Giving Up/Cutting Down Alcohol Thread part 18

oceandreamer

CuppaTea I'm so glad that this sounds like a false alarm, I know exactly what you mean about imagining the absolute worst every time you have any ailment as you blame it on the (excessive) drinking.  It's such an incentive to try to keep drinking reasonable though - worrying about your health all the time (coupled with a hangover) can be exhausting! Its not an easy time of year to not drink but at lease the possibility of cutting down is massive!
11/12 today please Cathybird

CuppaTea

Thanks all. Appreciate your thoughts and support. Another day done. 16 days please 

Cousin_Creditor

Well I drank 4 liters of cider today so I guess I fail. 

Wanna_Bee_Free

CuppaTea, that sounds like a terrifying rollercoaster. So sorryto hear the hospital stuff. I think you are doing really well. 

6/14 please Cathybird. 

CuppaTea

Cousin creditor - it doesn’t work like that. It’s just one day. You can try again today. Maybe set yourself a more realistic target and build on that? 

You could aim to drink alternate nights, then every other 2nd,  3rd etc until you’ve cut down to a place you’re comfortable with?  Or you could taper your drinks from 4 to 3 to 2 etc. 

it’s not all about giving up completely unless you’ve been medically advised to. 

Watty1

Made it to 10/10 but have been super busy and fallen into drinking again but after a couple of months where I almost made higher targets and where in some cases I did I do notice how much this has messed with my sleep and mood.

leftatthetrafficlights

17/24 today please 

Wanna_Bee_Free

Cousin Creditor I missed your post last night, sorry. I agree with Cuppa Tea, I try to keep posting on here even if I'm struggling. The struggle itself might seem like you are failing but as you struggle you get stronger and think about it differently. Keep coming back here and have a think about how to get through just one day. Would it help to eat earlier? wait until you have an 'easy' day (if there is such a thing) go for a walk in daylight, keep hydrated watch a good film read a book have a bath (this is high risk for me.) .. These are some of the things that help me. I hope this half asleep waffle is helpful. Even if you have zero to report come on here if you find it helpful. 

Best of luck to you with your desire to drink less. xx

tiddles

13/24 for me today please 

pollyanna24

I'm almost up to a year of no drinking.  What started as Dry January just carried on basically.  

I've committed to a year now as why not eh?  But I'm not sure about after that. 

I do feel better and it's nice not thinking about alcohol as much as I used to.  And over the year, it has gotten easier.  Like the first weekend, I didn't know what to do with myself and now it's just second nature not to drink.

But it's evil and does slip into my thoughts now and then.  Especially so close to Xmas.  I keep thinking of glasses of prosecco (even the coming out glasses on I'm a Celeb would me go, oooohhhh) and Baileys.  I won't break it before the New Year as I'm so close, but I'm worried about slipping back into old habits.  Like the feeling of it being nice not having to drive anywhere any more of an evening so I could have a glass of wine.  My teenage daughters have loved having a mother who would come and get them whenever, whereas before I would be urging them to come home at a more reasonable hour so I didn't have to go and get them etc.

What to do?  What to do?  I like the idea of just having a prosecco now and then, or a cocktail when I go on holiday.  I wouldn't say I've stopped myself doing anything this year (getting a bit old for the pub scene), but haven't seen the point much of going out as I'm not drinking.  That sounds bad.  I have gone out, in fact, I've spent the money I've saved on theatre trips, I just haven't got out the pub because I haven't felt the need to.

Not sure what the point of this post is.  Maybe I'll come back and ponder it on New Year's Day.