People Who Don't Drink Alcohol, Why?

I was one of those people who did not drink alcohol. It's weird to look back, but I never really drank until I was roughly 28 years old.

My reason was stupidly simple, I had only ever been exposed to shitty yellow beer as I call it (Bud Light, Bush, and other mass produced garbage).

As such, I genuinely did not like drinking because I did not like the mass produced beer everyone around me enjoyed. This was back in the mid-2000s so craft beers were not really a thing then (in Connecticut at least).

It was not until I had Sam Adams Winter lager that I discovered that beer can be great. To this day, I still don't enjoy mass produced yellow beer in any country.

I don't mean to say I'm some sort of beer snob, I just give me a dark beer or a red ale any day.

Drink in moderation or not at all

Most content about alcohol (blog posts and videos) seems to be aimed at people who have a serious problem with drinking.

You know yourself, my advice is either drink in moderation or not at all. That means if you can't do moderation, then don't drink.

By moderation I mean once a week max with going to a bar with friends.

I can have a beer or wine with dinner and call it a night, or I can stay out till 4am on Kao San road partying it up.

One thing I've learned that is true is that drinking regularly will hold you back if it becomes a habit which is what happened to me in Bangkok.

Drinking 3x a week in Bangkok

When I moved to Bangkok I did lose my way a bit. I made a few new friends and I found myself going out way too much on the regular.

To the point where I was drinking 3x a week and partying. That means the whole week I had suboptimal performance for all things.

After about 1 year of this, me any the guys I was drinking regularly with all decided we had to put the break pedal on this behavior for one simple reason.

It got boring. Partying, girls and drinking is fun but after a 6 months to a year, you will have your fill. There's more to life and we all got to a point where it was time to move on.

Let's be honest about what happens after those few drinks.

Your sleep quality plummets.

Your morning energy drags.

That workout you planned? It's going to be subpar. Your focus at work? Compromised.

What should have been a peak performance day, a solid 10 out of 10 suddenly becomes a mediocre 5.

This raises an uncomfortable question: Is a few hours of being buzzed really worth sacrificing 24 hours of being your best self?

The Uncomfortable Truth

Here's where things get real. If the logical answer is "no" (and for most goal-oriented people, it is), then we have to ask: Why is this substance so important that we're willing to make such a poor trade-off?

Think about it. You wouldn't agree to do Muay Thai for two hours if it meant feeling terrible for a week afterward.

You wouldn't pursue any other hobby that consistently left you worse off than before.

Yet somehow, alcohol gets a pass.

What This Really Reveals

The harsh reality is that our relationship with alcohol often masks a deeper issue: we've never learned to fully enjoy life without it. Over years of social drinking, we've accidentally stunted our natural ability to connect, relax, and have fun.

Remember being 10-16 years old? You probably weren't nervous about socializing or needing something to "take the edge off."

That natural capacity for joy and connection was there. But somewhere along the way, alcohol became a crutch, and that organic part of ourselves began to atrophy.

The Social Trap

Many of us have built social circles and chosen activities that feel incomplete without drinking.

We've created lives that require pharmaceutical assistance to enjoy fully. This isn't a judgment. It's an observation about how deeply embedded alcohol has become in our concept of fun, relaxation, and social bonding.

When we feel tension or nervousness in social situations without alcohol, it's not because we're fundamentally broken. It's because we've outsourced our natural social abilities to a substance.

Breaking the Cycle

If you're fine with casual drinking, that's your choice. But consider looking honestly in the mirror first.

Ask yourself:

• Why do I feel like I need even two drinks?
• What am I afraid of experiencing without alcohol?
• Do I actually enjoy these activities, or do I just enjoy them when I'm drinking?

These questions might reveal that some of your lifestyle choices, friendships, or activities aren't as fulfilling as you thought.

That's not necessarily bad news, it's information you can use... and if the answer is that yea I enjoy hanging out drinking occasionally then that's fine too.

A Different Perspective

I'm not advocating for complete abstinence like some sanctimonious teetotaler. I occasionally drink myself and see the value in it.

I've had great evenings with my family around the fire, getting happy and merry during the Christmas holidays and what not. Same with getting beers with the guys as a reward

But I try to be honest when I do drink.

I budget the required time, meaning my work is done. I know that the following day is going to be an unproductive day and I'm okay with that because I set aside time as needed.

The Real Work

When you truly examine your relationship with alcohol, you might drink less naturally.

Not because you're forcing yourself to, but because you'll start asking, "Do I really need two glasses of wine at dinner? Let me try enjoying this conversation without them."

This kind of honest self-reflection removes the rose-colored glasses. You start seeing casual drinking for what it often is: an unnecessary habit that we've convinced ourselves is essential for a good time.

Moving Forward

The goal isn't perfection or permanent sobriety. It's awareness. When you feel the urge to drink, pause and examine where it's coming from.

Are you trying to enhance something genuinely enjoyable, or are you trying to make something tolerable?

This practice won't eliminate drinking from your life, but it will likely reduce your dependence on it. More importantly, it will encourage you to seek out activities, relationships, and experiences that are inherently fulfilling.

Your best life isn't locked behind a substance. It's waiting for you to discover what you actually enjoy and who you really are when you're fully present and unaltered.