A hangover… who didn’t grow up with it? Can you imagine how wonderful it would be if you never had one again… The author of this week’s experience story also realized this almost 2 years ago. And apart from some first worries if life wouldn’t get boring all of a sudden, she is now only very happy with it. Please enjoy this very nice read:
What do you do in everyday life?
I am 29 years old and I work as an interim personnel planner.
What did you mainly drink and how much/often?
I mostly drank beer. Later in the evening, often a couple of shots or some mixed drinks.
How long have you stopped drinking alcohol?
A total of 643 days now. Simply put: with Christmas a total of 2 years.
Was this your first attempt?
I have regularly made an attempt to ‘temporarily’ stop drinking alcohol, sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t. Eventually I always started drinking again.
What stopped you from giving up alcohol sooner?
I always linked alcohol and socializing for myself. I was especially afraid that I would no longer be able to have fun if I stopped drinking. Also, I was mostly under the impression that my drinking wasn’t so much of a problem, so I didn’t feel enough urgency or motivation to stop.
What made you finally flip the switch by stopping anyway?
I’ve always had a hangover often, sometimes so much that my work had to suffer. When, for the umpteenth time, I was terribly miserable, with gaps in my memory about the evening before and I was to the point of trowing up, I flipped the switch. At first as the intention to stop temporarily, but I liked it so much that I never drank again.
What have you experienced as the biggest benefits so far?
I sleep much better. I can just go to a party if I have an obligation the day after, because a little tired is never as bad as being completely hungover. I can just drive home after a night out and sleep in my own bed, and I don’t have to worry about whether I’ve behaved well or not.
And what do you miss most?
Not very much per se. Of course I had a lot of fun moments and evenings with alcohol, but it no longer outweighed the disadvantages.
So: what do you miss least about alcohol?
The hangover, losing control, and crossing your own limits when you’ve been drinking.
What do you do when you want to drink again?
I haven’t had a hard time so far, so I haven’t thought about it yet. Above all, I think that the reason why I stopped then should be enough reason not to start drinking again.
What do you drink as an alternative if you no longer drink alcohol?
I drink non-alcoholic beer and non-alcoholic specialty beers. Also soda or spa red.
How do you plan to deal with alcohol in the future?
If it’s up to me, I don’t drink anymore. The only thing I might consider is a special beer during dinner or on the terrace, but I know from myself that I then cross the border too quickly for more, so better nothing at all.
Do you have any tips or advice for people who also quit alcohol?
You are not accountable to anyone.
Finally: what do you want to say to anyone who is still in doubt whether they should stop drinking or not?
Just go for it, it gives your life so much more. You feel fitter, you experience everything with a much purer feeling. Please allow yourself an alcohol-free life. Nobody ‘needs’ alcohol.
And it’s crazy, isn’t it, how you can convince yourself that you can only have fun with alcohol. But what you say is absolutely true: it simply does not outweigh the disadvantages. Certainly not if you ‘just like us’ have trouble keeping drinking within limits. But it’s never too late to stop! Just take a deep breath, say goodbye to that last hangover and just start your alcohol-free life. You won’t regret it!
Thank you so much for sharing your story with us! And if somebody else would like to share his or het experiences with us: please do! Just leave me your email at this page and I will email you some questions as soon as possible. Hopefully together we will help new people get over the line!
