The giving up/cutting down alcohol support thread!

biscotte

Not for me - i do have a slight headache but not through wine as i didn't have any. I actually feel pretty good though as I had a bit of a lie in and then got up and went straight out to start the day.

liking the no alcohol so far but lets see if I have the endurance.

polaroid

ha ha bis! you make me laugh!

no hangover here, didnt get to bed till 2ish then up at 8am with DD but feel great!!! i always used to say my tiredness and lethargy on sat morn was due to lack of sleep...but funnily enough...its due to 2 bottles of wine ...often one white, one red .:eek:
cooked dinner for my new male friend (;) ) and it was so nice to come down stairs and see the kitchen in a reasonable state and no wine glasses round the sink and empty bottles round the bin

is everyone else ok? xx

Bismarck

that's the weird thing...it's like having at least 4 hours of quality time extra every day - nor saying I spend it that wisely but still - I can stay up late and still get up early.

glad to hear there's a new male friend...

easilyamused

I realised after I'd posted in here for the first time the other day that I'd still actually got 2 bottles of beer in the fridge and almost three quarters of a bottle of red wine opened and undrunk out on the counter.

Really little point in trying to give up when there's temptation in front of me everytime I wander into the kitchen...

So I polished off the beer last night and did the red wine the night before, and I'm pleased to say I successfully managed to avoid the naughty aisles, so nothing but water or fruit juice for me tonight.
I just know I'm really going to get a hankering for it when I start cooking dinner (that's always when I want a glass of wine most, when I've come home from work and started preparing dinner - it's almost a sort of a wind-down moment for me) but I'll be strong. If it's not in the house I won't have any.

Glad to hear how everyone else is doing. Very inspirational

Bismarck

Well done, easily amused.

We all have trigger/flashpoints where it's tempting to cross the line..the key is recognising these and developing coping strategies...thankfully the moments pass and become less frequent although I'd be lying if I said they went forever after a while...they just become less difficult to overcome.

take care...

lozzywozzy

Hi everyone!!

I have been following this thread on and off for the last few months and I think its time I posted.

I don't normally post on internet forums, I'm more of a lurker but here goes, I need some support.

I was brought up by two alcoholic parents, I didn't know they were alchoholics as a child but looking back they definately were.

I am now 41, and up to recently (apprx 2 years ago) I could take or leave alcohol, if I went out I did drink a fair bit but it wasn't often and I certainly wasn't a regular drinker. Weekends would be a couple of lager and limes etc, bascially I was way below the 14 units a day limit.

Something changed and I'm not sure why but I realised in May this year my drinking had been steadily creeping up. Come 6.00 o'clock that bottle of chardonnay is calling me, a lot of the time I do manage to resist but other times I can't and I end up drinking the whole bottle and some, getting very drunk and feeling crap the next day. I'm not sure when it became so important, but I do know I am now questioning every drink I have because I feel if I carry on there could be no going back, sorry if that sounds overly dramatic!!!

I know I have a good chance of ending up like my parents did (they are both dead now) and there must be something genetic in this, because I spoke to my sister and shes relating to everything I have told her.

My unit consumption is around 25 units a week now, sometimes more sometimes less, I am aiming for 0 units a week. I really feel after thinking about this so long that this is the only way for me. If I don't do this I believe alcohol is going to claim more and more of me, so I need to cut all ties now whilst the hold on me isn't so strong.

I also plan to cut the ciggies out at the same time, (keeping giving up and starting again doh) as I think the two are linked.

All of you are such an inspiration, and have achieved so much, well done all of you and thanks for listening

XX

eselt

Welcome easily and lozzy (and everyone else- I always miss someone out if I try and name you all!)

Great news that you both have enough insight and foresight to realise you may be heading for a problem before it get to the point that your lose the ability to control your drinking-its a fine line between psychological and physical dependance and physical dependance is your worst nightmare believe me, I've been there.

Lozzy, I'm not sure about the genetic link to problem drinking, but I know there is a lot of research which suggests there is a link- my grandad and great grandad were both terrible, violent alcoholic bullies, but my dad isn't- in fact he rarely drinks at all- he puts this down to the memories of his childhood, he swore when he started a family he would never put his own kids through that- however I am an alcoholic (who doesn't drink any more) so it is still running in my family.

25 units a week is not too bad at the moment, it's above the recommended limits but not dangerously so. If you can nip this in the bud now you might be saving yourself far more trouble down the line- and if you feel you don't want to drink and have a target of 0 Units a week then go for it, its a tough one but you can get there-keep posting and let us know how you are getting on.

Hope everyone is OK today- loads of inspirational success stories over the last few days- I don't know why but coming on this thread and having to admit that I've picked up a glass again is a massive motivation to stay sober- thanks guys.

Bismarck

I don't know about genetic disposition...think there's more of an inherited temprament thing...you know when we say with affection, they're just like so and so.....it's not just the good bits we get sometimes....

eselt

Bis- I think you may be right here, maybe we inherit personality traits and characteristics which just happen to lead to the same behaviours eg. addictions. I think I'm going to think about this tonight (have been watching 'who do you think you are?' lately!) and try and list all the characteristics of the people in my family tree and tick off how many I think I've inherited- sad way to spend a saturday night I know.................................

Bismarck

can think of worse things without too much difficulty......;)