Why I Gave Up Drinking
What a 180 from my college self. It’s crazy being on this side of the perspective because I look back on those days where I used to drink heavily and I’m like… wait… what was the point again?
Alcoholism runs in my family. Yeah, let’s cut to the chase. It’s something I’m very familiar with and have always been aware of in my life. I didn’t start drinking until college (stereotypical I know) and I realized how much my body could actually handle. And no, that isn’t me bragging or anything I’m proud of necessarily. I just realized like… oh shit, this is in my blood. Countless nights I remember everybody reaching their limit and me being the one that felt perfectly fine and ready to drink more. Or sometimes my friends and I would be at a club and they’d take a sip of whatever I was drinking and look at me like I was insane for drinking something so gross. The strongest drinks didn’t even feel that bad to me. It’s crazy. I had to take a stand against it or fall victim to what effects my family so heavily.
So fast forward to the present day and I no longer drink at all. Social scenarios definitely have their moments of uncomfortableness when others pressure me but I know it’s not worth it. Plus… alcohol is disgusting and I wish everyone would stop acting like it isn’t. Like for real, it’s not good. I also am always thrown off by how confused people’s reactions are when I say I don’t drink. As if drinking alcohol were good for you or something. It’s not like I’m saying “yeah no.. I don’t eat romaine lettuce anymore guys.”
It wasn’t an overnight thing to give up but once college ended it was a pretty easy transition because well, alcohol cost money ya’ll. And I just slowly detached from the idea of going out every weekend and that entire nightlife scene itself. It became pointless to me. I did the social drinking thing for a while, ya know cocktails and wine at events but I finally decided to hang it all up because I realized I didn’t need to drink to have a good time or to feel included. If anything, I think I make others more uncomfortable when I say I don’t drink cause they aren’t sure how to have fun without drinking. And I’m not judging. Seriously, I could never. I get it completely and I’ve had a BLAST drinking alcohol in the past. But that next day feeling + knowing all of what I know now about healing and holistic health? Yeah I can’t even do it. It’s actual poison!
It’s funny how many ‘friendships’ faded away once I stopped drinking because that was literally all we bonded over. False connections. So if you’re on the journey to slow down the crutch of drinking, I’m here for you. If you find yourself in those social scenarios where your inner self is screaming “I DON’T EVEN REALLY WANT THIS SHOT” then listen to it. Value you yourself for a change instead of others’ expectations of you.