The giving up/cutting down alcohol support thread! Part 5

graemecarter

barshamhillbilly wrote: »

Sorry mate, have to agree with Shaggy!

Everyone, I think, is aware that an excess of alcohol has its dangers and anyone drinking over the RDA COULD be at risk of doing some damage to themselves. But many of the people on this thread are drinking within the NHS guidelines for safe drinking. (Not me at the moment, obviously). Those that aren't know the dangers otherwise they wouldn't be here.

I have to say I do find the comment unhelpful and unnecessary.

BHB

No problem - thanks for the response.

Many are drinking within NHS guidelines, and that is great.
And many are not.
If people knew the dangers, why the disagreement when I say that alcoholism will kill people on this thread? Because that is one of the dangers of alcoholism.
Even if it doesn't kill one, it can make one miserable and cause misery for those around him/her.

If someone knows the dangers but is still drinking to dangerous levels, is that not alcoholism??

graemecarter

maman wrote: »

:T:T:T

I only came on to say good morning! I must agree with you shaggy. What I have decided is to be respectful of those who find this type of post helpful but ignore them myself. This is my compromise option (as opposed to trying to repond or leaving the thread ) but it really pi$$es me off when assumptions and generalisations are made on my behalf.:mad:

I said many will die of drink, not all or not the majority
I didn't single you out maman so please don't assume I made assumptions about you in particular. It was a generalisation, thus it wasn't about individuals.

If you feel you are not in this category, then please ignore it and don't get mad. It's my view, and that may well be wrong!!

kittiej

I would like to give my take on alcohol and this is my personal way of thinking and motivation for giving it up.

Firstly I want to give up to save money, but also it's because I would wait until the weekends to binge drink.

It made me argumentative, well more than usual, I didn't want to get up until late and couldn't even risk going to the shops in the car at all on Sundays because I still felt drunk. My body felt as though it was suffering as well.

I can understand some people not wanting to hear that alcohol kills but the comments made by GC can also be taken as lives are taken because they are ruined ( not necessarily that drinkers will die iyswim), it's not just the alcoholic but those around them that suffer.

Some people feel uncomfortable or even scared with the idea of death and perhaps sometimes thoughts need toning down a little.

Anyway on a lighter note, the panto with John Barrowman was fab, they had an ice rink in one part of it which I have never seen in a panto before.

It was such a camp production, really funny and everyone I spoke to was well impressed.

At the end there was a collection for Unicef to give aid to the people of Haiti which I was glad of since I had been wondering how I could give my bit to them.

When we got home the baddie of this house, my OH boo hissss, tried to tempt me with vodka but I was having none of it, hurray, so it was another AF evening for me.

Hope everyone is doing OK, have a fab Sunday :j

RecoveringAlcoholic

Alcoholism is a disease of denial.

I was in denial despite being admitted to hospital as an emergency patient and given a 50% chance of survival. It took five weeks in rehab for me to accept that I was an alcoholic.

On the MSE theme, AA is free, but rehab costs around £500 a day.

budget_babe

Hi Guys,

Just popping on quickly, can't stop as yet as I have my nicer/dicer to play with.

But just to pick up on a few posts since last night. Firstly I would like to apologise if anything I may have said has upset anyone. It is so hard to convey in words what you want to put across. In your head you type and it makes sense to yourself though it is hard to put over ones feelings.

I am grateful to be a member of this thread, and I value the friendship and support that it gives.

I was in a very thoughtful mood last night, and I was trying to face up to what drinking excessively can do.

I do not consider myself to be an alcoholic as many of us on here are not, I though must realise for myself and only me, that I do not stop at only one glass of wine. So I must conclude for me only, that I have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol.

I highlighted a couple of Graeme's sentences as for me it brought home the realisation that if I am to carry on as I have been that yes it will effect my health and wellbeing. As you know I am on medication for high blood pressure and it is better when I do not drink alcohol.

I was just reiterating to myself that alcohol can shorten my lifespan. I very much admire Maman and the support that she gives to this thread, I would hate to say anything that would offend her, likewise the lovely Bhb and also our lovely Shaggy who is such a tonic with the daily pics that she posts.

I am at a stage at the moment that I am facing upto things that I have brushed aside, alcohol is only one of those. I am trying to change things in my life that need changing.

I hope the above rambling makes sense

But just before I go to dice, Nettie thanks for posting an update on your Mum, big hugs and take care (()) xxxxxxxxxxxx CW thankyou for your post and the data you posted. (()) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Angie nice to see you about, (()) xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Kittie J thankyou for your post which has made me think. (()) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Ra as ever good to see you, take care matey. (()) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

But aside of the health factors, Shaggy is right it is very money saving :T IM has her charm to look forward too, I am thinking of what would be good for Budgie at the end of each month af

Love n hugs guys hope you all have a fab Sunday.

God Bless
Budgie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

lamarsi

RecoveringAlcoholic wrote: »

Alcoholism is a disease of denial.

I was in denial despite being admitted to hospital as an emergency patient and given a 50% chance of survival. It took five weeks in rehab for me to accept that I was an alcoholic.

On the MSE theme, AA is free, but rehab costs around £500 a day.

:eek: detox units cost aound 500 a day rehabs cost around £400 a week depending on the local authority which sets the limits, and these are USUALLY although not always funding by local services ( community teams, probation, doctors cdt etc ) that ppl are engaded in so if people feel that rehab or detox is an route they want to take money shouldn't really be a consideration because with effort ppl will get funding ( 14 years working in drug and alcohol services btw)

nettttie

maman wrote: »

:T:T:T

I only came on to say good morning! I must agree with you shaggy. What I have decided is to be respectful of those who find this type of post helpful but ignore them myself. This is my compromise option (as opposed to trying to repond or leaving the thread ) but it really pi$$es me off when assumptions and generalisations are made on my behalf.:mad:

"Ditto" from me!
I am aware of the immediate and secondary effects of alcohol; I enjoy a drink but realise when I need to rein myself back in - which I find am capable of doing on my own and enjoy this thread because hopefully I am with like-minded people! We still need to remember this thread is for cutters back and quitters - I am both this month for financial reasons and I like to start the new year like this - I may even carry on and so long as I dont drink myself into cirrhosis the choice is mine and wont be taken away from me. BTW I do eat a tonne of antioxidants to combat free radicals

This weekend has gone too quickly and am sure i've done done half as much as i promised myself - and the garden looks a mess now the snow has gone :rolleyes:

nettie x

barshamhillbilly

graemecarter wrote: »

Many are drinking within NHS guidelines, and that is great.
And many are not.
If people knew the dangers, why the disagreement when I say that alcoholism will kill people on this thread? Because that is one of the dangers of alcoholism.
Even if it doesn't kill one, it can make one miserable and cause misery for those around him/her.

If someone knows the dangers but is still drinking to dangerous levels, is that not alcoholism??

I think what I was trying to say is that the 'In your face' approach doesn't work with a lot of the posters on here.

I do not believe there is one person on here that is unable to control his / her drinking levels that DOESN'T honestly believe that they have an alcohol problem. By the very nature of not being able to control it MAKES it a problem. Whether they are able to admit that to someone else, is another thing.

I openly admit I am finding it difficult to control, and don't mind admitting on here that I have a problem. Whether I go and tell my work colleagues is another thing.

I also don't think you can lump all people together and say that perhaps moderate drinking levels will kill you. Surely it all depends on you and the people around you. My grandfather lived to a ripe old age and never missed his guinness in the pub every night of the week until the distance to the pub was to great for his age. He never missed a night and always has more than what is now called the RDA from the NHS.

I know I have a problem, as I can't just stop at one beer. I know the dangers and I don't believe anyone else on here doesn't ... whether they are drinking to excess or not.

Sorry - just my opinion

shaggydoo

graemecarter wrote: »

I was just reiterating that alcoholism is a killer disease, and there are people that have posted on this thread that will die (or have much shorter lifespans) because of their drinking.

I have a cousin who is in his mid 40's. He has been TT all his life and has never smoked. He's one of the most unhealthy people I know. A drink has never passed his lips. However, he has always been overweight because he eats too much fat and has never exercised enough.

I had a friend whose father was a chronic alcoholic. The sort that drinks every penny the family have. He lived until he was nearly 80. My mother drank very little and never smoked and died at 68.

Health is about many things not just alcohol.

shaggydoo

graemecarter wrote: »

I do think that people sometimes post enough for me to make such sweeping statements. Some people can only do a few days AF a month, and carry on drinking even though they know there health is being affected.

Some posters say they drink X amount and therefore from that you can generalise and make sweeping statements about the the rest of us?