CB, it's okay to choose to not drink. I enjoy a drink, but I choose not to these days. I used to find that if I was at a party, I would get high on the company. If I also had a drink in my hand, people would assume that my loud voice and laughter meant I was drunk. There were times when people assumed this, even when what I had in my hand was non-alcoholic. So that is one reason I stopped drinking - so I could honestly say, "I did not have any alcohol."
Another reason I stopped drinking - the kids. With the difficult children, I needed to have my wits about me. I learned to not drink while any of the kids were still up. Yes, it relaxes, but even one drink I found, was enough to lose my 'edge' in being able to handle the kids. So if I knew I'd be wanting a drink, I would make a vodka slushie and by the time it was frozen enough, the kids would be in bed and I would enjoy my one drink of the night.
A third reason I stopped drinking - my liver. We don't know why it went haywire, it was not alcohol because I never drank enough to do that sort of damage. It may have been medication, it may have been the 3 grams of iron they poured into my veins overnight when I was pregnant with difficult child 3. But once the damage was done, fatty infiltration made the problem far worse. Long before doctors told me to, I stopped drinking alcohol.
A fourth rason is also related to my liver - I was told that I was heading for gastric bypass. Not that I was that overweight, but my liver was in trouble. My specialist bullied me into losing weight. Alcohol is really bad when you're trying to lose weight. It metabolises into carbs and at the same time reduces the effectiveness of your liver to process everything else. sister in law drinks far too much (but won't admit it). She hides it, thinks we don't know. She is also trying to lose weight but is only ballooning out more. Half a bottle of scotch a night will do that to you. I've seen her work at watching her food intake, but she doesn't seem to worry about her alcohol intake. I know there is a myth that vodka is not fattening. it is - anything with alcohol is fattening.
To lose weight, I had to cut back srastically on everything. I had to cut back way below what a dietician would have found acceptable. My specialist okayed it. But if I had drunk any alcohol, it would have prevented any weight loss.
I get through holidays without alcohol these days. I might have a sip from my husband's glass because I do appreciate a good drop of wine. But these days, just a drop. Literally. I'll have a half glass of champagne at Christmas or New Year, but otherwise - no. Nothing. Diet soft drink, or Greek-style iced coffee (made with iced water and a splash of skim milk).
It can be done. And it has made my life easier and a lot more enjoyable. I also enjoy parties a lot more, when sober. I have foud that the sort of parties where you need to be tipsy to enjoy them, are actually really boring. So the parties I go to now, I enjoy more because we have great conversation.
Marg