alcohol

[Andrew John]

Had my first drink in 8 months last night just because I was on a date. Did not enjoy it at all (the date and the drink lol). I don't like the way alcohol makes me feel anymore in my head. It's like it lowering my consciousness and doing harm to my body. I was a heavy drinker until I was in my late 30's couple years back. The issue is this has isolated me socially (i know no one that does not drink) and makes me wonder if I am being boring. 

I am interested in people opinions on Alcohol?

Edited May 31, 2021 by Andrew John

[NoSelfSelf]

Its all about moderation little bit of alchocol is even healthy

[Grateful Dead]

Of all the drugs I've tried, I like the effects of alcohol the least. When I use drugs I want to be more conscious than normal and not the other way around.

2 hours ago, Andrew John said:

The issue is this has isolated me socially (i know no one that does not drink) and makes me wonder if I am being boring. 

I live in Bavaria, where beer is a staple food. For most of the people here, it is very strange not to drink. I don't judge people for drinking, but they judge me for not drinking .

It takes a while to adapt socially to it...when everyone is drinking and I would also like to change my state, I take psychedelics/mdma/weed in small doses.

[blackchair]

i like to be tipsy sometimes, once or twice a week tops.....i dont do drugs whatsoever

[Andrew John]

9 hours ago, NoSelfSelf said:

Its all about moderation little bit of alchocol is even healthy

Why would you say it’s healthy? In essence you’re orally consuming poison. 

[Flowerfaeiry]

8 minutes ago, Andrew John said:

Why would you say it’s healthy? In essence you’re orally consuming poison. 

It's probably healthier for you to enjoy some wine or a nice beer every once in awhile than to obsess whether or not you should have some at all. 

[NoSelfSelf]

@Andrew John https://www.piedmont.org/living-better/the-health-benefits-of-beer

mybe this helps and in moderation ofcourse

[Andrew John]

13 hours ago, Flowerfaeiry said:

It's probably healthier for you to enjoy some wine or a nice beer every once in awhile than to obsess whether or not you should have some at all. 

Its a transition. I am not going to "obsess" forever. I really believe no amount of alcohol is good for you.

[Snader]

@Andrew John

I became more and more aware of what drinking does to me and the reason why I'm doing it, and so I decided to minimize it, as I really realized it doesn't serve me in the long run. There was few crucial points that affected my decision to stop the habit of occasional drinking:

1) I read some literature to understand the damage alcohol does to your body, especially to your dreaming, which has a great part in your mental AND physical well being. 

2) I noticed I drink alcohol, because it made some things mentally much easier. Some things that I've noticed I am able to achieve sober as well, but is much harder that way. So for that reason I wanted to get rid of that habit, so I can practice myself achieving those things without any cheat codes that do me mental and physical damage.

3) By becoming more conscious, I also noticed that I didn't really genuinely want some of those things that I thought I want and found alcohol making easier to get.

4) After I started valuing Truth and dedicating my life more towards gaining wisdom about life, I found that alcohol is not contributing into that agenda.

 

It's been a multi-year project to minimize alcohol, because it's a norm in my culture and society. Been forced to hit my head against the wall over and over again to see the nuanced structures I have in my mind to allow myself drinking. That has also helped me to understand people who do drink occasionally and that way can't blame or judge them.

I think it's important to understand, that in many cases, it's not just as simple as just quitting. There are lot's of aspects connected to it. Friendships might need to be ended, personal values and life habits re-organized, etc.

Even though I know alcohol doesn't serve any positive function in my life, I haven't made any hard commitments to not drink alcohol ever again. I tried that and it only resulted in ego backlashes. I haven't drunk at all for months and don't see any reason to do in the near future, but I might -- in the name of balance -- drink a class of wine or couple of beers some day without any judgment.

The first step in quitting alcohol, in my opinion, is to ask yourself: ''Why do I drink and does it really serve me in the long run?'' That of course requires you know what you want out of life.

 

Enough analyzing and story telling... I think you shouldn't be too judgmental about it. The social conditioning creates pressure and in your case it's showing as a worry of other people's opinions and a thought of maybe you're being boring. 8 months is already hell of a long time being fully sober and it shows you already have at least a sense of your values and direction. Bring some understanding into it. Do it once in a while in the necessity of how much drifting from the gravity point you are able to do.

You can make a list of different situations that create the urge or ''the need'' to drink, and then contemplate, whether you are ready to make the shift of not going into those situations anymore. If not, keep drinking when you're part of those situations, as you are aware that it's required to keep up the balance. Usually those situations are connected to life-style that promote drinking, and if you keep being part of those life-styles, you will feel social pressure to drink.

I once had a romance with a girl who was amazing in many ways, but she promoted really toxic life style, which was against my values, and so I had to make the decision to cut ties with her, as the pressure was too much and I was left with 2 options, whether I go down her way, or I respect my values and get the fuck away from her.

 

On 31.5.2021 at 2:49 PM, acidgoofy said:

For most of the people here, it is very strange not to drink. I don't judge people for drinking, but they judge me for not drinking .

I feel you brother, it's same here

[Andrew John]

On 31/05/2021 at 0:49 PM, acidgoofy said:

Of all the drugs I've tried, I like the effects of alcohol the least. When I use drugs I want to be more conscious than normal and not the other way around.

I live in Bavaria, where beer is a staple food. For most of the people here, it is very strange not to drink. I don't judge people for drinking, but they judge me for not drinking .

It takes a while to adapt socially to it...when everyone is drinking and I would also like to change my state, I take psychedelics/mdma/weed in small doses.

Thank you for sharing. That’s very much my situation and it gives me hope. 

[Andrew John]

7 hours ago, Snader said:

@Andrew John

I became more and more aware of what drinking does to me and the reason why I'm doing it, and so I decided to minimize it, as I really realized it doesn't serve me in the long run. There was few crucial points that affected my decision to stop the habit of occasional drinking:

1) I read some literature to understand the damage alcohol does to your body, especially to your dreaming, which has a great part in your mental AND physical well being. 

2) I noticed I drink alcohol, because it made some things mentally much easier. Some things that I've noticed I am able to achieve sober as well, but is much harder that way. So for that reason I wanted to get rid of that habit, so I can practice myself achieving those things without any cheat codes that do me mental and physical damage.

3) By becoming more conscious, I also noticed that I didn't really genuinely want some of those things that I thought I want and found alcohol making easier to get.

4) After I started valuing Truth and dedicating my life more towards gaining wisdom about life, I found that alcohol is not contributing into that agenda.

 

It's been a multi-year project to minimize alcohol, because it's a norm in my culture and society. Been forced to hit my head against the wall over and over again to see the nuanced structures I have in my mind to allow myself drinking. That has also helped me to understand people who do drink occasionally and that way can't blame or judge them.

I think it's important to understand, that in many cases, it's not just as simple as just quitting. There are lot's of aspects connected to it. Friendships might need to be ended, personal values and life habits re-organized, etc.

Even though I know alcohol doesn't serve any positive function in my life, I haven't made any hard commitments to not drink alcohol ever again. I tried that and it only resulted in ego backlashes. I haven't drunk at all for months and don't see any reason to do in the near future, but I might -- in the name of balance -- drink a class of wine or couple of beers some day without any judgment.

The first step in quitting alcohol, in my opinion, is to ask yourself: ''Why do I drink and does it really serve me in the long run?'' That of course requires you know what you want out of life.

 

Enough analyzing and story telling... I think you shouldn't be too judgmental about it. The social conditioning creates pressure and in your case it's showing as a worry of other people's opinions and a thought of maybe you're being boring. 8 months is already hell of a long time being fully sober and it shows you already have at least a sense of your values and direction. Bring some understanding into it. Do it once in a while in the necessity of how much drifting from the gravity point you are able to do.

You can make a list of different situations that create the urge or ''the need'' to drink, and then contemplate, whether you are ready to make the shift of not going into those situations anymore. If not, keep drinking when you're part of those situations, as you are aware that it's required to keep up the balance. Usually those situations are connected to life-style that promote drinking, and if you keep being part of those life-styles, you will feel social pressure to drink.

I once had a romance with a girl who was amazing in many ways, but she promoted really toxic life style, which was against my values, and so I had to make the decision to cut ties with her, as the pressure was too much and I was left with 2 options, whether I go down her way, or I respect my values and get the fuck away from her.

 

I feel you brother, it's same here

Thanks for taking the time to write that. You’ve articulated excellently what I’ve been feeling and observed.

 

I think sometimes it’s just a case of growing up but I honestly believe that the path that most of us or on here , alcohol is a prohibitory substance, in regular doses.

something tells me inside not to do it anymore. It’s just a total change from the norm, especially in my area.,

 

thanks again. 

[RobertZ]

There seems to be a tipping point.  Like a person can go ten or twenty years drinking moderately, no problem. All the sudden, binging becomes less nauseating and much more sweet. A slippery slope and a worthy adversary of the human race.

[Nahm]

On 5/31/2021 at 5:40 AM, Andrew John said:

The issue is this has isolated me socially

Perspective, opinion, belief, assumption, not issue. No belief, no assumption, no issue. 

Only you have the power to isolate yourself.  

*This is not clinical, medical, or psychological advice and should not be taken seriously. 

[Roy]

On 5/31/2021 at 2:40 AM, Andrew John said:

The issue is this has isolated me socially (i know no one that does not drink) and makes me wonder if I am being boring. 

Who gives a shit? What people think doesn't matter. It's as important as what colour dirt is. It shows actual confidence and integrity when you can choose not to participate in such a widespread cultural habit and be secure in that.

If you don't like the way it makes you feel, why in the WORLD would you do it? It's such a simple thing to get an answer to. Like Sadhguru said on the topic of smoking, "There is nothing wrong or bad about smoking, it's just a stupid thing to do."

I haven't drank alcohol in 10 years, because I just stopped liking it. Did I "miss out" sometimes? Yes, but if you're honest you'll realize it's a small cost to pay for your own health and integrity.