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I quit drinking 5 years ago - here are 6 unexpected ways it changed my life
I quit drinking 5 years ago - here are 6 unexpected ways it changed my life
Jennifer StillApr 25, 2018, 20:31 IST
Since quitting alcohol five years ago, Still has saved money, improved her health, and permanently eliminated the hellish hangover we all love to hate.Jacob Lund/Shutterstock
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Alcohol is almost universally present in the Western social scene.
From 21st birthdays to happy hours to weekend cocktails - author Jennifer Still has consumed her fair share of alcohol in her younger years but has since chosen to give it up for good.
Since quitting alcohol five years ago, Still has saved money, improved her health, and permanently eliminated the hellish hangover we all love to hate.
From high school parties to 21st birthday blowouts to after-work happy hours, it's safe to say that we live in a drinking culture. Whether it's a glass of wine after a long, hard day or cocktails over the weekend, the idea that we need drinks to celebrate, wind down, or numb our brains in the midst of tough times is pretty much a given.
I wasn't immune to this, and I spent my early to mid-20s getting on a first name basis with Jack Daniels and developing a preference for Tanqueray over Bombay. While I was never heavily reliant on alcohol, I still recognized it as the useful and occasionally necessary social tool that it was, and I hated that I often felt pressured to drink when I didn't really feel like it. Eventually, I decided to cut out booze for good, and and five years later, it's one of the best decisions I've ever made. Here's why.
The times I got drunk enough to pay the price the following morning have been etched into my brain as experiences I never want to repeat again. Throwing up, sweating, and feeling like death would level me for 24 hours, and it just wasn't worth it.
If you’ve ever had one too many drinks, then you know the feeling. Now that I don't drink, I'm always baffled by the fact that so many people see hangovers as inevitable annoyances rather than totally avoidable if they just laid off the alcohol.
2. I save a lot of money
Because I always opt for $2 Diet Cokes instead of $9 martinis when I go out, I have more cash in my wallet to save — or, let's be real, to spend on the late night pizza that will call my name.
Drinking is expensive. Sure, there are happy hour deals and well drinks if you're tight on money — but even those add up if you're out every weekend. I prefer to put my hard-earned dollars toward vacations or other experiences I'll actually be able to remember the next day.
3. I don’t embarrass myself quite so often
I can be clumsy and awkward for sure, but I can safely say that I'll never again make a fool out of myself in front of my friends, partner, or perfect strangers because I'm too drunk to remember what appropriate behavior looks like. In turn, other drunk people acting like idiots is a serious pet peeve of mine now.
4. I started spending more quality time with the people I care about
Because going out isn’t about getting drunk for me, when I spend time with my friends or partner, we do things that help increase our bond and enrich our lives. Whether it’s deep conversations over dinner or taking in a new exhibition at a local art gallery, my time with the people I care about isn’t focused on the quality and the quantity of drinks we can guzzle.
5. I’ve weeded out the fairweather friends from my group
The sad truth is that a lot of “friends” are only that in title rather than deed. For most people, drinking is a social activity which means you need people to do it with. In turn, you end up hanging out with a lot of people that you don’t really care about or may not even like. Not me!
Now that I don’t drink, people know that hanging out with me means they’ll actually have to engage in conversation rather than shouting over loud music on their way to the bar. It’s been amazing for showing me who my real friends are.
6. I’m improving my chances of living a long, healthy life.
Given that alcohol is linked to several different types of cancer as well as other serious health complications, it seems like a no-brainer to give it up in order to live a healthier life. While there's no guarantee that I won't suffer with any of those conditions in the future anyway, I feel good knowing I'm doing what I can to lower my chances.
