Longest you've gone without alcohol

[smoothkid]

I'm not an alcoholic or anything. But I do occasionally drink on the weekends, usually only on Friday and Saturday nights. By the time the week starts again, I feel like all the alcohol I've drank on those two days are still affecting me. I'm lazier and unmotivated in the earlier part of the week, but I do slowly regain my original momentum midway... until the weekend arrives again that is. I've gone three months without drinking before and it was a good experience. It kept me focused in grad school, that's why I'm really thinking of doing it again.

You guys have any tips for not drinking alcohol for a while? It's really hard when your in a social setting and everyone's having a good time. Plus when the weekend comes, most of my friends are drinking anyways, so it's a lot harder.

 

[IUtoSLU]

Avoiding alcohol becomes difficult when you are in the habit of drinking in most social situations or if you drink in certain patterns/routines. Most of my friends do not drink 'every weekend' and it is extremely rare that my friends and I drink to get drunk. If you are having trouble stopping, maybe you should simply have one drink per night on the weekends. That way you will be able to participate but not feel any negative side effects. If this level of self-control is a problem, seek real help.

 

[CDFS]

For me it was a month without coffee or alcohol. (Besides a year of rowing) It gave an enormous improvement of energy. It also costs energy because you have to tell your friends, that no, you are not sick and shouldn't seek out medical help. My solution was to tell my plans up front and simply go out less. The biggest difficulty for me lies not in the absence of alcohol (or coffee) but in the remaining question, what to drink? I don't like sweet drinks verry much and you can only drink so much water.

I don't consider myself an alcoholic but there seems to be no substitute for the taste of beer or whisky (or coffee). Good luck anyway.

CDFS

 

[Britalian]

It was the worst day of my life. Seriously; two weeks was difficult.

 

[Sander]

Well, I didn't drink alcohol for a very long time... age 0-15... does that count?

 

[scarphe]

4 months

 

[romafan]

I am going on month 9....

 

[amerikajinda]

6 months.

 

[Alter]

Romafan- assuming that you are abstaining by choice...good for you!

In the last 10 years I don't think I have gone longer than 3 or 4 days.

 

[Joffrey]

Not long.

 

[mdg137]

24 years-- Last time, I was 16...

No alcoholism issues, I just cannot stand the taste.

 

[Huntsman]

A month or two here and there, randomly, for no reason except that my interest temporarily turned to other things. A problem with too many hobbies is that you can't engage them equally and simultaneously, though good wine and cocktails comes quite close.

~ Huntsman

 

[indy116]

Months? Might go having one every night for a week, then nothing for months. Just occasionally get in the mood for a beer or something. No big deal not to have one.

I had my fair share in college, but got tired of waking up feeling like crap.

You could just volunteer to be the driver most nights to give yourself an excuse not to drink..

 

[MetroStyles]

Two, maybe three weeks since I was 18. I don't really like it or need it. Just that going out in NY I feel like it's required. It's not, of course, but I'm too lazy and unwilling to make a stand against it and not drink in bars.

 

[EnglishGent]

6 years without a drink because my ex wife didn't drink and it made me stay away from it, since I started drinking again I don't think I've been a week without. Maybe we'd have stayed married longer if I had continued to drink.