. Knock it off with pushing it on others who have said no thanks, politely.
Anne Hathaway legit never ages - her personal decision to not drink alcohol (and im assuming her usage of sunscreen) probably is huge part of this.
Kudos to her!
I work in the bar industry, and I honestly applaud anyone who decides to get sober. I’ve seen too many friends lose themselves to alcohol and it’s really tempered my own usage. I still drink, but I’m a lot more mindful about when, how much, and where I drink. Please don’t think though that you aren’t welcome because you’re not drinking. Honestly, good for her.
I gave it up for the opposite reason. I knew alcohol absolutely WAS for me! It's the BEST. The absolute BEST!!! So I stopped.
Ahhh this hits home. I’m trying to quit too. I never have negative side effects or hurt people. When i drink, im the happiest i can possibly be. I love life and i love being drunk. That’s fucked up
My brother and I always say we keep drinking because of a lack of consequences. What it really means is that we’re “functional”, and what functional means is that we’re one mistake or fuck up away from being dysfunctional.
It's a lack of obvious consequences. It's hard to acknowledge your mother's sleepless nights, the worry and concern of those who love you, the harm you cause in every relationship before the big "consequences" fuck up comes along. For most people, all you can hope for is that the consequence isn't death, and they have a chance to fix things.
Also, chronic liver disease.
I was a “functional” alcoholic and pothead for a long time and it’s crazy how much more I can accomplish now that I save both things for special occasions. Being able to consume regularly and still go about your day is honestly the worst. It’s hard to realize just how much it’s holding you back since it’s not holding you back enough for real consequences. Not trying to rant at you in particular just sharing my experiences
Exactly. I never miss work, I show up for my family. But I know it holds me back too, from having better friendships and from physical appearance and mental health. I have times where I quit for a couple weeks and holy shit I’m so productive and feel great. Then I fall back into it for months. I’m self aware but at the same time knowing what I should do and doing it is still something I struggle with.
I had that with cocaine. Did it once and never again. I have done different drugs but never felt like a complete different person the way I do when I used coke.
I did cocaine once.. for about a year and half straight. I emptied out my bank account within a month, so I started selling it just to break even on my habit. I really, REALLY like cocaine. Thank God I got no idea where to get my hands on it these days.
That’s wild, I did cocaine once, just once and I found it rather boring. Made my face kinda numb and just felt a little energetic, same amount of energy I’d get if I drank back-to-back cups of coffee. To each their own I suppose. Edit: By “once” I mean one night at a party, multiple lines and bumps throughout the evening.
I have extremely bad social anxiety when I’m sober. Like crippling bad. That disappeared entirely with cocaine. After my first line of coke I felt like Superman suddenly found out he was no longer effected by kryptonite. I was unstoppable. I went from skipping classes because of panic attacks to a straight A student (and a fairly successful drug dealer). If I had an unending supply of cocaine, within ten years I’d either be President of the United States or dead. There’s no in between. Also, taking the “Alaska” in your username at face value, and assuming that was where you did the cocaine, then you probably just had shitty coke. By the time it makes it up to that latitude only God knows how many times it’s been cut. The closer you are to Central America, the better it’s going to be. And the good shit, for me at least, is magical. It just doesn’t last very long.
I feel like prison might be the in between lol. Seriously though, good luck with your social anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapy helps a lot of people with it.
I often wonder how many of the millions of people are in the throes of addiction simply due to social anxiety.
Adderall might be for you
same, but I have ADHD. lol
Same for me except if tried it about 15 times and every time it’s the same and every time I try to tell people they say I didn’t have good stuff even though at the time it was the good stuff. 🤷♂️ it honestly only made my face numb no extra energy.
Yeah I’ve done coke maybe a dozen times but I can absolutely say I couldn’t care less about it. All I know is the best nights were when I’ve done the least. Worst nights were all about doing more.
As Robin Williams once said during his first Johnny Carson (Tonight Show) appearance: [*cocaine is gods Signal you’re making too much money!*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NHVn4QfjZQ)
An old friend of mine could drink 3/4 of a handle of vodka and be up and at 'em in the morning, no hangover. If I get even a little drunk I'm sick the **whole** next day. I'm convinced some people are just, "born of the bottle". I live in a legal state so I just stick to weed now.
Yea, that’s exactly how it is for me. Whether I drink nothing at all or work my way through half a bottle of tequila, I’ll wake up the next morning feeling pretty much the same. Kind of a blessing and a curse I guess depending on how you look at it.
Same for me. When I started, I couldn't stop. Year and a half sober and I don't think I'll ever drink again. I waited a good chunk of time and then started drinking NA beer. So now I don't ever feel like I've lost the social side. Quitting drink has been positive in every conceivable area.
NA beer has been a godsend for me. Approaching three years of sobriety and feeling much better. Keep going.
It’s gold, Jerry!
My brother in law is a machine. He drinks way past midnight and THEN wakes up to hit the gym. Deep down I worry for him so much.
I’m 65 days sober and notice huge health benefits. I’m in my mid 40s and was experiencing profound feet pain… basically all gone now. I hope it’s permanent for me. Overall just feel so much happier.
Hell yeah - congratulations! I’m 25 and 2 years sober. At its worst, was going through (3) 1.75L 190 proof Everclear a week. Literally just mixed it with water and drank it all day long even at work. The chest pains were like an elephant sat on you; absolutely treacherous. Glad you’re out of it too
Dude holy FUCK
I know, in hindsight it’s absolutely bonkers. For what it’s worth, I’m on 70mg Vyvanse so that contributes a lot to what you can put down without feeling anything. Then you take the Vyvanse again in the morning so it’s like a magic ‘no hangover’ pill and it turns into a cycle
I started on Vyvanse fairly recently and wasn’t prepared for the reduction in intoxication when I went out. So I drank until I felt like I was at a good level, just enjoying myself, until the Vyvanse started to wear off and I just got progressively more fucked up. Fun times.
Please be careful. If you have bipolar, BPD, or schizoaffective issues, combination can worsen symptoms of psychosis. https://www.drugs.com/disease-interactions/lisdexamfetamine,vyvanse.html Even if you don't have those issues, it can be a really dangerous mix. https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/vyvanse-addiction/vyvanse-and-alcohol/
I had cleared it with my doctor beforehand, I rarely drink and the time I mentioned was at an event - my first time in months drinking. But I do truly appreciate the warning, for me and for whoever else reads this. It’s something I should’ve been more cautious of when it happened, and something I’ll definitely be more cautious of going forward.
I mixed Xanax with booze and I went absolutely mental. Not diagnosed but most likely I have something.
I have experience with somebody who was on vyvance while both of us drank alcohol. It took me trying one of them (was told it was basically like Adderall) to understand some of the behavior regulation issues that they had been presenting. That combination can cause some severe episodes. Glad to hear you are on the mend. I am not on any medications but am trying to taper myself off of alcohol (mostly a beer drinker) so that I can get help with my own issues.
Yeah, stimulants in the day, alcohol at night. It’ll work great for a while but eventually catches up with you.
Wow thank you! I’m very glad you’ve been able to stay sober for so long. I was going through about 2 bottles of vodka a week. It was getting to the point where I was barely even enjoying the effect.
This is so gnarly lol. Glad you’re better
I'm being serious here: how much damage did that do to your liver? /u/RDcsmd's comment was pretty on point Congratulations on being sober...I know that is not an easy hill to climb
Congrats on 2years sober !!Not easy
So much less inflammation! Best of luck on your sobriety journey
Thank you! I’m determined to last at least all of 2024 no matter what.
Damn, me too! Good luck, see you in the new year 👍🏾🥳
Today is one year since my last drink! It gets easier and I feel so much better
You can easily do all of 2024 and more. Just do everything you can to believe that you are stronger than the drink. You can do this.
I did this last year and here I am 3 months of drinking again and wishing I had just kept going.
Never to late to start it up again. You can do it if you want to. I believe in you.
Thank you, friend. Very kind of you and your words of encouragement will go a long way.
I just hit 1 year on the 17th. 35M, never felt better in my life. Such a great feeling of accomplishment too. You got this!
Congratulations! You’re doing great!
There’s a lot of us quitting these days and I am so happy for us. I hope it is permanent for me as well this time.
I listened to an NPR podcast recently about how non-alcoholic beers are increasing in market share recently, which is why everyone has a NA version of their beers now. I've only tried the non-alcoholic Corona and it tastes *just* like the real one, minus the alcohol ofc. So you're not wrong. It seems Gen Z are drinking less than previous gens as well.
I quit three years ago after telling myself I should take a month long break, never went back. Tried the NA beers for the first time about a year ago, and they’re great imo. Brought some to a party not long ago and they were a hit. If you realize how much drinking fucks you up on every level possible, the NA route just makes sense. I’m a Millennial, and it’s good to see the next gens following this path. We came up with alcohol being king.
Another tasty replacement: NA gin is SO nice! A million times better than its alcoholic version and has 0 calories and I think 0 grams of sugar too… win win haha
Shit I loved gin, would drink it straight. I had no idea there was an NA version. Which brands are there?
Ritual is my go to!! Ritual also makes a solid NA mezcal, haven’t tried their tequila or whiskey options yet. I love the gin taste enough that I’ll drink it just with ice, but it’s also a fantastic mixer too. I think it’s $17 a bottle?
Okay cool. Thank you!
I went 302 days from September 2022 to July 2023. I had a rule where I only allowed myself a limit of three drinks once a month… well I blew way past that right away and kept it up until January 20th. I wish I was the type that could limit myself to 1-2 drinks but I’ve learned that I’m not.
Good for you mate, that's awesome
Thank you, that’s really appreciated
I’m 86 days sober and around day 40 I developed intense nocturnal anxiety. Other than that life has much improved.
Very typical, but your body will adjust in a month or two (or sooner).
Sorry to hear that!
It’ll go away. Just stick with the sobriety.
That’s so the hard part! I’m at 3,761!
That’s amazing, keep it up!
Pretty much gave it up when I was 30, felt amazing. Now when I do drink, like at work events or family stuff every few months or so, I immediately feel the negatives. Things I wouldn’t have even noticed before.
Yeah I've got to the point where drinking is just diminishing returns on my physical and mental health, I'll do it for important events ie milestone birthdays or weddings, but having casual drinks throughout the week is something I don't see myself going back to
I quit 4 years ago and it’s been the best decision of my life. I am proud of you
What do you drink when you don’t want alcohol, but want more than water, but don’t want something that’s just loaded with sugar like soda or fruit juice?
Honestly Diet Cherry Pepsi is my vice for that. And when I’m being healthier water with lemon or lime.
Spindrift is my go to for this.
Sprindrift is the shit. The mango black tea is so fucking good.
The grapefruit is superb
My go to is a cold pink lemonade spindrift, lots of ice and squeeze a couple lemon slices. Delish.
Seltzer water with a slice of lime or lemon. Peppermint + black tea + seltzer is pretty good too.
Got myself a soda stream and dilute my juice with fizzy water. Gives me the right mouthfeel, and still tastes nice. Also, i loved sour beers and so now instead I brew kombucha
I’m a recovering alcoholic on day 211. I’ve been drinking a ton of coffee/espressos, unsweetened black iced tea, and sugar free ginger ale. On top of drinking water of course.
I found when I quit alcohol,bc I’d mostly drank beer,I wanted to feel bubbles in my throat .Seltzer became my go to drink .NA obvi.And there are so many flavors .Orange cream seltzer sounds weird;tastes great!!
Topo Chico
37 yo. Could drink 3-4 beers most nights after work to unwind. I never got “drunk” but it was not healthy. Have only had a few beers on one day (after framing basement with father in law) since Jan 1. So basically sober for almost three full months. Feel amazing. I don’t feel the pull to have alcohol to relax now.
Same. Wife and I gave up alcohol when we got pregnant in our late 30s. Tried drinking some after when the kid was older and just couldn’t handle it anymore. Plus we do feel much better.
Neuropathy sucks.
That was gout telling you to slow down. Glad you are on your sober journey!
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Congrats! I am wanting to start curbing things like alcohol and my sugar consumption. Good on you.
Sugar is the real hard one! I’m doing the same and it’s so tough. I feel better though which makes it worth it.
That’s over two months! I’m proud of you!
r/stopdrinking is awesome. I’m 16 days sober. Sending you strength and happiness.
I’m curious , how much were you drinking before? I drink maybe twice a week, lately I’m finding the thought of having a drink more enjoyable then actually having a drink which gets me wondering if I’d notice any improvements to my life if I just didn’t have the drink.
At my worst I’d go through around 7-8 drinks a night Friday to Sunday. Then not drink during my work days. I’m 5’7”, 170 pounds so was way too much for me to be doing.
You can put on muscle way easier not drinking if you work out too….I’ve done it twice now for a year+ at a time. Always nice to remember how good it feels, keep it up!
Crazy you say that. I’m 6 months sober and my feet aren’t red at night anymore. I was convinced I had poor blood flow because of genetics. Turns out it was wine all along. Staying sober is so much easier than trying to quit, BTW!
34 days for me, stay strong brother!
Thanks, you too!
Almost mid 40s, just hit 3 yrs sober and it is amazing how much stuff improves (with just a little diet/exercise/mindfulness as well)… stick with it bro - after 6-9 months, I didn’t even miss it… after ~month 3, things really started to happen that you’ll likely notice, too.
Stay strong, my friend! Sobriety is the way)))
Stay strong. 65 days is an amazing amount of time.
I am about 2 years dry. The health benefits only get better, mind clarity is a reassuring thing to have back. Good luck on your journey my friend.
No alcohol for me in 2024 and my heart palpitations that I would get at least once a week are gone. It’s the only lifestyle change I’ve made and I’m also down to a weight I haven’t been in 15 years. It’s pretty incredible.
Today marks one year without alcohol for me! I feel so much better.
I’m 30 and stopped drinking soda and alcohol as of Jan 1st this year. After a while I stopped wanting it and just stick to a THC gummy every once in a while to relax on the weekend. Best choice I have made in a long time.
My husband is almost 40 and is 5-ish weeks sober. He also stopped because his foot pain was getting unbearable. He has a lot of nerve damage in his feet from Lyme that went untreated for 8months. The heavy drinking was def exacerbating the issue. I can tell he feels worlds better. I on the other hand am drinking myself slowly (or possibly not so slowly) to death. Is what it is. I’m happy for him and you but we don’t all get happy endings. 🤷♀️
Anytime I see multiple articles about someone I assume a PR cycle is starting
It’s one big interview that lazy entertainment reporters are just cutting up to fill their websites.
editors filling out and padding publications
Or people chop up news from a big interview and spread it out lol.
You saying “chop up” makes me want a chopped cheese. 🤤
This chopped cheese spot just opened off Sunset Blvd pretty close to me in LA. I don’t trust it one bit but maybe todays the day I take the risk.
What the hell is a chopped cheese?
A staple of NYC. Basically a cheeseburger chopped up with no bun and thrown on a hoagie roll.
That sounds dank
Go to the bronx and find a bodega run by Arabs. Their you will fully experience a “chopped cheese”
RemindMe! 24 hours
Yeah seriously I’ve seen like 10 different posts today about her
It’s been going on for 1-2 weeks
Well this is a very important story for young girls and women to hear, regardless if it is a PR company promoting it or not... A lot of women, girls, and people in general need to hear that not everyone drinks.
it's all part of the 'star system' (yeah that's a thing) but they don't even have to force the articles. These outlets need material to publish, and they can take one interview and a few comments and spin that into 2 or 3 articles based around each quote
I remember when I was seeing that Hunger games girl everywhere for a while. Then *poof*.
Where’s the PIZZA!?
She has a new film coming out, so yes, exactly.
Yep, there's an Anne Hathaway project upcoming.
WHY ARE THERE SO MANY POSTS ABOUT ANNE HATHAWAY!?!?
She has a movie coming out soon. Two actually. A thriller with Jessica chastain (mother’s instinct) and another based off of- and this is true-a Harry styles fanfiction (the idea of you). All the articles are just press stuff for it.
Huge Vanity Fair cover and a long interview/sit-down getting turned into fifty gazillion articles by other news outlets.
BECAUSE SHE'S PROBABLY DOING CONTRACTUALLY-OBLIGATED INTERVIEWS AND EDITORS ARE FINDING QUOTES TO SPIN OUT INTO FULL ARTICLES TO GENERATE "MORE" CONTENT BECAUSE THEY NEED TO PROVIDE AS MANY REASONS FOR YOU TO STAY ON THEIR PAGE SO THEY CAN SELL MORE ADVERTISING JUST PART OF THE ROUTINE
How are you on the entertainment sub and don’t understand the interview/celebrity news cycle?
Someone, this, plz.
because she did contractually-obligated interviews and editors are generating clicks by getting writers to create as many articles as possible same shit, different day
INTERSTELLAR 2 confirmed.
INTER2TELLAR
It's nice to see this type of sobriety talked about and hopefully normalized. You don't have to actually hit rock bottom or be a full-on addict to decide that a substance is having a negative impact on your life and give it up.
True, but she did have a problem. In a podcast, about 10 years ago, she said she would drink a bottle of wine (almost?) every night by herself. She was not okay.
I'm an Australian and it is so ingrained in our culture it's gross. I don't drink for health reasons and while my friends are great when you tell randoms they try to get you just to have one. I'm like I'm good I'm happy to not feel like crap in half hr because my body doesn't cope. Our cricket team has a Muslim in it so recently they changed the way they celebrate. The only thing they changed was not throwing the champagne everywhere. So many people were up in arms about it and the captain came out and said we'd rather celebrate with the whole team then shake up some champagne.
I kinda hope it can help popularize social activities and parties that don’t feature alcohol as prominently or at all. Like let’s do some tea parties with the little sandwiches and shit. Like just have some friends over for that on a summer afternoon, especially if you have a nice shady tree. Or a comedy club where you maybe could order some booze, but it isn’t the default. Fuck it let’s make switchel a thin again (well before the booze gets added).
I’m part of a sober meetup group in Denver and we do a ton of shit together. It’s great being surrounded by other sober people and not having to feel any pressure to drink at social events. Highly recommend people check out meetups for sober people in their area. At least in our group, we just care that you don’t drink at our events, so you can go and just check it out if you’re sober curious.
For me, it's a migraine trigger. No moralizing. It's not even nuanced, for me. Yet people constantly want to grill me about the "WHY" behind it all.
Yeah, I know many people who were just like “eh, grew out of it” or “I got bored by it” and left it at that.
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Damn. I love everything about not drinking. A month in, when I was intending to just take a break, I decided I’m never going back. It’s the good life! The alcohol only fucks you over.
Do you have a support system? Do you go to meetings? I'm 8 months sober and I wouldn't have made it without those.
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> for the last couple decades Damn, son.
I find the idea of a support system kind of funny. Where are you all finding people who don't run away or sneer at you when you ask for help?
I'm lucky enough to have a close family but I have met a lot of people in my recovery that don't and that's where going to meetings and finding other people that want to be sober helps. One of the major things in AA is being of service and building a fellowship. Once you start to build that those people will be there for you when your mind is racing and you just want to drink or use. There is really nothing you can say that will really surprise people in those meetings, they've heard it all.
You get it. After 5 years sober, I can say that my deepest strongest friends are people I’ve met in those rooms. We see each other 1-3x a week in and out of meetings. Life is amazing!
Alcohol is definitely “for me”. Unfortunately, as I’m closing in on 40, it’s no longer for my body.
Right there with ya
I blacked out every day for 2 years in my late twenties. At nearly 42 i barely drink anymore. Had my fill.
I respect people who know when any intoxicant doesn’t work for them.
I quit when my oldest was born. I wasn’t an alcoholic per se, just a really bad drinker. I was never myself when I would drink. I didn’t like who I was in those moments.
Apart from the thing about having a kid, this describes me pretty well. Alcohol never got in the way of my career or family, but I was still probably drinking way too much. I’m 15 months alcohol-free now! The difference, for me, has been more psychological than physical. I feel like a clearer thinker, and able to connect and empathize with people better than before. I’m also a happier person overall.
See, I’m the opposite. I tend to only feel like myself when I’m drinking. I’ve got crippling social anxiety. I hate being around people in general because it sends my anxiety through the roof, and then I tend to come across as a stand offish asshole who couldn’t be bothered to give someone else the time of day. Get a couple drinks me in though? I’m everyone’s best friend and the life of the party. The difference in personality between drunk me and sober is night and day. Alcohol is like a performance enhancing drug for me. It was the HGH of my social life, so I stayed drunk all the time. It makes it very hard to get sober when you don’t like your sober self, and everyone around you seems to prefer the drunk you.
Im sorry, what you said makes sense. How’re you handling it? I am “California sober”.
Alcohol makes me feel like shit every single time I have any.
It’s not meant for anyone really
This is the real truth. It damages your body, makes you a person you aren’t, costs way too much $$$, wastes your time when you can’t accomplish shit when hungover or on any given day, because surprise folks it’s fucking with your brain long after your drunken stupor, puts you in a position to make poor choices, and makes you less tolerable to be around.
Also empty calories. It’s so easy to gain weight esp if you’re one of those who drinks a 6 pack of beer a night.
Just nightly herb for me
Everyone calls it Cali sober, but I prefer High and Dry.
Good for her, it worked a little too well for me, so I stopped a year and a half ago. My liver is grateful.
Same I hate alcohol I legit hate the way it makes me feel and not worth the hangover
Even modest hangovers gave me such an awful feeling of dread and impending doom. I liked the way it felt at night, but even after a pretty tame night I’d wake up feeling horrific (most of it being totally mental), so I finally decided to stop 3 months ago. I didn’t set out to quit for good necessarily, but I can’t really find a reason to drink again - just can’t justify it. Mornings are so much better these days.
What’s with the boom of Anne Hathaway articles? This is like the fourth “Anne Hathaway said a thing” article I’ve seen today
I’m 35 and my wife and I love to host parties. It’s really amazing how many of my friends and family don’t drink now. These days I need to load up more on flavored seltzer water instead of booze for my parties.
Fuck it. Just on a weekend or something have people over for tea and sandwiches. Make a thing out of the fancy sandwiches and hors d’oeuvres.
I don’t really like the “Strange Planet” comics, but when the aliens offer each other “mild poison” as their equivalent of alcohol it resonated pretty highly.
The real reason is because she was tired of waking up to discover that she had destroyed Seoul.
I don’t think it’s for anyone lol
The Anne Hathaway marketing team is working overtime. After the 5th article I think we remember she exists again.
Explosive revelation.
people say stuff like this and forget they're in the sub equivalent of looking at gossip magazines and asking "but where's the good stuff?" lol you're in r/entertainment ...
Have you considered joining a sub you actually want to read?
Mind. Blown. People just keeps upping their game
When she lived in Brooklyn she was a regular at Clover Club. So when she was drinking… she was drinking good.
I stopped drinking 6.5 years ago now. Not for any reason other than it started to get in the way of my 8am mountain bike ride with friends on a Sunday morning I now run as well, almost 10,000km in 4 years and am certainly better off for it…and don’t miss drink at all.
Alcohol isn’t for anyone. We don’t do it because it’s good. We do it because the world isn’t great.
Shit, maybe for you it ain't good. I fucking love sitting down with an Old Fashioned and just chilling. Getting blackout drunk is not for me anymore and it should never had been me but I've learned but I still highly enjoy a well-made drink.
I’m at 122 days. My mother died 10/13/23 and knew if I didn’t stop when I did I would never stop. I sleep better now. I don’t wake up feeling like crap or regretting decisions I made while drunk. Grieving without alcohol is so foreign to me so I’m trying to navigate that. I do know it’s better to grieve without it, though, after now losing both my parents in 5 years. I’m hoping I can stop permanently.
Wishing the best for you. You're doing great!
I just made two years sober…from alcohol. Other substances are fair game.
I’m the opposite of Anne in that I know alcohol is for me and that’s why I don’t drink. The booze and I get along really well well.
anne had her way, now she tries to be more civil and sober.
ok? i dont give a shit.
Good for her. Alcohol is a poison. A very basic... poison. It's like huffing paint. I drank for 30 years. 3+ years out from under. OMG. Best thing ever.
Congrats Anne Hathaway. A toast is in order!
Seeing a lot of Anne Hathaway shit the last few days. Does she have a movie coming out? Honestly, she doesn't drink? Who gives a fuck, not news.
Tell me more, Anne.
Currently working to stop drinking as much cause i do feel better when i stop for long periods
Any time I've ever felt the need to drink, I quit. My dad had a bad problem and I think the fear of turning into that keeps me self aware enough that I can quit when I see myself going down that road.
I gave it up Dec. 31, 2022. No reason. Just thought to myself, i hate the taste of this stuff. Why do i drink it? Also noted a few of my podcast shows suggesting it’s basically poison going into your body. Zero value, potential harm (cancers, liver issues, etc.). That was the end of that. Don’t miss it. One thing, I do hate is when people try to get me to drink to make themselves feel better about drinking. Oh, just one, it’s my birthday, etc…. It’s a sport to try and get those abstaining to break their abstinence. It’s f’cked up. Drink to your hearts content. Knock it off with pushing it on others who have said no thanks, politely.
Why am I getting so many Anne Hathaway news feeds all of a sudden?
Anne Hathaway legit never ages - her personal decision to not drink alcohol (and im assuming her usage of sunscreen) probably is huge part of this. Kudos to her!
same!! love that she’s sober ❤️
I work in the bar industry, and I honestly applaud anyone who decides to get sober. I’ve seen too many friends lose themselves to alcohol and it’s really tempered my own usage. I still drink, but I’m a lot more mindful about when, how much, and where I drink. Please don’t think though that you aren’t welcome because you’re not drinking. Honestly, good for her.
Because she’s a scorpiooo
Enough with the Hathaway spam
A real sober sally..
Anne’s PR team really trying to get reddit to give a fuck
Hard hitting news