Teetotalism

[QM]

I just heard about it for the first time today when listening to John Piper talking about alcohol online today.

My friend introduced me to Caesar cocktails a few years ago, and since then the amount of alcohol I consume has increased. Of recent, this has started to concern me because I start to wonder how good my self-control is. If I, my children or grandchildren should ever have an addictive personality, this could be serious!

I don't really know what the benefits of alcohol are...other than "feeling relaxed or very relaxed". There are so many other greener, cheaper, healthier and natural ways to relax, and the more and more I think about it the more I want to steer away from alcohol altogether.

What are your reasons for not drinking?

I'm thinking of becoming a "teetotaler"...as of today!!!!

[ilovechocolate]

I have an addictive personality and realized about 18 years ago that I liked drinking waaaaaaay too much----alcohol was my drug of choice. Even though I seldom drank, when I did drink, I drank too much. So I decided, with a family history of alcoholism, just to stop. And I haven't had alcohol since. It's not a moral aversion to alcohol---I don't care if people drink---but for me, it was a bad thing.

DH comes from a family with addiction issues too, so I've had to talk to both kids about the perils of letting anything control them.

[QM]

ilovechocolate--Did you find it hard to quit? I've tried quitting before and the pressure from people offering it to me and me wanting it is very hard to handle. Then I end up "caving" and having another drink.

[dcompton]

I just never had any inclination to start, so never did. When I saw the consequences, immediate and long term to drinking, it had no appeal at all. In addition, I was never in a crowd that drank, so there was no social pressure to drink, and there was no drinking at home, beyond my mother having a little wine at Christmas and my father drinking a beer occasionally during the summer when we were barbequing. So I was basically in a non-drinking environment both by chance and choice.

[SwirlyThing]

There are reasons to drink, but they are only benefits if you can drink in moderation... which means about 2 drinks per week for a woman. If you cannot do that, then there are no benefits.

For example, studies show that moderated alcohol consumption in middle aged women who eat carbs decreases the risk of diabetes 30%. Moderate alcohol consumption also decreases heart disease risk, especially in older men.

I was raised in a religion that did not believe in drinking alchohol. I had my first drink at age 28, and that was in rebellion to the religion I grew up with. I think that being raised without alcohol benefited me and helped keep me out of trouble in my younger days. I actually HATE the taste of alcohol, and wonder if it would be that way had I started as a teenager as many people do. Studies show that the younger a person starts drinking, the higher the likelihood of becoming addicted.

I can take alcohol or leave it, and I leave it more often than not. I NEVER drink in front of my teenager, so as to set a good example. I know that "do as I say, not as I do" does not work. If you drink, your kids are more likely to. I didn't drink at all for about 7 years in my 30s, because I lived with a recovering alcoholic.

As far as alcohol goes, if you cannot drink in moderation, you are better off not drinking at all.

There's also the fact that it costs a lot. It's WAY cheaper to drink about anything else than alcohol.

[frugalwarrior2]

I don't like the taste,I don't like feeling out of control.
I haven't had a drink in 21 years and I don't miss it. My parents didn't drink in our house and very seldom does any come in mine. Dh's mom is an alcoholic and just in case-no booze here.

[forHISglory]

Good question. My immediate family did not drink, although members of my extended family did drink. I do not remember any drunkenness or drink related problems in the family.

I do not look down on those who drink responsibly. But I have chosen to NOT drink alcohol. Here are my reasons:
1. I can't afford it. The money that I might spend on alcohol can be spent in other places. And I certainly can't afford what I might have to spend on alcohol related issues!
2. Water is my drink of choice; I don't even buy much soda. We rarely have juice and never icky koolaide. I just really like ice cold water with a lemon wedge. I have tasted wine, beer, and liquor , and I don't like the taste. Why spend the money to buy some thing that I don't like?
3. I don't need alcohol to relax or have a good time. I manage to have a very good time in life, thank you very much! And I've always managed to find ways to relax that don't involve chemicals.
4. I don't want to put a stumbling block in front of others. I have a friend who is diabetic. When she visits, I do not place food in front of her that could be harmful to her. I don't even want to tempt her, or make her make a decision about it. It is similar with those who have problems with alcohol. I would never have it when they are around.
5. I don't want to make a fool of myself. I manage to do that frequently without alcohol. Not sure what I would do WITH alcohol in the mix!
6. I don't run with a group that drinks. I don't have any pressure to join in, or just take a sip. Not sure I would want to be a part of any group who puts that kind of pressure on me.
7. I didn't want to ever feel responsible for my children or grandchildren dealing with alcohol problems.

May I suggest that if you are dealing with the question, that perhaps our Lord is gently nudging you to make a decision? I know that you are a believer, so why not pray about the direction in which you are to go?

[chickadee-7815]

I grew up with an alcoholic father. That alone is enough to make me stay away from alcohol. I have also seen others in my family suffer from the consequences of drinking. For me, there is just no good reason to drink.

[peanut]

I didn't drink until university. When I realized the game was who could drink who under the table, I quickly changed from drinking beer to drinking wine or cider. Somehow I was accepted as being outside the drinking game if I drank those two. I could nurse a cider all evening and no one knew or cared. They were too drunk on beer!

Truth be told, I never liked the taste of alcohol either. I didn't have any problem stopping it when I left university and got married. We'd have an occasional drink of wine when we went out for our anniversary or Christmas/New Year's, but that was it.

Now I'm on medication and I cannot have any alcohol at all (bad side effects). I really urge people who drink alcohol to think what they are doing and not encourage other people to drink. Some people just should NOT be drinking. Period. In the case of a diabetic friend, I would be more concerned about the sugar content in alcohol throwing them into a seizure/coma.

One thing I found when I quit drinking...there are a lot more non-alcoholic drinkers out there than I thought. You just got to strike up a conversation to find them.

[PlainCash4]

I used to go out and drink quite a bit. About 10 years ago, i decided to cut back and then just go on the wagon altogether. I found myself going out mostly becuase my friends wanted me to more than i did myself...lol. I figured "There has to be other things to do out there". I found i have more energy with out it. Occasionally i will have a beer or 2 with dinner, but even that is rare.

[BlissMommy]

I just decided that with an alcoholic mother I didn't need the stress. Hubby and I are also big into getting fit and he feels that it would just hinder us.

[Michelle68]

I personally don't like the taste of alcohol, so I've never drank alcohol. . Also, I think the idea of being out of control when one drinks too much is rather scary. And now that I take medication to keep my blood pressure under contol, I don't want to risk mixing the two and having an adverse reaction. That happened to my DH a few years ago and it was pretty scary.

[nodmicks]

I dont especially like the affects of alcohol.However I LOVE the taste of good wine. I cant drink more than 1/2 a glass before feeling it. I told dh I wish that flavor came in gum or something besides good wine. I cant drink much ever since it drops my blood sugar like a rock.

[Nadders11]

I feel the effects of alcohol too soon...and start feeling sick real fast. So I never was a big drinker. Don't really like wine, beer is ok. Like girly drinks that taste better than they should and rum and coke. But may have a drink a couple times a year.

My dad is an alcoholic so I've seen how things can get out of control. Had to have that talk with my dh last year when he got into the habit of having 2 or 3 rum and cokes a night. I saw the potential for a habit forming, and tolerance building. He understood as his father was also an alcoholic. He has cut back to maybe 2 drinks a week now. Alcohol not being in our budget helped that as well.

Alcoholism can sneak up on a person. Everyone needs to be aware of their drinking patterns at all times.

[frugalfranny]

What are your reasons for not drinking?

!

I don't feel I NEED a "reason".............I just don't want to. I am a VERY LIGHT drinker........and don't like the taste of much of it.

I guess a 'reason' I don't drink when I go out is that it is incredibly expensive..........and I won't pay the price.

I COOK with more wine than I drink!