Ask HN: How do you have fun without alcohol? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: How do you have fun without alcohol?

#171

Post by rdtwo » Thu, Jan 06, 2022, 5:26 PM UTC

sanedigital wrote: post #162

thepasswordis wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>You need a new group of friends, firstly. This is absolutely horrible advice. Alienating yourself from all of your friends simply because you don't want to drink the same things as them is not a good idea. If you don't want alcohol, then just don't drink it? I have been to many, many, many music festivals, parties, etc. and not drank anything. I can't imagine just exiling myself from all of my friends instead of sim…

Change the topic to drugs instead of alcohol: "Me and all my friends are cocaine addicts. I just can't have fun without cocaine." If you've recognized that your cocaine use is detrimental to your life, does that sound like an environment you should remain in?

The % of the population that does not drink and isn’t religious is pretty tiny.

Re: Ask HN: How do you have fun without alcohol?

#172

Post by Grazester » Thu, Jan 06, 2022, 5:33 PM UTC

mantas wrote: post #23

Grazester wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In a social setting outside your house this isn't possible. When I hear people ask about fun without alcohol it isn't that just drinking is fun for them but makes whatever they engage in during/after fun or more fun.

There're video game bars.. Frequently they're alcohol-free too to allow underage visitors.

Basically an arcade? I remember GameWorks was super fun in the 90's but they don't exist anymore

Re: Ask HN: How do you have fun without alcohol?

#173

Post by higgins » Thu, Jan 06, 2022, 5:37 PM UTC

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Re: Ask HN: How do you have fun without alcohol?

#174

Post by mantas » Thu, Jan 06, 2022, 5:39 PM UTC

Grazester wrote: post #172

mantas wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There're video game bars.. Frequently they're alcohol-free too to allow underage visitors.

Basically an arcade? I remember GameWorks was super fun in the 90's but they don't exist anymore

More like a room with tables/tvs/playstations/xboxes. Arcade in my mind is specifically old-school big-ass gaming booths.

Re: Ask HN: How do you have fun without alcohol?

#175

Post by AAthrowaway » Thu, Jan 06, 2022, 5:42 PM UTC

I have found AA and the community as a whole welcoming. I’ve spent the last 18 years of my life try to “control” my drinking. Not drinking on work nights, staying sober for months at a time but I always found myself down that slippery slope. The pandemic and work from home made it 1000% times worse. I didn’t have to shower or commute. I’d roll out of bed login, do standup and start drinking. It never affected my work. I’ve always gotten rave reviews. AA has changed my life in regards to family, physical well being and work. YMMV but if you’re interested the AA site has pdf versions and audio versions of the big book. The big book was an interesting read for sure.

Re: Ask HN: How do you have fun without alcohol?

#176

Post by bluefirebrand » Thu, Jan 06, 2022, 5:46 PM UTC

rdtwo wrote: post #170

bluefirebrand wrote: post #26

You need a new group of friends, firstly. It sucks to say, but people who need to drink to have fun will always drag you along that path. It doesn't matter if it's a night on the town, or a board game night, they will always want booze around. Also, they will probably pressure you to drink, because that's what gives them permission to. So find new people who don't drink. Do the normal things you would do, but without…

Quoted post unavailable.

How often do you go do things where drinking isn't the focus? Do you think someone is lame or unsocial if they don't want to go to a bar?

If you think it is uncool to not go to events where alcohol is a huge part of it, then of course you're not going to meet any nondrinkers you think are cool.

I can't speak for everyone of course, but I'd say that generally when you are sober it's not that fun to be around crowds of drunk people.

Re: Ask HN: How do you have fun without alcohol?

#177

Post by danaris » Thu, Jan 06, 2022, 5:47 PM UTC

bigyellow wrote: post #142

I don't. Alcohol is a poison and any adult still drinking it past college years is a fool that's going to end up in an early grave.

...You don't have fun without alcohol...?

Re: Ask HN: How do you have fun without alcohol?

#178

Post by lcall » Thu, Jan 06, 2022, 5:47 PM UTC

I made a list of things to do if someone is bored. To see it, you go to my site where I write things I am interested in (in profile, very tech-simple, nothing for sale), click "fun & relaxation" (near end of the first list), then "if someone is bored" (2nd from last). (It seems that a direct link gets my comment shadow-banned.)

To which I would now add, card, yard or other games (many, see wikipedia, but we like skipbo, five crowns, fictionary, maybe games with rook cards, croquet, etc).

Re: Ask HN: How do you have fun without alcohol?

#179

Post by kybernetyk » Thu, Jan 06, 2022, 5:48 PM UTC

Cocaine

Re: Ask HN: How do you have fun without alcohol?

#180

Post by meragrin_ » Thu, Jan 06, 2022, 5:51 PM UTC

smabie wrote: post #120

clintonb wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The OP stated they are an alcoholic. You don’t tell an addict, “hey, just stop doing drugs!” You have to change the environment.

Sounds like English is his second language.

> I just can't have fun without alcohol.

Sounds like an alcoholic to me.