Not OP, but my story is I was living in a Middle Eastern country for a few years - although you could get alcohol at hotels it was expensive and there was basically no selection (usually only Carlsberg on tap, and similar beers in bottles). So I didn't bother drinking when I was there. It made me realise that I could have fun and socialise without alcohol.
When I came back to Europe I tried drinking a few times, but I didn't really like it. As I hadn't been drinking, even one beer would make me feel so bad and dehydrated the next day (certain non-alcoholic beers do the same, so I don't think it is necessarily the alcohol). My wife was in the same situation, and then got pregnant so she also wasn't drinking. In the end I drifted away from my old friends who I would drink with, and made new friends who were happy to do things other than drinking.
Admittedly it does make certain social situations a bit awkward (my co-working space has a weekly beer night, although I'm usually not the only one who doesn't drink), but overall I don't miss drinking. Looking back the only reason I drank before was due to peer pressure; I never felt having a cold beer after work was a very effective relaxation technique.
For me personally, I do not like the idea of impairing my cognitive functions. And I have done very cringy things while drunk. I regret it every time the following day. Bad sleep, anxiety, depression afterwards. Unproductive following day. Unnecessary calories. Setbacks in gym. So many reasons, honestly.
Not OP, but I have (virtually) the same rule. I’m averaging about 3 beers a year, and only when I really, _really_ feel like it.
I don’t have a specific reason for it. The one reason most people seem to accept is when I say “I don’t like the feeling of losing control”, although that’s only partially it. Another one that comes up is “I don’t need that to have fun”. Although I grew up in France and Belgium, I don’t like the taste of either wine or beer.
I completely agree with OP though: I don’t frankly care when people judge me for not drinking.
Drinking helps people bond which is why people like it. You don't have to drink all the time to get that benefit, just a small bit sometimes to break the ice. Beer is pretty good once you get used to it, the taste completely transforms.
I find it interesting that you think this is noteworthy. On a global scale half of the adults don't drink alcohol. In the US around a quarter of all men and a third of women don't drink.
Narrow it down to 21-50 year old men with no serious existing health conditions, no Asian heritage and no religious alcohol restriction and I bet it looks more like 90% rather than 75%.
Born in one of the highest consumption countries way above the US. My dad never drank, I never drank, hardly ever seen my mom or grandparents drink (though they're not strictly against it).
I assume drinkers just tend to go to places where people drink like pubs, clubs which I've never been to. I'm sure non-drinkers tend to be rare there.
Also assuming that drinking might correlate with sociability there could be a friendship paradox style thing going on where people you know are much more likely to be drinkers.
Not a direct answer, but my original account has been broken into, the password has been changed, and the poster is making bad comments. Not sure how to handle that.
When I feel good my body and heart has a slight euphoric feeling and alcohol moves me further away from that. I used to drink but sort of just gradually reduced it over time after meeting friends who didn't drink, it wasn't really a conscious decision though, just going by what makes me feel good
When I came back to Europe I tried drinking a few times, but I didn't really like it. As I hadn't been drinking, even one beer would make me feel so bad and dehydrated the next day (certain non-alcoholic beers do the same, so I don't think it is necessarily the alcohol). My wife was in the same situation, and then got pregnant so she also wasn't drinking. In the end I drifted away from my old friends who I would drink with, and made new friends who were happy to do things other than drinking.
Admittedly it does make certain social situations a bit awkward (my co-working space has a weekly beer night, although I'm usually not the only one who doesn't drink), but overall I don't miss drinking. Looking back the only reason I drank before was due to peer pressure; I never felt having a cold beer after work was a very effective relaxation technique.