Why do I get so annoyed by patronizing sobriety stories?

This morning I came across a story, “Alcohol is for idiots,” or something of that nature.

If not drinking alcohol improved your life and you want to share your story — good for you. Share your story. But please don’t be so patronizing. Idiotically patronizing. I ran ninety miles last week as I prepare for yet another marathon and continue enjoying my life’s biggest passion — running. I share my experience, but it’d be silly and arrogant to encourage people to run in a patronizing way.

In the last ten days, I had just three drinks — a couple of small cans of beer after coming back from running, and I finished a third of a bottle of Chardonnay that I had in my fridge for a while. This was on different nights, so this is barely “drinking.”

Call it a dry April. I successfully attempted a similar stretch at the end of last year when I didn’t touch my evening drinks for many weeks, and I’m doing it again now. Why? No particular reason. I definitely see advantages to not consuming any alcohol. The main one is reducing alcohol-induced fatigue, both post-drink and when waking up. Also, it’s a no-brainer to admit that alcohol impairs judgment. I don’t need alcohol to socialize and I don’t socialize much anyway because I’m either with my family or on my own. If not the former, I always prefer the latter because I’m an introvert. So impaired judgment isn’t an issue for me, but I still admit that my head works differently under the influence of alcohol. Actually, I can be more creative, so it’s not necessarily all bad. But feeling my mind hundred percent sharp and clear is an awesome feeling, too, so I’ve enjoyed both of my “dry” stretches. How long I will continue — I don’t know. I’m not setting big goals or making big promises; rather experimenting. I should note that outside of my dry stretches, I had been a regular “drinker” for many years — so a couple of drinks every evening.

Then there is my running. On the one hand, alcohol is bad for my body, period. Considering my passion for running and striving for excellence, there isn’t much argument for alcohol. Except that there is. Well, not an “argument in favor,” but there is a story. A cold beer or two after an intense run, especially on a warm day, is one of the most pleasurable experiences in life. I prefer IPAs, so the stronger beers. It’s so-so enjoyable, and I’m sure that the endorphins I get from my beers positively contribute to my holistic well-being. I think mental and…