Why don’t I like alcohol anymore?

[Anonymous]

I’ve googled and the answers don’t seem right. I’m 44, never a problem drinker (as in, I’ve never binge-drunk, even in college, and my activities/behavior have never been affected by drinking). But from probably my late 30s until January 2022, I averaged a drink each night. I looked forward to it, I enjoyed it, I loved drinking with friends. Now it’s like a light switch turned off. I do still drink occasionally in social situations but I don’t particularly like it. And I never, ever just have a glass of wine at home.

How does that happen? Is my body just telling me to give it a rest? Most examples I see online are of people who had a bad hangover or other unpleasant reaction and then found alcohol distasteful. But I just seem to have…outgrown it? Has this happened to anyone else? I’m not complaining, but I am curious.

[Anonymous]

I’ve experienced the same shift. Had my binge drinking nights in youth but not a ton, became a semi regular drinker in my 30s and early 40s which usually meant a few drinks with friends a few times a month and a frequent glass of wine at home while cooking dinner. Sometime in my mid 40s as I grappled with perimenopausal symptoms I found the pleasure of wine no longer outweighed the possibility of migraine or just feeling less myself after a day with a drink or two. My body just doesn’t process it as well anymore and since I live in a state where cannabis is legal, I have embraced the after work bowl over the after work glass of wine - it’s a nice buzz without any of the negatives of alcohol including disrupted sleep and potential migraine. From what I’ve been reading in the health news pages, this shift is much to the benefit of my health - alcohol in any significant quantity is really not good for the aging body. I’ll stick to my glass of wine at thanksgiving Christmas and Easter and cannabis all other times.

[Anonymous]

You could have hepatitis.

[Anonymous]

Yes, though it was a gradual shift for me. I used to pretty regularly - maybe 5 nights a week - have a glass of wine with dinner or a beer or a small bourbon on the rocks. Now I maybe have 1 or 2 drinks a month. Even socially I don't drink.

Two thoughts are that I don't enjoy the buzz anymore and I'm too busy/tired to want to add alcohol to my life. I don't sleep as well if I've had a drink and even a small amount can lead to unpredictable stomach issues or headaches.

Also, I have teenage boys an as they were getting older, I didn't want them to see me drinking every night. I wanted it to be a more rare thing for special occasions.

I do think of it as having "outgrown" it. Maybe when I retire (I'm only 46 now), I'll add some back in. Maybe not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You could have hepatitis.

I’ve been tested, thank goodness. Just as part of my annual checkups. Didn’t know that was related!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve experienced the same shift. Had my binge drinking nights in youth but not a ton, became a semi regular drinker in my 30s and early 40s which usually meant a few drinks with friends a few times a month and a frequent glass of wine at home while cooking dinner. Sometime in my mid 40s as I grappled with perimenopausal symptoms I found the pleasure of wine no longer outweighed the possibility of migraine or just feeling less myself after a day with a drink or two. My body just doesn’t process it as well anymore and since I live in a state where cannabis is legal, I have embraced the after work bowl over the after work glass of wine - it’s a nice buzz without any of the negatives of alcohol including disrupted sleep and potential migraine. From what I’ve been reading in the health news pages, this shift is much to the benefit of my health - alcohol in any significant quantity is really not good for the aging body. I’ll stick to my glass of wine at thanksgiving Christmas and Easter and cannabis all other times.

OP here, sadly, I hate pot. I went to the most weed-centric college in the US and quickly discovered it wasn’t for me. I guess I’m destined for a buzz-free life.

[Anonymous]

Me too. I still like a cocktail on the weekends, but increasingly I just tuned into how alcohol makes me feel sleepy and gross and it's not appealing at all. It also just doesn't seem like a nice way to relax anymore with busy evenings. Just makes it harder to get everything accomplished (dinner, dishes, homework, bed on time ...)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve experienced the same shift. Had my binge drinking nights in youth but not a ton, became a semi regular drinker in my 30s and early 40s which usually meant a few drinks with friends a few times a month and a frequent glass of wine at home while cooking dinner. Sometime in my mid 40s as I grappled with perimenopausal symptoms I found the pleasure of wine no longer outweighed the possibility of migraine or just feeling less myself after a day with a drink or two. My body just doesn’t process it as well anymore and since I live in a state where cannabis is legal, I have embraced the after work bowl over the after work glass of wine - it’s a nice buzz without any of the negatives of alcohol including disrupted sleep and potential migraine. From what I’ve been reading in the health news pages, this shift is much to the benefit of my health - alcohol in any significant quantity is really not good for the aging body. I’ll stick to my glass of wine at thanksgiving Christmas and Easter and cannabis all other times.

OP here, sadly, I hate pot. I went to the most weed-centric college in the US and quickly discovered it wasn’t for me. I guess I’m destined for a buzz-free life.

Humbolt State?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve experienced the same shift. Had my binge drinking nights in youth but not a ton, became a semi regular drinker in my 30s and early 40s which usually meant a few drinks with friends a few times a month and a frequent glass of wine at home while cooking dinner. Sometime in my mid 40s as I grappled with perimenopausal symptoms I found the pleasure of wine no longer outweighed the possibility of migraine or just feeling less myself after a day with a drink or two. My body just doesn’t process it as well anymore and since I live in a state where cannabis is legal, I have embraced the after work bowl over the after work glass of wine - it’s a nice buzz without any of the negatives of alcohol including disrupted sleep and potential migraine. From what I’ve been reading in the health news pages, this shift is much to the benefit of my health - alcohol in any significant quantity is really not good for the aging body. I’ll stick to my glass of wine at thanksgiving Christmas and Easter and cannabis all other times.

OP here, sadly, I hate pot. I went to the most weed-centric college in the US and quickly discovered it wasn’t for me. I guess I’m destined for a buzz-free life.

From your age it seems we went to college around the same time - so I would just point out that pot has changed a lot since then, and you might want to reconsider. You don’t say why you hated pot but I can surely attest to having had some bad experiences with pot in my youth because quality was always a crap shoot getting it on the street. The last few years I have explored many different strains from the dispensaries I frequent and been guided in my choices by budtenders and reviews on Leafly. It’s possible to find a strain that doesn’t cause unpleasant side effects you might have experienced in the past such as excessive paranoia, dry mouth, munchies, etc. It’s also possible to ingest in different ways if it’s the smoking of flower that you dislike.

I know a lot of professional folks who have cut way back on drinking and gotten away from Pharma solutions for sleeplessness, anxiety, chronic pain etc. by using cannabis. I’m so grateful to have it as I go through middle age and these often trying times we live in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve experienced the same shift. Had my binge drinking nights in youth but not a ton, became a semi regular drinker in my 30s and early 40s which usually meant a few drinks with friends a few times a month and a frequent glass of wine at home while cooking dinner. Sometime in my mid 40s as I grappled with perimenopausal symptoms I found the pleasure of wine no longer outweighed the possibility of migraine or just feeling less myself after a day with a drink or two. My body just doesn’t process it as well anymore and since I live in a state where cannabis is legal, I have embraced the after work bowl over the after work glass of wine - it’s a nice buzz without any of the negatives of alcohol including disrupted sleep and potential migraine. From what I’ve been reading in the health news pages, this shift is much to the benefit of my health - alcohol in any significant quantity is really not good for the aging body. I’ll stick to my glass of wine at thanksgiving Christmas and Easter and cannabis all other times.

OP here, sadly, I hate pot. I went to the most weed-centric college in the US and quickly discovered it wasn’t for me. I guess I’m destined for a buzz-free life.

Humbolt State?

Hahaha, very, very close!

[Anonymous]

You need to try dessert wines or Moscato.

[Anonymous]

Same exact thing, age 45. I know it’s better for me to drink less, but I do kind of miss the enjoyment it used to give me.

[Anonymous]

This same thing happened to me, also in my mid-40s. Now, in my mid-50s, I don't drink at all anymore. It happened slowly in my 40s where I was drinking less and eventually, I would get one drink at a bar and not be able to finish it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need to try dessert wines or Moscato.

No way. Sweet wines make me feel worse than dry. Just don't have the taste for it anymore.

[Anonymous]

I hope this happens to me! Late 30s and I drink more than I should