I am 57 years old and was a full on alcoholic for 15 years plus a smoker or chewer since teen years. I'm 4 and a half years sober and mostly smoke free as of this Jan. I've most likely had AS since my 20s but wasn't ever diagnosed till this year, even after seeking answers from providers for years. I see alcohol now as nothing but an evil poison that destroys health, relationships, minds, and hearts in people who are carrying trauma and having issues. I drank for years to temporarily relieve the emotional and physical pain. My AS is quite advanced now and I suffer hip pain, my spine is hunched, and can barely turn my neck. So, to answer, that's how it affected my drinking and also how excessive drinking affected me. I'm just now starting on my healing journey and discovering that it needs to begin in my heart by taking responsibility, confessing and repenting of my sins and forgiving everyone including myself. I nearly died from drinking but God had mercy on me and continues to heal my soul.

I don't drink. I love beers, well real beers, like Belgium darks. I just haven't drank since my accident in 2015 as the AS, Fibromyalgia, DDD, Arthritis and IBS hate any beer. So, once a year I have a beer on my birthday. Isn't the least bit hard to not drink. It's far more healthy for me to not drink. To many ills, to many meds.

I haven't had a drink in about 30 years. I know it won't mix with my meds. I just don't have a taste for it anymore.

Congratulations
I'm so glad you stopped drinking a great battle won!!!
I do drink very little, I have 1 soot glass of wine 🍷 for my birthday 🎂 and holidays. That sugar is hard to kick and started to use honey 🍯 but there's onther stuff pasta, coffee with sugar, other stuff. I'm working on it.
Thanks for sharing birthday
GOD BLESS
LOL 😂 THATS ME. NO SUGAR

I'm an alcoholic and used to say I had to drink because of my AS pain. I haven't had alcohol for over 33 years and probably have less pain because I don't drink. I owe my sobriety to God and my AA program. I also belong to CPA - Chronic Pain Anonymous. It's on the Internet if you're interested.