The Giving Up/ Cutting Down alcohol support thread - number 11

MarkMan

Hi Maman. It's my arbitrary limit. It's not so much the 4 drinks, its more not the ones I would normally have earlier/on my own (e.g. lunchtime or when bored - just going down the local). This is when me and DW go into town for a Saturday night and would happen irrespective of anything I had already had:eek:

We almost never have more than 4 "normal" drinks and are usually only out for a couple of hours. Anything I ever have in the house is so weak (2% lager) that there is no way that I can get drunk enough to feel really rough in the morning - that's a real danger time - when I'm hungover.

But today is going really well and I've managed to get so much done :cool:

Have a good evening everyone!

gien

Welcome back Penelopedee.

The only way I see it is to just keep taking it one day at a time, plodding on. I really appreciate everyone's openess on this thread.

I don't have another AF to add to August and tonight I shall have a drink with friends

missrlr

Morning, well had only 1 G&T with next door last night when I was finalising the holiday arrangements. No more when came home. Nothing today as I was super mega busy and came home knackered, only had squash as was really thirsty having been out all day, but planning a little drinkies tomorrow. So one for me please in September already - feeling quite happy about that

MarkMan

Hi all. So far so good.

penelopedee - nice to see you back. Hope things aren't that bad. I have often thought of you over the last 18 months, and remember when you said you had given up smoking on NYE 2010:T. I was so envious. I thought "there's someone getting her life in order" and wished that I could one day do that. Well I did manage to quit smoking a year later:j, but I still have mental picture of you having given up with all the confidence that it was a done deal. :T

Now I hope I'm not putting any feet in anything, but I hope you're still smoke free, whatever else is happening in your life.:think:

Well, I just wanted to echo gien, shaggy and anyone else I've missed, and say Welcome Back, and lean on us. If we all lean on each other together, no-one falls over (like a many propped tri-pod, sort of:D).

Hope missmucksmum, trainingdad, MrsR, Crazymum and everyone on here are doing okay.

Think I'll lurk a bit with my glass of water if that's okay?;)

trainingdad

Evening all. Well, despite urges, I have stayed AF all week, having started Tuesday :j

Had another wobbly yesterday evening and again this evening, but they do seem to pass quite quickly.

Really, it is a most odd thing. Why should my big craving be regularly from about 7pm to 9pm and then shrink away? Perhaps it's just such an ingrained habit to drink each evening that my body is simply expecting it. Seeing as it's now gone 9pm, I reckon I'm going to be OK for this evening.

I woke this morning feeling very chipper, which was really very lovely. Also, it occurred to me yesterday that I am also putting much less paracetamol into my body. That must be a good thing too.

Penelopedee, I agree with gien; just one day at a time. I think that, for most of us, trying to contemplate the rest of our lives AF is just too big a thing. Too big a thing for just about anyone!

Thanks everyone for just being out there. It really does help me stay on track

Kia

Hi everyone

I have dipped in and out of this thread for ages and couldn't commit to even one AF day as just couldn't do it. Today is my 4th AF day though and I dont want to drink - no willpower involved - stayed sober at my sons wedding as well! I wanted to share what made the difference for me - I was out of control completely and would be too ashamed to guess at how many units I was drinking, I had been searching for a miracle cure and found a book. Beat the Booze by Edmund & Helen Tirbutt read and truly haven't had any problem stopping completely!! It is amazing! They dont moralise, tell you to give up I dont know why it has worked so well but it has!

trainingdad

Kia wrote: »

Hi everyone

I have dipped in and out of this thread for ages and couldn't commit to even one AF day as just couldn't do it. Today is my 4th AF day though and I dont want to drink - no willpower involved - stayed sober at my sons wedding as well! I wanted to share what made the difference for me - I was out of control completely and would be too ashamed to guess at how many units I was drinking, I had been searching for a miracle cure and found a book. Beat the Booze by Edmund & Helen Tirbutt read and truly haven't had any problem stopping completely!! It is amazing! They dont moralise, tell you to give up I dont know why it has worked so well but it has!

Fantastic. Woo Hoo!!! Well done Kia :T:T:T:T

MarkMan

Welcome Kia! That's brilliant :T Thanks for joining us. I've already googled the book and will get it ordered ASAP.

I can't remember my last 4th AF day in a row, or 3rd. I did two several times 18-odd months ago thanks to this group and I'm hoping to start at 1 and move that up several notches.

Well done trainingdad, you beat your first challenge then (from memory.. I may be wrong, memory is not strong point for me - funny that :rotfl:)

Kia

Thanks MarkMan - I borrowed it from the library

I really hope it works for you - I read the Alan Carr and really couldn't agree with him as stopping completely is the only answer for him. In the Beat the Booze book they praise a woman for cutting down from one and a half bottles of wine a day to one, along with making other changes!

maman

Some great stories on here lately. This thread is really inspiring! It must be all the lovely people!:T

Fantastic kia, stayng sober through a wedding is quite a challenge but you must be so proud of yourself for staying in control.:T

trainingdad,

Really, it is a most odd thing. Why should my big craving be regularly from about 7pm to 9pm and then shrink away? Perhaps it's just such an ingrained habit to drink each evening that my body is simply expecting it. Seeing as it's now gone 9pm, I reckon I'm going to be OK for this evening.

What you're describing is what's commonly known as 'wine o'clock' when the bells ring loudly to tell you it's time for a drink. I think you're right for most people it's a habit. If you are planning an AF day, the further you get past wine o'clock the more you are determined not to waste a potential AF day when it's almost bedtime. It almost works on the hour at a time principle and it gets easier. That's the way it worked for me. :Ton your AF days so far.

Good to see you posting regularly Markman, every little triumph counts.:)