On The Wagon... then in 'ere!

[BUDFORCE]

I probably drink too much and have done for some 15 years, I drink most nights.

But I have found over the last few years I am slowly reducing it, maybe try this approach, aim to stop but take a more gradual approach.

I dunno, I'm not expert, clearly.

 

[moon man]

i think the only thing that might have saved my health (although liver damage can be very high without showing) over the years is always having a big gap in my drinking ,well 4 or 5 days dry a week (usually 4)

 

[new boy]

If you are physically addicted to alcohol then quitting cold turkey can cause seizures. Talk to your gp I'm sure they will be more than happy to give you the help you need.

 

[Domi]

I was way past the point of being a heavy drinker (I would have 2 bottles of wine with my evening meal every night and would drink those in well under an hour).

For me I dropped one day a week and I kept that up for a year then I dropped a second night for another year or so , then a 3rd and now I drink only at weekends and special occasions.

This is not something I found easy but 10 or so years later and I would like to say I am no longer dependant on alcohol but even now I think I would struggle to stop entirely.

 

[ShadowMan]

Seek help from a GP and local support groups if you want to seriously stop. Most heavy drinkers can stop or cut down on their own. If you can’t then you need help.

My cousin was a heavy drinker and alcoholic for nearly 20 years. He died in March aged 37 leaving 2 kids behind from kidney and liver problems caused by alcohol. It is not too late to seek professional help and probably the best way forward.

 

[mid_gen]

Seeing my father-in-law go right to the brink with liver failure a couple of years ago (was down to 3% function and in a terrible state in hospital), was literally sobering. This wasn't from binge drinking just have a couple of drinks every day, it's the not giving your liver time to recover that does the serious damage. He's just about made it through but has various other complications.

I'm knocking on 40 now and the physiological cost of drinking outweighs the benefits for me now. Takes 4-5 days to really get back to 100% functioning and waking up fresh after a session. I've just got better things to do with my life than sit around being hungover now, not that I begrudge the fun times I've had partying in my younger years. Knocked smoking (and vaping) on the head about 3 years ago now too, it's easy enough if you change your lifestyle to fill the gaps with something more constructive and preferably physically exerting (I'm hooked on climbing now, and in better shape than I ever was as a young 'un).

 

[Zatoichi.uK]

My alcohol intake has never really been that big and with a toddler to run around after it's even less now. I've started running on Sat and Sun so any more than 2 beers is a no no on a Fri/Sat night.

I did have a habit of buying a 10 pack or more and then after the weekend there would be beers left over in the fridge. It was all too easy to have a cheeky beer on a random weekday evening so ended up taking anything out of the fridge on Sunday to remove the temptation. Seems to work for me and I drink no more than around 4 drinks a week as a result. The main driver for me was empty calories to keep any middle aged spread at bay.

 

[Shikkaka]

I'd just like to cut down the unnecessary drinking at home, me and the Mrs are pretty disciplined during the week but as soon as the weekend comes we drink Friday through to Sunday most weekends.

As a result I am a right miserable sod on Mondays and Tuesdays. I'd say the alcohol has a negative effect on my mental state, I feel low, almost depressed. It also affects my productivity at work.

Ideally I'd like to stop at home completely and only drink when we're out, but with 3 kids between us it takes the edge off what is normally a tiring week.

I think I'll start by quitting on Sundays, it's completely unnecessary but needs to be replaced with something else. Thinking of getting an exercise bike for the living room so I can jump on that whilst watching the football or F1.

 

[Eurofighter]

I drink a couple of cans or have a couple of pints most days and usually 1 day a week where I have quite a few, usually feel fine unless I have spirits. No plans to cut back yet.

 

[Jambo]

Been a hard drinker for 20 years.

Made a decision to stop.

Anyone here in the same position and can offer advice on how to cope?

Zero percent alcohol and fruit juice are not alternatives.

Everything with my social live revolves around drink and i am done with it

How much do you drink in a week?

 

[iamdjdz]

I've had 2/3 of a bottle of wine and 2 beers (last week when away) since July. I hurt my wife on the way home from a party - not spitefully, just as a result of her dragging me home and trying to get away - and it scared me. She hardly drinks and I was drinking a lot on and off for about a year before hand. My problem is knowing when to stop, I could easily have sat down on my own with a whisky in hand while watching TV and woken up having drank a bottle.

I feel a lot better for stopping and it's saved money but I don't know if I'll ever stop totally, just don't want to get to a binge drinking state again so will see.

 

[adam cool dude]

I drink maybe a couple of beers every three months. My Vimto addiction is something else though. Never had a problem with addiction though and quite easily say no. Never drank coffee my whole life and have been quit from smoking for 8 years now.

 

[baz178]

I have 3 bottles of SAN Miguel every night with my tea ! Just seems to relax me after a hard day at work on the trowel ! Never drink wine or spirits and even if I go out I rarely have any more to be honest.

 

[phonemonkey]

Been a hard drinker for 20 years.

Made a decision to stop.

Anyone here in the same position and can offer advice on how to cope?

Zero percent alcohol and fruit juice are not alternatives.

Everything with my social live revolves around drink and i am done with it

I am an alcoholic so my experience may not be relevant to you. Then again it might be.

I tried EVERYTHING I could think of to stop or manage my drinking. I've tried changing drinks, setting limits (on the quantity of alcohol I was allowed to drink, the number of days I was allowed to drink on, the number of hours I could drink for, the places I could drink and the circumstances under which I could drink). I've tried stopping more times the I can count. I've failed to control my drinking using any method I applied more times than I can count.

The only logical conclusion is that when it came to alcohol I was powerless. Equally obvious to me was that I could not stop drinking by myself; if it were possible to do so I believe I'd have found the solution.

For me the only thing that has worked is AA and it's 12 step programme. I'm currently
4 years sober. If you recognise your story in mine then I urge you to find some help. It doesn't have to be AA, but if you're like me the chances are you won't be able to stop and stay stopped by yourself.

As for your social life. If you're seriously done with drinking (regardless of if you're an alcoholic or not and regardless of if you seek seek help) I can only strongly recommend the following:

1: stay away from wet people and places.
2: take some time to explore hobbies and interests which don't involved drinking.

Finally I have to say I agree that non alcoholic beers etc are a no no, there's plenty of non alcoholic drink suggestions and recipes earlier interest that I think provide safer non alcoholic alternatives.

Feel free to email me if I can help. My email is in trust.

 

[VTR]

Out of curiosity, why 2 weeks?

If alcohol is causing you problems and you can't control it, what makes you think you won't end up in exactly the same situation after your 2 week holiday? I'm not saying you need to stop drinking, though I did, but it certainly sounds like you need and want to change your relationship with alcohol. So what are doing to make that change?

If you change nothing, nothing changes. Think of it like an actual holiday, you might come home feeling refreshed and relaxed but you soon return to 'normal' unless you change job/house/family situation etc. If your normal is problematic drinking then that's where you'll return after your holiday if you don't make a change.

Good luck.

Predictably this did not work. However I have cut it down gradually and 'only' drinking 4-6 (bottles of) beer a night with the occasional night off. Next step is regular alcohol free nights each week, I'm not waking up with any hangovers though or feeling any negative effects in work etc so all is going well at the moment. Short term goal is to cut it out Mon-Weds every week and then go from there. I think for me (and I suspect many others), cutting down is much more achievable than stopping(and also safer!)

 

[phonemonkey]

Predictably this did not work. However I have cut it down gradually and 'only' drinking 4-6 (bottles of) beer a night with the occasional night off. Next step is regular alcohol free nights each week, I'm not waking up with any hangovers though or feeling any negative effects in work etc so all is going well at the moment. Short term goal is to cut it out Mon-Weds every week and then go from there. I think for me (and I suspect many others), cutting down is much more achievable than stopping(and also safer!)

No **** Sherlock, it didn't work. Every attempt I made to moderate my drinking failed. Believe me when I say that there was a way of controlling my drinking I would have found it, I tried EVERYTHING I could think of; some of them several times. My drinking sometimes even seemed to be more controlled for a while but it always got worse. I believe this is because when it comes to alcohol I am powerless; I have no control.

I wish you luck in your attempts to return to being a moderate drinker. I sincerely hope it works for you. Should it not work, I urge you to consider that it might not be possible for you to drink in safety. If you find yourself in that position please reach out to me. I've been there and can help, if you're willing to accept help.

 

[phonemonkey]

How is everyone doing? Managing to remain sober or moderate your drinking as you planned over Christmas?

 

[khemist]

Yeah, i've not touched a bit since the start of May and wont be over new years either, hope you lot are doing well also.

The strongest thing i'll be having is a can of Red bull.

 

[Richard - London]

I miss up completely,


I suck,

 

[koolpc]

My new year resolution, to quit alcohol, started last monday!

Could murder a drink right now though! Hope i can beat it. Not a big drinker though.