So how much do you drink?

[HTP99]

Used to drink way too much; 4-5 nights a week 16 units a night, sometimes more.

Gave up completely in Jan with the view to see how it went and maybe go longer, however I started up again but with the view to just Friday or Saturday and it gradually crept up to pre Jan amounts.

15th May had a bit of a "it's 3 months before my holiday and I could do with losing a bit of weight" moment, so I vowed to cut it out completely until my holiday; did this for 3 weeks but it has crept back in but not in the amounts before hand but I can see it happening so from today it is another try.

Funny thing is after a couple of days of better sleep, not waking up feeling a bit grim etc, I think "great this is awesome" so why the hell do I creep back to it.

I don't need alcohol, but I do like a drink.

Edited by HTP99 on Tuesday 14th June 14:50

[JakeT]

I drink once or twice a month typically. I do like a drink, but the hangover and the sheer amount of cash spent on it don't tally. Plus I enjoy driving more than drinking so I'll usually go the pub for a diet coke.

When I do drink it depends, Corona is my beer of choice, and usually 5-6 in a night. If spirits about 7-10 double mixed drinks. Not a wine drinker, it all seems to taste like Vinegar.

[Adenauer]

Never at lunchtime, 4 pints per night during the week over 4 hours.

Not sure how much during the weekend as I can never remember.

[burritoNinja]

I use to go out on benders. Loved it. I was always a whiskey drinker. Nights out were Guinness and then whiskey and irn-bru. Not drank since January last year. Simple excuse is the medication I am on. The drink does not mix well at all with Lyrica and Morphine.

[Dan_1981]

In all seriousness - i suffer pretty bad memory loss sometime after drinking, went on a Stag weekend last week and though ti'd try to keep track of what I drank. It went something along the lines off this....

Meet in pub at 09:00

x 1 pint lager
train station for 10:00 train - x 2 cans larger on train
Arrive at Horse Races for 13:00

x 4 cans fruity cider
x 4 cans lager

Leave at 18:00, back to hotel to get changed etc.

Back out for the football at half 7:

Things got a bit hazy from here on in but I remember

x 3 jagerbombs
x 4 pints lager
x 5 bottles of something horrible and sweet - wkd or something.

Hotel for 04:00

So a little over one drink per hour.....

When you write it all down though it seems rather alot. But it's not every weekend

Got a wedding this weekend too......

[Timmy40]

HTP99 said:

Used to drink way too much; 4-5 nights a week 16 units a night, sometimes more.

Edited by HTP99 on Tuesday 14th June 14:50

Now that is a bit of a problem. I couldn't function the day after drinking 8 pints.

3 pints fine.

4-5 pints a bit ropey/sub par.

So I tend to drink about 2-3 pints most nights. But I rarely if ever drink more than 6 pints absolute max.

My view is abstaining might have completely the wrong effect in that I'd be more likely to not drink at all then drink loads.

I also think diet is important I eat my fruit and veg, excercise etc. I do wonder if alot of the problem with drink is that if you are getting about 2,000 calories a day from it you probably don't have much of an appetite for actual food ( or you get very overweight ).

[HTP99]

Timmy40 said:

HTP99 said:

Used to drink way too much; 4-5 nights a week 16 units a night, sometimes more.

Edited by HTP99 on Tuesday 14th June 14:50

Now that is a bit of a problem. I couldn't function the day after drinking 8 pints.

3 pints fine.

4-5 pints a bit ropey/sub par.

So I tend to drink about 2-3 pints most nights. But I rarely if ever drink more than 6 pints absolute max.

My view is abstaining might have completely the wrong effect in that I'd be more likely to not drink at all then drink loads.

I also think diet is important I eat my fruit and veg, excercise etc. I do wonder if alot of the problem with drink is that if you are getting about 2,000 calories a day from it you probably don't have much of an appetite for actual food ( or you get very overweight ).

Those 16 units is 4 bottles of 8.2% cider a night.

Regarding diet and exercise, I am the same; I eat well, exercise regularly, walk rather than drive, get out regularly with the dogs etc.

Edited by HTP99 on Tuesday 14th June 15:32

[drivin_me_nuts]

944fan said:

drivin_me_nuts said:

It's not how much. Not at all.

It's about need and dependency. And that could be as simple as 'needing' that drink to relax.

Physical dependency, emotional dependency. They are different, but both are a potential slippery slope to misery.

I no longer drink. I don't think anyone would have said "I have a problem", because I wasn't losing my job, drinking cans of special brew on a park bench. But I was drinking far, far too much. Was drinking to numb my anxiety, without realising it was making it a hundred times worse. I thought those few hours a night of peace was the best I could hope for.

At my height a usual night (and by that I mean, pretty much every night) would be along the lines of:

- 1 or 2 Martinis (3 measures of gin), 1 bottle of wine, some Jack Daniels; or
- 2 bottles of red wine, sometimes 2 and a bit; or
- 4 beers (bottle), 1.5 bottles of red

I reckon I probably drank 150+ units a week. Was fat, miserable, and spending a small African countries GDP on wine.

It's scary just how it creeps up on a person. I grew up with several hard core alcoholic gamblers in my family. It taught me something about the lifestyle and the impression it left for ever put me off that path.

I'm glad your life is different now. It can be scary to 'wake up', but the world in all its technicolour glory is a better place.

[MikeGoodwin]

Everyone got a different idea. I think as someone has mentioned dependency is the issue.

1 year back i am ashamed to say i drink 7 nights a week and as a home worker living in a flat above a Tesco express I must of spent £5 a day on 3 beers, probably consuming in excess of 10 units a night, yeah that alarms me thinking about it. I was never a big drinker throughout my late teens clubbing aside, and would rarely drink at home. What started it for me I think was when I left my student job I was given 2 bottles of vodka as a present. My first digs away from home having found a real job was a house share of 7 people and the guy next door to me was a fking weirdo who would sit up all night (literally) playing computer games and laughing to himself on forums. Banging the door so he could go build a pizza at 3am. Probably one of the most unhappy 6 month periods of my life. Anyway to get to sleep I would have a couple of shots to help me relax and Id usually sleep. But then the tolerance levels built up and I'd be doing 8 shots a night, maybe with a few beers to go with it. I didn't want to drink as such its just it was that or not sleep. I actually had sleepless nights because of that kid and I was bloody miserable.

Well the vodka shots stopped when I moved out of that place and into a flat with the girlfriend where it continued with... I fancy a beer so ill nip to Tesco and buy 3 ice cold beers or ciders. Definitely had a problem here considering about 8 months prior to this point I barely drank anything.

Moved into a house and no longer have easy access to an alcohol shop. I probably drink 0-4 times a week now but I'd say 3 units a night (I like the small bottles of Hogstar by Hogs Back) and can show restraint and like to have rests. I still get the 'I could do with a beer' feeling but its more to enjoy a refreshing beer I like the taste of.

[J4CKO]

Generally avoid it during the week, Friday night will perhaps have a couple or three beers, either at home or nip round to the local, then maybe a glass or two of wine with a meal, I also sometimes, later on have a Whisky but making a point of not buying any.

Due to a Gall Duct blockage (caused by not eating enough fat during a pre holiday diet according to my doctor(s) I had various checks, MRI, Colonoscopy, Gastroscopy, many blood tests, all centring Liver function and apparently, aside from the issues caused by the problem, my liver was in fine fettle despite 45 years of boozing, I think the key is to have nights off and control it, I can stop for months if I want to and though sometimes I may get to seven PM and really want a drink, it soon passes.

I think that we need to realise that though alcohol is great, less is sometimes more, a couple gives a pleasant buzz, carry on throwing it back and it looses its magical properties and is just a poison.

The chaps in the pub are in every night, one has five pints of 4.8 percent lager every night, goes home and has wine, sometimes spirits, some nights he will have perhaps seven or eight pints, he is sixty and has been told to reign it in, his doctor said he normally doubles what people say they drink, he was honest and the doctor said he couldn't double it as that was not possible.

One lad in the pub died, dead slim but smoked and drank six pints of bitter every single day, aged 59 he passed away of a combination of bladder cancer he ignored and a heart attack, to be fair he said he had had enough, wasnt bothered about living much longer, got his wish !


lad I worked with was a smoker, he also got a six pack for drinking whilst gaming every night until his Pancreas objected with maximum prejudice, now doesnt drink or smoke but is diabetic and is on a cocktail of pills, he blames the drinking but he was a minor case compared to one of my bosses, but guess part of it is luck, and perhaps genetics.

Edited by J4CKO on Tuesday 14th June 15:49

[Timmy40]

HTP99 said:

Those 16 units is 4 bottles of 8.2% cider a night.

Regarding diet and exercise, I am the same; I eat well, exercise regularly, walk rather than drive, get out regularly with the dogs etc.

Edited by HTP99 on Tuesday 14th June 15:32

Ah, I suppose that's the thing about using pints as a measure. I drink usually 4% lager, if I'm feeling like cutting down I don't drink less I just switch to the 2.9-3% ales. Rather than drinking less.

I've spent a long time trying to explain this to my wife. If I want to cut down I don't drink less beer ( volume ) I just switch to a lower alocohol beer. Everyones happy.

Except the wife who refuses to get her head around it. Her view is "But it's still 3 pints you've had". Yes but 3 pints of beer which is 1/3 weaker than the other stuff is equivalent to 2 pints. I've given up trying to explain it to her. Best tactic I've found is to fill her up with wine....she soons quiets down then.

[HTP99]

Timmy40 said:

HTP99 said:

Those 16 units is 4 bottles of 8.2% cider a night.

Regarding diet and exercise, I am the same; I eat well, exercise regularly, walk rather than drive, get out regularly with the dogs etc.

Edited by HTP99 on Tuesday 14th June 15:32

Ah, I suppose that's the thing about using pints as a measure. I drink usually 4% lager, if I'm feeling like cutting down I don't drink less I just switch to the 2.9-3% ales. Rather than drinking less.

I've spent a long time trying to explain this to my wife. If I want to cut down I don't drink less beer ( volume ) I just switch to a lower alocohol beer. Everyones happy.

Except the wife who refuses to get her head around it. Her view is "But it's still 3 pints you've had". Yes but 3 pints of beer which is 1/3 weaker than the other stuff is equivalent to 2 pints. I've given up trying to explain it to her. Best tactic I've found is to fill her up with wine....she soons quiets down then.

Sounds like my wife; 4 bottles of beer is 4 bottles of beer, whether it is 4 small bottles of Stella or 4 large bottles of Stella, all she sees is what's in the re-cycle bin.

My wife hardly drinks, maybe 2 glasses of wine a week at the most and if she does want to drink a bit more; out at a party or a wedding for example, she knows when to stop and then to start nagging me.

Edited by HTP99 on Tuesday 14th June 16:11

[craig1912]

Don't drink Monday to Thursday. Friday, Sat & Sunday I'll have a bottle of red wine in the evening and maybe a small bottle of beer or two.
Yep I know it's probably about 30 units a week but I enjoy it and eat healthily and go to the gym 4/5 times a week.

[MikeGoodwin]

Timmy40 said:

Ah, I suppose that's the thing about using pints as a measure. I drink usually 4% lager, if I'm feeling like cutting down I don't drink less I just switch to the 2.9-3% ales. Rather than drinking less.

I've spent a long time trying to explain this to my wife. If I want to cut down I don't drink less beer ( volume ) I just switch to a lower alocohol beer. Everyones happy.

Except the wife who refuses to get her head around it. Her view is "But it's still 3 pints you've had". Yes but 3 pints of beer which is 1/3 weaker than the other stuff is equivalent to 2 pints. I've given up trying to explain it to her. Best tactic I've found is to fill her up with wine....she soons quiets down then.

Ive tried to explain to mine that Corona is basically piss so drinking 4 Corona is still less than drinking 3 Proper Jobs or 3 Aspall bottles. But you've had 4.... I think maybe following on from above is the reason I moved onto more alcoholic drinks like Proper job as it would give me more bang for the buck so to speak.

[C0ffin D0dger]

Too much but I have reigned it in quite a bit since having kids.

On a good week I won't touch any booze during the week but I'll often weaken by Thursday night, have a couple of beers and share a bottle of red with the wife. Some weeks do the same pretty much every night or a few nights.

Weekends I'll normally start the same on a Friday, few beers, wine, but often come back for another beer or two, or a whisky/rum. Can be a bit dangerous if I have any single malt in the house Same on Saturday. Sunday night is back to the couple of beers + wine so I'm ok for work the next day.

Don't go out anymore and rarely drink during the day.

I make my own beer so that doesn't help much either

[mjb1]

These days (age 36), at home I'll have a bottle of lager late in the evening (occasionally two) most days. I go out for a beer about once per week, and typically drink 3 or 4 pints. But I tend to go out late (10pm or so), if I go out earlier I tend to end up drinking more. Any more than 3 pints and I'll feel it the next day. Six plus is proper hangover territory, so I rarely drink more than that. I don't touch spirits, that's my golden rule.

I started going to pubs drinking beer at 13/14, and built up my session intake to 8+ pints by the end of my teens. Kept that up til mid/late 20's until I got involved with a woman who had a bit of a drink problem (amongst other issues). That stopped me enjoying a drink and put me on edge, because I was always aware of the state she was potentially going to get into.

The important thing for me is that you should be able to take it or leave it. I can go for days/weeks without missing the alcohol itself, just the social aspect of going to the pub. I would say that if you feel like you need to have a drink, then you have a bit of a problem, or if you drink every day. On the other hand, my (now) ex missus could easily go for a fortnight without touching a drop. But the second she had one, you could tell she was on the slippery slope, and it would turn into a complete bender. She'd do anything to carry on drinking, and was quite devious about engineering the situation to her advantage for it. Even now if she's had a hard day, the first thing she'll say is 'I need a drink'.

[Timmy40]

To be honest this thread has made me think a bit. And although I drink more than the actual units limit I'm quite happy with my rules which are:

- Never drink enough to be drunk if at home ( as in staggering about, that's allowed on lads weekends away but not at home ).
- Never drink enough to not be able to either look after the kids well in the morning or work/drive.
- Never drink before 6pm or after 10pm I switch to tea after 10pm if anything. ( exceptions being boys pretty infrequent lads weekends etc ).
- Avoid spririts/wine, stick to beer.

Most of the above I must say relates to being a father of 3 young kids. I wouldn't want them to see me drunk ( it's hardly an good sight ) or to be hung over and grumpy with them in the morning.

The annoying thing is though my wife is convinced I drink far too much. I'm almost sure it's that when having a beer I a) have sat down for 5min and b) appear to be enjoying myself.

I got told I'd had enough last night and no more beer after having 1 bottle....it was a 330ml bottle of Adnams Pale Ale....it's 2.6% so about 1.2 units in that bottle.

Women!

Edited by Timmy40 on Tuesday 14th June 16:56

[droopsnoot]

Reading some comments, it did seem that this thread was going to be a bit "No, just the odd half of shandy on the way back from the gym", but then a few posts made me feel a bit better.

I sometimes think I perhaps drink too much, but it's not that bad in reality - I typically go out Weds-Sun (and Monday if it's a bank holiday), and I'll typically have 3 pints each time, maybe four if there's something particularly nice on, or if I feel like I deserve it. I don't drink at lunchtime any more (though that's because I don't go out for lunch) and I don't drink at home. I get some exercise, I have to admit it's mainly walking to and from the pub, though in my defence the pub is 3 miles from home so it's a reasonable distance. On the nights I don't go out, I tend to find it difficult to sleep, so whether the alcohol or the walk is helping there, I don't know.

[Silver993tt]

craig1912 said:

Don't drink Monday to Thursday. Friday, Sat & Sunday I'll have a bottle of red wine in the evening and maybe a small bottle of beer or two.
Yep I know it's probably about 30 units a week but I enjoy it and eat healthily and go to the gym 4/5 times a week.

The problem is that alcohol depletes zinc in the body and the body needs zinc to process and absorb vitamins and minerals from food. No point eating 'healthily' and drinking more than the recommended amounts each week as most of the benefits of 'healthy' food will pass straight through the body.

[Robster]

Some real honest replies here, has got me thinking.....