Anne Hathaway won’t drink for the next 18 years for her son’s sake


Anne Hathaway is promoting Serenity, that thriller mystery with Matthew McConaughey with a release date that was curiously pushed from September of last year until now. It’s out this week and there are no reviews yet, so we’ll have to see what critics and audiences think. Anne is a pro and she’s out there hustling for the film. In an appearance on Ellen this week, she explained that she decided to give up drinking last October after enduring a meeting and then a school run with a raging hangover. (She wasn’t driving though.) It doesn’t sound like she was a big drinker, but she didn’t want any more of that misery and she has pledged not to drink for the next 18 years, for her son’s sake. Here’s what she told Ellen and that video is above:

They filmed in Mauritius for five weeks and were partying
Matthew and Camila took us on a bar side tour of all the best rums on the island. I don’t remember [it]. I just can’t drink as much as them. I had to go to a meeting the next day [with the director]. Two days later we had another meeting and he [could tell I was hungover again update: she meant he could tell she was hungover the last time, thanks Torontoe!].

I quit drinking in October. For 18 years. I’m going to stop drinking while my son is living in my house because I just don’t totally love the way I do it. He’s getting to an age where he really does need me all the time in the morning. I didn’t one school run where I dropped him off, I wasn’t driving but I was hungover. That was enough for me.

I quit drinking because I wanted to be a better example and mom, but also because I was sick of waking up feeling horrible every morning. It’s been about two and a half years and whenever I’m tempted to take a drink I eat jellybeans and try to remember what it used to be like. The fact that Anne said she couldn’t keep up with Matthew and his wife, Camila, makes me think she was just a casual drinker who wasn’t an alcoholic, but it’s also possible she’s downplaying it. I don’t think she’s in a program though or she wouldn’t say she’s not going to drink for the next 18 years. It’s one day at a time, right? Plus her kid is three so that means she’s not going to drink until he’s 21. Good for her though, it takes courage not only to quit drinking but to be honest about it.

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Photos credit: WENN

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110 Responses to “Anne Hathaway won’t drink for the next 18 years for her son’s sake”

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  1. cannibell says:

    Drinking doesn’t work for everybody. I have a friend who says “I quit when I got too good at it.” More power to her for deciding what wasn’t working for her and adjusting accordingly.

    • RunTrain says:

      I did the same. I was using it for anxiety.
      And blackouts occur to serious drinkers usually, but can occur when a casual drinker drinks to excess. I like Ann. She seems like she is pretty genuine, and if everyone in the world quit drinking, the world would be a much better place.
      My last drink was almost 9 years ago, and I dont ever miss it one bit.

    • Tiffany says:

      Yep. These last three years I was veering towards functional drinker status and I needed to reevaluate things.

  2. KLO says:

    Good for her.

    • Adee says:

      Agreed, It’s her personal choice. So yep, good for her!

      She really has matured after becoming a mother.
      Also I REALLY like that she named her son something simple & classic like Jonathan.

  3. Kittycat says:

    To each there own.

    But I grew up surrounded by people drinking and I cant imagine giving up drinking unless I had a real issue with it.

    • LoveBug says:

      Good for her. Exactly, to each their own.
      I never drink alcohol even though I grew up in Europe where sipping a glass of wine is nearly a given with your evening meal.
      I don’t think I would notice, if all the alcohol would disappear from the face of the Earth today, I just truly don’t care for it.
      Plus I’ve seen too many ugly sides of drinking, from domestic violence, disgusting public intoxication and sadly to impaired driving which resulted in my classmates death.
      Unfortunately there is a lot of pressure to drink alcohol at social events and I often feel like the ” odd one ” when I say, sorry I don’t drink alcohol.
      You would think I committed some crime with the looks I get and the strange comment like : ” don’t you wanna have fun ” ?
      I just don’t understand why I would you need to drink alcohol in order to have fun.
      It’s not for me, but I’m not judging any adult that chooses to drink alcohol, unless they are driving, committing a crime or hurting somebody.
      Even, if they are intoxicated and start drooling or vomiting, yes it’s repulsive to me, but it’s not my business.
      Although there is nothing wrong with being a bit tipsy on very special occasions.

      • RunTrain says:

        Nothing ever ever ever good comes from drinking – its not like marijuana that has some great health benefits. And so much destruction comes from even casual drinking.

      • Lua says:

        Disagree, runtrain. There is plenty of evidence that red wine has benefits. She sounds like a binge drinker is the problem. If a glass of red with friends relieves your stress at the end of the week or is involved in your date night, more power to you. All these good for you for not drinking are so judgmental

      • Thirsty Hirsty says:

        Hi LoveBug ~ When you say “sorry (why are you apologizing??) I don’t drink alcohol (sounds like: why are you?) maybe try, in a bright and friendly voice: Thanks for offering! I’m not drinking tonight….they don’t need to know that you NEVER drink and if you want those “looks” to stop, maybe try not to make it sound like you’re right and they are not, which your “Sorry, I don’t drink alcohol” kind of sounds like.
        I’m a VERY occasional drinker (now). A glass of wine at family dinner (which happens on average once every five years) or the (very) occasional Irish whiskey after an especially physical work day. My mom was an alcoholic and the chaos I lived in was enough to terrify me of the addiction myself, so I quit much of my drinking in my late 20’s …. after my son was born (which I just realized is exactly what she’s saying LOL)

      • LoveBug : says:

        Thirsty Hirsty :
        They are friends and family, they know very well for many years that I never drink alcohol, but they still try to push it on me at every social gathering possible, multiple times from multiple people, at birthdays, Christmas, New Years, graduations…
        I don’t want to avoid my own family, because I choose to not to drink alcohol.
        Yes, I’m being a bit sarcastic by saying : ” sorry, I don’t drink alcohol “, but frankly I’m tired of saying it over and over again to the same people for many years now.
        If they want to drink, it’s their choice and mine is not to drink.
        It’s a two way street, just let me be, who am I hurting with not drinking?
        Is somebody suffering, because I choose not to drink?
        But sure let’s blame me, why not?

      • velourazure says:

        “Nothing ever ever ever good comes from drinking – its not like marijuana that has some great health benefits. And so much destruction comes from even casual drinking.”

        All of that is false. I have no problem with marijuana, but a lot of people smoke it which is definitely NOT a health benefit to the lungs.

        I’ve been drinking ‘casually’ for 20 years and have yet to destroy anything.

      • RunTrain says:

        I didn’t say bad things happen all of the time from drinking. Many people can handle it, and not let alcohol ruin your life. I did say nothing good comes from drinking, and I’m trying to think of any good except some heart benefits, which you can get from grape juice.
        Not judging those who can drink safely, although I also think many women drink quite a lot more than healthy, but don’t want to look at it.

      • IMUCU says:

        @Lovebug– I’m the same way (not drinking) for the same reasons! I get the same looks/comments, so you are not alone! 🙂

    • MC2 says:

      I grew up & lived around drinkers too so couldn’t imagine a life without it as well, until I decided alcohol is a problem in itself and I gave it up. Thank god there is a “to each their own” or else I’d still be drinking with those people. What strikes me is the “real issue” with it. That is so relative and we all choose what the point is where we decide something is the problem, we are just better off without it, or it’s all that other stuff out there. I hung with people where drinking every single day, hangovers all the time, a DUI, a distended stomach wasn’t a real problem ….I’m not sure what a real problem is to them but I’m guessing booze, or other’s but not their OWN drinking, will never be the real issue that they will seek to address. I was so skewed.

      • bears says:

        I stopped drinking completely about two months ago. Before I quit, I could drink a half a bottle of whiskey in a night and often did. I drank literally every night, to excess usually. I day drank, sometimes at work. Do a shot or two at 9 am before I went to work some days. I considered myself a functional alcoholic but didn’t sweat it all that much. Once I stopped, my perspective changed entirely. It’s like I got a new lens through which to see the world and everything is brighter. I miss drinking on social occasions because of my anxiety (Christmas w/ the family was brutal) but for the most part, there’s nothing to miss. It makes people loud, pushy, volatile, obnoxious versions of themselves. It made me all of those. I love my friends but it does the same to them when they drink. Being on the outside looking in at the “fun” has been a serious eye opener.

      • Snowflake says:

        @bears, great job!

      • RunTrain says:

        Bears, that’s wonderful!! Congratulations on taking your life back. Remember, alcohol took up a big part of your life. You have to fill that “hole” with something you love: music and art are great, or exercise, joining a group of some sort, something that makes time fly that you love.
        And I agree, when not drinking, it’s amazing to see how many people who are drinking act. Total lack of judgement. I will never go back.

  4. Sparkly says:

    I don’t know, I doubt she’s a ‘casual drinker’, especially if she was drunk enough to be hungover twice in one week (at work meetings and everything). I think it must have been getting out of her control to decide to quit entirely for 18 years. Casual drinkers are like, “Eh, no thanks”, not, “Man, look at what I did while FUBARed. I’d better stop while I still can.”

  5. Rapunzel says:

    Sounds to me like she maybe doesn’t drink frequently, but she doesn’t drink without getting drunk, and hates trying to parent with hangovers.

    Pressure to get drunk amongst adults is kinda sad. I have colleagues who can’t stand that I limit myself to one drink. I hate that. I have to explain that I take medicine for various issues. And I am too old to deal with hangovers. And don’t want to act stupid under the influence of alcohol. I shouldn’t have to justify.

    • helonearth says:

      I get angry when people keep pushing when you have made it clear you don’t want another drink. I give them a glare and ask why they need to get drunk or want me to be.

      I like a drink but not being drunk and have never had a hangover. If someone is regularly hungover, they need to think about their intake like Anne and maybe stop.

    • LadyMTL says:

      When I was in my 20’s I used to have friends who were like that, who would push me to drink more than I wanted to, or say that I was boring because I didn’t want to go out and get hammered. Needless to say the friendships eventually faded, because I too didn’t think I had to justify my choices to anyone (I didn’t / don’t even take medications, I just prefer to limit my alcohol intake.)

      At the end of the day, if AH decided complete abstinence is what works for her, then that’s absolutely fine.

      • MissM says:

        I used to have a friend who would pressure everyone to binge drink because he was a binge drinker, he would literally chug a bottle of vodka like it was nothing. He would get annoyed with me for not drinking as much and the final straw was when i let him come out with me and my girlfriends (who are all lightweights) and I told him that he wasn’t allowed to go all out if he wanted to hang out with us. Well he was doing shots under the table and acted like an absolute idiot and tried telling us that he wasn’t drunk. Then he had the nerve to ask why I didn’t invite him out with my friends…

    • Sue Denim says:

      I’m sensitive to alcohol, get raging headaches, blotchy, etc., and just generally don’t enjoy it, once in a blue moon maybe, but I had a group of friends a few years ago who were so uncomfortable w my not drinking that I ended up needing to move on from spending time w them. Can be an issue at work events as well — for that, I’ve learned to order a glass of wine and just hold it and pretend to drink. I still really don’t understand why my beverage choice matters to anyone else tho…

      • Jen says:

        My mom does the same thing-she orders a soda water with lime- people assume she’s drinking and she doesn’t have to deal with anyone bugging her. It’s annoying that people can’t just respect and encourage your choices.

    • Who ARE These People? says:

      Same, and glad you brought this up. I just barely drink, that’s all … wasn’t raised with it, didn’t really like the taste of most of it (occasional half-glass of wine with a good meal, that kind of thing), and liked to keep my wits about me in social situations. No judgment on others unless they get behind the wheel, beat up women and kids, or puke in the street. Unfortunately, all 3 seem to happen with some regularity. Be that as it may, it’s frustrating being treated as some kind of preachy temperance queen (Carrie Nation) when I never say anything about it and don’t have any kind of policy. All I do is say, “No, thanks,” most of the time when offered a drink — and that seems to be enough to get people offended and making all kinds of assumptions, even accusations sometimes. What’s it to them?

    • lucy2 says:

      That’s how I read her comments too, she’s done with being drunk and hungover.

      Aside from college, I’ve never been much of a drinker, and now at most have a glass of wine on a special occasion. I’m thankful it’s never been an issue for me, I know many people who haven’t been so lucky.

    • Anastasia says:

      That pisses me off when people don’t respect the limits other people have set for themselves. I’m usually the one suggesting everyone drink a full glass of water between each alcoholic drink (or shot or whatever) because it slows you down and keeps you hydrated.

      You shouldn’t have to explain anything.

    • jessamine says:

      It’s sad and ridiculous how much “social weight” not drinking carries around with it. I come from a family with a lot of substance/addiction issues and while I’ve never been inclined to consistently overindulge as an adult, I like drinking so twice a year I “go off” alcohol for a month+ as a control — those periods make me so aware of how alcohol-based most social interactions are and sensitive drinkers are to non-drinkers. Drink whatever you want! I’m not silently judging you over the top of my seltzer!

  6. Lizzie says:

    i barely drink and i think it is because i hardly ever saw my parents or extended family drink when i was growing up. it adjusted my views on drinking to excess. i also get gnarly hangovers from as little as two glasses of wine. it just isn’t worth it b/c it makes me feel so terrible. i could easily go through life never having another drink.

  7. Torontoe says:

    If you watch the video, she isn’t saying that two later she had another meeting and the director could tell she was hungover again (as Celebitchy puts in parentheses). The director said he could tell she was hungover the first time (which initially he didn’t notice) due to the difference between the two. Ellen specifically says this.

    In any event it sounds like she is doing this on her own terms to suit her style and comfort level. It would not be easy whatsoever so good for her!

  8. Kate Kack says:

    She is a buzzkill. Cannot stand her. So sanctominous ugh

    • Who ARE These People? says:

      She didn’t say she’s superior for making her choice, and she didn’t tell you or anyone else what to do. She made her own thoughtful, personal choice and by putting the word out, she’s letting her larger community know not to offer her a drink or to bug her about not drinking.

      That’s intelligent, not sanctimonious.

      There are valid reasons not to drink that have nothing to do with moral behavior.

    • Barcelona says:

      @ Kate Kack : Just Chill , she is not ripping the jug of wine out your hands.
      It’s her business, if she is not drinking alcohol and it’s yours , if you do drink alcohol.

      • elimaeby says:

        Agreed. I am a drinker (I’m in comedy, and it’s pretty ubiquitous), but good on anyone who chooses that it doesn’t work for them. I’m childless and single, so it isn’t making my life harder in the way it was for her. She’s not saying she’s better than drinkers, just that it isn’t working with her parenting schedule. Calm down. Nothing rude or sanctimonious here, imho.

  9. Tw says:

    I used to find her annoying. Remember when she was living in the trump building on Central Park west with that shady Italian grifter? But things changed for me around the time of The Intern, which I loved. You know it’s a great movie and the acting is good when two actors, who you previously didnt like, make you love them in the film (Anne, DeNiro). And she was great in Ocean’s 8. Maybe she’s just grown up. Not sure what it is, but I love her now.

    • yiza says:

      I think she bought herself a lot of hate with that obnoxious oscar campaign for les mis and she’s only just now recovering. On another note I don’t know a lot of people that have quit drinking unless they have an actual problem with it so I think she’s probably downplaying the issue, but that’s just my own personal conspiracy theory and I applaud her choice.

    • lucy2 says:

      I’ve always like her as an actress, and thought she was annoying during her Oscar run but in no way deserving of the amount of hate she received for it.
      I thought she was great in Ocean’s 8 too.

  10. Jenns says:

    Alcohol started to affect me in a much different way as I got older. I enjoyed having a few glasses of wine on a weekend, but my body didn’t. And while I haven’t quit drinking completely, I have limited it to one-two glasses of wine a month. Which sucks, because I miss it, lol.

    • Esmom says:

      Same. I would have a drink and get an instant hangover, which hadn’t happened before. That said, I gave it up one day after a neighborhood Halloween party where all the parents were getting hammered, just sloshed, as they took their kids trick or treating. It just seemed so unhealthy and weird and I wanted to show my kids, who were in middle school, that it’s possible to socialize without alcohol. Because if you watch TV, especially sports, you’d think beer and booze are main keys to constant parties and instant happiness. Ugh.

  11. AnnaKist says:

    I thought this was Mrs Cumbebatch…

  12. Dee says:

    I love that coat on her, but if I wore it I would look like a homeless person!

  13. frankly says:

    Quit almost 4 years ago when an ER doctor poked me in the stomach and said, “Looks like you may have fatty liver disease.” (Turns out my ER visit was actually for a kidney stone, his observation was a bonus of the MRI.) I never had another drink.

    I was hoping to drop a ton of weight after quitting, but because I was just self-medicating I quickly replaced prosecco with bread. But, over the last 2 years I have gradually and healthily lost 40 lbs. (189 to 149) and at my last check-up/blood test my liver is great. So, worth it!

    I do miss having a mental “reset” – like drinking enough to shut some things down and reboot your brain and start fresh on all your stresses. And socially it’s a drag. But overall health is more important. I guess I’ll have to start meditating or something.

    • Esmom says:

      Definitely worth it, good for you.

      As for a mental reset, I think you’re on the right track with meditation. For me, working out is critical to keeping my stress levels down. The combination of sweating a boatload while emptying my brain for an hour or so works really well for me.

    • Idiotsgalore says:

      Good for you!!! I haven’t had alcohol in 9 months. I’m still waiting to see a change in my weight.
      I have to say I do not miss it one bit. I’d much rather have an edible & watch a comedy special. No hangover, I wake up feeling great. I NEVER thought I would choose THC over alcohol. But that’s life 😩

    • megs283 says:

      wow, you’re an inspiration. the only way I’ll actually lose weight is to stop drinking (or seriously limit it) and cut out my bread or sweets addiction. I don’t get drunk, or even buzzed…but 1-2 glasses many nights adds up.

    • Sadezilla says:

      That’s such a great result, frankly! I’m glad you were able to lose weight gradually, I hope your good health continues! I stopped drinking a little over a year ago, and, like you, I replaced the alcohol with carbs. I’ve been steadily gaining weight since I stopped, so I’m back to calorie tracking and trying to get on a 3x a week workout plan (plus walking). It’s good to hear a positive story, I will try to keep it in mind when I am tempted to binge on cookies or salty carbs.

      • frankly says:

        I wanted to lose slowly so my skin could keep up! I’m almost 50, so these are dangerous times.
        We’ve been using the Lose It app to track calories and it’s really easy. And I got a fitbit for xmas but I’m still just tracking stuff and haven’t set any goals. That’s next.
        Of course, the husband idly decides to lose weight and has lost 40 lbs since Labor Day. The only thing keeping me from being swallowed by resentment is having a hot husband.

      • lucy2 says:

        It is infuriating how easily (some) men can lose weight. I remember going to a WW meeting and some guy lost like 15 lbs in his first week. There were a lot of women glaring at him!

  14. Dttimes2 says:

    I quit 3 years ago…was i an alcoholic? Not hardcore but I drank wine almost every evening sometimes a few glasses, sometimes a bottle. I got back into a previous relationship and he had quit, so i did too. Never had an issue and don’t miss it. I do miss the $$ i spent. Now if i could just give up snack foods as easily 😒

    • lana86 says:

      Wow that’s a drastic change, good for you! Just curious, did you notice any improvements in your looks/skin, since you quit?

      • Dttimes2 says:

        Oh yes my skin which seemed dry and rough cleared up back to silky soft. My stomach issues went away and i maintained weight easier

      • RunTrain says:

        When I quit drinking 9 years ago, i looked 10 years younger. My skin got its glow back, my eyes are clear – and I was deinking wine, maybe a bottle a night for about a year.
        Of all the drugs out there, alcohol is the hardest on your body and brain. That’s a fact.

    • frankly says:

      I miss the $$ too! We were cleaning out the junk drawer and I was like, every one of these corks is $10, $15, $20. It was a real eye-opening, stupid bummer. I blame Marie Kondo.

  15. Julies says:

    I have never been a big drinker, but now in my 40’s I get a raging headache after 2 drinks. I still do drink occasionally, but there is a limit. Someone who saw me the next morning may think I went on a bender, but that is what my body does now with minimal alcohol.

    • Alarmjaguar says:

      Yep, me, too. Still love wine, but have have to cut way back b/c it does a number on me. Sparkly water FTW

  16. T.Fanty says:

    I get it. I’m not a big drinker, but when my kids were little, waking up with a hangover was the worst, and made me feel like a terrible parent because I couldn’t function. I more or less quit for a year or two and now I don’t drink half as much as I used to.

    • Kk2 says:

      Yep. I barely drink since having my kid. 2 beers max, no wine. My body doesn’t handle it well anymore and there is nothing more punishing than waking up feeling like crap and facing down an energetic 2 year old at 7am. Ugh. Not worth it!

      • Blair Warner says:

        This, exactly. She’s not being sanctimonious or against drinking – just saying that it doesn’t suit having little kids and early mornings. I’m sure she’ll still have the occasional glass (and be blasted for it …).
        I’ve been the same for the past two years, since having my first. My husband will often drink some wine after baby is in bed, but I don’t bother. It’s easier not to have any, than to decide how much is enough.
        But yes, the “mommy needs wine” culture is real and thriving out there.

  17. Dazed and confused says:

    I’ve never been a big drinker. Maybe 3-4 times a year. I just don’t have a taste for it. It’s not for any religious or moral reason, I just don’t enjoy it.

  18. Sunnee says:

    Other than college, I used to drink once or twice a week, max. But having five back to back kiddoes and breastfeeding each one for two years I did not have alcohol for about 14 years. Now that my youngest is in his late teens, I have a home bar and love giving cocktail parties. I think we all go through stages depending on what’s going on in our lives and what we deem most important. We shuffle and reshuffle and to each his own.

  19. Giddy says:

    I did the same when my first son was about six months old. We had gone out with friends, I had too much and when the baby woke at 5:30 I had a raging hangover and headache. I had to get up and it was obvious there would be no help…small wonder we divorced a year later. That morning I made my own pledge to not drink until my son was grown. Drinking was just not worth the morning after.

  20. paranormalgirl says:

    I don’t drink much, but I do enjoy the occasional cocktail or glass of wine at home with friends. At parties and work events, I tend to go the sparkling water with lime route, though. I like to keep a clear head at those kinds of events.

  21. Kirsten says:

    I have maybe 2-3 drinks a year. I just don’t like it. The concept of having to quit or being a heavy drinker is foreign to me.

  22. Case says:

    I feel like when people need to announce that they’re fully quitting alcohol for a span of time, they have alcoholic tendencies (at least, that’s what I’ve experienced with some people in my life). It’s like they want to be held accountable because they can’t trust themselves to do it alone, so they go on record saying they won’t drink for x amount of time.

    I love trying new drinks but only drink a couple times a month — and for pleasure, not for the purpose of getting drunk. The idea of needing to publicly announce stopping indicates something more serious to me. Regardless of the reason, good for her for making the right choice for herself and her son.

    • steph o says:

      I quit all the time to prep for triathlons and I let my friends know why I’m not having my one cocktail at our monthly moms night out. Otherwise pregnancy rumors start! I find it so odd that you would assume I have a drinking problem simply for telling my friends I’m not drinking and why.

      • Case says:

        Like I said, it’s what I’ve experienced with people in my life. Friends and acquaintances who have unhealthy relationships with alcohol would announce that they were going off of it for a week or a month, etc., so others would hold them accountable. It wasn’t because of a specific reason — they’d just announce that they were trying to quit for a certain span of time. I wouldn’t assume someone had a drinking problem if they stopped to train for a triathlon.

  23. Miss Gloss says:

    I too quit drinking to raise my sons. I’ve been sober for a little over a year now and don’t miss it at all. Easiest decision ever. I might pick it up when they are grown but I don’t think I will. I’m also so afraid they will have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol due to alcoholism in both sides of their family—both have a grandparent who struggled and both have parents who are ex-partiers (more social drinkers but still). I’m just done with it.

  24. Beckysuz says:

    I get what she’s saying. It’s hard to drink when you have small kids. They don’t give a crap what you were doing the night before they are up and needy at 7 am. I used to love drinking wine at night, but I find the older I get the less my body tolerates any alcohol. I just don’t have time to feel less than 100% and I want to be functional for my munchkins

  25. leskat says:

    I definitely don’t drink nearly as much as before I had my kids. Taking those 10 months off drinking for each pregnancy really shows you how much you AREN’T missing while drinking. Plus, Anne is right that there’s literally nothing worse than overindulging and having to wake up at 6:30am and be on as a mom all day when you want nothing more than to sleep it off, eat junk food and crawl into a hole. I do still drink, but it’s more like a glass or two of wine every few weeks or a few beers while camping. Definitely don’t go past even tipsy anymore. I have to be able to take care of my kids at all hours of the day and I can’t do that if my head is throbbing because I drank too much.

  26. stormyshay says:

    I can relate to what she is saying. I was not a daily or even weekly drinker. But I was a binge drinker. I would drink well past the point of what is acceptable, at times to the point of blacking out. A few years ago I went to a concert with my husband in Nashville. I woke up the next morning in the hotel room in just my husband’s t-shirt with no recollection of how I got back to the hotel. Apparently I had blacked out and vomited all over myself in the cab. I had to be carried back to our room. I decided then and there I was done with alcohol. Honestly I do not miss it.

    Once I quit I began to notice the unhealthy habits others have with alcohol. My husband’s entire family are big drinkers. We recently had to sit my father-in-law down for an intervention because at 70 years old he was drinking and driving.

    • RunTrain says:

      Good for you! I’m at 9 years sober and dont miss it one bit. Even if I was told I could drink and have a healthy relationship with alcohol, I wouldn’t. Why bother? Even a glass or 2 made me feel like crap. Not worth it.

  27. Thaisajs says:

    I like to have a glass of wine at night after my kid goes to bed and I really don’t see anything wrong with that. If Anne has more kids, tho, it won’t be 18 years, she’s looking at 20+ without drinking.

    To each his/her own…

  28. me says:

    So she assumes her son will be out of the house at 18?

  29. EM says:

    I think it’s great she is making a considered choice about her alcohol consumption. I think more people should. More, less, not for now, whatever. Just giving it some actual thought is important.

  30. Anastasia says:

    I’ve actually quit alcohol mostly because of the calories. And also, when I’ve got a little buzz, I tend to eat more.

    Haven’t seen a lot of weight loss yet, but it’s only been three days, LOL. But it’s not difficult for me, as I wasn’t abusing it. Every once and I while, I just go off wine, just have no taste for it, and about a month later, I’ll go, “Oh yeah, wine!” But now I think I’ll just skip it altogether except for very special occasions. Too many empty calories.

    Good for her.

    • Snowflake says:

      That’s what I do. I buy a bottle of wine, tell myself I’ll just have one glass. Which leads to another, then my diet goes out the window. If I have a bottle, then i see it sitting there and decide to have a glass. Where if i don’t have, i rarely miss it

      • AnneC says:

        I’m a creature of habit. Homemade cappuccino (thanks wonderful husband) around 6:30am then another cappuccino out at a coffee place around 10:30 after long walk with dog. Then green tea around 2 and when I start making dinner around 6 I have some white wine mixed with soda water. That way I have a full glass but only a quarter is wine. Maybe have 2 or 3 of those which equals to one glass of wine. I definitely enjoy the ritual of it. When our kids were growing up we didn’t really drink during the week although some beer and wine with dinner start creeping into our lives as they got older. Both are successful adults and don’t have any alcohol problems. I do think growing up in an alcoholic family would make me feel very differently about the subject though. Moderation in all things…

  31. Ali says:

    I don’t think she’s literally marking the days one by one for the next 18 years.

    It’s relatable for those of us who have ever woken up with a hangover and a small child to take care of.

    I appreciate the stories shared here. I cut out all alcohol during both of my pregnancies and didn’t drink much when they were babies/toddlers.

    Social drinking is everywhere in my community but I’ve definitely become more conscious of how my drinking behavior may appear to my oldest.

    I guess regardless of whether or not they need you to feed and clothe them they still need you and drinking too much (whatever that means to each of us) interferes with that.

  32. Ashby says:

    Good for her and to each their own.
    I don’t drink alcohol at all and I don’t care what people think of it when I’m in social situations and I say : thank you, I don’t drink alcohol.
    They can like it or hate it and everything between, but I don’t give a F about it at all.
    I know alcohol is very much accepted today and I often feel pressured to drink, but I’m no sheep, so I don’t drink because I don’t want to.
    I’m not telling nobody not to drink, so don’t push me to drink, it’s a two-way street.

  33. Ellie says:

    I’ve cut way back on drinking. It makes me gain weight like crazy now that I’m in my late 20’s so I just save it for special occasions. I’ve also learned that nothing good comes after more than 3 glasses anyways!

  34. Mabs A'Mabbin says:

    This is such a trigger subject for me, and I guess many people. Lost my dad to alcohol (drowned in his own pool). I ended up marrying an alcoholic who I’ve been with for 27 years. He’s basically stolen my soul, but I’m still here. I don’t drink at home. I only have a drink or two at restaurants with friends or my oldest sons. I made that choice. I can say I did that for my husband. My, husband, the alcoholic, will never be successful completely quitting for anyone but himself. He’s quit throughout the years but always gives in. Read the books. Done the meetings. I know lol. I can’t help him. His children can’t help him.

    • Blair Warner says:

      Mabs, I’m sorry. Stay strong …
      Your story resonates with me.
      Big hugs to you.

    • Esmom says:

      Oh Mabs, my heart goes out to you. Virtual hugs, too.

    • Mabs A'Mabbin says:

      Virtual hugs back atcha. If she says she’s doing this for her son, and she’s successful, good for her. It never bodes well, however, taking yourself of the bottom line of the equation.

    • lucy2 says:

      I’m sorry Mabs. I wish the best for you.

  35. Bailie says:

    I grew up in Prague, my dad had a problem with alcohol, many people were drinking maybe to cope with the political mess my country was in.
    I saw domestic violence first hand, it left deep scars that I struggle with to this day.
    So, I can’t stand alcohol around me, it triggers some really bad memories.
    I applaud anybody that tries to improve their life, good for Anne.
    People sometimes get offended when somebody is not a SHEEP.
    I think the world would benefit significantly, if people would a bit more responsible with drinking.
    No need to go over board, drunk doesn’t equal fun and happy.

  36. Aang says:

    I have a super low tolerance, two I’m drunk, three I’m sick. I think it’s the native genes, I get Asian flush when I drink. So I just normally don’t. A shot of whiskey every once in a while, and almost always at home. Social drinking has never been my thing.

  37. K says:

    Drinking to feel relaxed and gently tipsy is quite different from drinking to “party” until you forget things, get sick and feel awful afterwards. A little bit of the latter in college was plenty for me. Now (I’m around Anne’s age) if I have more than 2 drinks I’ll get a headache or feel really sleepy and halfway through the night wake up stone-cold sober with insomnia and all of that’s pretty irritating. So I mostly abstain or sip a drink with a meal. I know many people who rely on their evening glasses of wine, but I’d rather drink water to look and feel my best. Maybe Anne is just in tune with her body and can tell she’s overly sensitive to alcohol so she’s decided to avoid it. Some people have higher tolerances, but we shouldn’t drink competitively with others because each body reacts in its own way.

  38. Pandy says:

    Geez … I think having kids is a reason to drink. Bet she caves lollll.

    • London says:

      Pandy…..thank you very much for being supportive of women that try to improve their lives.
      Very kind of you, we need more people like you in the world.

    • FredsMother says:

      Lol. Love this. *daughter finally to bed, glass of red wine at hand*

  39. GreenQueen says:

    I am very thankful for having parents who drank responsibly and modeled that good behavior for us. They taught us how to drink socially and were never drunk in front of us ever. My husbands grandparents were alcoholics who died from drinking related heart problems and I do worry that our kids will have that in their genes. My husband and his mom are very careful around drinking but his brother parties too hard.

    It’s weird because I don’t like alcohol very much but would have a hard time parting with my occasional glass of wine!

    • FredsMother says:

      I agree with this. Children have to be taught how to view alcohol and drugs as a whole. Banning alcohol makes it taboo and makes kids want to experiment. Creating too much of a big deal about it is not the answer. Right now am living in a country where alcohol sales stop at 8pm at night on a weekday and 3pm on a Sunday. The kids here go wild for alcohol. Make something taboo and watch kids go wild for it.

  40. Sleanne says:

    I haven’t had a drink in 17 years after I decided it wasn’t for me in uni. I got so much crap from my friends at the time… To this day i get the odd question on whether its religious, a diet, a detox, a challenge, or pregnancy. I always say it’s not anything – I just don’t like it. No judgement on those who do or don’t. I serve alcohol in my home to guests if they want it but I also offer to drive them home if they don’t have a DD. I’m worried my kids will think it’s forbidden as they get older and not talk to me about it. I just want them to choose for themselves what works best and respect other’s choices in return.

  41. Catherine says:

    As a woman, when my job ramps up, I quit drinking during the week. I say, as a woman, because I feel like patriarchy is always looking for SOMETHING. I work better and leaner during the week when I don’t drink. But….don’t hit me up on a Friday night. 😂😂😂🍷🍷🍷🍷

  42. NYCTYPE says:

    I really and truly don’t understand why there is so much pressure to drink alcohol.
    Why drinkers seem so unhappy that I don’t drink alcohol when I’m attending social events???
    No, I don’t have an addiction problem, no I’m not pregnant, no I’m not driving, I’m actually taking the subway home.
    I do not care for alcohol and that’s it, nothing else.
    I’m not stopping anybody from drinking, it’s their business, same as it is mine not to drink.
    Why such hostility from drinkers over me not drinking???
    I don’t understand.

    • RunTrain says:

      Because drinkers know they will act like fools most of the time, and they are not comfortable having a sober witness to it all. That’s my thought! Even when I drank, though, I didn’t care who didn’t drink. That person would be the DD!

    • Ali says:

      I would never judge anyone for not wanting to drink. If pot happened to be the more socially acceptable thing to do, I’d be the one saying no thank you no matter what pressure. I’ve tried it. I don’t like it full stop. Nothing I’ll ever miss not doing. So I get it.

  43. sequinedheart says:

    I wonder if this was a throw-away comment because having a hangover even once with a toddler is enough to make someone never want a drink again, and now everyone is like “OOOH maybe this was a gentle way of breaking it to the world that she had a problem”.
    I seriously doubt it. I think she’s a lightweight when it comes to alcohol (I can relate) and thought,
    “this isn’t worth the pain in the morning, this is a funny-relatable-yet-extreme mom tale & I’ll just have fun without it so I can be my best self”, which of course includes her best self as a mom.
    I felt the same way. I used to love to drink. Social lubricant, bring it on! But I was never a heavy drinker and didn’t require it to operate. I had a daughter 4 years ago and I think I have had *maybe* 4 or 5 cocktails a year in those 4 years. I don’t like uber/lyft drivers (no offence), I prefer my own car & leaving somewhere when I want to. I like my own bed and I like feeling good when I wake up. Alcohol just simply doesn’t appeal to me anymore.

    • RunTrain says:

      Oh, you just reminded me of the best thing that I felt when I quit drinking. When I would wake up at 3AM (as I always do, even now) when drinking, I would feel horrible. Really dreadful. Sober, when I would wake up at 3AM, I would stretch, smile at how good I felt, and turn over and go back to sleep.
      What a gift that was I gave to myself!!

      • JANE says:

        RunTrain – I’m often amazed how so many people defend alcohol consumption when we seem to have many people struggling with alcoholism, alcohol addiction is widespread, it’s disturbing.
        Many are in denial, I guess. It makes me sad that getting drunk is considered fun.
        There are million other options to have fun.

  44. Charfromdarock says:

    I am a very occasional drinker (2-3 times a year).

    As I get older, my tolerance is much lower. I can’t have a second drink because I’ll have a wicked hangover.

  45. KidV says:

    My first thought when I saw the headline was “how will you get through his teen years???” LOL

    I quit drinking when my son was a baby because of a horrible hangover. I hadn’t had a drink in over a year because of pregnant then birth, had a few beers at a BBQ and they hit me like a hammer. I was so sick the next day and had no help. I didn’t drink again until my son was around 5.

    Many times I’ve quit for a couple of years for various reasons, mostly because I’d gained weight from it. Amazing how quickly the weight drops off when you quit. Now I have wine on Friday nights. I’ve been doing this for a couple of years and I don’t seem to be gaining any weight from it. I don’t drink much, just a glass or two.

  46. Bobbiesue says:

    I was at an event with her a little over two years ago–not long after she had her baby, so that could be why, but she didn’t drink at all and most people were. I spoke to her at least 3 times and she was very eloquent and clearly sober. Her personality doesn’t lean toward drinker at all.