• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Gonna Quit Drinking for a Month

jmattbassplaya

jmattbassplaya

Supporting Member
Jan 13, 2008
11,843
9,860
#1
As the title reads, I'm going to quit drinking for a month, and I was wondering if anyone else would like to join me in this experiment/challenge.

The reason I'm doing this is due to me going on a week long vacation to Disney World with my girlfriend at the beginning of March. I decided that by quitting drinking I could: 1. save money for the trip, and 2. lose the last bit of stomach fat I've been wanting to get off of me before the spring.

In addition to all that, I'm also just curious what other kinds of effects it'll have on my body and mind. I'm wanting to see if I'll sleep better, if I'll think better, if I might lose some of my irritability, if I'll become more physically active, if I'll still have fun going out to the bars after work with my work friends, if my stress level might lower, etc...

So yeah! If anyone else is down to try this then let me know! I'm hoping it'll be a pretty fun and interesting thing to do.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JLY and StayLow
#3
I have a friend that quit recently, and he found that he exercises more because he feels better and also to have something to do when he'd otherwise be drinking. I suggest making plans to do some sort of exercise, even something simple.

I don't really drink any more because alcohol does bad things to my blood glucose.
 
#4
Heh, I often go 2 or 3 months without having a single alcoholic drink. I had some nihonshu last night, and before that my last "drink" was back in November. It's just not a big deal for me, though I've never been one to go to bars, drink and party. Usually in the summer when I have more friends visiting and what not it picks up to where I'm having a couple of drinks a week.
 
#5
Selta said:
Heh, I often go 2 or 3 months without having a single alcoholic drink. I had some nihonshu last night, and before that my last "drink" was back in November. It's just not a big deal for me, though I've never been one to go to bars, drink and party. Usually in the summer when I have more friends visiting and what not it picks up to where I'm having a couple of drinks a week.
Click to expand...

I used to not be much of a drinker or a party guy, but then college happened :woot:

Unfortunately, the university life seemed to turn most of my friends, and other people my age, into drinkers. It seems like I can never do anything with anyone these days without a couple of drinks getting added into the mix. I'm somewhat hoping that this challenge might also ween me off from feeling the "need" to have a drink whenever I'm out with friends.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Selta
#6
The hardest part to deal with, and it's not that big a deal at all, is the peer pressure. I go to a huge trade show in Vegas at the beginning of the year and have lots of friends attending that I only see there. It only took a few times of refusing drinks for my friends to catch on. I don't associate with people that HAVE to drink to have a good time, so as soon as they realized I didn't care if they drank, and that I wasn't going to, it was business as usual. The bigger issue for me is that being around drunk people isn't always that much fun, but I can accept it and deal with it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bolophonic
#7
It could. Only being a few years removed from university myself, I know what you mean. Somehow though, the circles I ran in at school didn't involve a ton of drinking even. I definitely drank more then, but it wasn't anywhere near excessive. good luck in your endeavor - I'll be watching and seeing how you come along with it.
 
#8
Do you have a plan. Are you going to replace booze with exercise? Are you going to stop hanging out? Just curious.

About a year ago I went out with friends to see a band at a Deadhead bar and decided not to drink. First thing I noticed was I couldn't relax. It was sensory overload. Concert posters, pretty girls dancing, people bumping into you. There was so many distracting things competing for my attention that beer usually helps drawn out. Second thing, you can sit there sober and watch the entire bar fall into chaos as the night goes on. You see people who you know are seeing double, sloppy girls who you know are going to regret that in the morning, dudes slobbering while they talk ********, having to collect my friends and heard them out the door like cats. I didn't hold it against any of them, just observed it. All in all, being to only sober guy at the bar at closing time isn't an experience I want to repeat.
 
#10
Good for you! I can't seem to quit for more than a couple of days. I say I'm gonna do it, then I come home, I'm bored, the house is a mess, the wife and I don't get along.....so I drink.
Let us know if you feel a lot better.
 
#11
If you keep to the same routines, you're likely to go back to the drinking that is connected to those routines. My suggestion would be lose the part about hanging out in bars with your work buddies.

The reasons for stopping that you mention are reasons enough, but I suspect not the real reasons. Level with yourself about the real reasons if you haven't done so already. How much of that you share with others is your call.
 
#12
Im on the same train, for the last four weeks i have been working out five times at week and only two beers on weekends, planning to keep this routine for the rest of my life :) , I feel great so far, cant wait for the spring soccer season!
 
#13
If you have no problem with alcohol, this month off will bring rewards. If you have a problem with alcohol, you will not be happy :).

The fact that it's an effort for you worth mentioning to go a month without drinking might be a little telling. Most people I know who have no issues with alcohol, a month without wouldn't even register. You might want to give that some thought.

FWIW, I'll be with you as I'm not drinking this month either. I haven't had a drink in the past 30 years. Almost 31. My life is infinitely better without alcohol as a part of it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bass_Pounder, JMacBass65, GregC and 1 other person
#14
48thStreetCustom said:
Do you have a plan. Are you going to replace booze with exercise? Are you going to stop hanging out? Just curious.
Click to expand...

The main plan is to just stop ordering drinks whenever I'm out. If I feel the need to get something, I'll just replace it with tea or coffee. I already work out 5 days a week for about 45-60 minutes a session, so I doubt I'll really begin to workout more, but you never know.

Robus said:
If you keep to the same routines, you're likely to go back to the drinking that is connected to those routines. My suggestion would be lose the part about hanging out in bars with your work buddies.

The reasons for stopping that you mention are reasons enough, but I suspect not the real reasons. Level with yourself about the real reasons if you haven't done so already. How much of that you share with others is your call.
Click to expand...

Well, one issue I've been mentally tackling as of late is whether or not the majority of my friends are people I really should keep as friends now that I'm out of university. As I mentioned earlier, it seems like most people my age can't hang out without somehow getting alcohol involved. I definitely don't see the harm in drinking a few beers during a cookout on a Sunday afternoon, but, when you're going out several nights a week with work buds to shoot pool and drink beer, I begin to see a lot of potential, future issues cropping up.

Truthfully, I'm a bit of a health-nut when it comes to working out and eating right. In addition, I'm someone who wants to do things with my life, and I'm just beginning to question whether or not alcohol has any real place in making my goals and dreams happen. It's also becoming a question of whether or not I really need to change my environment and circle of friends to make everything I want to make happen, happen.
 
#15
jmattbassplaya said:
The main plan is to just stop ordering drinks whenever I'm out. If I feel the need to get something, I'll just replace it with tea or coffee. I already work out 5 days a week for about 45-60 minutes a session, so I doubt I'll really begin to workout more, but you never know.



Well, one issue I've been mentally tackling as of late is whether or not the majority of my friends are people I really should keep as friends now that I'm out of university. As I mentioned earlier, it seems like most people my age can't hang out without somehow getting alcohol involved. I definitely don't see the harm in drinking a few beers during a cookout on a Sunday afternoon, but, when you're going out several nights a week with work buds to shoot pool and drink beer, I begin to see a lot of potential, future issues cropping up.

Truthfully, I'm a bit of a health-nut when it comes to working out and eating right. In addition, I'm someone who wants to do things with my life, and I'm just beginning to question whether or not alcohol has any real place in making my goals and dreams happen. It's also becoming a question of whether or not I really need to change my environment and circle of friends to make everything I want to make happen, happen.
Click to expand...

I think that's an awesome place in life to be :). I'm happy for ya, and have a sense you'll continue to make healthy decisions for yourself.
 
#16
When I stopped drinking (and I had a problem) I found I didn't find going out fun, or my drinking buddies interesting. This didn't make it difficult to stay sober, just the opposite. When I first stopped I was trying to spend time with my old friends while they're drinking and I am not, and I saw my old self in them. It's one thing to be told that you have a problem, another to see it from the outside. These were sad, close minded, boring and uninteresting people, and the only way to find them fun is to be drunk. Haven't had a sip in over a decade now, good riddance. It took some time before I found people I could hang out with, but it was worth the effort. I haven't had better friends in my life.

My situation and goals are very different from yours. My only advice is, I would not push myself too hard to hang out with people who are drinking. You'd probably be happier with other people. There are many young people who see fun as going out to bars to get wasted. They're just harder to find because they don't converge in places like that. You'll meet some at a local cycling club, some playing board games, some at the library. Keep your eyes and ears open.
 
#17
Brilliant idea, and I wish you very well.

I realize you have a girlfriend, and hopefully she's not much of a drinker. Speaking in general, a big bonus to not drinking (much, if at all) is that it allows you to have dominion over something. Most people control nothing in their lives. When it comes to a relationship, you are more likely to guard your boundaries because you're empowered by the fact that there's something you can control and put that effort in. You'll also tend to want to date women who also put effort into something, and ideally ones who don't drink or who drink very little and as a result dates seem dirt cheap and you tend to spend time on more positive things than sitting and drinking.
 
#18
Haji said:
The bigger issue for me is that being around drunk people isn't always that much fun, but I can accept it and deal with it.
Click to expand...

I only have a drink maybe 6 times a year,when at a footy game with mates or seeing a band at a pub. My best mates drink, a lot, as I used to. It is a real drag to be sober when all around you are people slurring their words, shouting at you etc.
Just don't get high and mighty and start lecturing the drinkers.
 
#19
capnjim said:
Good for you! I can't seem to quit for more than a couple of days. I say I'm gonna do it, then I come home, I'm bored, the house is a mess, the wife and I don't get along.....so I drink.
Let us know if you feel a lot better.
Click to expand...
Been there my friend as I can only assume others have
Drinking does not help... Numbs the symptoms and pain but only helps things to get worse
Sobriety may not fix the situation but will help one to address the situation. It will also help getting thru the pain.... In my experience
There is help out here if you feel you need it
 
#20
Bocete said:
When I stopped drinking (and I had a problem) I found I didn't find going out fun, or my drinking buddies interesting. This didn't make it difficult to stay sober, just the opposite. When I first stopped I was trying to spend time with my old friends while they're drinking and I am not, and I saw my old self in them. It's one thing to be told that you have a problem, another to see it from the outside. These were sad, close minded, boring and uninteresting people, and the only way to find them fun is to be drunk. Haven't had a sip in over a decade now, good riddance. It took some time before I found people I could hang out with, but it was worth the effort. I haven't had better friends in my life.

My situation and goals are very different from yours. My only advice is, I would not push myself too hard to hang out with people who are drinking. You'd probably be happier with other people. There are many young people who see fun as going out to bars to get wasted. They're just harder to find because they don't converge in places like that. You'll meet some at a local cycling club, some playing board games, some at the library. Keep your eyes and ears open.
Click to expand...
Similar experience in a way.... When I saw how people acted while drunk-and I was sober- It helped me realize I did not want to be that person anymore
When I got sober I also realized who my true friends were and who were only just drinking buddies- they were the ones who suddenly lost interest in me
And that was ok
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fretless1!, jmattbassplaya, Haji and 1 other person

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back