The Giving Up/ Cutting Down alcohol support thread - number 13

Rolandtheroadie

21/30 please Shaggy.

maggiem

22/31 please. Great to read how well people are doing. Debjay, loveasale, I too was drinking nightly, used to be 1/2 to 3/4 of a bottle but was edging up to a bottle most nights. I've found noting AF days helpful and yes I am motivated by some of Shaggy's fabulous smilies! I'm using AF January to try and reset my wine consumption so hopefully going forward I can have a glass or two Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I think I will probably have to continue to monitor in case it starts to creep up again. The main time this month I have struggled is Friday night! However only 1 mor Friday night to go :j

antonic

loveasale wrote: »

May I ask how many on here are totally alcohol free ?
And for how long ?

My last alcoholic drink was Oct 15th 2011.

Not touched a drop since then (even when attending functions such as family meals/ work Xmas meals etc) and dont miss it all.

When I was drinking, I was drinking 24/36 500ml cans of Belgian Stella Artois at the weekends.

(I only drank at weekends never during the week, unless I was off work).

Arkers

Good morning,

23 AFD please.
Off to give blood this afternoon at least it won't be as pickled as it has been on previous occasions!
Arkers x

cathybird

Morning all, 16/21 for me please.

Honey_Bear

fakeplastictwee wrote: »

We both commented that you notice how much more other people drink when you're staying AF.

True, but it's because you can't help it. It doesn't feel as though I'm judging them, I'm just aware of it. What I take from doing so is that it's very scary, and how relieved I am I'm not still doing it.

loveasale wrote: »

May I ask how many on here are totally alcohol free ?
And for how long ?

I've been AF for about two and a half years, Lovesale. I only ever drank in the evenings apart from weddings, and I'd known I had to do something about it or stop completely for 10 years before I did. In other words, I can't moderate because I don't have a Stop Button.

Not counting the number of mornings I woke up and said, 'Never again' I only seriously attempted giving up once and lasted 20 days, in January 2014. I was aiming to do the 100 Day Challenge on my own without Belle's support, and cracked on pizza night nearly three weeks later. It was doing during January and I think I was combining it with Dry January but that wasn't the aim, 100 Days was. I went straight back to drinking too much again within a matter of days.

I know I was drinking at least half a bottle of wine a night, most nights if I could think of a reason (a celebration, staying up late watching something good on TV or a DVD boxed set, going out - whatever) it would be at least a bottle and usually more. In my case that's a lot because I take some herbal medication every day that probably massively impacts my body's reaction to alcohol - I absorbed it very quickly and was quite tipsy after one drink. I can't stop the herbal medication so the alcohol had to go. Simple as that.

In the end what made the difference was waking up one morning and knowing, absolutely fundamentally knowing I'd gone WAY, WAY too far the night before, and if I carried on like that my relationship with my partner wouldn't survive. Massive incentive, right there. Secondly, I signed up properly for Belle's 100 Day Challenge, and only finally stopped emailing her daily after I'd stayed off the booze for two full years, but my spot's still there if I ever relax my vigilance and need her support. I owe her a lot, which I've thanked her for and made several Tiny Gifts each time I reached a milestone, but her Challenge is absolutely free to anyone who signs up. Finally - this thread and there are no words to express how helpful it's been. Everyone's comments and support has been amazing and Shaggy makes it all mean something by keeping us aware of how we're doing. Without all three things I don't think I would have made it. I also read a massive amount, online and borrowing books from the library about the issue of alcohol, particularly by women.

If it's any consolation after your weekend binge - that sounds exactly, and I mean 100% exactly, where I was other than describing my appalling, verbally aggressive behaviour. I was becoming an absolute monster who I loathed and I hope never, ever to see that side of myself ever again.

That's not counting the birthday night a few years before the final night's drinking when I fell over and broke my wrist. The health service staff were 100% lovely but it was humiliating having to own up to exactly how much I drank and particularly the anaesthetist prior to surgery. She told me no-one had ever, I repeat: Ever - told her they drank more than the recommended maximum. What's so scary about that is they need to know to get the dosage of the drugs they give, so patients are endangering their own lives by lying.

Well done you for being scrupulously honest with your GP. That in itself is something to be very proud of, that you had the courage and the honesty to own up to it. You are in the minority and they do know that.

23/31 please, Shaggy.

maman

No drinking planned today. I'm hoping to get a few more bonus AF days in before the end of the month starting today.:)


11 AFDs please Shaggy.

sukeyboo

No drinking planned for me either so declaring early on 10/14 please Shaggy

Barny1979

16/25 AFDs today

shaggydoo

Poor_Single_lady wrote: »

There is a girl in my team at work who gets drunk a lot -which is sort of part of my work culture. A few weeks ago she told a colleague his girlfriend was beneath him and that she didn't understand why he was wasting his time. They are together 3 years and very much in love.

Blimey what a revolting person....I don't think she can use the drink as an excuse for this sort of behaviour...you have to be not very nice underneath to do that sort of thing...

imho