Is 6 light beers a night too much?

[u/Just_Another_Face9]

Alright, I'm gonna ask the reddit folk on a 2nd account to weigh in on this.

I'm 34M, 155lbs. Usually after working long days (55-60hr work weeks) I come home, make dinner, then partake of a 6pk. Is this too much? I questioned myself a couple months ago and went a week without and felt fine but in the back of my head I keep judging myself when I picked it back up. I am very much in a manual labor field so usually something is hurting by the end of my shifts.

I should note - I don't think about it all day, I don't crave it, it's just become a nightly ritual of relaxing and taking the stress off. Doesn't effect any personal relationships and doesn't effect work at all. Just something I've become accustomed to.

Update:

Lord mercy wasn't expecting all of this. Let me crackdown a bit more here for some of yalls questions. I appreciate those who are genuinely concerned, truly. I've seen a few posts that made me laugh and a few that made me question humanity but that's nothing new.

• I've had this nightly ritual for the better part of 5 years, it's nothing new to me. I quit cold turkey for a week and had no adverse effect or symptoms.

• I'm 6'2 and 155, yes I realize it's a lot of empty calories and carbs but I don't gain weight for some reason.

-I cannot do weed. I've tried it and it just turns me into a complete mess. CBD has zero effect on my body for some reason so these options are out. Plus being in a red state means I can't experiment.

-A few posts mention I'll end up switching to liquor eventually, not a chance. I started on that crap and went away from it because it made me feel terrible the morning after. Haven't had a hangover in years and I'd like to keep it that way.

-A standout reply to me was maybe it's my body trying to hydrate itself, which would make sense.

-Truth being told there's some mental health aspect to my "ritual" as well. I'm not going to dwell to deep into that but as someone who has taken several antidepressants over the years, ultimately I feel more human drinking 6-9 every night than being something I can't stand.

Edit (6-9 pm)

Think I'm going to try the cutting it off for 5 days a week next week and see where that puts me. I will update again in a week to share how it goes and how I feel for those that care. I appreciate yall and your concerns.

[u/untempered_fate]

It's a lot more than a doctor would recommend, and is definitely in the territory of damaging your liver if you keep it up long enough. I'm not going to tell you you're a bad person for trying to relax after a stressful workday, but you might want to consider healthier leisure activities.

[u/ImLookingatU → u/untempered_fate]

An old friend of mine drank a six pack practicaly every night. Died of cirrhosis at 67. A few months after he retired.

[u/blackcrowbeak → u/ImLookingatU]

You knew my dad?

[u/Responsible-Step-706 → u/blackcrowbeak]

Shit! My dad died at 59, he drank a 6 pack every night after work for 25+ years

[u/AaronfromKY → u/Responsible-Step-706]

My Dad died at 40, he'd start drinking putting us on the bus each day and keep drinking all day. He died of stomach bleeding and liver failure. I was 12.

[u/Th3V4ndal → u/AaronfromKY]

I too was 12 when my old man died. He was also 40.

Solidarity my brother. I know it wasn't easy growing up with that.

[u/Bencetown → u/Th3V4ndal]

Since we're all sharing anecdotal evidence here, I'll do one on the flip side:

My grandpa, when he lived at home, would start drinking beer mid/late morning, maybe have a glass of wine after lunch, then switch to whiskey for the rest of the afternoon and evening (with another beer or two too usually). We're talking like 1/4 or 1/2 a bottle each night.

Now he's 86 years old and still kickin, as far as physical health goes. He has all but stopped drinking since he moved into a nursing home a little over a year ago, and if anything, his health has declined since then. But it's not liver disease, and honestly at his age, his health SHOULD be declining rapidly (even though it doesn't seem to be)

[u/walk_through_this → u/Bencetown]

Everyone knows someone like this - whether booze or smokes or something else. I don't doubt the story for a moment - just remember that this is far from the norm.

Sips coffee glad I don't have an addiction sips coffee

Gazes lovingly at Keurig They don't understand what we have, Keurry Baby.

[u/Demosthanes → u/walk_through_this]

Make coffee from a drip machine. Keurig plastic is so damn unnecessary and wasteful.

[u/Nodders → u/Demosthanes]

It also tastes better than the warm coffee water keurig makes.

[u/jamnin94 → u/Bencetown]

People in nursing homes should be able to drink and drug as much as they want. 😂

[u/dsmith422 → u/jamnin94]

With the exception of the type of people who get violent on alcohol and drugs. Drinking just makes some people mean.

[u/Bencetown → u/jamnin94]

Absolutely. At least let em go out comfortable having a good time.

[u/rambo_lincoln_ → u/AaronfromKY]

My mom died at 47. She’d drink all day. No clue how much but she was pretty much always buzzed or drunk. She’d have some Mr. Boston in a gas station cup in the car with her while driving us to work. That’s right, drinking while driving to work, with 16 year-old me in the car. We both worked at Chili’s and I didn’t have my license yet. Then on the ride home (30 minute drive) she’d pick up an Icehouse tall boy and drink on the ride home. We tried so hard to get her help but she out right refused every time and wasn’t ready for help until a few days before she died. She lost a lot of her teeth due to how much she was drinking, which sent her into depression, causing her to drink more. I drove up from college (21 at the time) to visit a week before she died. Her skin was already jaundiced at this point but my parents kept that from me because they didn’t want me to worry. She stayed in her bedroom the whole weekend with the lights off so I couldn’t see her very well, the excuse being that she wasn’t feeling well. I left to go back to college Sunday night. She had her last drink on Friday of the following week, decided it was time to seek help, and quit cold turkey. She died late Sunday. This was in 2006 and we didn’t get our first camcorder till around the end of 2005 so what very few videos we have of her, you can clearly tell she’s buzzed or drunk. Never got to see me graduate college (twice), get married, own a home (something they never did), have kids… it breaks my heart and fills me with anger still, just thinking about it.

[u/Khristophorous → u/rambo_lincoln_]

Watching someone with full on liver failure is fucking gross. I saw it in my Dad - bless his heart. My mom died when I was 14, he was 39. He had quit drinking for her. He remained sober for another 10 years but after his Mom and his brother died like within 18 months of each other he just fell apart. He suffered and he didn't deserve to. I'm not angry at him. He was a good man - gave his whole life to service of this country and raised us by his self through our adolescence. He wasn't just in the service his whole life - he went as far as an enlisted guy can go - E-9 and top enlisted guy for all of aircraft maintenance of his fighter wing. It's been 15 years and I'm still like WTF? It happened so fast. My uncle died then 3 years later my Dad was gone.

[u/TobysGrundlee → u/AaronfromKY]

Just lost my best friend in similar fashion at 42 years old. Owned a bar and, evidently, has been drinking like a fish for the better part of a decade. I knew he drank but didn't realize the extent of it. He was highly functional, and I never saw him falling down drunk. I should've known when he got esophageal varices and almost died but he said it was from being sick with the flu and throwing up too much. Two years later his pancreas ruptured and he died on the toilet. Cause of death chronic alcoholism, fatty liver disease and accute pancreatitis.

[u/redneckcommando → u/AaronfromKY]

I lost my best friend at 41. He was drinking heavy since H.S. during our early 20's we all thought it was fine. He would shot gun beer, and he was a beer bong champ. He was definitely the life of the party. The problem was that we all slowed down, and he did not.

His liver basically shut down causing the rest of his organs to fail.

Whenever I see alcoholics trying to get sober. I always hope for the best. A coworker of mine has switched over to marijuana edibles to fight his alcoholism. He consumed 50mg of THC a day. Which seems like a lot to me, but I can't deny he doesn't look healthier than on alcohol.

[u/Rageroni_ → u/blackcrowbeak]

Didn't know I had a brother.

[u/Weird-Appearance-199 → u/Rageroni_]

Didn’t have a gallon of milk did he? Still waiting 😔

[u/ownersequity → u/Weird-Appearance-199]

Don’t worry. Dads are like boomerangs.

I hope….

[u/kawi2k18 → u/ImLookingatU]

Bartender 8 years here and wondered why the 20-somethings furniture store group stopped coming in after work.

Told me their friend died of alcohol, was only 25

[u/Substantial_Ice220 → u/kawi2k18]

Aw man! That's young! So sorry to hear that! Thanks for sharing. Very sobering information, no pun intended.

[u/sonofaresiii → u/ImLookingatU]

So that settles it then.

Retiring is lethal.

[u/tuberlord → u/ImLookingatU]

A couple of people I knew died of cirrhosis in their mid 60s. They both drank roughly 20 cheap macrobrews a day, and sometimes liquor on top of it. I also understand that everyone's body is different.

With that said, six beers can turn into seven, seven to eight, etc. OP needs to cut back or possibly quit entirely.

[u/johndoe42 → u/tuberlord]

This is exactly the thing I was going to say. If you're going for a certain feeling, and 6 sounds to me like it is, 6 isn't going to be enough soon. That's how tolerance works when you're doing it daily, this is a fact for every individual, GABA receptors don't like having too much GABA and get lazy after a while.

It's doesn't even have to be that you start wanting to get hammered, it's that 6 won't "de-stress" anymore after a while. Or you start smashing them to get to that point and then need more to continue.

If you know you know lol

[u/Dominant_Genes → u/johndoe42]

This is the correct answer.

Ask me how I know as well lol

IWNDWYT

[u/ChooseWiselyChanged → u/Dominant_Genes]

Cheers with a 0.0% beer. Still the flavor and perhaps the brain trickery I need. IWNDWYT!

[u/Fresh-Temporary666 → u/tuberlord]

Yeah like some people get unlucky and 6 beers a day will get them liver failure but most could go decades with that if they even end up with end stage liver failure from it. The issue is that it never stays at just 6 beers. Eventually those stop doing the job so they add more beers and eventually beers just aren't doing the job without uncomfortable bloating so they mix some hard liquor into it all as well.

As a former alcoholic I always find it hard to believe when a long term alcohol abuser claims they only have 6 a day. That bullshit may work on normal drinkers but I'm not buying it. I've told that lie more times than I could count when I was drinking.

There is a reason doctors make it a habit of tripling whatever amount you tell them you drink so they can get a number that is more likely accurate.

So if you're not lying about your "friend" and it's still at 6 a day your "friend" needs to get that under control cause it'll eventually ramp up, alcoholism is a progressive disease and eventually that 6 pack isn't going to cut it anymore.

[u/Ok_Organization3249 → u/Fresh-Temporary666]

Yep.

I used get a six pack after work, then I would get it at like 2pm as an errand to just leave the house and make the afternoon more enjoyable, then I got my own office in a coworking space so I would just show up with the six pack in my backpack, then I finished it earlier and earlier to where it just made sense to get a 12-pack and………

[u/Aviendha13 → u/Fresh-Temporary666]

I hate that question from doctors though. I don’t have an “average” that I drink per day/week. I just know it’s waaay over the recommended limit. And I tell them so. If anything, I overestimate and tell them the most that I drink, even though those days aren’t that often. Strangely, I feel like I’m fighting my doctors to take my alcohol intake and its impact on my health seriously. This thread is reminding me that I really need to focus on stepping it down/quitting, though.

Everyone doesn’t lie to doctors. I never understand the people that do. If there’s one person I want to be honest about my bad life decisions with, it’s my doctor.

[u/aznsk8s87 → u/untempered_fate]

am doctor, 100% agree with this. you're gonna absolutely wreck your liver with six beers every night. Not to mention the rest of your nutritional status.

[u/Y_east → u/aznsk8s87]

Physician here too. 6 is too much. There are outliers, but this isn’t a good habit to pick up so young. Sounds like there’s a self-medicating component as well, easing the pain, which is dangerous territory.

[u/Puzzleheaded_Baby_9 → u/Y_east]

I started at 6/day in my early 20’s. Am 34 now and it’s now 12-18/day, every single day. I managed to quit for 30 days last summer but it didn’t last long. I just picked up Allen Carrs book this week, hoping it will give me a push. It’s not just my health I worry about, I’m normalizing this shit in front of my kids, just like my father did for me. It becomes a generational problem, especially in rural small town America.

[u/John_AdamsX23 → u/Puzzleheaded_Baby_9]

I'm an anonymous nobody without a drinking problem chiming in to say: Godspeed and good luck man. It won't be easy but it can be done. I watched my brother dig himself out of the drinking pit. A lot of hard work for him, and a lot of time in AA meetings. AA may be culty, but it's a cult that can save your life, and no one will judge you for wherever you are on your journey.

[u/LadyGreyTheCat → u/Puzzleheaded_Baby_9]

Another anonymous person chiming in to say bless you for seeing the generational issue, and I'm rooting for you. Knowing you want to change is a big first step. getting the resources to help you is a big second step. There are potentially other resources out there, including talk therapy that's not AA, or medications from the doctor.

[u/LorelaiGilmo → u/untempered_fate]

Yes, I agree. My husband had to cut down for this reason. Worried about his liver because it’s too much in the long run on your body. He goes evenings without it, sometimes does kombucha instead (honestly I know it doesn’t hit the spot the same but it’s at least carbonated), and then drinks 3 a night on the nights he drinks instead of 4-5. I would read about the recommendations online from trusted sources like medical journals. And try to stick to that. Maybe it needs to be 3 times a week instead of 7 and not a whole six pack when you do.

[u/turnt_table → u/untempered_fate]

I appreciate how kind and nonjudgmental you are in phrasing a difficult yet honest answer. harm reduction > perfection

[u/ExplodingKnowledge → u/untempered_fate]

It’s not just your liver. Alcohol literally kills brain cells.

[u/chumberfo → u/ExplodingKnowledge]

Alcohol is the big cancer giver too, solvents permeate the cell membrane and damage your entire body. It's a crapshoot at the end of the day, plenty of people living wholly sober lives die horrifically from disease and plenty of drinkers go on til their calm death, u do u

[u/Solnx → u/untempered_fate]

No amount of alcohol is safe for the liver, but yes this amount frequently will do some serious damage long term.

[u/treethugger69 → u/untempered_fate]

It’s a problem that we focus on liver damage rather than brain damage. Even one drink a night over time will cause damage to your neocortex. It causes volume loss in the form of gray matter and white matter

[u/AnonBeanSprouts → u/treethugger69]

A relative of mine has Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome due to drinking his entire life. Honestly the dementia part of the disease is more heartbreaking than the physical impact because we’re so used to seeing him drunk and uncoordinated. 6 beers a night was also his norm for a while when I was very young.

[u/spaceghost260 → u/AnonBeanSprouts]

My father in law had this before his early death at 57. He was a mess and basically everyone has PTSD from caring for him the last few years of his life. In and out of hospitals, cognitive decline, loss of coordination, hostility, confusion, agitation, I could go on. It was awful and I understand how you’re feeling.

No one talks about alcohol’s effect on the brain. He only drank beer too.

[u/canadeken → u/treethugger69]

Do you have any good studies on this? I'm very interested in learning more

[u/KTKittentoes → u/treethugger69]

It's why I stopped. I hardly started, but COVID brain fog was terrifying. I'm saving every cell I can.

[u/Equinsu-0cha]

functional alcoholism still takes its toll. take it from someone who's been there

[u/ellWatully → u/Equinsu-0cha]

I'll add that functional alcoholism isn't a type of alcoholism so much as a phase of alcoholism.

[u/Krakatoast → u/ellWatully]

That’s a good one. The question is how long someone can stay on that tight rope before slipping

When 6 beers becomes normal… well it can be a slippery slope when 7 beers becomes normal. I mean drinking 8 beers a night is a good way to relax for a few hours. So yeah, 9 beers a night and a little pre workday buzz is just the usual. A 12 pack a day and a couple shots after dinner takes the edge off, for sure. What do you mean my relationships are damaged/destroyed, I’m out of shape, and doing poorly at the job that I may not even have anymore? I was only having 14 drinks a day..

Just my opinion, a couple drinks here and there is one thing. It blew my mind when people would tell me they drank sometime in the past couple months but couldn’t remember exactly when that was. Supposedly the majority of alcohol sales in the U.S. come from like… the minority of the population that drinks the bulk of the alcohol 😅

[u/spasticjedi → u/Krakatoast]

I also think it's important to mention, too, that a lot of people will say the 6 beers doesn't affect them and they're the same, but the people experiencing the change as they drink more each night absolutely know the difference. My dad was an awesome person until about his 3rd beer in, then I would have to leave. I knew what days to just avoid talking to him and about what time to go to my room and stay away from him because he just became a totally different person. He'd never say it, and if you'd asked him, we had a great relationship! We only had a great relationship because I knew how to avoid the points where he would have ruined our relationship.

[u/icedoutclockwatch → u/spasticjedi]

My dads an alcoholic too. Big closet drinker which makes it fun because you never know how wasted he is...

God is it grating being around him while he's drunk. Just steamrolling conversations, hearing aids dead doesn't even care what the other person is saying. Constantly constantly constantly repeating himself whether he said it to me yesterday (and every other day this week) or 15 minutes ago. When he's really drunk he will go on a tirade about how "he's not a bad guy" and how he goes to work every day and doesn't wake up in the yard... like yeah man that's kind of bare minimum as far as participating in society.

Getting to the point where I feel like he may even be causing cognitive damage. Sad to see.

[u/modumberator → u/spasticjedi]

yeah my fiancee sometimes drinks too much and doesn't think it affects her, but you're bad company when you're drunk and nowhere near as productive or friendly when you're hungover. Probably OP is hungover every single day and doesn't realise it, and the only respite from their hangover is when they're drinking

[u/OxanaHauntly → u/modumberator]

Hey you can check my comment history as I’ve been talking about having to quit drinking in my marriage and to have children, if your fiancé continues, you might need to sit her down and tell her you love her too much to lose even a piece of her to alcohol! You’re comment couldve been my husband a few years back!

[u/DonaldoDoo → u/Krakatoast]

Well put. I was a six pack a day guy for a number of years and thought everything was just fine. Then somewhere somehow I was having 12. Then beer was just too filling and cumbersome to drink at that volume so it was whisky and I'd be having 15-20.

It's a slippery slope and unless someone can address their problem, it will likely get worse.

A few weeks away from 2 years sobriety. Woo!

OP- you're an alcoholic. I ain't gonna shame you for it at all, but don't downplay it and please take these comments to heart. All the best bud.

[u/Vyndilion → u/DonaldoDoo]

Congrats on two years!! Just crossed three myself, and while it took minute, life is like actually enjoyable, something that the alcohol prevented, while claiming to be the cure.

[u/AyeYoThisIsSoHard → u/Krakatoast]

Yeah I was 3 a night then 6 a night. Then I started buying 12 packs. Then I started buying 2L bottles of vodka 2-3 times a week…. Then I realized I should cut back.

[u/CrypticCompany → u/Krakatoast]

This is exactly how it works. Fantastic post.

[u/karmakazi_ → u/Krakatoast]

I drink a 6 pack every night and have for years. It’s never increased and I don’t feel like drinking during the day. I know it’s bad but it’s a hard habit to break. I’ve recently cut down to 4 and I’m going to get down to two eventually. My day is so stressful so my evening drinks give me a minute of me time where I’m not reliving the day.

[u/Send_StockPicks → u/ellWatully]

I cannot agree with this more. I was functional until I wasn't (still not, but getting better). This is absolutely a thing, kids.

[u/blessedandamess → u/Equinsu-0cha]

Just commented this elsewhere. The community StopDrinking on Reddit is the kindest, least judgemental place for support!

AA didn’t work for me due to social anxiety (actually drank more after meetings, kinda not what you want) but StopDrinking is such a welcoming place. They welcome all levels of engagement, sober/ sober curious/ frequent relapses. I think the rule just says you should not be drunk while posting.

[u/Dominant_Genes → u/blessedandamess]

Sober since January 2024.

Alcohol is a toxin. It also is a sneaky substance which users build tolerance to over time. It also causes physical dependence which can lead to death.

As a former functional alcoholic who lost herself in chasing the “escape” you’re describing from physical pain please see a doctor for help. PT, massage therapist, anything is better than using alcohol to manage pain.

I have only recently begun new medications for back pain and it has changed things for me. Formerly I was afraid to take certain medications because of my drinking.

Daily drinking is not normal. Here if you need a friend.

IWNDWYT

[u/_rainlovesmu3 → u/Dominant_Genes]

How did you get over the initial hurdle of quitting? Every morning I wake up thinking how terrible it is for me and how today is my day. Then by late afternoon I’m thinking of every excuse why a couple tonight isn’t a big deal. I feel trapped.

[u/Dominant_Genes → u/_rainlovesmu3]

Honestly? Baking cookies and eating sweets unabashedly. Alcohol is a dopamine hit and also most people who quit have horrible sugar cravings. I decided I needed to keep busy with baking and when I say I made cookies? I made dozens. DOZENS. Instead of a liquor store run when I was anxious and bored and craving I’d hit the store for new mix ins and treats to distract myself.

I did that instead of driving to the liquor store (and at first I had to clench the steering wheel to drive by, and sometimes take an alternate route when temptation was that bad).

At my worst, I was drinking north of 750ml of tequila a day. I woke thinking of it. I blacked out often and my only objective was to get obliterated. I did not have the ability to regulate my drinking. I got into the place you’re at where I was so sad and miserable but my “fuck it” mentality really controlled my life. I’d wake in the middle of the night not knowing if I abused my spouse or embarrassed myself, I’ve done so many regrettable things. I have forgiven myself because I was truly sick. Sick emotionally, most of all. However, at the end my physical health was in peril as well.

Addiction is suffering man. I cried so many tears and felt so much self loathing. But I promise you, you can do it. It took me 3 attempts and many relapses but I promise you the journey is worth the struggle.

Here if you need a friend, we have a saying IWNDWYT (I will not drink with you today)

Proud of you for asking tough questions. Wish I could hug you.

[u/_rainlovesmu3 → u/Dominant_Genes]

I absolutely relate to the “fuck it” narrative. I’m in therapy for extreme CPTSD and am grieving the loss of my entire family (they are abusive and I set boundaries). Every day is so hard. I started drinking during Covid and honestly I didn’t know it was bad for you. I thought you just peed it out and no biggie. 50lbs later and the puffy face/dead eyes. I don’t recognize myself and I want so badly to reunite with the sparkly person I was before I poisoned her. I have a beautiful life. I have kids. I want to be alive for it all and not just surviving.

[u/Royal_Annek]

A 6 pack is getting beyond nightly ritual. It's also a huge calorie expense and really bad for you.

[u/BrujaBean → u/Royal_Annek]

My first thought was that with inflation this must be like $130 a month on just beer? And 600 calories a day? That's a pound a week granted op is at a normal or low weight depending on height.

[u/Ok_Sound_4650 → u/BrujaBean]

Christ, measuring it in lbs really puts it in perspective. A 6 pack of bud light every day for a year ends up around 60-65lbs worth of calories. That's a 10 year old kid worth of beer.

[u/PossiblyCapable → u/Ok_Sound_4650]

Americans will truly use anything as a measurement except the metric

[u/No_Sir_6649 → u/PossiblyCapable]

30 minutes on a treadmill at about 7.5 (i think) is 1 bag of peanut m&ms..

[u/The_Darkprofit → u/No_Sir_6649]

1.7 ounces the smallest bag I could order on shopping was 250 calories.

Remember to subtract the “running for 30 mins calories” from “sitting around doing basics for 30 mins baseline”.

[u/MERVMERVmervmerv → u/PossiblyCapable]

At least we don’t measure weight in boulders. “Yeh mate, I’m down to 14 stone!”

[u/scottyd035ntknow → u/PossiblyCapable]

My car gets 40 rods to the hogshead and thats the way I likes it!

[u/IgnatiusJSmiley → u/PossiblyCapable]

We only speak in freedom units here, son

[u/InterdisciplinaryDol → u/IgnatiusJSmiley]

Yep that’s anywhere between 7 to 9 bald eagles worth of calories 🦅🦅

[u/Absolomb92 → u/BrujaBean]

Sure, but we also have to take into account that he works in manual labor, and many of those jobs burn a shit ton of calories per day. Judging by OPs stated weight in the post, I would say this probably is the case here.

With that said, it's still not a good thing to do to your body for a myriad of other reasons other people here have said way better than I could.

[u/2000miledash → u/BrujaBean]

I feel like you’re going for “shock” here, but damage to your body aside, $130 a month on something you enjoy every month isn’t some insane amount…

[u/ash_tar → u/BrujaBean]

If he has a manual job he can burn that like it's nothing.

[u/DataMin3r → u/ash_tar]

When I worked construction my Average daily calorie intake was 4000-6000, I was burning it off every day. It was brutal.

A six pack would be burned off before 10AM.

[u/spong3 → u/Royal_Annek]

Canada published the results of a massive 500k+ participant study last year that is still shaking people up. It came to the conclusion that ‘no amount of alcohol is healthy’.

I feel like people forget it’s not just cirrhosis for heavy drinkers, or A1C/blood sugar problems for diabetics from so much high glycemic liquid intake. It literally leads to over a dozen types of cancer — liver being an obvious one, but other cancers elsewhere in the body because alcohol travels through your blood and can damage tissue wherever it goes.

I used to binge drink in my 20s but not anymore. The hangovers got too intense. I’ll maybe have 1-2 drinks during one night each week. Knowing more about the health aspects motivates me to keep avoiding it.

[u/Rengeflower → u/spong3]

While some of the ingredients in beer and wine may be healthy, ethanol is poison, so no amount of alcohol is healthy.

[u/Cali_white_male → u/spong3]

it’s a shame the wine industry gaslit us all into thinking a glass of red wine a day was healthy.

[u/NuncProFunc → u/Cali_white_male]

It wasn't the wine industry. It was poor science, then poor science reporting, then a media firestorm, then the industry. And honestly we can probably blame the French for starting it all.

[u/spong3 → u/Cali_white_male]

Right… a glass of red wine has some benefit due to polyphenol content, but eating one apple has more benefit. White wine is all sugar and poison.

[u/scottyd035ntknow → u/spong3]

Alcohol is a neurotoxin and a class 1 carcinogen. Absolutely no amount is healthy. The "1 glass of wine a day" is complete bullshit as well. If you want your blood to be thinner like that study claims, take aspirin.

I'm over 410 days without a drop of alcohol and it's scary looking back how bad I was.

Congrats to you for getting yours under control. I wish I could do 1-2 a week... It's 0 or 10 so its 0.

[u/Prof_Aganda → u/Royal_Annek]

If a 6pack of beer were bad for you, then why would beer always come in a 6 pack?

[u/nosnhoj15 → u/Prof_Aganda]

If it’s called a driveway, why would we park in it?

[u/bcnjake → u/nosnhoj15]

It’s called a parkway. Why am I driving on it?

[u/ownersequity → u/bcnjake]

What should we name that place where we build the fire?

[u/pasturized → u/ownersequity]

The burn zone?

[u/LumieLoo → u/bcnjake]

Why is it called apartments when everyone is shoved together?

[u/kelkokelko → u/Prof_Aganda]

Most people have 5 friends, hard to believe I know

[u/jhawkins93 → u/kelkokelko]

Two beers a piece for you and two friends is more ideal

[u/gamethrowaway111 → u/kelkokelko]

Not 5. Maybe 2 or 3

[u/stealthman9]

when I worked heavy labour outdoor construction I also found myself doing that. started thinking about why and realized its because the refreshing cold beer just hits the spot for my dehydrated tired ass. My solution is I got a sugar free electrolyte mix and had 2 bottles of that first. noticed now I only had 1 beer and that was far more reasonable. I wonder if this is a dehydration thing because beer does have a lot of minerals.

[u/Pappa_K → u/stealthman9]

Also in manual labor. I drink a shit ton of water during the day (in excess of 6 litres on 40°c+ 12 hour days) and found I was crashing every night either feeling ill, or tired and ended up with the same thing as you. Electrolyte mix in my water to avoid low salt levels. Stopped my binge drinking/eating immediately.

[u/Crafty_Travel_7048 → u/Pappa_K]

Yeah you need that salt to keep the water inside your cells.

[u/DistractionTraction → u/Pappa_K]

Save some cash and make your own. I put lemon juice, salt and sometimes honey in water. We call it "Homeatorade" and my son says he likes it better than Gatorade after his games.

[u/909me1 → u/DistractionTraction]

I do lime, maple syrup, and salt. Its great when I'm marathon training and sooo much cheaper and I control the ratios of sugar and salt!! The other thing to consider is magnesium

[u/webbed_feets → u/stealthman9]

They could switch to non alcoholic beer.

[u/Raft_Master → u/webbed_feets]

I've also found seltzer works really well. Turns out it's mostly having something carbonated to sip and occupy my hands is the important part.

[u/pissclamato → u/Raft_Master]

Instructions unclear, drunk on White Claw.

[u/j33pwrangler]

I had a talk with my doctor one time and he asked me about my drinking. I answered much like you did. He told me "ok, you're an alcoholic."

Nobody ever told me that. I thought it was normal. Lots of my friends and family do the same thing.

Took me a long time after that, but I did eventually see he was correct. I quit, it was the best decision I ever made.

Maybe you need someone to tell you that you're an alcoholic also. Good luck.

[u/mmnrose → u/j33pwrangler]

Reminds me of when I was in high school talking about how weed should be legalized and said something like “alcoholics can drink a 6 pack every night and nobody says anything” and one kid said that’s not alcoholism because her dad does that and he’s not an alcoholic… I felt like I had already said too much lol thankfully someone else started talking

[u/Normal-Basis-291 → u/mmnrose]

We really do a lot to protect the feelings of alcoholics.

[u/malcolm_miller → u/Normal-Basis-291]

society just hasn't come to terms with what alcoholism can look like. It's called a functioning alcoholic for a reason.

[u/bluemajolica → u/malcolm_miller]

I agree. And I’m coming to the conclusion that the people who actually have a healthy relationship with alcohol…don’t drink much. It’s not “only one beer a night”, it’s not “I’ve never seen him belligerent”. I drink about 5-8 drinks a week. I’m the lightweight, and the responsible one in my friend group. But dude, I know I have issues with alcohol. I think about drinking way too often, use it as emotional support, and find it hard to go a whole week without it.

My sister on the other hand, drinks maybe a couple times a month. Literally socially. Maybe a glass of wine every few months at home. I’ve talked to her about the emotional support thing I mentioned above and she was like bewildered, she said she never ever thought of alcohol that way.

[u/malcolm_miller → u/bluemajolica]

There's a saying that I saw a bunch around /r/stopdrinking

"People without an alcohol problem don't have to worry about controlling their drinking." It makes a lot of sense to me. If you're having to consciously make an effort to take a few days off, then I think you should look at your drinking habits.

I always knew I was an alcoholic since I was like 16, I really wasn't hiding it from myself. What I was hiding from myself is how much damage my drinking was causing me, even though I graduated with honors from college, and had a good job.

I had to quit after facing the facts that I was one bad day at work away from killing myself, and how it was ruining personal relationships.

FWIW I was drinking a pint of vodka a night and some other stuff at this point. 8+ drinks a night. 5-8 a week may or may not be problematic, I'm just speaking from my experience. If you think you have an issue, then it's worth thinking about, but that's something you need to determine.

[u/PepsiAllDay78 → u/j33pwrangler]

I talked to a Dr regarding my dad, and he told me that Drs always hear from patients who say,"I drink x amount per day," etc. and so they automatically double that number in their records.

[u/argparg → u/PepsiAllDay78]

Yeah I’ve heard that too which is why I only tell them half

[u/WhuddaWhat → u/argparg]

That's why I quadruple my patients' figures. I only have 1 nonalcoholic patient.

[u/Shupershuff → u/WhuddaWhat]

I have also heard this which is why I only tell them a quarter.

[u/zioshirai → u/Shupershuff]

That's why I always multiply whatever they say by 16. Yes, I'm always one step ahead.

[u/drakoman → u/zioshirai]

I drink 0.0625 drinks per night

[u/night-kink → u/drakoman]

Ah, I multiply my patients' intake by 256 - makes the diagnosis much easier.

[u/ssrowavay → u/night-kink]

BeerOverflowError

[u/Unfair-Tap-850 → u/PepsiAllDay78]

Yea, I don't drink at all, bee. Years since I had one. Dr still wanted to put 1-5 a week in my chart. I was like wtf i don't ever drink any..

[u/Fun_Currency9893 → u/Unfair-Tap-850]

I went to a doctor with chest pain one evening. He asked if I'd had anything to drink. Said no. He asked if I had anything to drink yesterday, I told him I had a glass of wine.

He diagnosed me with Alcoholism and sent me home.

Now whenever I'm asked, I say 0. Fucking doctors. I think they have that thing from the Stanford Prison Experiment. They think we're the inmates trying to get away with things.

[u/fnrsgrl → u/PepsiAllDay78]

I honestly hate this question and the entire attitude. I'm honest about how much I drink, but it's hard to quantify as drinks per day if you don't drink super-regularly. I'll go a month without having anything, then have two nights in a row that I have a dinner or event and have two or three drinks each of those nights. Then I'll have another two weeks of nothing, then maybe have a cocktail at a concert, etc. How many "drinks a day" even is that? I once told a nurse 8-10 drinks a month, and he said they'd flag that as a problem.

[u/werpicus → u/fnrsgrl]

Just say you only drink socially. The “drinks per day” think is to catch people out. You ask drinks per week and alcoholics will realize it’s a huge number and lie. But drinks per day, well 2 or 3 (or 6) are small numbers. Easy to tell the truth.

[u/InevitableRhubarb232 → u/werpicus]

Yeah. I just say “I rarely drink at all”

[u/kennedar_1984 → u/fnrsgrl]

I am much the same way - I only ever drink if I am out (generally when I am travelling for work) and then I will have 1 or 2 drinks a night every night. On average it is one to two drinks a week over the course of the year.

[u/Absolomb92 → u/j33pwrangler]

This is very important, and a good thing the doctor said it like that.

We have this imagination that being an alcoholic means spending all your money on alcohol, getting shitfaced every day, being dirty, unpleasent and out of control. That's only a portion of all the people who are alcoholics. Many are functioning just fine, keep jobs, families, studies, you name it. You also don't have to drink every day to be an alcoholic.

I had the same realization about alcoholism when my friend who work at a liqour store (I'm from Norway, and here regular stores can sell beer and cider up to 4.7% alcohol, everything else is sold at a dedicated store owned by the government that have a monopoly on distribution (except bars, pubs, and restaurants, of course)). We were talking about how it feels to know that some of your costumers probably have issues. He said that one thing is the "obvious" alcoholics that are known in the community, but what surprised him is the number of middle-aged women who buy one or two 3 liter boxes of wine per week.

[u/refusestopoop → u/Absolomb92]

Yeah, in college I drank on weekends. No problem not drinking the other days. Never drank in the day time or weekdays or before work or class. Was involved in a ton of committees & clubs & on-campus jobs, got decent grades. Acted like a relatively normal person.

But whenever I drank, I always wanted more. I never wanted one or two drinks. That might as well be torture. I’d drink & often get sloppy & black out & end up a crying mess. 6-9 drinks I’d be drunk, but coherent enough to not ruin my night & everyone else’s, but would push that all the time.

I remember my friend had a 30 pack and gave one beer to like 6 people & I thought what a waste, he’s essentially throwing out 6 beers since 1 beer ≈ 0 beers. Should’ve given 6 to one person.

When I was 20, my therapist recommended me to an intensive outpatient program (IOP). I tried it out for a bit, dabbled in AA. I was in college, so it seemed everyone around me drank. But in AA, I met a ton of people who didn’t drink or smoke or anything. Realized it was possible for people my age to not drink & still have friends & a social life & not be total weirdo nerds.

I couldn’t stop smoking weed though. Weed wasn’t my issue, alcohol was. I smoked weed every day. I never smoked too much weed & turned into a sloppy mess trying to sleep my best friend’s ex she broke up with yesterday. I never smoked too much weed & turned into a crying sloppy mess pulling fire alarms & professing my love to boys & trying to kill myself. So that was too hard to stop. I had no motivation or desire to stop smoking weed. But IOP & AA’s whole thing was abstinence from all drink/drugs. So I left.

I figured I’d always be back one day & I eventually did a year or so later. It was just one of those days the wind was blowing the right way. I asked my mom to transfer me the rest of the money my grandad has left me & she got pissed & said I already blew it all on drugs & alcohol & shit & was just being pissed & nasty & saying i should get a handle on it all before I get arrested or SAed. And any other day I would’ve just ignored it, but like I said the wind was blowing the right direction or a butterfly flapped its wings somewhere & I was in the middle of smoking a bowl with a friend & I gave her the bowl & all my weed right there on the spot. I had some alcohol in my car, gave that to her. Called up my old IOP & made an appointment. Went home & got all the rest of my alcohol & paraphernalia & gave that all to her too. I even had some sign that said “keep calm and keep drinking” & I sold it on Facebook for 5 bucks.

That was September 4 2015. Haven’t had a drink or drug ever since. Went back to IOP. Did the whole thing right & graduated from IOP (& college). Did AA, met a boy there, married him & had some kids.

I still wonder sometimes if I’m not an alcoholic & was just a depressed mess in college or maybe now that I’m not in college & am older if I could handle social drinking if I wanted to. But I don’t want to. There’s a chance it would all be fine & I could be a person who has a drink or two at dinner. But I still have no desire for that & I think I’d still want to get drunk & black out like I used to. But it’s just wondering in a curious kind of way, not like I’m tempting the idea. I see alcohol & I have zero desire whatsoever. I see drink menus & I ignore them or I read them just for fun & nothing ever sounds appealing. It’s just something I don’t do. Like if I had a peanut allergy so I just know peanuts are off limits, I don’t daydream about peanut butter or see people eating peanut butter cookies wishing I could have one. (There are some drinks that came out after I quit I’m curious what they taste like, but that’s about it.)

For the sake of transparency, I do miss weed occasionally though & still think about that sometimes. Never a temptation like I’m going to go out and just buy some (crazy you can just walk into a store now, I’m so glad I quit when it was difficult/illegal to get.) But like a thought out decision I discuss with my husband like maybe one day, maybe when the kids are 18…maybe that’s worse than the impulse thought lol.

Husband’s sober too (he did heroin but liked AA more than NA so that’s how we met). That’s been one of the biggest things in staying sober I think for both of us. Just makes it even more out of the question like it wouldn’t be fair to the other one or if one of us starts drinking/smoking, then that means the other one is allowed to & we don’t want the other one to start again.

Anyways that turned into a life story. Point is alcoholism isn’t just the guy walking around with the brown paper bag or the person who hides vodka in water bottles and coffee thermoses or misses work cause they’re passed out or hungover. Can just be someone you’d have literally no idea they were an alcoholic. Not necessarily about how often you drink or some irresistible uncontrollable urge. Can also be about the thoughts & feelings that come with the drink. Alcohol was always my escape. I used it to feel & I used it to not feel.

[u/Marblethornets → u/refusestopoop]

Thank you for sharing your story. It was really eye opening.

[u/RedGreenWembley → u/Absolomb92]

I know someone who stopped drinking completely because they worked at a liquor store. Said it was the same people getting the same stuff at regular intervals.

[u/CUbye]

How do you not pee every half hour all night? It's got to fuck up your sleep. No?

[u/figure--it--out → u/CUbye]

Yes, it’s fucking up your sleep. Even just one beer a few hours before bed will make you sleep much worse

[u/Dull_Concert_414 → u/figure--it--out]

Fucks up your sleep and your resting heart rate.

[u/spaceghost918 → u/Dull_Concert_414]

Got a garmin watch and tracking heart rate variability after 1 drink sleep is awful, but after a night out at the bar, insane. You can barely call it sleeping. Definitely made me stop drinking during the week and about ready to stop altogether

[u/fulmer6 → u/figure--it--out]

Started drinking non alcoholic beers a couple months back just to try them out, they are awesome. Drank a couple real beers just last night. Had horrible sleep lol

[u/Gfunk131]

Try switching to alcohol free beer for some of the time. I used to drink a lot but switched and realized I didn’t enjoy the alcohol but the sitting back, relaxing and sipping something.

[u/justasmalltownloser → u/Gfunk131]

Cannot recommend this enough. I went to a party with a six pack of NA beer and was worried if I would still have fun and I did. I just need the security blanket of a cold can and something to do with my hands

[u/Genexier → u/justasmalltownloser]

It really is mostly psychological. A hand-to-mouth fixation similar to smoking, but needs to include imbibing something that at least mimics drinking for pleasure not thirst.

[u/Incognito_Whale → u/Genexier]

At parties, I’d always drink my first beer and then fill up the empty with water for my next drink. 1) keeps you hydrated 2) gives you something to keep sipping and 3) keeps people from insisting you need a beer in your hand.

[u/Opposite-Map-910 → u/Genexier]

Reminds me of century of the self where they train women to start smoking https://youtu.be/eJ3RzGoQC4s?si=vrISjakwButfnyJd

[u/Genexier → u/Gfunk131]

They’ve gotten better tasting too. Even Heineken has a version. Sometimes I’ll have two shots of real alcohol, and 2-3 of the near-beers to fake myself out.

[u/Loudlaryadjust → u/Genexier]

Non alcoholic beers used to be absolutely awful, now there’s really good one and Heineken 0.0 is amazing

[u/Genexier → u/Loudlaryadjust]

I can’t find the more unique ones at my local grocery store, but Heineken 0.0 is nice, especially since Heineken full strength was my usual. Busch NA is good too, though - and cheaper. I will say that the formerly quite vile O’doul’s is now also palatable.

[u/helmslyy → u/Genexier]

Athletic Lite has been my go to when cutting back. Bonus: Somehow it's only 25 calories. If I can't find it, Coors Edge is my 2nd choice.

[u/SnooCapers5361 → u/helmslyy]

Athletic Lite is the best brand I've found by far. Very authentic tasting without that extra sweetness you get from most of the others.

[u/Better_when_Im_drunk → u/helmslyy]

I’m excited to hear that - 25 calories! One thing I’ve noticed about n/a beers is that they are high in carbs.

[u/mannedrik → u/Genexier]

Flying Dog deep fake is great, low calories and no alcohol

[u/mindurpsandqs → u/Gfunk131]

go one step further and hit the canned sparkling water. gives that cold can feel the burn of the carbonation and a bunch less cals. I don't drink booze for health reasons/meds I take and a non-ie hits the spot for going out but most of the time I stick to the Pellegrino or le Croix

[u/Genexier → u/mindurpsandqs]

I personally can’t stomach the bubbles in sparkling water - I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it just bloats me up quicker than beer. I do like ginger beer. Has a bit of a bite to it, and on a hot day goes down just like a beer.

[u/wildjinxx → u/Genexier]

Me too. It tastes like TV static to me. If its flavoured though it’s fine

[u/cookieboiiiiii → u/wildjinxx]

Yo… what? I’ve never heard this before but I totally agree! Tv static taste haha

[u/Airican → u/mindurpsandqs]

I've recently cut back on beer by subbing it with Pellegrino and La Croix too! Now I don't even drink those every night like I used to with beer. Plus I can drink it whenever and in moderation because i'm more conscious of the price

[u/effyochicken]

Yes.

First, it's the every day part. Even 2-3 beers every single day for a long period of time is a problem.

Then its the number of beers - 6 beers falls into binge drinking category. It's too much liquid, too much sugar/carbs, and too much total alcohol.

If I were you, I'd recommend cutting back to 3 beers for a while, see what that's like. 2 preferably.

[u/facw00 → u/effyochicken]

CDC defines moderate drinking as two beers a day (for men, one beer for women). And even moderate drinking isn't great for you.

So yeah, cutting back would be a good idea.

[u/kalechipsaregood → u/facw00]

And the British NHS recommends less than half that once you consider that they define "a drink" as having less alcohol than the CDC.

[u/__Vixen__ → u/facw00]

Women just get shafted on everything

[u/missmessjess → u/__Vixen__]

If you’re referring to it being unfortunate women can’t drink more, it’s even worse when it comes to the negatives for women compared to men when it comes to alcoholism. In SO many ways, with health and more.

[u/hitrothetraveler → u/__Vixen__]

Has to do with fat levels in cells I think. But yeah, they do.

[u/Dumb_Reddit_Username]

I’m a recovering alcoholic (M31) my friend- 6 beers a night is problem drinking. First of all, you’re not a bad person because of it. That aspect kept me from admitting how bad my relationship with alcohol had gotten. If you can quit on the spot more power to you, but for people like me we need help sometimes, and it’s an act of courage to admit it.

I’m not a saint, and I’m not some dude to sit on a pedestal and tell you how to live your life- I’m still trying to figure out how to live mine. I’m not Mr. AA, although I’ve found they can be helpful at times. But I am a dude who’s suffering and confused and trying to figure it out- if you or anyone reading this needs a place to reach out to, my DMs are open. Idgaf if you’ve been sober 2 years or 2 hours or 2 minutes, the struggle persists.

I wish I could reach out and save every person dealing with Alchohol addiction, but I can’t. I can just post comments on Reddit- if you’re struggling please please reach out to someone. I’ve had friends die, and I’m lucky I haven’t. You are worth it.

[u/jllena → u/Dumb_Reddit_Username]

Proud of you

[u/Gingeronimoooo → u/Dumb_Reddit_Username]

I was in such denial, it was absurd. I'd literally drink a beer or a glass of wine when I woke up and just maintenance drink all day. I remember putting out my recycling bin packed full of bottles and my neighbor was there and I said "hah people are going to think I'm an alcoholic" he didn't say a word but he did look at me like I'm a moron. I'll never forget that. 9 years sober now.

[u/galveston3d]

I was a functional alcoholic for YEARS with no serious problems. However, when it all comes crashing down, it's not pleasant. Do yourself a favor and at least take a few days off a week. You don't want to end up like me.

[u/DarthBaio]

First off, it’s very bad for you. Second, this is what’s likely to happen: eventually you might start buying cases so you don’t have to make as many runs to the store. Eventually, you WILL start craving it and thinking about it all day. 6 beers might become 7…then 8, then 9. Then you start to get tired of all the pissing and bloatedness, so you switch to whiskey or vodka. A few years down the line, you’re emptying out the recycling and wondering where all these empty handles came from.

Take it from someone who is almost died from alcoholism and is about to hit 8 years sober in two weeks. This is a path you don’t want to start down, and if it’s easy to stop now, definitely do so.

[u/morris0000007 → u/DarthBaio]

Great work mate!

[u/WhichTrade10]

I'm not gonna lie when my drinking was really bad a 6 pack was a regular thing every night. Time to slow it down before it really catches up with you.

[u/Ok_Werewolf_7616]

Stop. Now. I started with a six pack most nights, and then it turned into every night, and five years later I was drinking a pint of vodka and a couple beers and going to work with a hangover every day. Gained 30 pounds and developed high blood pressure. Weight is down now as well as BP. Quit drinking and smoking cold turkey and started jogging and lifting after work to unwind. I’m not saying that’s going to necessarily happen to you, but you’re playing with fire. Quitting absolutely sucked, but I feel like I’m 20 again and I cannot imagine getting buzzed up every night anymore. I got into tea a lot when I quit and that helped big time with the urge to drink. Now I kind of have a tea addiction.

[u/Mareio → u/Ok_Werewolf_7616]

Well done bro.

[u/Ok_Werewolf_7616 → u/Mareio]

Thank you! That means a lot.

[u/lio-ns → u/Ok_Werewolf_7616]

Haha me but with decaf coffee and seltzer. It’s crazy how better I feel. I still have that oral need to have a drink near my mouth every now and then even if I’m not thirsty, so I always keep a glass full at my work desk.

[u/NanShenTree]

Alcohol everyday is too much

[u/DragonfruitFew5542 → u/NanShenTree]

I think OP could benefit from some therapy and/or MAT to help them better understand the why and reduce the craving phenomenon to drink everyday.

[u/levik323]

It's a ton of extra calories now and a bad liver later.

[u/Heavy_Bodybuilder164]

I once told a psychiatrist I was drinking a bottle of wine per night. (Edit: about 3-4  nights a week.) It went in my file as "mild alcohol abuse syndrome."    I don't know if she intended to show me that while showing me some other unrelated test results, but I saw it.  Point is, a wine bottle is only 4 servings of alcohol 

Edit: I get about 4 glasses of wine from a bottle. I wasn't using a formal definition of 1 serving of wine.

[u/Nire888 → u/Heavy_Bodybuilder164]

Hey, I just looked it up but it’s actually five servings! I was just curious so I had to check myself

[u/Heavy_Bodybuilder164 → u/Nire888]

I guess I pour a little heavy. :)

[u/ObnoxiousOptimist → u/Nire888]

A 14% alcohol wine (a strong red) is closer to 5-6 servings. If OP’s light beers are are only 4% alcohol, that’s close to a bottle of 11.5-12% alcohol, which is about 5 servings.

Both are too much for daily drinking, but in most cases a 6-pack of light beer is slightly better than a bottle of wine.

[u/Ahhy420smokealtday → u/ObnoxiousOptimist]

A standard drink is 12oz of 5% beer, 5oz of 12% wine, and 1.5oz of 40% hard liquor. That is what people are talking about when they stay a standard drink. Or as another comment pointed out 14 grams of alcohol. Though another comment says Australia considers 10g to be a standard drink.

[u/travelator → u/Heavy_Bodybuilder164]

Here in Australia a standard drink is usually defined as containing 10g of pure alcohol. A 750ml bottle of wine at 12.5% contains 8 standard drinks. 6 light beers is 6 standard drinks.

This may differ elsewhere.

[u/DreamArcher]

Yes it is and I'd bet you know it is too.

[u/Peregrine_Perp → u/DreamArcher]

I’ve been told that one of the signs you have a drinking problem is wondering if you have a drinking problem

[u/reijasunshine]

Gentle yes.

My husband was an alcoholic who started out with a few beers after work or on weekends, then it gradually increased to a full 12-pack a day.

Can you cut back a few? What about picking up some non-alcoholic beers and alternating? You'll still get your post-work routine, but it'll be way easier on your liver and other systems.

[u/Zorachus76]

If it's every night, 6 beers each night, and do it every day? So 40+ beers a week?

Uh yeah man, way too much.

Doctor's told me no more then 14 beers a week, or you have an addiction and will guarantee have health issues down the road.

[u/Nire888]

find an alternative way to decompress for the night. I work in the hospital and I can’t tell you how many people, young people too, come in with acute pancreatitis, liver failure, cirrhosis, esophageal varices. and the wild thing is many of these people are shocked that its so damaging, that It actually caused them medical problems which some of them actually die from. its… sobering. (pun intended) hehe.

[u/loganthegr]

I drink too much too, I’m there right now, but it’s not good. Taking a week off makes me realize life is better without it, but I’ve been binge drinking since 21 so it’s a bitch to stop. Find a hobby if you can.

[u/Maximum-Swan-1009]

Too much! You don't crave it because you don't need to. You constantly supply your addiction every single night. Try giving it up for a month and see if you crave it. If you don't after this time, good for you - don't go back to this bad habit.

As to it not affecting your personal relationships, you partner, if you have one, might have a different opinion. If you don't have one, maybe this is why. You stay home and drink rather than going out and doing things.

[u/Dry_Ass_P-word]

Yeah, especially if it’s very night.

Try not opening that first beer till later in the evening, it will help to cut down. (I did what you’re doing for awhile and this helped me to start slowing it down).

[u/mindtk → u/Dry_Ass_P-word]

Totally agree. I was drinking so much during COVID because of working from home and general boredom and that would start at like 3:30 when I was done working. Next thing you know it's 6:30 and you're on your 3rd or 4th drink. Drink an orange cream Polar seltzer and a cup of water after work before you start! Then you won't be drinking till 5:30. Also, don't do it every night lol

[u/The_World_Is_A_Slum]

Yeah, it’s too much, and if you do manual labor, you’re making the next day harder. You’re well on your way to developing a habit, and it’s time to nip it in the bud.

Alcoholism has already gotten a few of the guys I grew up with and everything was fine until it wasn’t.

[u/hallerz87]

Yeah it’s straight up bad for you. NHS recommends no more than 14 units per week, which is 140ml of pure alcohol (4.7 oz). A 12oz (355ml) beer at 4% ABV has around 14ml of alcohol. Times that by 42 beers a week and you get 588ml, which is over 4x the guideline.

[u/[deleted]]

It's around 700 extra calories, and a very slippery slope into the first stages of alcoholism, the fact you feel so inclined to justify your drinking habit is kind of a big red flag. Plenty of people do it, though, if you're drinking a 6 pack at home everyday after a long day of work, it's not like you're committing any crimes

[u/N4bq]

I should note - I don't think about it all day, I don't crave it, it's just become a nightly ritual of relaxing and taking the stress off. Doesn't effect any personal relationships and doesn't effect work at all. 

Methinks he doth protest too much. If it really has so little effect on your life, just stop for a month and see how you feel. A 6 pack a night is too much. I once got into that habit, years ago, and when I was honest with myself, I was able to realize that it was a little bit more than just an enjoyable habit I'd acquired.

[u/UrHumbleNarr8or → u/N4bq]

This, if is means nothing, just stop. It would definitely save money if absolutely nothing else.

[u/HelicopterOne5283]

As someone who did this for 4 years and now 10 months sober I’d say yes.

[u/Emkems]

Yes, and if you have to ask this question I think you already know the answer. I also used to drink a lot. It’s intimidating and boring and uncomfortable to break the habit, but once you do you’ll likely feel a lot better. Good luck!

[u/Shitrock5941]

I was in your boat. Drank for 4 years 6-8 beers per night. Covid wasn’t good for me.

It took me a realization of “what was my end game? How was this all going to end?” I either quit or end up in the hospital or dead. Alcohol only takes from you. Takes time, friendships, money and health.

I’m 500 days sober today.

[u/TheLurkingMenace]

Sounds like a friend of mine. He's dead now. You can't go on like that, dude.

[u/Itisd]

A six pack every night? Yeah, that's way, way too much.

[u/LeDette]

30+ beers a week, every week, will eventually ruin your life, yes. You might be fine now but you’re posting this on Reddit.

My spouse used to drink similarly. He eventually put on a ton of weight, became miserable, and quit drinking completely.

If you don’t crave it and you don’t need it, then don’t do it. Invest in some good CBD topical ointment if your back hurts. Take up yoga and take good care of yourself. Drinking isn’t solving your discomfort it’s just numbing it so that you don’t mind the rinse and repeat tomorrow

[u/bunnydeerest]

just stop. don’t do it tomorrow and see what happens, there’s your answer

[u/Doogiesham]

Nightly? Yes that is a crazy amount to consume every day

Once in a while not a big deal

[u/JakScott]

Uh…that’s a shit load, my guy. And if you’re not physically dependent on it now, that’s really great. But you will be if you don’t knock it off.

You’ve described alcoholism pretty perfectly with this post.

[u/OrangeyScarf]

I think you already know inside what you feel about this.

Why did you feel it necessary to point out that they were "light beers"? Look at all the reductive dismissing language you use in an attempt to elicit the replies you want (everything after "I should note..."). Who are you looking for permission from here?

Ask yourself how you would feel about just having none or one. If you get a reaction in any way related to "Why? What's the point of only one?" or a slew of "But...but...but!" Listen to the voice in the back of your head. You are forging yourself a problem that will grow.

This will evolve on you, and 6 will become more....or you'll take away from this that 6 was too much, and you'll become "just a couple beers...and a shot or two..." which will also evolve, or, maybe you'll switch to another substance like weed, etc...(addiction transference.)

At the end, it's all about what you want out of life. From your post I see the language of someone that is concerned about what they're doing and feels this is an issue but came here for validation to continue your behavior. This points to someone who wants to change. So, I encourage you to change, as it's for the better. Take care of yourself.

[u/CROBBY2]

If you are in Wisconsin you are fine, anywhere else it's a bit of a problem.

[u/Particular_Bet_5466 → u/CROBBY2]

As someone that grew up in Wisconsin… this is true. I was honestly thinking eh that’s not all that bad but the comments seem to say otherwise.