**This post is my personal OPINIONS & experiences with some facts mixed. If you decide to drink that is your choice I am only discussing from my experience and from a health perspective why I am becoming a Non-Drinker.
To start I was never a big drinker or party girl in general but I did occasionally get drunk with my friends.
I was 16 & one of my childhood friends named Jen and I stole a bottle of vodka from her parents and got apple juice and each poured up a tall cup. After a few sips, I said ew, I did not get drunk that night I was slightly tipsy maybe I did not drink much. and did not drink again after that until I was 18. My younger brother and I had friends with older siblings so it was easier to obtain alcohol I remember I had just begun to plan my 18th birthday and I wanted to drink so I bought a bunch of Alcohol from a friend’s Mother (In hindsight HUGE red flag) went and bought it for me a huge duffle bag filled with everything from Patron to Alize. I felt like I HAD to have alcohol on my birthday because I was an “adult”. So we drank thankfully nothing happened. After that, I rarely drank like I said I was never a huge drinker but many of the people I was becoming friends with were and they were drinking often most of them nightly.
So I kept my distance and I kind of just by default became a non-drinker.
A few years later I was around 20 turning 21 I, of course, felt Obligated to drink it was a right of passage at 21. My friends at the time were actual drinkers and were asking will I have alcohol at my party etc I said sure.. and Of course, because I was turning 21 and it was legal finally I had a party and people were very drunk at my party and throwing up. That was one of the first times I had been around people drinking to that point. I always would say to myself I will never let myself get that drunk. I always kept my alcohol consumption to a minimum of 3-5 shots maybe. So after that, I did begin to drink more often because I was 21 a friend would have a party every other weekend and I would be there and felt like I had to have one because it’s the thing to do at 21 right?
I never got too drunk but did have some times where it has more than my normal limit and id regret it not even because of a hangover but because I did not like feeling out of control. I did not get hangovers at all as a matter of fact drinking never physically made me feel bad. I felt anxious at times after id drunk. I noticed also when drunk I was not as shy at times and I wanted that to come from me, not the alcohol.
I noticed from peers/social/”friends” that they made it seem like alcohol=adult=fun=only way to make something fun. I felt like alcohol was ALWAYS involved no matter what we would be going to a movie let me drink 6 shots first. those types of things. It was like “I can’t have fun unless we’re drunk or going to be” It was not socially having a drink for them it was I have to be hammered drunk every time. I kept my distance because that never aligned with me.
The Health Aspect
I lost over 150 pounds+ in my early-mid 20s and As I stated I was never really a drinker. That helped with that but as I have gotten a bit older and wiser and more educated and done a lot of research about Alcohol’s effects on the body I’ve discovered health wise I can no longer put that into my body not even moderately.
Some things Alcohol can do are Cause Cancer it is a carcinogen,
can cause Liver Damage, and Alcohol causes Brain and Nervous System Problems.
I just feel better all around when I do not consume alcohol. So for me, it’s an easy choice.
Spiritually I feel that my abilities are clearer as I don’t believe in channeling while intoxicated. When I don’t consume alcohol I just feel my intuition is extremely clear.
In the past I allowed myself to fall into the mindset that Alcohol all the time at every activity was normal. I participated in drinking when I did not want to because it was the thing to do. Looking back never really enjoyed drinking the way that I thought I did either. and now at 32, I am deciding to go back to being a Non-drinker. I already had told my loved ones and many supported me and understand, On the other hand, I have also had people question why.
As I grow I just feel for me that’s a part of my life I want to let go of for many reasons.
-Jessica
