Giving up the drink.

I stopped drinking quite a few years back. When the kids came along I went out less and less and never drunk much in the house Probably 6 or 7 years ago I just started to choose juice instead and can't say I have missed alcohol. On special occasions I may have a bottle of beer but I think I have had a pint of Shandy and a bottle of lager in about the last 5 years or so. I stopped smoking 16 years ago when the kids arrived and my only real vice is sweets. I make up for bevvy and fags by consuming way too much chocolate etc and I will have to deal with that at some point but not in the winter

I almost never drink in the house. Maybe a vodka and tonic very occasionally at the weekend but that's it. I think I've said it before, maybe even on this thread, I just find it boring. Getting a bit pissed in the house by 10pm and then what?

I'd much rather not spend however much on a bottle of wine or a few cans each week and then really enjoy a drink when I'm out. Going without alcohol is no big deal for me, particularly at home, I can go weeks without a drink then enjoy a few beers when I go out without worrying about the cost.

It's more about the social aspect than the drink in a lot of ways for me. I love a good pub and either a blether or just watching the world go by.

I was alcohol dependent for years, my Dad was an alcoholic so more likely in the genes, is that possible ? Now I can take or leave, didnt want to turn into the alcohol fuelled monster my Dad was

Tend not to be too fussed with it now but still like ales as opposed to gassy lagers. Vodka I like in moderation, which is ironic since that was my Dads blootered take me to oblivion go to drink (litre a day for many years before he died) but only if Im out with the other half, I cant have vodka in the house because I think of my Dad

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Originally Posted by Bridge hibs

I was alcohol dependent for years, my Dad was an alcoholic so more likely in the genes, is that possible ? Now I can take or leave, didnt want to turn into the alcohol fuelled monster my Dad was

Tend not to be too fussed with it now but still like ales as opposed to gassy lagers. Vodka I like in moderation, which is ironic since that was my Dads blootered take me to oblivion go to drink (litre a day for many years before he died) but only if Im out with the other half, I cant have vodka in the house because I think of my Dad

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Well done mate 👏

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Originally Posted by Stairway 2 7

Well done mate 👏

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Thanks mate👍

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Originally Posted by Bridge hibs

Thanks mate[emoji106]

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Just underlining that well done Bridge. Most people really struggle to break that dependency. It’s incredible what you have achieved [emoji119]. Inspiring for many people I’m sure

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Originally Posted by bigwheel

Just underlining that well done Bridge. Most people really struggle to break that dependency. It’s incredible what you have achieved [emoji119]. Inspiring for many people I’m sure

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Thanks mate, I accidently deleted my long winded reply

I enjoy a drink or two now and then, the emphasis being enjoy, I couldnt ever be the mirror of my alcoholic abusive father although I was heading that way

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Originally Posted by Bridge hibs

I was alcohol dependent for years, my Dad was an alcoholic so more likely in the genes, is that possible ? Now I can take or leave, didnt want to turn into the alcohol fuelled monster my Dad was

Tend not to be too fussed with it now but still like ales as opposed to gassy lagers. Vodka I like in moderation, which is ironic since that was my Dads blootered take me to oblivion go to drink (litre a day for many years before he died) but only if Im out with the other half, I cant have vodka in the house because I think of my Dad

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Well done.

My mum was similar to your Dad and I could easily have ended up that way. She was 40 fags and at least a litre of vaddie a day from first thing until bedtime. She functioned through teh vast majority of that though.

I was a 50 pints a week plus nips for years and years and at one point that was moving from the pub to the house and moving more from beer to spirits. I probably slowed the consumption just before it controlled me and now could easily see me never having a drink again. Alcohol never really crosses my mind and I have no desire to ever get drunk again. I can't say I ever really enjoyed the taste it was more about getting drunk and getting away from life. I'll run off and do some photography when I get that feeling these days.

Had my first bevvy of 2022 on Saturday; no surprise it was Hibs that drove me to drink. I felt horrendous yesterday; I just can't deal with hangovers.

It's hard work supporting this club.

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Originally Posted by Hibernia&Alba

Had my first bevvy of 2022 on Saturday; no surprise it was Hibs that drove me to drink. I felt horrendous yesterday; I just can't deal with hangovers.

It's hard work supporting this club.

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Apart from what Ive posted above, it was the anxiety that was killing me, the half 2 in the morning dreads on waking up, the irrational thinking and nausea. I stopped getting the standard headache and rough feeling which was replaced by the anxiety

Hibs give me that too though 🤣 thankfully its all managed and Im now a 2 can or real ale dan now 🤣

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Originally Posted by Bridge hibs

Apart from what Ive posted above, it was the anxiety that was killing me, the half 2 in the morning dreads on waking up, the irrational thinking and nausea. I stopped getting the standard headache and rough feeling which was replaced by the anxiety

Hibs give me that too though 🤣 thankfully its all managed and Im now a 2 can or real ale dan now 🤣

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Yes, the anxious feelings were very much in evidence yesterday. I'm the same, I rarely drink these days, as I just can't deal with the after effects. Think it's just an age thing: it takes me far longer to recover.

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Originally Posted by Hibernia&Alba

Yes, the anxious feelings were very much in evidence yesterday. I'm the same, I rarely drink these days, as I just can't deal with the after effects. Think it's just an age thing: it takes me far longer to recover.

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Yeah long gone are the daft teen days, few pints after work on a Friday, few pints on a Saturday before a game followed by many more after, following day paracetamol and a pint of water, greasy brekkie and sorted 🤣

I’ve got a stag do this weekend in Amsterdam and I’m already feeling hungover at the thought of it. Barely had a drop of alcohol this year

Im starting to think a break is due again..Im never out for big sessions these days but most days for a couple of pints late afternoon, bit of craic with the old locals. But Im also noticing that Im planning my day around those couple of beers rather than fitting them in to the rest of my day. Its not all consuming but im engaging with thoughts about guinness more than is healthy..Ive had a long breaks before which were fine, the thought of whether id be able to manage were harder. I've a a few things on in june which would be better with a clear head so maybe try & get a run till then. First test this weekend with the mrs is away to London

Good on you OP. I go through phases of really wanting to pack it all in but extremely difficult as my social life is built around beers.

It’s my stag do this weekend so that’s going to be extremely heavy, after that I’m sure I’ll want to quit again but can’t see it happening!

Quite looking forward to the season finishing so I can lower the quantities of drink. Like others I rarely drink in the house, maybe a few cans for an FA Cup Final type day.

Every social aspect of my life seems to have pints involved though. Goto the fitba and its a few pints before and after, goto a gig and its a few pints before, during and after. Goto the snooker hall and its a few pints before, during and after.

Quite enjoy drinking myself 'cos I can quite easily have 3-4 then go home. Goto the boozer with pals though and i find it impossible to pull myself away if the pint and crack is good.

Never really one for drinking at all tbh but decided to give up entirely when we moved house. Most of my biggest regrets in life have come from how I behaved when drinking, and it was getting to the point where I didn't even like the feeling of being drunk any more let alone hangovers.

Don't miss it one bit and have never felt inclined to start again. The fact that my partner is near-teetotal helps too.

Scotland has an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. The current SG tried to address it with minimum pricing policies but I don’t know if that has impacted on anyone or whether it just raises more taxes. It’s definitely cultural- drinking to be seen as sociable is a factor. Folk feeling you can only have a good time when pished. I’ve even heard folk pressuring their kids over not wanting to drink because the parent was worried that the kid was weird or not going to fit in.

Id say I’m an occasional drinker - the odd drink if out for a special occasion or at an event but it’s never the main aspect of any occasion and I just don’t feel any need to drink in the house. Quite relaxed with that situation and never get into a situation where I have any hangover days or lose control of what’s going on by being totally pished.

Has anyone been influenced by the minimum pricing strategy?

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Originally Posted by LewysGot2

Scotland has an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. The current SG tried to address it with minimum pricing policies but I don’t know if that has impacted on anyone or whether it just raises more taxes. It’s definitely cultural- drinking to be seen as sociable is a factor. Folk feeling you can only have a good time when pished. I’ve even heard folk pressuring their kids over not wanting to drink because the parent was worried that the kid was weird or not going to fit in.

Id say I’m an occasional drinker - the odd drink if out for a special occasion or at an event but it’s never the main aspect of any occasion and I just don’t feel any need to drink in the house. Quite relaxed with that situation and never get into a situation where I have any hangover days or lose control of what’s going on by being totally pished.

Has anyone been influenced by the minimum pricing strategy?

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Don't think Minimum pricing actually raises any taxes, from memory, I think it just goes to the retailer.

I have not been influenced by it at all. Though the price of most lagers etc... hasn't really increased substantially due to it.

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Originally Posted by Lendo

I’ve got a stag do this weekend in Amsterdam and I’m already feeling hungover at the thought of it. Barely had a drop of alcohol this year

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I had my stag do in Newcastle a few weeks back.

1st beer was cracked open before 10am on the train on the Friday and last one was in my neighbours garden at 11.30 on the Sunday night. The physical hangover was ok. Felt rough but it was bearable. Mentally I was an anxious wreck for about a week.

My wedding is this weekend then I'm away next weekend to Cambridge and Newmarket. After that I won't be touching a drop until after my planned October marathon.

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Originally Posted by Pretty Boy

I had my stag do in Newcastle a few weeks back.

1st beer was cracked open before 10am on the train on the Friday and last one was in my neighbours garden at 11.30 on the Sunday night. The physical hangover was ok. Felt rough but it was bearable. Mentally I was an anxious wreck for about a week.

My wedding is this weekend then I'm away next weekend to Cambridge and Newmarket. After that I won't be touching a drop until after my planned October marathon.

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Good luck on your big day PB.

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Originally Posted by Onceinawhile

Don't think Minimum pricing actually raises any taxes, from memory, I think it just goes to the retailer.

I have not been influenced by it at all. Though the price of most lagers etc... hasn't really increased substantially due to it.

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Not through increased prices means increased VAT?

Minimum pricing has been shown not to work, people just spend more on drink.

Thankfully each year a smaller percentage of young people drink. Coffee shops have replaced the pubs that are closing. The old boys at my work that talk about the days when most guys would go to the boozer after work, seems alien to us

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Originally Posted by Stairway 2 7

Minimum pricing has been shown not to work, people just spend more on drink.

Thankfully each year a smaller percentage of young people drink. Coffee shops have replaced the pubs that are closing. The old boys at my work that talk about the days when most guys would go to the boozer after work, seems alien to us

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I think the biggest change when it comes to drinking habits is the increasing tightening of drink driving laws over the years. People just can't take the chance anymore as even 1 pint could push you over the limit.

Even 10 years ago I was working in a hotel that had a band of regulars who would happily knock back 3 pints of Belhaven Best then jump in their cars to drive home.

Same goes for health and safety. There are guys in the warehouse at my work who have been around for 30 years. They talk about how they used to go to the pub every lunchtime for a toastie, a game of darts and 2 pints then jump back on their forklifts in the afternoon. That would be dismissal for gross misconduct these days.

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Originally Posted by Hibrandenburg

Good luck on your big day PB.

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Thank you, looking forward to it now.

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Originally Posted by Pretty Boy

I think the biggest change when it comes to drinking habits is the increasing tightening of drink driving laws over the years. People just can't take the chance anymore as even 1 pint could push you over the limit.

Even 10 years ago I was working in a hotel that had a band of regulars who would happily knock back 3 pints of Belhaven Best then jump in their cars to drive home.

Same goes for health and safety. There are guys in the warehouse at my work who have been around for 30 years. They talk about how they used to go to the pub every lunchtime for a toastie, a game of darts and 2 pints then jump back on their forklifts in the afternoon. That would be dismissal for gross misconduct these days.

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Aye the afternoon drinking stories from the old boys from all their different jobs are brilliant. Phone in the round then run down, arse some pints then back to work, lucky *******s 😆

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Originally Posted by Stairway 2 7

Aye the afternoon drinking stories from the old boys from all their different jobs are brilliant. Phone in the round then run down, arse some pints then back to work, lucky *******s ��

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There was a regular team of up to four managers at a place I worked in the 90s/2000s who would walk around to the pub every single lunchtime and knock back five pints in the hour. They'd come back nasty drunk too. Amazing how these sort of folks got away with it for so many years.

Remember too the local binmen who would clock on early and literally run around their route with the lorry to get doen as quickly as possible. You'd see them in pub by 11am for the duration.

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Originally Posted by Pretty Boy

I think the biggest change when it comes to drinking habits is the increasing tightening of drink driving laws over the years. People just can't take the chance anymore as even 1 pint could push you over the limit.

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It has really killed the takings of a lot of golf club bars too - the days of having one pint after your round before driving home are long gone.

I’m from a generation where drink driving has always been a taboo. Interesting how that changed over the space of a decade or so. I drove straight to a garden party from Hampden on Saturday and the hostess is probably 10-15 years old than me. I was immediately given a glass of white wine which I probably drank about a third of over the course of two hours. She seemed very surprised that I wasn’t going to finish it before leaving!

My wife and I started doing 2 nights a week only. Any two nights, but only two.

It's really helped us cut back on the amount we drink week to week.

We do have certain circumstances where this gets kicked though, COVID a few weeks ago was a 10 day session from which I've only just recovered!

Living in Corstorphine is a good way to cut down on drink.
All the pubs are horrible. The Roseburn Bar is the nearest decent boozer.