Ask HN: How did you stop drinking?

This is very interesting. I have gradually become this person because I don't tolerate alcohol well anymore and it doesn't bother me to say this to myself or anyone else. Yet on the other hand, I have someone very close to me, who experiences incredible anxiety when embracing the identity of being a non-drinker. The way it was put to me was "Everyone will know I have a problem with alcohol and it makes me ashamed and self conscious".

And yet, my experience is that no one ever asks why I don't drink or even care and they still like being around me.

1. Since you already asked for the approach, it's relative easy to persuade yourself that you want to cut it out altogether. Either because of you don't enjoy the foggy head or like me, stomach bugs. There could be no real reason at all. For the substance of alcohol, you might want to cut it out completely not because it's unhealthy, on the contrary, it might even be healthy. so what. the most important is your decision and determination to take back control.

2. get rid off all the alcohols at home but keep a couple of cans of beer in the refrigerator. make a sticker annotating the date and write down firmly and warmly that 'I don't need it. I quit drinking from 11/10/2022'. Look at them and tell yourself that 'I don't need it. bye beer.' close the refrigerator and tell yourself you're amazing. Do this every once a while.

there's a lot of time of weakness. It's hard mostly because people forget their decision, or not taking the decision seriously enough. sometimes, I need to sit down and tell myself that alcohol is a substance same as butter, good or bad, it doesn't matter any more since i don't need it. i decided to get rid of it from my life. if this worked for me, i will add another sticker telling myself that i success on 04/2013, 05/2013 .. how amazing i was! especially when the stickers piled up thick. the stickers also had some crazy things like 'damn you', 'bye dear bear' .. etc. i bet someone could write a app for it. but stickers on the can works perfectly.

The mind game worked for me. Eventually after a few years, I get rid off those old cans and stickers as well. during the time i can sit with my friends and watching them drinking beer. IF someone asked me to drink, I would tell them the same simple decision. I was a social drinker, quit drinking also endorsed me strong confidence to tell them my true thought - I am same good or even better without the cold beer. I will usually have iced water and chew the ice cubes if i have to drink something.

Honestly all my friends support me quite well. and didn't challenge me too often :D I would suggest that except for those two cans of cues, never get too close to cold beer before your mind wired with the unnecessary of booze.

Good luck!

Also interesting in that regard: https://steadydrinker.com/articles/foods-drinks-alcohol/

It probably means though that I didn't have any chemical addiction and it certainly helped that I had a things to do that benefited instantly from my decision – my work at that time.

It probably also helped that I was raised up by parents who didn't allow me to blame others when things went wrong with me – "You can't change to world no matter badly it behaves, but you can always do better yourself."