I've just started having a beer or two again after a period of complete abstinence.
I stopped drinking after an absolute session on the day we came from 2 down to beat Crystal Palace 4-2. It ended with an argument with my wife (who went home and left me in the pub), a bit of a scrap, being spoken to by the police, being put on a list for local pubs to be aware of me and sleeping outside. Couldn't remember the majority of the evenings events either.
7 months I did without touching a beer. Had Xmas and works night outs, gigs and City all without a beer and it was OK tbh, it wasn't anywhere near as hard as I thought it would have been but it is totally different experiencing things like a gig or night out sober. Some positives but some negatives too.
Lost a little bit of timber 12st 13lbs to 12st 4lbs and it made me very happy not having to contend with and guilt or hangovers.
I have reintroduced it into my life again but it's when you check you bank account the next day to see transaction after transaction in pubs that it makes you question whether it was really worth it or not. You can save a hell of a lot of money by giving up the drink and you can lose that little bit of weight that you'd like to lose too.
Not to mention never ending up in any embarrassing situation as I did on the day of the Palace game.
There are so many positives to giving up drinking and I applaud anyone who's deciding to give it up (for whatever reason) but at times I found it a bit boring if I'm being honest. I like a couple of pre match beers in Manchester, I enjoy going to a gig having had a few pints and a day out with pals just isn't the same having non alcoholic beers.
I'm hoping that my period of abstinence has acted as a reset button as to my drinking habits. I no longer have a 'local' (too embarrassed to show my face) so my habit of a Friday after work or a Sunday afternoon has completely stopped and I also don't mind a non alcoholic beer or shandy now and again rather than having 1 or two, getting a taste and staying out for way longer than expected.
Overall from my experience, despite it being a little boring at times I'd say that being a non drinker is far better than being a drinker, or at least a drinker with a problem with moderation.
Good luck to anyone looking to change their drinking habits.