I drink alone, and have decided it's the best path for me (YMMV).
I see alcohol as a "frenemy", of which I'm OK with so long as I remain leery of it. There is no "healthy" amount of alcohol to consume -- it's basically poison. Rather, I see it as "not ununhealthy" to consume small amounts, in strict moderation. For me, that's at most 2 Ol' Fashions on weekends (Fri,Sat,Sun) - each measured (1.5 oz). I want no daily relationship with it, and I also want no drinking buddies (where drinking is a purpose/sub-purpose being together). I don't want to talk about booze, or times spent drinking. Outside of that, my strict rule is: alcohol is never allowed for stress relief, only for celebration.
I think this view and rule set make me a pretty boring, weird drinking companion for others, anyway, so it's likely best for all. I grew up with alcoholism destroying lives all around me, which I guess led me to distrust it. I regard it as healthy distrust.
I see alcohol as a "frenemy", of which I'm OK with so long as I remain leery of it. There is no "healthy" amount of alcohol to consume -- it's basically poison. Rather, I see it as "not ununhealthy" to consume small amounts, in strict moderation. For me, that's at most 2 Ol' Fashions on weekends (Fri,Sat,Sun) - each measured (1.5 oz). I want no daily relationship with it, and I also want no drinking buddies (where drinking is a purpose/sub-purpose being together). I don't want to talk about booze, or times spent drinking. Outside of that, my strict rule is: alcohol is never allowed for stress relief, only for celebration.
I think this view and rule set make me a pretty boring, weird drinking companion for others, anyway, so it's likely best for all. I grew up with alcoholism destroying lives all around me, which I guess led me to distrust it. I regard it as healthy distrust.