The giving up/cutting down alcohol support thread!

Bismarck

nearly-there wrote: »

I've been camping sober too...........first time camping without drink as well even though my bf brought a bottle of wine. Can so relate to that drunken night wee...........tended to crouch behind the car / bush rather than tramp to the loos. <hangs head in shame>
I had a lovely time in Pembrokeshire in St Davids......................in a tent overlooking the sea.................just by the coastal path......................got burnt though.............where did you go Bismarck?

I thought all blokes did the bushes thing.....over the year's its been a close thing sometimes....the feeling of drifting off to sleep but not really being able to relax because you never quite knew when you'd have to get up in the cold...

this time we went to south cumbria...next it's Buttermere and then at the end of the month it's the Lleyn peninsular in Wales...


Craig P...give the cans to someone or they'll keep looking at you...or put them out of the way.....

If you drink them that may not be the end of it...you may buy more to replace them....if I were you I'd stash them somewhere out of the way until the time comes to give them someone as an extra-special gift....;)

basilcat7

hello all- it's been a while and haven't been following as such. well done to all of you. Just done day 2 in new job and it seems ok, people are alright and quite normal- all seems good so far.
After having 3 weeks off its good to be back in a 'normal' routine but am slipping back into the 3 days a week boozing a bit but still is not as much as before.
may need some help again though, so will be back intermittently (sp?) if thats ok.
xx

nearly-there_4

I said in a previous post, I would reflect on the reasons why I used to drink. This was based on one of Jo's posts - she's been asked by her counsellor to list the reasons why she drinks.
From when I started drinking (at about 16) I've been a binge drinker. I was the one who gulped the drink down........................and was often sick. I could drink faster than it affected me................not a good thing to do.............................but only drank on occasions. By the time I was in my twenties, and married I was drinking a bottle of wine per week...................and stopped being sick In my thirties this slowly increased to two to three bottles. Over the last few years I've been drinking 3-5 bottles of wine per week...................always drinking 1 bottle at a time and sometimes as much as 2 bottles.....................often falling asleep on the sofa.
So looking back right from the beginning, here are the reasons why I think I drank!!

In my teens
Excitement of underage drinking - forbidden fruit !!
Lack of confidence - dutch courage ??
It's what everyone else did - it was the norm.

In my twenties
Habit carried on from my university days....................but couldn't go out or couldn't afford to go out. Still drank in company. Enjoyed that 'me' time at the end of the week. Didn't get drunk very often because I had young kids.

In my thirties.
Marriage broke up. living alone in a new area. didn't know many people. Even less going out. Started to drink alone.................a bottle of wine one night a week. Enjoyed the escape from the everyday drudge of the rigours of life................this was relaxation, escapism and feeling good time.
I didn't drink when I went out..................would buy a bottle of wine on the way home so I could 'escape' and find peace by myself.................wanted to be alone.

Over the last few years
Drinking in company as well as alone..................downing a bottle of wine in about 3/4 of an hour :eek: Just wanting to get to that 'relaxed' feeling as soon as possible. Just felt very stressed and depressed. This I thought the drink relieved......................but stress is really a normal part of everyday life and looking back (with sober eyes these past 39 days), I think that the drink just made me more stressed leading to poor decision making in both my personal and work life, which in turn led to more stress and finally depression.

Looking back I can now see a pattern emerging with my drinking. At first I was led to believe that it made me feel better about myself and then it convinced me I couldn't relax without it and finally I just used it to 'escape' from the rigours of life!! Not nice eh!! Has anyone else looked back on their reasons for drinking. It's been enlightening (and scary) doing this !!..................but very worthwhile.

nearly-there_4

Bismarck wrote: »

this time we went to south cumbria...next it's Buttermere and then at the end of the month it's the Lleyn peninsular in Wales...

Do you stay at Sykes farm when you go to Buttermere? I think it's one of the best campsites I've ever been to because of the view !! What a view!! I've been going there over the last two years. I would like to climb Great Gable next time I go.
Lleyn peninsular is lovely too....................I love walking around Aberdaron. I've camped both near Abersoch and near Blackrock sands.
Have a great month of camping..........................I'm afraid I'm only a fairweather camper...................and only mange 3/4 nights at most !! Last year I bought a bigger tent..........................it's brilliant to be able to walk into a tent instead of crawling in!!

winebox

winebox wrote: »

At least I'll get the end of Holby City tonight, it's been a while

And I even followed the plot! :rolleyes:

I've been thinking about my drinking history too, but will have to seriously edit before I publish - I know I go on a bit, could take us up to page 100.

mollypolly

Evening everyone.:hello: :hello: :hello:

Welcome Craigp.Glad you want to join us on this wagon.
Glad to have you back on board Basilcat.
Well done to the dry campers and everyone else who is feeling good at the moment.
Congratulations on Day 2 Winebox.

OH NO.Just got in from work and had Tea & toast and realised that the marmalade had WHISKY in it:eek: .Please tell me this doesnt count.

Keep up the good work.
Love Mollypollyxxxx:happylove

Bismarck

Nah...whisky in marmalade doesn't count...nor does the wine in sauces... I did ask someone that a long time ago and they went pale at the thought of it as though it would cause toxic shock.....I suppose there are some who it would genuinely make ill but, no, I wouldn't count it!

mollypolly

Bismarck wrote: »

Nah...whisky in marmalade doesn't count...nor does the wine in sauces... I did ask someone that a long time ago and they went pale at the thought of it as though it would cause toxic shock.....I suppose there are some who it would genuinely make ill but, no, I wouldn't count it!

PHEW.Thank goodness for that.;) Sooo glad.

Mollypollyxxxx

Bismarck

nearly-there wrote: »

Over the last few years
Drinking in company as well as alone..................downing a bottle of wine in about 3/4 of an hour :eek: Just wanting to get to that 'relaxed' feeling as soon as possible. Just felt very stressed and depressed. This I thought the drink relieved......................but stress is really a normal part of everyday life and looking back (with sober eyes these past 39 days), I think that the drink just made me more stressed leading to poor decision making in both my personal and work life, which in turn led to more stress and finally depression.

just wanting that relaxed feeling as quickly as possible....

If I ever needed another reason that was it...the futility of trying to get to a certain point of balance when everything was mellow and stress did not exist and peace reigned in Bismarck's life...the certain window became smaller as the years rolled on, harder to get to and quicker in its passing...as the price grew higher....

Pink Floyd. The Wall.

Stop!

I wanna go home.

Take off this uniform and leave the show.

I'm waiting in this cell because I have to know.

Have I been guilty all this time....

beckseven

I can totally relate to Nearly there's post about the reason for drinking. The downing wine asap to get that relaxed feeling is something I was starting to do more and more and I noticed that I was drinking faster than my friends when we went out and my husband. I disovered I was pregnant about 2 and a half weeks ago and have stopped drinking completely as I did with my previous pregnancy. Despite being in that early exhausted part of pregnancy I feel a hell of a lot better than when I was drinking. I know that I wont have a problem with wanting to drink whilst pregnant but i am worried that afterwards it will creep up again when I feel stressed. Right now I'm going to enjoy being alcohol free and healthy but seriously thinking whether I should think of trying not to drink again as I don't seem to be able to control it when I do. At the moment the merest whiff of alcohol makes me feel sick which is good-my DH had a can tonight and I could smell it really strongly! Always a good deterrent!