I am not an alcoholic

It's time to write down my own story. I'm regularly asked if I still drink alcohol. Since January 1, 2025, I haven't. And I'm very happy about it.

Do I not have a problem with that? Of course I do. That's precisely why I'm writing this.

This blog has two goals. Firstly, sharing my story helps me better cope with moments when I have a craving for a beer or something else. Secondly, I want to help others in a similar situation.

I'll start with the title.

There are roughly three types of people who quit drinking. The first group has little trouble with it. They never had a drinking problem in the first place and can easily say no. The second group is physically dependent: the heavy drinkers who describe themselves as alcoholics and remain so even if they haven't had a drink in a long time. David Bowie is often cited as an example.

The third group lies somewhere in between. These are people who drink regularly, even heavily, but still function normally. No visible problems, no immediate damage. They almost always say, "I don't have a drinking problem." In her book "Since I Stopped Drinking," Evi Hansen writes, "I was absolutely not an alcoholic." I can understand that.

I also belong to this third group.

I drank regularly and was always on the lookout for delicious drinks. Craft beer was my hobby. Friday was the perfect time to treat myself and wind down after the work week.

Did I drink too much back then? After all, I was functioning perfectly fine. Nobody seemed to mind. On the contrary, after a few drinks, I was often more sociable. Nevertheless, I think now that I drank more than was good for me. Sometimes I'd be sitting at home alone on Friday evenings—my wife was at work, the kids were out—and there I was with a craft beer. At some point, it just felt... empty. Alcohol can foster sociability; it can bring people together. But if you need it for that, maybe something's wrong.

Why not simply reduce it then?

I've tried it often enough. No drinking during the week, only on weekends. But this "weekend" already started on Thursday. And if there was a reason to drink on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, I took advantage of it.

That doesn't work for me. The only solution is to not drink any alcohol at all.

This is nothing new. For about twenty years, I've abstained from alcohol every year during Lent. But afterwards, I always fall back into my old habits.

In 2024, I started "Dry January" and extended it to include Lent. Three months without alcohol. It went surprisingly well. In fact, I was annoyed that I started again afterward. So, in 2025, I decided to stick with it for a whole year. And I'm still doing it.

Nevertheless, it's sometimes difficult. I've already mentioned Fridays, but especially the Friday before a long weekend, for example at Easter, feels like a weekend twice as long. Then I take the dog for another walk or cook an elaborate meal, simply to distract myself.

Of course I drink non-alcoholic beer then. And I enjoy it immensely. I feel like a kid in a candy store when I pick out a beer in our local shop.

It feels good to write my story down like this. And if it also helps you to enjoy life without alcohol more, that's a nice bonus.

If you would also like to share your story, we would be happy to provide you with our blog for that purpose.