5 ms·

While you dont have to explain yourself for not drinking. I am intrigued as to why you chose this no drinking rule for yourself. Care to share?

fyfy18 6y ago
Not OP, but my story is I was living in a Middle Eastern country for a few years - although you could get alcohol at hotels it was expensive and there was basically no selection (usually only Carlsberg on tap, and similar beers in bottles). So I didn't bother drinking when I was there. It made me realise that I could have fun and socialise without alcohol. When I came back to Europe I tried drinking a few times, but I didn't really like it. As I hadn't been drinking, even one beer would make me feel so bad and dehydrated the next day (certain non-alcoholic beers do the same, so I don't think it is necessarily the alcohol). My wife was in the same situation, and then got pregnant so she also wasn't drinking. In the end I drifted away from my old friends who I would drink with, and made new friends who were happy to do things other than drinking. Admittedly it does make certain social situations a bit awkward (my co-working space has a weekly beer night, although I'm usually not the only one who doesn't drink), but overall I don't miss drinking. Looking back the only reason I drank before was due to peer pressure; I never felt having a cold beer after work was a very effective relaxation technique.
slau 6y ago
Not OP, but I have (virtually) the same rule. I’m averaging about 3 beers a year, and only when I really, _really_ feel like it. I don’t have a specific reason for it. The one reason most people seem to accept is when I say “I don’t like the feeling of losing control”, although that’s only partially it. Another one that comes up is “I don’t need that to have fun”. Although I grew up in France and Belgium, I don’t like the taste of either wine or beer. I completely agree with OP though: I don’t frankly care when people judge me for not drinking.
- olcor 6y ago
  yea I agree - one time my dad got me drunk as a kid and molested me and now I'm fucking terrified of alcohol
  - rocqua 6y ago
    Dang man. That is some heavy stuff. I can see why you don't like to tell that story, that's got to suck.
    - olcor_ 6y ago
      No, my account got hacked, so your comment's parent isn't me. Please see my other posts below.
      - rocqua 6y ago
        Shit man, that sucks! Not as much as being molested, but it is still shitty.
- partyboat1586 6y ago
  Drinking helps people bond which is why people like it. You don't have to drink all the time to get that benefit, just a small bit sometimes to break the ice. Beer is pretty good once you get used to it, the taste completely transforms.
olcor 6y ago
I choose not to drink because I am a homosexual, and I'm afraid that I might not be able to resist my urges to touch little kids in the pub after work
- olcor_ 6y ago
  @dang I think my older account has been broken into(am original olcor). Could you please help? Thanks
  - olcor 6y ago
    I'm not emotionally mature enough to understand the complexities of putting a penis inside of a vagina
  - DanBC 6y ago
    You need to email dang. He won't see your message unless you email him.
    - olcor_ 6y ago
      Thanks! Have sent a mail.
nkuttler 6y ago
I find it interesting that you think this is noteworthy. On a global scale half of the adults don't drink alcohol. In the US around a quarter of all men and a third of women don't drink.
- unethical_ban 6y ago
  Like, at all? Literally, 1/4 of all men don't drink any alcohol, ever? I'm in a bubble.
  - zelphirkalt 6y ago
    To me this sounds quite realistic, so yas, you could be in a bubble there.
  - auganov 6y ago
    Born in one of the highest consumption countries way above the US. My dad never drank, I never drank, hardly ever seen my mom or grandparents drink (though they're not strictly against it). I assume drinkers just tend to go to places where people drink like pubs, clubs which I've never been to. I'm sure non-drinkers tend to be rare there. Also assuming that drinking might correlate with sociability there could be a friendship paradox style thing going on where people you know are much more likely to be drinkers.
- partyboat1586 6y ago
  Narrow it down to 21-50 year old men with no serious existing health conditions, no Asian heritage and no religious alcohol restriction and I bet it looks more like 90% rather than 75%.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
olcor_ 6y ago
Not a direct answer, but my original account has been broken into, the password has been changed, and the poster is making bad comments. Not sure how to handle that.
- jug 6y ago
  So childish. :-( Maybe the admins can help you, hn@ycombinator.com
  - olcor_ 6y ago
    Thanks! Have emailed them.
- unethical_ban 6y ago
  How do such fools find HN? This is a pretty safe spot for intelligence. It's a bit spooky that happened.
- hajimemash 6y ago
  Your comment about getting molested is now making perfect sense..
  - olcor_ 6y ago
    Yeah, have emailed moderators. Not sure when it'll get deleted. Sorry about that.
mewpmewp2 6y ago
For me personally, I do not like the idea of impairing my cognitive functions. And I have done very cringy things while drunk. I regret it every time the following day. Bad sleep, anxiety, depression afterwards. Unproductive following day. Unnecessary calories. Setbacks in gym. So many reasons, honestly.
0DHm2CxO7Lb3 6y ago
When I feel good my body and heart has a slight euphoric feeling and alcohol moves me further away from that. I used to drink but sort of just gradually reduced it over time after meeting friends who didn't drink, it wasn't really a conscious decision though, just going by what makes me feel good

fyfy18 6y ago

Not OP, but my story is I was living in a Middle Eastern country for a few years - although you could get alcohol at hotels it was expensive and there was basically no selection (usually only Carlsberg on tap, and similar beers in bottles). So I didn't bother drinking when I was there. It made me realise that I could have fun and socialise without alcohol. When I came back to Europe I tried drinking a few times, but I didn't really like it. As I hadn't been drinking, even one beer would make me feel so bad and dehydrated the next day (certain non-alcoholic beers do the same, so I don't think it is necessarily the alcohol). My wife was in the same situation, and then got pregnant so she also wasn't drinking. In the end I drifted away from my old friends who I would drink with, and made new friends who were happy to do things other than drinking. Admittedly it does make certain social situations a bit awkward (my co-working space has a weekly beer night, although I'm usually not the only one who doesn't drink), but overall I don't miss drinking. Looking back the only reason I drank before was due to peer pressure; I never felt having a cold beer after work was a very effective relaxation technique.

slau 6y ago

Not OP, but I have (virtually) the same rule. I’m averaging about 3 beers a year, and only when I really, _really_ feel like it. I don’t have a specific reason for it. The one reason most people seem to accept is when I say “I don’t like the feeling of losing control”, although that’s only partially it. Another one that comes up is “I don’t need that to have fun”. Although I grew up in France and Belgium, I don’t like the taste of either wine or beer. I completely agree with OP though: I don’t frankly care when people judge me for not drinking.

olcor 6y ago
yea I agree - one time my dad got me drunk as a kid and molested me and now I'm fucking terrified of alcohol
- rocqua 6y ago
  Dang man. That is some heavy stuff. I can see why you don't like to tell that story, that's got to suck.
  - olcor_ 6y ago
    No, my account got hacked, so your comment's parent isn't me. Please see my other posts below.
    - rocqua 6y ago
      Shit man, that sucks! Not as much as being molested, but it is still shitty.
partyboat1586 6y ago
Drinking helps people bond which is why people like it. You don't have to drink all the time to get that benefit, just a small bit sometimes to break the ice. Beer is pretty good once you get used to it, the taste completely transforms.

olcor 6y ago

I choose not to drink because I am a homosexual, and I'm afraid that I might not be able to resist my urges to touch little kids in the pub after work

olcor_ 6y ago
@dang I think my older account has been broken into(am original olcor). Could you please help? Thanks
- olcor 6y ago
  I'm not emotionally mature enough to understand the complexities of putting a penis inside of a vagina
- DanBC 6y ago
  You need to email dang. He won't see your message unless you email him.
  - olcor_ 6y ago
    Thanks! Have sent a mail.

nkuttler 6y ago

I find it interesting that you think this is noteworthy. On a global scale half of the adults don't drink alcohol. In the US around a quarter of all men and a third of women don't drink.

unethical_ban 6y ago
Like, at all? Literally, 1/4 of all men don't drink any alcohol, ever? I'm in a bubble.
- zelphirkalt 6y ago
  To me this sounds quite realistic, so yas, you could be in a bubble there.
- auganov 6y ago
  Born in one of the highest consumption countries way above the US. My dad never drank, I never drank, hardly ever seen my mom or grandparents drink (though they're not strictly against it). I assume drinkers just tend to go to places where people drink like pubs, clubs which I've never been to. I'm sure non-drinkers tend to be rare there. Also assuming that drinking might correlate with sociability there could be a friendship paradox style thing going on where people you know are much more likely to be drinkers.
partyboat1586 6y ago
Narrow it down to 21-50 year old men with no serious existing health conditions, no Asian heritage and no religious alcohol restriction and I bet it looks more like 90% rather than 75%.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]

olcor_ 6y ago

Not a direct answer, but my original account has been broken into, the password has been changed, and the poster is making bad comments. Not sure how to handle that.

jug 6y ago
So childish. :-( Maybe the admins can help you, hn@ycombinator.com
- olcor_ 6y ago
  Thanks! Have emailed them.
unethical_ban 6y ago
How do such fools find HN? This is a pretty safe spot for intelligence. It's a bit spooky that happened.
hajimemash 6y ago
Your comment about getting molested is now making perfect sense..
- olcor_ 6y ago
  Yeah, have emailed moderators. Not sure when it'll get deleted. Sorry about that.

mewpmewp2 6y ago

For me personally, I do not like the idea of impairing my cognitive functions. And I have done very cringy things while drunk. I regret it every time the following day. Bad sleep, anxiety, depression afterwards. Unproductive following day. Unnecessary calories. Setbacks in gym. So many reasons, honestly.

0DHm2CxO7Lb3 6y ago

When I feel good my body and heart has a slight euphoric feeling and alcohol moves me further away from that. I used to drink but sort of just gradually reduced it over time after meeting friends who didn't drink, it wasn't really a conscious decision though, just going by what makes me feel good