I Can’t Drink Now Like I Used to a Few Years Ago (26M), is that Normal?
During college and a few years after (maybe til 23/24) I drank almost weekly and don’t get drunk that easily. In terms of beers, maybe I get tipsy at about 6 and give up at 10.
But now, I drink 2 and I get tipsy, and maybe tap out at 4/5.
Is that normal?
Drinking 10 beer in general is not normal. You got yourself pretty damaged by alcohol and now your body is suffering the wear and tear.
I recommend cutting it down to 1 or 2. Your body will thank you.
Welcome to old.
It happens quickly.
You’re gonna love hitting 30. Good luck staying up till 1am, forget about pulling an all-nighter.
I’m 30 and do this easily enough when I drink.
It’s definitely killing me though and the next 3 days are hell.
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33 here - if the staying up is enjoyable then 1-3am is fine. Hangovers are worse than when I was 23, but I’m usually back up to speed by lunchtime.
Of course this is heavily influenced by how much water I drink while I’m out. Hydration is important folks!
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Pulling an all-nighter is still doable, it just requires greater amounts of caffeine.
That’s a funny way to spell cocaine
The body is amazing at adaptation. In a high alcohol environment, prolonged over time, like college, you can adapt that situation and build a tolerance.
Now you’re a little older, you probably don’t drink as much, your physical activity may be different, you’re more in tune with how your body should feel, so you’re noticing it more.
It’s not a bad thing!
yeah, I drink like once a month at most these days. maybe that’s it.
It least getting drunk is cheaper now!
Are you in the same shape you were in college? General fitness doesn’t necessarily affect your tolerance, but it definitely affects how quickly you bounce back from a rough night.
I’m a nurse, not a doctor, just gonna chime in here that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a thing:
In general, any kind of sudden changes to your normal functioning are things you should probably be discussing with a physician, even if you’re young and otherwise healthy. The really encouraging news is that, if this is indeed caused by a health problem, you’re young enough that it’s really likely you can completely reverse it and get back to 100%. And if it’s not, then no harm done by seeing a doctor and confirming that ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
(Also, not to scare you, but no I wouldn’t expect to see that dramatic a decrease in alcohol tolerance over the course of just a couple of years at your age. I think it’s worth talking to a doctor about this.)
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What about the increased hangover? Is that more normal?
When you’re older? Absolutely. Hangovers are a day-long event at least. Sucks. You don’t bounce back and be a little tired for half a day like when you were younger.
If you’re younger and have an abrupt change in how you handle alcohol, and have a bad relationship with alcohol and drinking, yeah…might be a problem.
Older as in after your twenties?
I noticed I couldn’t shake hang overs after 25. They ruined my whole following day so I just cut out that nonsense.
More like 40 or 50.
oh no
You’re getting older. When you reach your 30’s, you’ll feel tired the next day because you had a couple of beers. You’ll feel like crap for a couple of days if you get drunk.
41 here. Getting drunk on a Friday wipes me out for a long weekend. It’s touch and go whether I’ll be capable of work on Tuesday.
You’ll feel shitty just from staying up “too long”. Getting older sucks, and I’m not even close to 40.
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Not even 30 yet myself and I get tired round 9pm. Couldn’t even stay up to 1-4am if I wanted too now.
Enjoy it. A night out is now cheaper.
Yup. Drinking gets harder as you get older. UNLESS you continue to drink at an unsustainable rate.
I’ve met plenty of people who continue to drink like they are still in their twenties, but you’d be better off with a few bad hangovers than what THOSE people have going on in their lives.
I’m 40, and I maybe have 2 drinks a month. Used to be able to drink a lot more. And I consider this change a good thing. As far as I can tell it’s normal.
I’m not sure its a good thing. I’m in the same boat and all I can think is my liver is not operating as efficiently as it used to. And since its not, then drinking 2 beers is prob as harmful to a half operating liver as 4 beers would be to a fully operational one? But thats not based on any scientific investigation, just my gut (pardon the pun).
I’m 5 years down the road and… Well let me tell ya, it gets worse
I’m 40 this year. More than 2 beers and I get a hangover before I even go to bed and insomnia the next day.
Aged 18/19 I could slam 12 beers and a few shots and wake up feeling nothing.
Time is a cruel mistress.
Your body builds tolerance to alcohol, which means you can drink more and not feel the effects as much.
When you stop drinking or drink less and more infrequently, your body’s tolerance lowers, so you’ll feel the effects more than when you were drinking heavily.
In my 30s here. I spent my 20s getting shit faced drunk almost every day. I can’t drink anymore. The hangovers are just too severe. I would rather be sober and deal with all the boringness that comes with it than get hungover. And that’s exactly what I’ve been doing.
Think of it as a pleasant buff you didn’t ask for. Now you can nurse a drink slowly 😀
I remember, long ago, going to breakfast with a group of people that partied HARD the night before and laughing that “we’re paying for last night” as we ate and laughed only to go do it again that night.
Now I drink two whiskeys and need 3 business days, four Xanax’s and a metric ton of Pedialyte to even raise my head from the pillow in bed. I’m in my late 30s. It’s usually better - for me at least - not to drink at all. Mileage definitely varies.
Is that normal?
Yes
