Adjusting to drinking not being in your life.

You can act like a man!

I sound a lot like you except it was affecting daily family life for me in a bad way. My last drink was September 4, 2017. Overall it’s been great and I don’t know where I’d be if I hadn’t quit. I would avoid parties and things for the first couple of years because I felt awkward being there and sober, but I don’t even think about it anymore.

And if you love beer as much as I do, check out Athletic Brewing and Bravus Brewing. Legitimately good NA craft beer.

What a sad life.

You may be an alcoholic

Doing all those activities you listed without a drink during or immediately after shouldn't be a "big shift".

It really is an entire lifestyle change. Plan your weeks, especially weekend mornings, so you have an excuse to cut the booze / not be hungover. “Hey just zero or one beer for me tonight I’ve got something going on in the morning.”

Strop being weak. Be a man. You know you can do all your favorite activities without pounding drinks? It’s not a legal requirement to have booze

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For example going to NOLA pre decline. Sure you check out art and architecture and history but all with a drink in your hand or drink immediately afterward. Or Vegas or the beach or the lake. Can all be done without beer? Of course. But it’s a big shift.

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All of that except maybe (and just maybe) the NOLA trips can be done without drinking and still be fun. If it cannot for you, then you probably had a drinking problem. If it always ended with excessive drinking, you definitely did.

I was never really a habitual drinker and rarely drank to excess, so it is not a thing I have personally done, though I have gone very long periods of time without drinking at all. My late brother struggled with it his whole life and put it down for about 15 years but fell back into it for about 10 years or so until he died recently. Ironically, it was smoking that was the root of his untimely passing.

For you, I think it will just be a matter of initially being conscious of the habits you've developed (sounds like you are) and being intentional about avoiding drinking/trying to develop different habits as part of your routine. Probably good to avoid Vegas for a bit because you can't really avoid the opportunity for alcohol there. The beach or the lake, make sure you have fishing gear and make that your new addiction.

Good luck buddy.

I’m a drinker, but there is a weird alcohol obsession in Louisiana, which I’ve never quite understood. It’s odd and sad.

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Try weed bro

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Second this, but be careful if you have an addictive personality. Weed is great in moderation, just like alcohol. Definitely do not want to start smoking all day, everyday

I’m one of the folks you mentioned above where drinking was going to kill me. I had a lot of motivation to stop. BUT, I stopped.

EVERYTHING is more fun. It actually opened doors for me instead of closing them, like I feared.

I ask myself the question, “Do I have another reason for being there other than drinking?” If so, I go. Just last night, I was in downtown Houston ar The Rustic with friends, listening to live music. Absolutely loved it, had a blast. Drank two soda waters. I would have spent $100 on drinks in the past.

No headache this morning, no risky drive home last night, and I don’t have to say I’m sorry to anyone. No shame, no regret. That feeling is priceless.

LSU games and Saint games are so much better. Fishing with my friends are so much more meaningful, safer, and productive.

You’ll end up glad you stopped it just takes awhile. But events that are solely about people getting drunk, I avoid. After concerts, I go home. Straight home.

That’s key for me. I hope this somehow helps.