Alcohol...

steve45

steve45

steve45

Soldato
Joined
10 Jan 2006
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4,677
Location
Catterick/Dundee
I guess this is just more of an outlet or a way to sound out my thoughts. However, recently I've been thinking about myself and my "relationship" with alcohol.

I've always been a drinker, ever since my mid teens. It started off as a social thing, but some time in my later teens lone drinking became somewhat normalised. Now this was never really a drink to get wasted situation. I have just used it as a way to wind down after work or chill on a weekend, few beers whilst playing games or watching films etc, that remains the case to this day thankfully, even whilst being in a job with a massive drinking culture.

I would say my intake can be excessive and is definitely well over recommended limits, but never to the point of being an issue. I still have plenty of drink free nights and rarely two nights on the bounce.

On the nights I do drink 4-6 cans/bottles is normal, or a bottle of wine and I don't do spirits. If doing so socially that can double although that is rarer these days and becoming increasingly so as my friends/peer group dwindles.

I've never been in bother with it either legally or financially, or professionally for that matter.
When I drink I'm reasonably well behaved and sensible for the most part.

I've never had an issue in the past with stopping for periods of time where it has been necessary, over the years I've been deployed on operations/exercises that have been dry.
However on return I've always just fell back into my old ways.

It was only recently that whilst being with physio for an injury that my diet and my alcohol intake was highlighted, and whilst not being a factor in the injury it did make me conscious that what has been normalised to me is not in fact normal... I don't feel like I have an alcoholism problem but my usage is not healthy.

This has really spurred me on to severely reduce my intake, replace alcohol where possible. At the moment I have no intention of cutting it out altogether. I just want to have a healthier relationship with alcohol, still be able to enjoy it for special occasions without reverting to casual lone drinking.
I've reduced from what was recently mostly every other day, to once a week.
I am now planning to reduce it even further with a plan to abstain for the next month and see how I get on with it.

Has anyone else had experience with severely reducing intake whilst still having a moderately healthy relationship with alcohol? How did you handle it? Has anyone tried and failed?
I want this to be a permanent life change not just another temporary break.

Keen to hear others experiences.
 
I cut it out completely 2 years ago, your just poisoning yourself really. I've learned a lot since then at how much you should look after your body and how all these chemicals are at odds with how your body should function.
 
It's not worth the side effects for me as I've gotten older. I never drink in the house and only have 3-4 boozy days out a year now.

It's also different for everyone, a small percentage of the population has a gene variant in which their body can process alcohol without many of said side effects.
 
I can go months without drinking or get absolutely smashed on a whim.
There is a long running thread in La Cuisine which might be worth a look:

On The Wagon... then in 'ere!

After reading a thread in GD (LINK) about giving up booze and a few others posting about considering the same. It wasn't long before the penny dropped, why not do the same and maybe offer some encouragement and support to others. Well you know me folks, not one to shy away so where better to...
forums.overclockers.co.uk forums.overclockers.co.uk
 
I love a pint.
It has gotten me into trouble on numerous occasions.
If I think about it it’s done me no favours at all really, but I love a pint and will continue to enjoy it.

 
Ayahuasca said:
It's not worth the side effects for me as I've gotten older. I never drink in the house and only have 3-4 boozy days out a year now.

It's also different for everyone, a small percentage of the population has a gene variant in which their body can process alcohol without many of said side effects.
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Same. Have the odd blowout with mates but otherwise just one beer/wine on a Friday and that's it. Not worth the physical side effects.

Been through a lot with a family member dying of alcoholism in recent years which is ****ing grim, really a sad way to go. I ain't going down that road, although sadly atm his son is going the same route.

Just bin it off. Find something else to do with your downtime, preferably physical activity.
 
I spent a few years as a high-functioning alcoholic (a few beers pretty much every night). Managed to get to a point where I was comfortable spending an evening without booze, but still drank socially and occasionally at home on my own. In the end I realised that I'm just not into boozing any more - I had this nagging feeling that I was wasting time, money and health each time I had a drink which bothered me more and more to the point where I'd really resent getting invited out. So now I've quit booze except for a very occasional one (had a glass of fizz on my sister's birthday recently), which I've felt much better about once I got over the initial ball ache of having to explain to everyone why I quit.
 
jsmoke said:
I cut it out completely 2 years ago, your just poisoning yourself really. I've learned a lot since then at how much you should look after your body and how all these chemicals are at odds with how your body should function.
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This may be the route I will end up going down. I want to keep the option open where possible for the social side of it, but I might end up finding that I just don't need to anymore. I guess we will see, it's just the beginning of the journey.


Uther said:
I can go months without drinking or get absolutely smashed on a whim.
There is a long running thread in La Cuisine which might be worth a look:

On The Wagon... then in 'ere!

After reading a thread in GD (LINK) about giving up booze and a few others posting about considering the same. It wasn't long before the penny dropped, why not do the same and maybe offer some encouragement and support to others. Well you know me folks, not one to shy away so where better to...
forums.overclockers.co.uk forums.overclockers.co.uk
Click to expand...
Cheers I'll probably get involved in that thread.
 
I think I probably have a bit of an issue with it. I’m trying to not drink during the week and that’s been successful for the last couple of months. However, I’ve been going out at weekends more and getting absolutely trollied.
Had an all day session with my friend on Saturday, and then carried on in the pub by myself. It’s not worth it, but I just can’t seem to stop when I start.
I had a works party a few months ago which I got messed up at which ain’t good. Just can’t seem to stop until the night is over.

I have a perfect draft machine which I’ve unplugged and a cocktail bar which I’m not replacing as I drink a bottle. But, it’s just not being able to stop when I go out. Every time I go out, I want to go to the pub. Everything we do I try and involve alcohol. I’m just not sure how to break that link.
 
Just a point of view.

I saw my dad in a state you would describe as ‘drunk’ a single time in my life, on holiday, 14 years ago. Not a ‘heavy’ drinker by any means. But he would drink 1-2 beers, or a glass of wine, or a JD and coke most nights of the week. Which sounds quite harmless, but when you add up the units, it does actually go over the weekly recommended allowance. He wasn’t dependent on alcohol he just liked a drink in the evening. He died in February at 58 due to Liver Failure, there were other complications such as diabetes, and hypertension, but it came from the drinking ultimately.

The liver can heal itself, and is incredibly good at disguising that it is in pain or that something is wrong. Often to the point where when you finally get symptoms, it’s too late.

Dad went into hospital on a Thursday, he was diagnosed formally the next Thursday and died the next morning.

I’m not trying to scare you. But I would just say: you don’t need to be a stereotypical ‘drunk’ or binge drinker or dependent on alcohol or anything like that for alcohol to do you serious damage. Have a good honest count of the units you drink weekly, look at the NHS recommended maximum weekly units. If you regularly exceed it, then I suggest reducing your intake.
 
I used to love splitting a glass of wine with the missus over a meal on a Friday, 3 or 4 good quality craft beers on a Saturday then sharing a bottle of cava on a Sunday roast (excluding the times you go out with your mates which are a no rules drinkathon, thankfully rare and getting rarer). About 5 years ago I started to get into top quality whisky which took a while to start enjoying but now I think its too much, especially after the strong craft beer on a Saturday. It was still alright until lockdown when late nights and booze intake must have tripled.

Recently, I just dont think I get any enjoyment out of it any more and am simply doing it to chase faded memories or great times. I can definitely see a time where the penny drops and I knock it on the head.
 
@steve45 - you sound almost identical to me in terms of drinking habits. I've got mates who drink a lot more than me. I'm similar to you, rarely drink in the house, several alcohol free days a month but when I do go out it's definitely into "binge" territory. I don't like the hangovers nowadays though (40yo) and feel like a pillock if the day after is a write off due to hangover. Also some of the venues that I'd like to visit that look fun are starting to treat me like a **** cos I'm older.

Sorry to hear about your Dad, @Mason-
 
I drink 4-6 days a week and some of those days it’s a half pint bottle of Stella or similar.

See customers every day buying a litre of vodka or 20 cans of Fosters. The latter lives on his own as a colleague is his neighbour.
 
Mason- said:
Just a point of view.

I saw my dad in a state you would describe as ‘drunk’ a single time in my life, on holiday, 14 years ago. Not a ‘heavy’ drinker by any means. But he would drink 1-2 beers, or a glass of wine, or a JD and coke most nights of the week. Which sounds quite harmless, but when you add up the units, it does actually go over the weekly recommended allowance. He wasn’t dependent on alcohol he just liked a drink in the evening. He died in February at 58 due to Liver Failure, there were other complications such as diabetes, and hypertension, but it came from the drinking ultimately.

The liver can heal itself, and is incredibly good at disguising that it is in pain or that something is wrong. Often to the point where when you finally get symptoms, it’s too late.

Dad went into hospital on a Thursday, he was diagnosed formally the next Thursday and died the next morning.
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Similar experience with my father-in-law, similar age. Not a binge drinker, just a regular drinker. He did manage to stop, but the damage was done, after coming incredibly close to dying (I guess you know what people look like when their liver shuts down, it's grim :() , he did stabilise and managed a year or so but his body was deteriorating rapidly, and was facing imminent double leg amputations from the diabetes before his body finally gave up.

It's frightening how quickly the liver goes from working enough to not really show any visible symptoms, to failure and the whole body falling apart.
 
BUDFORCE said:
Seems normal to me.
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builder22 said:
^^yeah...at worst you were having 'plenty of drink free nights' and now you only drink once a week - I don't think there's any problem at all!
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Whilst not massively excessive, I wouldnt say its necessary "normal", it is excessive and my weekly intake is definitely well above recommended.


Mason- said:
Just a point of view.

I saw my dad in a state you would describe as ‘drunk’ a single time in my life, on holiday, 14 years ago. Not a ‘heavy’ drinker by any means. But he would drink 1-2 beers, or a glass of wine, or a JD and coke most nights of the week. Which sounds quite harmless, but when you add up the units, it does actually go over the weekly recommended allowance. He wasn’t dependent on alcohol he just liked a drink in the evening. He died in February at 58 due to Liver Failure, there were other complications such as diabetes, and hypertension, but it came from the drinking ultimately.

The liver can heal itself, and is incredibly good at disguising that it is in pain or that something is wrong. Often to the point where when you finally get symptoms, it’s too late.

Dad went into hospital on a Thursday, he was diagnosed formally the next Thursday and died the next morning.

I’m not trying to scare you. But I would just say: you don’t need to be a stereotypical ‘drunk’ or binge drinker or dependent on alcohol or anything like that for alcohol to do you serious damage. Have a good honest count of the units you drink weekly, look at the NHS recommended maximum weekly units. If you regularly exceed it, then I suggest reducing your intake.
Click to expand...

This is another thing that has spurred me on. I'm 38 now and I'd say I've spent at least half my life drinking this way. I'm becoming more aware of my current and future health as I get older. I had bloods done a few months ago as part of a general health checkup, Doc was genuinely surprised when I told him I'd never had them done, I just assumed that was something you did when something was actually wrong? :confused: Anyway results came back generally quite good with no major concerns for liver or kidney function. As I age I want to keep this the case. I guess as you age your focus on your own mortality comes into greater focus. I certainly dont want to leave it too late to make these changes.
 
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