If drinking lowers your inhibitions and helps you relax it's fun. If you can't remember the fun you had, it's a problem. I don't want to hang out with people who never drink but babysitting the ones who get trashed can be a chore. I spent Friday night with two guys who are just friends to me fighting (verbally) over me because they were drunk. Sheesh! I needed a whistle and a striped shirt!
Some people are happy drunks and some people get angry. Guess which ones I'd rather be with! I'm more inclined to think you don't have a problem if you're smiling the whole night.
As far as sex goes, one may help you relax, have one too many and you can't perform, man or woman. Same thing goes, I want to remember my experience.
For me it's the amount of alcohol consumed in a sitting.

I've never enjoyed drinking - I've tried several times, I just never enjoy myself. I think that all evidence points to me being a bad, angry drunk. It's probably fortunate that I don't like it.

Now smoking, that's a different story. Using your vice as a reward? Looking forward to it? Yeah, exactly like that.

Apparently, I'm going to quit sometime in the next month. Ra, ra, enthusiasm . . .

I quit smoking 6 years ago with the help of Welbutrin. I could not have done it without (I tried!) the drug.

As for drinking... I've never really been a big drinker, though I do have my moments. My problem with drinking is usually the environment in which it happens. I prefer a brightly lit area with fun music that is low enough for easy conversation. You'd be surprised how hard that is to find.

I need to find something to use as a reward; something to look forward to; something to use for celebration. Any suggestions?

I used to drink socially. A friend of mine has the occasional party at his house, there'll be a drinking game, and I'd drink then because they usually played fun drinking games. But a few months ago I decided to just up and quit drinking altogether. I quit smoking years ago, both I quit cold turkey. Caffiene, on the other hand, I've been trying in vain to drink less. I've cut my at-home intake in half for the most part, though.

I think there's a pendulum of this as well .... DRUNK sex is sloppy, irresponsible.

LUBRICATED sex...a few libations , maybe just one....can be sexy and wild...

but so can Clear headed sex.... in fact in the last few months I haven't had sex on any alchohol....and it was still just lovely...(boring and vanilla but lovely) and then there's FWord sex which doesn't need a damned thing....mmm

and I certainly will NOT fuck a man who's DRUNK... thats' just asking for trouble..anywhere from " ow, your on my hair- you're on my HAIR!!" to getting ripped because he doesn't know or care what he's doing.

That said.... I DO love a nice, early evening libation as the tree frogs start to sing......mmm hmmm......side cars anyone?

Found this website recently. I feel it might be a good alternative to AA for some folks. I think I'll apply the techniques to "chocolate" and see how it goes :)
http://www.moderation.org/

30 days? I could, but I don't drink for sex. Weed on the other hand...

I have been sober for almost 6 years and I do not miss drinking one bit. Sex is better, life is better, and even at my worst moment on any given day I remember it all LOL!
I personally do not like the local AA groups because they are all God based and since I am a full fledged witch that doesn't really work for me. I take from the meetings what I need and ignore all the rest that is not pertinent.

Good for you for helping out Liv...

The sex of this month brought an amazing first for TBK and I. She came from S L O W stimulation...tongue and finger. In contrast to that, she almost got fucked off the bed. All of that was sober sex, and great to say the least.

mmmmmm...yummy..... one of my favorite orgasms was from sloooow almost lazy stimulation.......and it taught me it's always better to go slower than I think I want it....there's some kind of .... genetic rpm that, when I find it.....ZOWIE.......it tingles more of my whole body....it's so much more incredible and ...Luscious! cheers to the slow hand!!!!!

Funny you should post this, TBK (long-time lurker here). My partner and I have been talking about swearing off the booze for awhile, mostly because we've gotten into drinking habits that we don't like much -- and so it's interesting to read about how it's gone for you. Good for you -- and three cheers for the Beast for making it easy on you. (And drunk sex being the best sex? Noooo! Ever-so-slightly tipsy sex is delightful, but much more than that and I can't remember a damn thing I did. Where's the fun in that?)

Cool! I've done no-drinking for 30 days several times, most recently in the month of January in 2009. I did this in conjunction because I was getting over a sinus infection (drinking exacerbated it), I was training for a sport, and I wanted to improve my diet.

Strangely, the easiest part of the deal was the actual not drinking...I didn't crave alcohol, and in fact I craved being sober. The absolute hardest part was the peer pressure from my various social groups. Going to parties and outings has no fun because everyone was drinking and they would also ask or poke fun if you weren't. It was subtle but still difficult. The toughest was my girlfriend, she actually told me I was more boring because I wasn't drinking. Obviously not what you want to hear.

I've found one easy solution if you're considering a not-drinking challenge when someone asks why. Just tell them you're on certain meds and can't take alcohol with it. That shuts them up immediately.

Good luck, only a week to go for you.

Thankfully I've always been a pretty occasional, sensible drinker. I've had my druken moments, but on the whole it's not a problem. I am trying trying to conquer my bad habits of crap eating and impulse spending, though. Last night I was at a little group gathering where there was a big box of bakery cookies. I didn't eat any and was proud of myself, but I was acutely aware of the box sitting there the whole time. The way someone with different issues might respond to a tableful of cocktails (which I would find delightful but not necessarily obsess about the whole time). I know you should treat yourself from time to time, but I only just started the healthy eating thing. Also I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it - not have even one.

Anyway, yay for gaining control!

As far as alcohol and meds, I once dated someone who drank really slowly. We'd be at a bar and I'd be like "eh, this place is lame, let's bail" and he'd agree but take forever to finish his drink. Apparently he had to drink slowly because of anti-depressants (which he told me after he tried to drink faster and hurled in a planter outside the bar - WTF?).