03/04/2024
It’s been around 1 year since I decided to break up with alcohol.
My relationship with drinking started off by hating the taste but feeling forced and peer pressured to like it and to do it to fit in. I thought it’s just what we do. My boyfriend, most of my family and my friends all did it.
Getting super drunk in front of my friends, doing funny things and even drinking to the point I made myself extremely ill became normal and, was always funny amongst everyone. Whether it was me or someone else.
We’d take photos being absolutely blind and the next day call the definition of ‘a good night’. A few drinks often turned it a competition of who could get the most wasted.
That’s drinking culture in Australia.
Since I can remember; everything was and is celebrated with an alcoholic drink.
Alcohol is the only drug in Australia we truly normalize and when you think about it, it’s sad.
I agree it brings people together and it’s something to do but there are other ways to bond and connect with others.
For a long time I was conditioned until I opened my eyes and realized it wasn’t for me anymore and time to close that chapter.
After a long time of really just drinking to get drunk, forcing myself to try and enjoy it, always feeling ill when drinking, hating the way it made me feel the next day and cringing at the money draining from my bank account.
I can’t deny, the feeling of being tipsy is fun and I do miss it at times but the cons far out weigh that.
Other things that went towards my decision were;
Being able to save a lot of money towards things that actually matter to me.
The fact that it doesn’t align with my health values; Alcohol offers very minimal if any nutritional benefit and has been linked to affects on brain such as neurodegeneration and your gut health.
(I would strongly suggest listening to ‘s podcast ep ‘what alcohol does to your body, brain and health’)
Do I regret drinking? No.
Do I ever drink and will I ever drink again?
Yes, I do enjoy cocktails, that’s the only thing I like and I will probably have one here and there. But that’s all for me.
I’ll stick to my mocktails thanks xx
Let’s normalize being a non-drinker!!!!
