The giving up/cutting down alcohol support thread!

nigel9

Just joined site and have no idea if this will help anyone but seems to me that there is a clear link between bad and embarrsassing situations alcohol and life in general. I know coz bin there and coming out other end.
I love lager, wine cider and have no intention of removing them from my life because I like the taste and we are a social booze society.
I have also been in bad situations coz of the bier but there is an easier way to manage this especially at home.
If you stop full stop then there is every reason to believe it is not going to last because you did not want it to so adopt a different approach. Manage it opposed to denying yoursef something that you enjoy. Call it dieting.
I know some of you are going to have a go coz it is one or the other and no in between but for me booze is not like smoking you can enjoy it and your life will get better if you manage what you want.
Its in the head, swap a can for a half/half shandy, if you are a cider monkey mix it with low calorie fizzy tonic water, it actually tastes better and like diet coke fat coke after a couple weeks you will try cider again and wince at the brutality of taste. If out for a meal order wine and a bottle of water, two glasses, sip wine for taste and water alternatively. Same for wine at home do the spritzer mix it with soda water and bung some ice in for good measure white or red is okay.
Its not the answer but i love my bier and did this, dropped half a stone over a month and did not notice and went for it at weekends as usual.
It is in the head, if you are sipping a drink and it tastes like booze even if it is not your head links the action with habit. And the low cal lemonade with the shandy bloats as well so you fill up quicker. You will not sleep well for a few days but after that life is good

nigel9

Just joined site and have no idea if this will help anyone but seems to me that there is a clear link between bad and embarrsassing situations alcohol and life in general. I know coz bin there and coming out other end.
I love lager, wine cider and have no intention of removing them from my life because I like the taste and we are a social booze society.
I have also been in bad situations coz of the bier but there is an easier way to manage this especially at home.
If you stop full stop then there is every reason to believe it is not going to last because you did not want it to so adopt a different approach. Manage it opposed to denying yoursef something that you enjoy. Call it dieting.
I know some of you are going to have a go coz it is one or the other and no in between but for me booze is not like smoking you can enjoy it and your life will get better if you manage what you want.
Its in the head, swap a can for a half/half shandy, if you are a cider monkey mix it with low calorie fizzy tonic water, it actually tastes better and like diet coke fat coke after a couple weeks you will try cider again and wince at the brutality of taste. If out for a meal order wine and a bottle of water, two glasses, sip wine for taste and water alternatively. Same for wine at home do he sprizer mix it with soda water and bung some ice in for good measure white or red is okay.
Its not the answer but i love my bier and did this, dropped half a stone over a month and did not notice and went for it at weekends as usual.
It is in the head, if you are sipping a drink and it tastes like booze even if it is not you head links the action with habit. And the low cal lemonade with the shandy bloats as well so you fill up quicker. You will not sleep well for a few days but after that life is good

barshamhillbilly

Oh dear - failed again!

I have just shared a bottle of the red stuff with Mrs BHB ..... its not even dinner time yet !
I'm feeling a bit low and tearful today, hence the 'relapse'. Not sure whether its part of the withdrawal or part of the underlying problem ???

Must try harder!!!!!!!

Though I have just picked up a new prescription of antidepressants from the Doctors, so hopefully will be in the right state of mind for a restart soon!

Best wishes

BHB

biscotte

Evening folks - earily quiet in here tonight - Shoppy, how did you do?

Nigel, welcome, controlling your drinking like that is fine for loads of folks and many manage to drink socially no problem - yourself included I see. Some others though can't control the effect alcohol has on them and it's an all or nothing approach. i agree that what's going on in your head has a large part to play in any dealings you have with alcohol.

BHB, hope the ADs help you - I think modern drugs are superb.

Jo, hope you are doing OK tonight

I'm off to bed now, got to get up very early to take DH to train station at 5 am (and it's snowing and freezing at the moment so that'll be a nice little trip.)

Nighty night.

pS 2 days AF for me now.

eselt

Hi all- thanks for all the good wishes guys, hope you are where you want to be tonight.

Welcome Nigel- it sounds like you are nipping a potential problem in the bud- well done, I just can't manage a life with alcohol in it, I wish I could, but everyones different I suppose and some people are lucky enough to get on top of it before it gets out of control, that just wasn't how it was for me unfortunately!!! Oh and by the way don't worry about 'everyone having a go at you', we don't do that, never have, and whatever advice and experiences you share on here with others will always be valued and respected even if its not how others are dealing with it, everyone can learn from each other at the end of the day. Love your ideas about alternating drinks etc...if only I'd had a strategy like that 10 yrs ago thinks might not have gone so wrong.

BHB- hugs about the tummy- theres a nasty tummy bug wiping everyone out around here at the moment. Sorry you are feeling tearful- I found when I gave up all the underlying depression came out, it had to as I didn't have any way of suppressing it anymore and I had to deal with stuff that had been bubbling away for years. But actually, theres no harm in having a cry, it just reminds me that I am human and the fact that we can feel these sort of emotions deeply is a gift. I had some antidepressants and I think they worked, along with getting more active and eating properly, and making the effort to get out and interact with people when I could quite happily have had a duvet day and not see anyone. Like I've said before theres no shame in grabbing all the help out there- throw enough at this problem and something will stick eventually. Take care.

Take care everyone, winebox, shoppy, biscotte, miss piggy, bis, molly, jo and everyone else, we need to rally the troops now xmas is nearly here- I'm a good girl to be in the trenches with now- wheres the muskahounds tonight? AWOL?

RecoveringAlcoholic

I have not read this thread, but appreciate that we are coming up to a very difficult time of year for many folks.

For those wishing to cut down or give up I have found "Living Sober" to be vey helpful in understanding my problems with alcohol. It can be found on Amazon.

One Day At A Time and

Good Luck.

eselt

Thank you recovering- your thoughts are really appreciated- keep posting your tips, we all need them at this time of year.

Bismarck

nigel9 wrote: »

I know some of you are going to have a go coz it is one or the other and no in between but for me booze is not like smoking you can enjoy it and your life will get better if you manage what you want.

welcome nigel...not going to have a go...just need to point out that we all have our individual solutions to this. I, for one, cannot manage/enjoy it and I have years of evidence to prove it. I do not wish to try to learn to manage my intake if there is the slightest risk of starting off where I left off. I don't miss alcohol and have so little to gain by restarting especially compared to what I could lose if I started again.

I'm pleased that you've found your own way to improve things and thank you for sharing them.

take care everyone...especially eselt as you get close to your anniversary.

Miss_Piggy_2

Good morning everyone

Hope everyone is ok this morning. Shoppy, hope you managed to beat the temptation of buying drink on the way home. I found I was starting to drink earlier and earlier....it just meant I was falling asleep by 9pm and OH was getting very annoyed with me!

Work is going to be a challenge - they are organising a night out on the 20th. I work with a couple of women and a LOT of men (drivers) and they will all be drinking heavily I suspect. I don't want to drink at all so may drive. No, I WILL drive as I know if I don't I will be tempted to drink. Why is it though I feel I have to apologise for NOT drinking! Something wrong there....

Anyway....hope you are all bright and breezy and unhangovered this morning!

Miss P
xx

winebox

Hi all - sorry I completely vanished Tuesday lunchtime......couldn't get PC at home to work so have had to wait until back at work . You lot are great, but also very scary! Don't do it wb!!!

I did go to the shop as had to buy a big tin of Quality St for DD to give out as prizes at her "stall" at the xmas bazaar today. Sadly for the winners, there isn't a single caramel swirl left in the entire tin. (((sigh))) - if it's not one thing it's another..........

Yesterday was not AF I'm afraid (50 lashes, MP) as OH & I had a hard day DIYing & I felt I "deserved" a drink (I deserve all I get....) but at least I was in bed with a mug of tea & Roger Moore (autobiography - but nowhere near as good as Cheeta's) by 10.30 so not too excessive.

A lot of enforced damage limitation coming up for me now...lots of driving over what are usually my peak drinking times, so vastly reduced number of hours available to indulge. Not the long-term answer, I know, as it doesn't deal with the problem, but then again I might find being made to break my habits might help?

Have a good day all