Hi yes, I have gave up drinking. It followed an incident where I was drinking Red Wine, went to bed… and proceeded to act threateningly towards my wife in a drunking sleepwalking state, trying to climb under our bed and swearing at her when she expressed annoyance at it.
When i woke, to find her sleeping downstairs, I had to sit and listen to a version of myself that I instantly hated and reviled. It wsas the hardest conversation we’ve ever had.
I have got properly drunk twice since I stopped five years ago - and both times it’s been rubbish. I find no enjoyment from getting drunk, only from having a beer once maybe ever six months. I find I miss nothing about it; there is almost no benefit to it.
I have my sister’s wedding in a few weeks, and I might permit myself a few drinks then, but I won’t be getting drunk. It just has no benefit to me.
As for how easy it was? Well, with two young kids and a partner who is teetotal it makes it a lot easier. We also live away from friends, who many tempt me, so the external pressures people may put onto my, conciously and subconciously, are quite limited which made cutting it out entirely very easy. Also, in the Lake District travelling anywhere is a car-job, so there is very little choice (I have a zero tolerance policy for anyone having “a drink” and driving).
I don’t know if I can give any advice, because everything’s different for everyone, but for me I saw the reaction my wife had to “other self” after a particularly bad night, and I never wanted that to happen again. Bar maybe twice a year, I don’t touch the stuff, and i’ve lost weight, had more fun on night’s out when they do happen, and spent a lot less cash. and we still occasionally go to pubs.
