Alcohol moderation

[Did]

It was mentioned in another thread, but does anyone else struggle with drinking too much? I think it's quite common for retirees. Like everyone, I don't consider myself a problem drinker, but then I find hangovers a problem (they suck), and obviously I'm not the sort of guy who stops after two standard size glasses of red.

I'm contemplating taking a year off the drink to sort myself out. I've done it before and actually enjoyed it. But then, I'm also partial to a nice drink with a meal, or in the sun when it presents itself.

Anyone worked out moderation? Especially if from an alcohol drenched culture like the Aussies/English/Irish...

[FBeyer]

That depends on why you're drinking doesn't it?
For company? Because you're not actually de-stressed enough to wind down without? For the taste? Because your idle hands will pour a new one without thinking?
None of these reasons have the same fix, although they share symptoms.

[IlliniDave]

I am descended from Irish, Italian, Polish, and German, so alcohol was part of my heritage. I've gone through periods of relative temperance, and nowadays would have to say that I only drink rarely. For me it was primarily about disliking hangovers. I got to an age where even a couple drinks caused a noticeable affect on my get-up-and-go the next day. Then when I did the YMOYL examination of whether the money spent on alcohol and related socializing was adding to or detracting from the quality of my life, it came up with a general thumbs down. IOW it was a matter of weighing the downside against the degree of enjoyment. Between those two considerations I did not want to drink anymore. I'll still celebrate occasions like Christmas or a wedding with a drink or two, but that's about it.

[vexed87]

I'll maybe have a beer/glass of wine while I'm cooking/unwinding from work 1-2 nights through the week, I won't have any more now because it makes me more tired the next day, I'm not a morning person at the best of times, never mind when I'm nursing a hangover. I don't find myself struggling with the thought of rationing though. I just have too much productive stuff to do in the evenings, being drunk doesn't mix with getting on with woodwork etc

If I was retired, I probably would be drinking more... after all, your retirement is your chance to truly enjoy yourself without worries about under performing at work, and most other productive stuff would get done through the day. Then again I hadn't thought about it from IlliniDave's YMOYL angle. Alcohol doesn't have to be expensive, if that's a concern, learn to homebrew! I just looked up my annual spending on alcohol, and it averages out at £11/week between SO an I, including sharing with guests. I think UK taxes on alcohol are relativly high compared to most US states. Oh that also includes stock piling various spirits for the SHTF party.

I usually limit myself to half a bottle of wine, and maybe 2-3 beers on a weekend evening, I know that can be a bit excessive if I am just relaxing at home, but I stretch to double that in social contexts. What wrong with getting a bit merry once or twice a month!

It's a personal thing, tolerance to the negative effects of alcohol and hangovers in particular would steer most peoples choices. No doubt, being in work, or being retired is also a major factor.

[GandK]

G (Italian) tends to drink too much when he's (a) stressed out in some way and then (b) ends up at a bar that night. Removing either factor solves the drinking problem, but dealing with the stress before it mushrooms is really the key in his case. If a friend says to him "let's go get some drinks" after he's already in a state, he is going to accept (raging extravert) and then drink too much as a coping mechanism. Then about 10 hours later he's hung over, down $60, and he has too much stress, instead of just the latter.

[7Wannabe5]

Another factor to consider would be that most alcoholics eventually become mean or raging drunks at the margin, and you will quickly decimate your social circle with that sort of behavior.

[IlliniDave]

... Then again I hadn't thought about it from IlliniDave's YMOYL angle. Alcohol doesn't have to be expensive, if that's a concern, learn to homebrew!

It isn't so much the absolute cost. I can certainly afford to go out a night or two a week with friends. It's just that to me on an ongoing basis, I don't find the "fun" stacks up to spending the entire next day somewhere between feeling run down and feeling totally obliterated. So it just seems imprudent to systematically spend money (voluntarily) on something that is a net negative in my life. If the converse were true and the fun outweighed the physiological damage, I would gladly spend the money and consider spending above what I did in my more social days. There are a few exceptions like those I mentioned: holidays and celebration events where the cost (financial and physiological together)/benefit scales balance, but they are more the exception than the norm.

IOW, I'm a lightweight when it comes to alcohol.

[Did]

Thanks for everyone's observations.

As for YMOYL thinking, there is some truth to that, although I could improve efficiency on that front through home brew, cask purchase in France etc.

I think I'm more in the its not worth it due to the hangover camp though rather than a financial one. As for why I drink, well I think it's the obvious. It's fun, it's social, it lessens inhibitions (read crazy sex), I love the taste and the sheer joy of drinking that humans discovered at least 10,000 years ago. Some think it was the need to grow grain for alcohol that resulted in humans settling (ie civilisation).

It's more a case of why wouldn't I rather than why would I.

[7Wannabe5]

Warning. If you want to maintain your sexual functioning as you grow older, you absolutely need to learn how to drop your inhibitions without the aid of alcohol or marijuana (not to say that there is anything inherently wrong with engaging in a drunken or otherwise altered romp on occasion.) Also,if you make habitual use of pornography, you need to somehow figure out how to still vary your position when achieving orgasm. Trust me, if you do not heed this advice, you will find yourself increasingly dependent on "borrowing" sexual and physical functioning and/or patient good humor from your partners, or parked in celibate in the last trimester of your life, even if you are otherwise relatively physically fit.

[Did]

Noted. To be honest it's more my wife's inhibitions I'm unlocking!! Ha ha. True I can be sober for that.

[Tyler9000]

I used to drink a glass or two of whiskey every night after work. It was very tasty, but honestly it was more to unwind than anything. After retiring, my alcohol consumption reduced dramatically -- I still drink occasionally, but probably closer to once a month than once a day. Interestingly, my tolerance has also plummeted in the process. At least I'm a cheap drunk now.

I still like the ritual of a nice beverage in the evenings, but hot tea or coffee has replaced alcohol with none of the downsides. With the stress off the table, the alcohol just isn't as necessary.

[enigmaT120]

I think I'm more in the its not worth it due to the hangover camp though rather than a financial one. As for why I drink, well I think it's the obvious. It's fun, it's social, it lessens inhibitions (read crazy sex), I love the taste and the sheer joy of drinking that humans discovered at least 10,000 years ago.
It's more a case of why wouldn't I rather than why would I.

I'm trying to remember how the saying goes.... a little is too much but a lot is never enough. I enjoy it a lot for the reasons you mention (except for sex, since if I expect to get lucky I need to abstain from booze), but not so much in moderation. My only solution so far is to not drink very often. I rarely get hangovers but I value my health too much to drink as much as I want to very often. I took a couple of years off a few years ago but missed it. Not when stressed or anything like that, but when I'm feeling good like after a hard day's working in the woods, after running, or even after yoga. I view it as a mixed blessing.

[FBeyer]

I used to drink a glass or two of whiskey every night after work...

I recently decided it was time to buy a cheaper whiskey than I usually drink. The first dram always tastes heavenly, but the next one never really lives up to the first one. I might as well enjoy a cheaper, but still nice*, whiskey for number two, rather than pour 2 more fingers** of Lagavulin*** and not enjoy it nearly as much****.


* Like Monkey Shoulder. Found it for 32$ in SafeWay last time I was in California. Had I been wiser I would have stuffed my bag on the way back...
**Like all measurements based on body parts, this is may be the worst measure I can think of.
*** Or Port Ruighe, Talisker Storm, Laphroaig QA, Nikka...
**** Am I emulating Jacob's excessive use of footnotes well enough or do I need to intersperse them between paragraphs for the effect to really be apparent?

[jacob]

@FBeyer - Keep practising, grasshopper, and some day you too might attain footnote enlightenment

[steveo73]

I come from a family where drinking is just something that you do. My Auntie was an alcoholic and it ruined her life. Mum and Dad drink regularly but it's never been a problem.

I have a tendency to drink too much but it's never really gotten out of control. I agree with some of the sentiments on this thread stating that drinking becomes a stress reliever. Ideally its better not to get stressed. I would often drink once per week too excess (maybe a bottle of wine) after finishing work for the week. I'm trying to not do this now.

[Did]

@steveo You're an Aussie i recall, where the definition of alco is burbon for breakfast and everything less is just being a normal bloke....

[steveo73]

@steveo You're an Aussie i recall, where the definition of alco is burbon for breakfast and everything less is just being a normal bloke....

It is part of the culture but honestly we aren't as bad as some. I find people of Irish or British heritage drink a lot more than us as a general rule. I come from an Irish background at some point.

[Did]

@steveo73 I would have to agree. The big difference I think is that they drink like 20 year olds when they are 65, shamelessly. For example they will all stand around joking about how pissed they were the night before - grown, otherwise respectable men and women!

It's less cool to say that in oz, at that age. You grow out of it at about 25.

[Solvent]

I don't think I've got moderation figured out, but one thing I have noticed is that dedication to a challenging fitness regime helps me drink less. I think the reason must be something to do with the fact that if you're focused on achieving some fitness goals, you realise that working out while dehydrated and hungover is terrible, and poor sleep interferes with your recovery. If I maintain strong interest in an exercise plan, then I don't indulge as much. Those times where I'm between fitness goals and sort of just in maintenance mode, I drink more.

Here in Switzerland the beer's one of the only things that is cheaper than in Australia. You can get 0.5L cans for about 50c. It seems to me that at those prices I'm only encouraged to drink a small amount more, so I gather that I'm not terribly price sensitive.

[steveo73]

I can buy a decent bottle of wine at Aldi for $3. Beer is more expensive. You buy a case of beer for say $40. I don't really drink beer anymore.