# People who used to drink alcohol - When did you give up and why? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 12, 2018, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-used-to-drink-alcohol-when-did-you-give-up-and-why/814073 "2018-05-12T22:59:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-used-to-drink-alcohol-when-did-you-give-up-and-why/814073/42 "2018-05-14T18:45:23Z")
> [@Leo\_Krupe](#): > > When I was getting sober, a coworker said to me, “Alcohol never did anyone any good,” a point that has stuck with me all these years. Sounds pithy, but absolutely not true. I would never suggest a drink or so a day to an alcoholic, but studies show that level of drinking may have [health benefits](https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/alcohol/art-20044551). As always, know your limits and don’t imbibe if the risks _to you_ outweigh the benefits. Or if you just don’t want to. [sub] Obligatory IANAD[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-used-to-drink-alcohol-when-did-you-give-up-and-why/814073/43 "2018-05-14T18:49:22Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > Sounds pithy, but absolutely not true. I would never suggest a drink or so a day to an alcoholic, but studies show that level of drinking may have [health benefits](https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/alcohol/art-20044551). As always, know your limits and don’t imbibe if the risks _to you_ outweigh the benefits. Or if you just don’t want to. > > [sub] Obligatory IANAD[/sub] That’s old data you’re presenting in that link, from 2016. Recent well constructed metastudies involving over 600,000 individuals have called the purported benefits of drinking into _serious_ question. [Even Modest Alcohol Intake May Up Mortality Risk](https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/895170). ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-used-to-drink-alcohol-when-did-you-give-up-and-why/814073/44 "2018-05-14T18:49:40Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > [sub] Obligatory IANAD[/sub] Wait a _minute…_ ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-used-to-drink-alcohol-when-did-you-give-up-and-why/814073/45 "2018-05-14T19:50:43Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > That’s old data you’re presenting in that link, from 2016. Recent well constructed metastudies involving over 600,000 individuals have called the purported benefits of drinking into _serious_ question. > > [Even Modest Alcohol Intake May Up Mortality Risk](https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/895170). I read somewhere recently that studies showing moderate alcohol use was good for us was funded by lobbies or alcohol companies. Can’t remember where I saw this. ---
**Author:** ![Delayed\_Reflex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/delayed_reflex/32/3172_2.png) [@Delayed\_Reflex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Delayed_Reflex)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-used-to-drink-alcohol-when-did-you-give-up-and-why/814073/46 "2018-05-15T00:51:21Z")
I seemed to gradually build up an intolerance to alcohol over 2-3 years (starting around the age of 28), to the point where a single pint could make me feel flu-like symptoms for a week or more. For some reason none of the doctors I have talked to about this seemed to be too interested in determining the underlying reason for this, so I just gave up drinking completely. I miss it a fair bit (not that I was ever a huge drinker since university), as I find a lot of social activity revolves around alcohol consumption, but I’ve basically come to terms with it now. It’s probably saved me a fair chunk of change over the years so that’s a nice silver lining. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-used-to-drink-alcohol-when-did-you-give-up-and-why/814073/47 "2018-05-15T06:10:26Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > [sub] Obligatory IANAD[/sub] > [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Wait a _minute…_ It’s an honorary degree. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-used-to-drink-alcohol-when-did-you-give-up-and-why/814073/48 "2018-05-15T13:12:21Z")
I drank pretty heavily from college into my 40s. Drank to get buzzed/drunk. Didn’t understand why someone would have one drink… Never got a DUI, lost a job, etc. With kids in middle/high school, I realized I was not setting a good example putting down 6-12 beers every Friday/Sat/Sun, and generally being the most intoxicated person at whatever gathering I was at. I remember one discussion with my doctor, when he (accurately or not) observed upon the number of brain cells I was killing, and how that added up over time. Tried to moderate, but only proved my ability to lie to myself. Decided to stop when training for a marathon about 14 years ago. Doing - and recovering from - the long weekend runs was hard enough w/o the after effects of drinking. Yeah, there are times I would really like a beer/drink. But I’m confident that if I allowed myself a single drink today, at some point in the future I would be shitfaced. Also, realizing my personality, I understand that I’m obnoxious enough without drinking. One of the first things many ex-drinkers realize is how dumb and obnoxious drinkers are - especially when they think they are being clever/funny. Given my personality, I know I would be THAT type of loud, obnoxious drunk. And I used to drive all the time after a few (or more than a few) drinks. It is really comforting to know that I will never blow positive if stopped while driving. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Krupe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Leo\_Krupe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Krupe)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-used-to-drink-alcohol-when-did-you-give-up-and-why/814073/49 "2018-05-15T13:21:05Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > Sounds pithy, but absolutely not true. I would never suggest a drink or so a day to an alcoholic, but studies show that level of drinking may have [health benefits](https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/alcohol/art-20044551). As always, know your limits and don’t imbibe if the risks _to you_ outweigh the benefits. Or if you just don’t want to. > > [sub] Obligatory IANAD[/sub] It absolutely is true in the context of the conversation, in which I was discussing with my coworker the detrimental effects of alcohol abuse. I was working on getting sober at the time, and because of my drinking, was suffering all sorts of bad things, such as a deteriorating marriage, hangovers, loss of money due to spending on booze, adverse health effects (physical, mental, and emotional), and the humiliation and embarrassment of being an alcoholic father to two young children. So yeah, given what I was going through at the time, I stick by my statement. And I’m fully aware of the medical consensus about a small amount of alcohol (or at least red wine). But to anyone who has abused alcohol, it shouldn’t be a stretch to see where I’m coming from. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-used-to-drink-alcohol-when-did-you-give-up-and-why/814073/50 "2018-05-15T13:32:01Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > It’s an honorary degree. I have no degree of honor, or so I’ve been told. As always, I will defer to **Qadgop** on the more recent studies, even though I didn’t create a log in to read it. I can’t seem to find anything more recent than 2016 elsewhere online at this time either. ---
**Author:** ![Mavis\_Topholese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7feea3/32.png) [@Mavis\_Topholese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mavis_Topholese)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-used-to-drink-alcohol-when-did-you-give-up-and-why/814073/51 "2018-05-15T13:46:00Z")
Reading the responses to the OP is giving me deja vu. Like many here, increased hangover severity, weight gain, and health issues were part of why I cut way back on my drinking. I’ll still have a beer or a glass of wine or a drink every now and then, but alcohol has become a very occasional thing rather than a Friday night-Saturday night thing. My waistline, my liver, my mental health, and my bank account are all the better for it. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-used-to-drink-alcohol-when-did-you-give-up-and-why/814073/52 "2018-05-15T14:25:56Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > I have no degree of honor, or so I’ve been told. > > As always, I will defer to **Qadgop** on the more recent studies, even though I didn’t create a log in to read it. I can’t seem to find anything more recent than 2016 elsewhere online at this time either. Whoops, didn’t know it was behind a registration wall. Here’s a copy of the actual article: [https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)30134-X/fulltext](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)30134-X/fulltext) > [@](#): > > Interpretation > In current drinkers of alcohol in high-income countries, the threshold for lowest risk of all-cause mortality was about 100 g/week. For cardiovascular disease subtypes other than myocardial infarction, there were no clear risk thresholds below which lower alcohol consumption stopped being associated with lower disease risk. These data support limits for alcohol consumption that are lower than those recommended in most current guidelines. Here’s a discussion of the findings in a scientifically (semi) literate periodical: [Consuming more than five drinks a week could shorten your life | ScienceDaily](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180413121952.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-used-to-drink-alcohol-when-did-you-give-up-and-why/814073/53 "2018-05-19T05:55:38Z")
I did check out a couple of dive bars here last weekend, part of research for when my drinking buddy comes here from Thailand this summer. Yeesh! The regulars patronizing those places. I just don’t see myself hanging out in these places a lot. ---
**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-used-to-drink-alcohol-when-did-you-give-up-and-why/814073/54 "2018-05-19T06:18:54Z")
I stopped one year, one month, and 22 days ago, as taking my beer to the hospital to get the internal bleeding seen to didn’t seem like a good idea, and the doctor was pretty specific that I needed to pick booze or living. Most days I’m sure I made the right choice. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-used-to-drink-alcohol-when-did-you-give-up-and-why/814073/55 "2018-05-19T17:05:56Z")
I ruined my stomach and health with binge drinking, and realized I was using it as an excuse because I believed I could not control my life. The first step was to stop drinking, which I did not have to do, and learn to control the things I did have to do, like getting a job, a place to live, the ability to live a day-to-day life, and a way to cope without alcohol. Yes, it took a bit of time and effort, but it kept me alive, and also made me realize I could control things. That was over 30 years ago, and I do not regret it one bit. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-used-to-drink-alcohol-when-did-you-give-up-and-why/814073/56 "2018-05-19T19:59:19Z")
I quit drinking about three and a half years ago. I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure, and my cardiologist threatened me with death if I didn’t quit. Not that _he_ would kill me, but the drinking would. So, I quit. The nurses in the hospital were puzzled, because I wasn’t going into the classic withdrawal symptoms. I had been drinking quite a bit every day, for several years. In the years since then, I never took another drink. Now and then I think about how nice it would be to have a Sun King Wee Mac on a hot day, or a stressful day makes me wish I could have an Old Crow and ginger ale. It’s not enough to make me actually take the drink. I can exercise to get back some of the heart function, but damage was done. My brain is not what it once was, and I suppose that’s gone forever. I can’t go back in time and not drink back then. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-used-to-drink-alcohol-when-did-you-give-up-and-why/814073/57 "2018-05-20T07:31:21Z")
I actually gave up drinking because I hated it. The taste and the way it made me feel. I’m more of a marijuana kinda guy. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-used-to-drink-alcohol-when-did-you-give-up-and-why/814073/58 "2018-05-20T16:27:03Z")
Sober for a year and a half. I loved all kinds of beer and Scotch and wine, but could never have just one, and when I was three sheets to the wind, I was loving it, but the comedown sucks and I just decided the consequences after the fact were not worth the temporary enjoyment of the stuff. The turning point, I think, was when I got black out drunk at a dinner with Ethan Hawke at a friend’s house in Nova Scotia, and realized I missed a lot of good conversation with a very smart and interesting guy, by being too fucked up to talk coherently. (Before the booze snuck up on me, we talked for a while about Robin Williams, who had just died and we were both pretty broken up about it.) I got to thinking about how destructive over-indulgence in alcohol is, and the next day, hung-over as fuck, I walked around the little town of Antigonish near my friend’s place and as I gradually regained my spirits (no pun intended), I realized the peace and calm that I felt at that moment was more valuable to me than the “fun” of drinking. And why drink, when cannabis is available and doesn’t give you any of the negatives of booze? ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-used-to-drink-alcohol-when-did-you-give-up-and-why/814073/59 "2018-05-21T14:16:26Z")
> [@Jacquernagy](#): > > And why drink, when cannabis is available and doesn’t give you any of the negatives of booze? I wish weed worked for me the way it does for other people. At best, it makes me incoherent and sleepy. There’s nothing fun about it. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2018, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-used-to-drink-alcohol-when-did-you-give-up-and-why/814073/60 "2018-05-21T14:39:47Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > I wish weed worked for me the way it does for other people. At best, it makes me incoherent and sleepy. There’s nothing fun about it. I assume you didn’t mean to slight those of us for whom “incoherent and sleepy” is a major step up from normal.☹ ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2018, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-used-to-drink-alcohol-when-did-you-give-up-and-why/814073/61 "2018-05-22T23:03:57Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > My last drink of alcohol is somewhere back in 1987. Sadly, I was unable to give up drugs of abuse until mid 1990. But quitting those primary mood-altering substances did save my sanity and my life many times over. > > And I thank my worldwide community of other recovering individuals, in and out of every different recovery fellowship, for my current state of sobriety. Same as Q t M quit 5 14 1991, I’m an alcoholic.27 years. Getting easier for me as the years go by. Did the AA thing, worked for me. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-used-to-drink-alcohol-when-did-you-give-up-and-why/814073.md?page=2)