A few people in my (32M) life have made the odd comment, here-and-there, sometimes in jest, that I drink a lot. I usually laugh it off, taking it as a joke or whatever. Then, two weeks ago, my spouse said to me, quite directly, after I got home from a boozy Saturday afternoon picnic in the park with a friend where we had mimosas and snacks, reading and writing poetry, that "You seem to be drinking a lot lately."

So, this coming from my spouse made it click in my head, and since then, I haven't touched a single drop of alcohol. Okay, it's only been two weeks, but it isn't hard, or a struggle. I'm not "trying" to not drink alcohol: I simply stopped. But now, since then, those same people are acting annoyed at me for NOT drinking when we're hanging out together. "Why aren't you drinking?" "But we're all having some wine" "What's the problem?" etc. And my spouse especially is acting like I'm in some way insulting them or spiting them for saying something.

When we spoke about it this morning, they said asked me "How long are you going to keep this up?" and I replied "Until you apologise" which made them angry and they started speaking in a really agitated tone and raised voice. "I'm not going to apologise for my opinion." they said, which I agree with. I'm not avoiding drinking to spite them: I am avoiding drinking until they realise that it isn't true that I have a drinking problem.

They are all acting like I'm being spiteful or something, which I don't think I am. In response to a concern that I drink a lot, I stopped drinking. If that concern disappears, then I will (be able to) start drinking again...

Isn't this reasonable? or AITA?

*Edit: When my spouse asked how long I will be doing this for, and I replied "Until you apologise"- Those are the words I used, but it wasn't really what I meant. What I meant was "Until you no longer think I drink too much." It just came out wrong.