Two Years Straight Edge: Was It Worth It?
Hey there! If you don’t know me (but are… somehow on this website), I’m T. L. Bainter, it’s nice to meet you (probably… I don’t know your life, maybe you suck). Typically, I talk about stories: stories I’m writing, stories I’ve experienced, and even advice on telling stories of your own. Today, though, I’m getting a little more personal and talking about being straight edge, which is something I started doing a little over two years ago back in October of 2019. In today’s post, I’m going to talk about what being straight edge means, why I went straight edge, and how I feel about it now that two years have gone by.
As with all of my posts, there is a video version! If you would prefer the quick, snappy content of a video to this blog post (or if you want both) check out the video version down below!
What is Straight Edge?
I was actually surprised to learn about the origins of straight edge while I was researching for this video. I’d originally thought that it was a subset of veganism since all of the straight edge people I know are also vegan. However, I was fascinated to find out that it originally started in the hardcore punk scene as a counter to the excess drug and alcohol use that was stereotypical of punk culture. Crazy.
Well, I don’t think of myself as hardcore punk, but… hey, maybe I’m on my way.
Straight edge essentially means that you refrain from drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and other recreational substances. Many who are straight edge also follow vegan diets and avoid promiscuity, which is the version of being straight edge that I subscribe to. In fact, this is also part of the punk scene, with several punk bands emphasizing animal rights and environmentalism in their work.
Dude, I think… I think I need to join the punk scene. This sounds cool as heck. What am I doing?
Anyway, yeah, the gist of it is that I have not had alcohol, tobacco, recreational drugs, or sex outside of a meaningful relationship for well over two years. I also gave up coffee earlier this year, though as far as I understand, you don’t have to give up caffeine to be considered straight edge, it’s just something I did. That’s what straight edge means… but why did I do it?
Why I’m Straight Edge
The absolutely biggest reason why I chose to give up all of this is because of the effect I saw these things have not only on me, but on people I care about. Now, I don’t think I would consider myself an alcoholic—I have met alcoholics and spent time with them, and it led me to realize that I was not at that stage, which is something I was very thankful for. Quitting alcohol was actually very easy for me, and I’d even done it a few times in the past (temporarily, always with a set end date when I would start to drink again). This time, though, I knew I was giving it up for good and I was perfectly fine with that. I had seen too much destruction result from alcohol and I wanted absolutely no part in it.
Now, this isn’t me trying to preach to you. Plenty of people I care about use alcohol in moderation and enjoy it. I myself was at a point when I was drinking because I enjoyed the drinks, not because it was strictly alcohol. I have no problem with my friends and family drinking, nor with you drinking, just as I hope you don’t have a problem with me not drinking (weirdly, some people do). The problem, I think, arises when people I care about destroy themselves with alcohol or center their lives around it. This is big across the world and permeates many cultures, but I’ve found that it’s especially true in places where there is nothing to do but drink. It becomes an entire personality and it’s just exhausting. You start to feel like you’re meeting the same people over and over again because their identities are wrapped up in drugs and alcohol. It’s boring and I want no part in it.
Alcohol was one of the primary things that ended my most recent (and probably last) relationship; seeing how devastating it was and who it turned someone I loved into was the nail in the coffin. I no longer wanted any part of it, nor will I again. I’m done with it. I know that I can control myself around alcohol, use it in moderation, etc… but the question remains: why would I? Why would I toy with something that has the potential to change me in that way? I don’t look at any drunk person and think “I wish I could be like that”. It’s just sad, so I feel zero desire to participate in that part of our society. I doubt I’ll ever feel that impulse, again.
How Do I Feel?
While I’ve already said this, I want to reiterate: I feel absolutely no pull toward drinking, again. In the past, when I stopped drinking, I would start again after a set deadline because I felt this social expectation to participate in drinking—especially when dating. Now, though, I’ve learned to just surround myself with friends and loved ones who don’t pressure you into drinking or make you feel excluded for not doing so. Anyone who makes me feel like I need to drink… probably isn’t somebody I should be around.
As for how I feel physically, I really don’t have anything to go on, there. If I’m being perfectly honest, I don’t feel any physical differences between now and when I was drinking alcohol consistently. However, there are definitely mental differences. Can those mental differences be attributed to being straight edge? Maybe? Maybe they’re just because of all the experiences I’ve had over the last couple of years, which matured me and improved my understanding of myself and my mental health.
I think people want to know that there’s going to be some sort of huge payoff for them if they go straight edge, but I think that misses the point. There are health benefits undoubtedly, but I think that veganism contributed to most of my physical health improvements (and I’ve been vegan for over five years, which is three years longer than I’ve been straight edge, so those health benefits have been in place for quite some time). I can’t say definitively what benefits I’ve had physically and mentally from going straight edge, just know that I personally think I am at the height of my physical and mental wellbeing at this point in time, and there are many factors that have contributed to that, not just cutting out alcohol!
All in all, I expect I’ll be continuing to be straight edge for the rest of my life. At least at this stage, I don’t see any reason why I would stop. There isn’t an appeal to me, anymore. I like where I’m at…
Plus I don’t want to break my combo.
Conclusion
Being straight edge has become one small part of my identity—I try not to make it my entire identity, just as I don’t appreciate people making alcohol their entire identity. It is a significant part of who I am because of the circumstances that led me to take this path, but it isn’t all that I am. I’m a storyteller and story consumer, for one! If you liked this post, I hope you’ll stick around to hear me talk about stories in future posts.
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Again, thank you so much for taking the time to check out this post, I really appreciate it! Until next time, bye!