2 Realizations That Made Me Want To Give Up Alcohol
And how it happened effortlessly without willpower.
When I was young, my dad used to say to me, “Don’t smoke, and don’t take drugs, but you can drink like a fish.” My parents were very conservative and strict, so why would my dad be giving me his blessing when it comes to alcohol?
My parents only ever drank in social situations and at parties. When they did, from my perspective, all had a lot of fun. Mom was usually a little stressed juggling all her parenting, household, and work duties. Still, she would turn into a giggly teenager after a drink. And dad, who was always quite shy, would turn into the life of the party.
I was a straight-A student who always wanted to do everything right. I learned early on that alcohol was a socially acceptable recreational drug. We refer to “Drugs & Alcohol.” We separate alcohol as distinct from other mind-altering and addictive substances. It IS different! For one, it’s legal, and you don’t need a prescription for it.
So for most of my life, I drank quite a lot. I started in college, and it became an acceptable part of adult life. I cringe now when I remember being proud that I could drink with the boys and keep up. My motto used to be: “I can drink any man under the table.” Oh my, how embarrassing that sounds…
