I'm on the wagon. Grr.
Discussion
For a long time I have thought that I was drinking too much.
I was getting through about 5 bottles of Shiraz and 10 pints every 7 days and hadn't had a single day without a drink for best part of a decade.
Early one morning a few days ago I was driving to work and found myself thinking that I quite fancied a pint....
So I decided that it was time for a rest.
On Friday of last week I put my wine glass away and have been drinking fruit juice and tonic water ever since.
It might only be six or so nights, but that's a fair old time considering that I had been guzzling every night for as long as I can remember.
I've not noticed any withdrawal symptoms. My mood seems much more positive and I found myself walking back from court today with a big grin on my face for absolutely no reason.
According to family, I am much better company and I feel clear headed and energetic each morning. I am firing on all eight cylinders for the first time in ages.
I am really pleased to find that I am not experiencing any alcoholic cravings, but I do miss the drink as I really enjoy a glass of good wine or a nice pint of real ale.
I haven't decided how long to abstain for, but I might give it another two or three weeks to see how I feel.
Cheers :irked:
Pat
I was getting through about 5 bottles of Shiraz and 10 pints every 7 days and hadn't had a single day without a drink for best part of a decade.
Early one morning a few days ago I was driving to work and found myself thinking that I quite fancied a pint....
So I decided that it was time for a rest.
On Friday of last week I put my wine glass away and have been drinking fruit juice and tonic water ever since.
It might only be six or so nights, but that's a fair old time considering that I had been guzzling every night for as long as I can remember.
I've not noticed any withdrawal symptoms. My mood seems much more positive and I found myself walking back from court today with a big grin on my face for absolutely no reason.
According to family, I am much better company and I feel clear headed and energetic each morning. I am firing on all eight cylinders for the first time in ages.
I am really pleased to find that I am not experiencing any alcoholic cravings, but I do miss the drink as I really enjoy a glass of good wine or a nice pint of real ale.
I haven't decided how long to abstain for, but I might give it another two or three weeks to see how I feel.
Cheers :irked:
Pat
Good for you, do you think you will never drink again or will you just open a nice expensive bottle on special occassions?
Opps sorry just read the last bit of your post.
So I'll go onto say, if you think you can just have the odd very nice bottle of red I'm sure in time you will really appreciate the actual wine as opposed to the 'drinking'
>> Edited by wedge girl on Wednesday 3rd August 21:12
Opps sorry just read the last bit of your post.
So I'll go onto say, if you think you can just have the odd very nice bottle of red I'm sure in time you will really appreciate the actual wine as opposed to the 'drinking'
>> Edited by wedge girl on Wednesday 3rd August 21:12
I must admit that it's something that I've been thinking of doing, it's worrying how much I want a beer when I walk through the door at the end of a working day (although I think my current management may have something to do with that though!)...
I recently cut down my smoking massively (OK, I gave up for 2 weeks then wilted, but am smoking a LOT less than I was) am suprised by how much difference that has made...
slinky
587racing.com
I recently cut down my smoking massively (OK, I gave up for 2 weeks then wilted, but am smoking a LOT less than I was) am suprised by how much difference that has made...
slinky
587racing.com
cosmoschick said:Thank you for your kind offer, but I'm saving a nice case of Shiraz with which to celebrate my new found sobriety.
If you have any bottles of Shiraz in the cellar, I'm willing to take them off your hands thereby eliminating any risk of temptation. It's the least I can do.
Seriously, though....
When does moderate to heavy drinking end and where does alcoholism begin?
I have never had a drink before lunch, always avoided spirits and never had cravings. I just like the bloody stuff.
I never get pissed, just delight in quietly stewing in Shiraz after a hard week. It is only when I add up my total weekly intake that is seems a touch excessive...
Cheers
Pat
Sounds to me like your someone who perhaps drinks (drank?) too much but isn't an alcoholic. Quite different. I went through a phase of drinking too much, took a break of 3 months on the wagon and now can have a drink if I like or leave it. 
Don't get me started on AA. They may get results but there methods are not to everyones taste.
Don't get me started on AA. They may get results but there methods are not to everyones taste.
Have recently done much the same. The drink in the evening had become a habit - bottle of beer or a glass or two of wine.
In my case I had seriously injured my shoulder a few days before and a drink to 'relax' it seemed like a good idea but after a few adys I relised that the relaxation was causing me to forget about the injury and do things I should not have been doing.
So I stopped.
4 months later I was in Dublin for a business thing and, well, Guinness. Would be rude not to really. I considered it more food than drink. But 3 days there and on return just went back to fruit juice and water (coffee and tea as well of course!) Have had a couple of glasses of wine and a few small beers but not much else. The big difference is that I have broken a habit which really was not much more than a habit. That feels good.
In my case I had seriously injured my shoulder a few days before and a drink to 'relax' it seemed like a good idea but after a few adys I relised that the relaxation was causing me to forget about the injury and do things I should not have been doing.
So I stopped.
4 months later I was in Dublin for a business thing and, well, Guinness. Would be rude not to really. I considered it more food than drink. But 3 days there and on return just went back to fruit juice and water (coffee and tea as well of course!) Have had a couple of glasses of wine and a few small beers but not much else. The big difference is that I have broken a habit which really was not much more than a habit. That feels good.
My housemate is trying to cut down at the moment. He's a serious case and it's taken me a lot of time and effort to make him realise.
There's nothing unusual about him drinking at lunchtime then bringing back 2-4 cans of strong beer after work and going out for a bottle of wine after he's finished them!
Weekends are killed off with a bottle of whiskey.
He didn't drink at all yesterday and says he feels better for it, but he also says he is having cravings. He's getting through a lot of Tesco Summerfruits...
There's nothing unusual about him drinking at lunchtime then bringing back 2-4 cans of strong beer after work and going out for a bottle of wine after he's finished them!
Weekends are killed off with a bottle of whiskey.
He didn't drink at all yesterday and says he feels better for it, but he also says he is having cravings. He's getting through a lot of Tesco Summerfruits...
I've done exactly the same for similar reasons. Until recently I was drinking waaaaaay too much. Like you, I couldn't remember a day I went without a drink, I was sure I was developing a problem. I quickly realised that most of it was habit; the sound of the cork being pulled, followed by glug, glug, glug, was the signal to my brain that the working day was over and it was officially 'my time'.
I feel better for drinking less, my concentration has improved, I sleep better and generally feel healthier and have more energy. I'll probably continue to stick to being primarily a 'weekends only' drinker from now on.
I feel better for drinking less, my concentration has improved, I sleep better and generally feel healthier and have more energy. I'll probably continue to stick to being primarily a 'weekends only' drinker from now on.
PatHeald said:
When does moderate to heavy drinking end and where does alcoholism begin?
Generally Alcoholism is defined by:
1)Cravings
2)Loss of control- not being able to limit your intake for any given occasion.
3)Physical dependence- withdrawal symptoms.
4)Increase in tolerance.
dieseljohn said:
Don't get me started on AA. They may get results but there methods are not to everyones taste.
I attended AA meetings for the first year and a half after rehab. It got to the point were if I continued to go, the meetings might drive me to drink!
AA isn't for me any longer, but I do think it helped me to get a strong start to my sobriety.
Good luck with your wagon ride Mr.Heald.
The soft drink thing passes quite quickly.
In my case it was both fags & booze, which meant in the evenings my hands were'nt occupied, which felt odd.
Mood is a lot better for it though now 2 years down the road.
You might put the plonk, in the car, and hoist it out of reach on that car jack of yours Pat!
In my case it was both fags & booze, which meant in the evenings my hands were'nt occupied, which felt odd.
Mood is a lot better for it though now 2 years down the road.
You might put the plonk, in the car, and hoist it out of reach on that car jack of yours Pat!
Pat - you certainly weren't an alcoholic. I'm a wine enthusiast and the wife and I probably get through a bottle a day - with dinner.
I almost never get drunk but I like a drink.
Every so often we have a concerted effort to take a little break from it...particularly as one needs to if one is considering losing some weight.
I've never felt any withdrawl symptoms.
I've not actually felt "better" after a few days of not drinking, either, though.
I've never wanted a drink before noon.
I almost never drink at lunchtime - wastes the day.
That's been the status quo for over a decade - so unless you can identify harmful booze effects or positive "wagon" effects I wouldn't worry - just do what makes you feel fit and healthy!
I almost never get drunk but I like a drink.
Every so often we have a concerted effort to take a little break from it...particularly as one needs to if one is considering losing some weight.
I've never felt any withdrawl symptoms.
I've not actually felt "better" after a few days of not drinking, either, though.
I've never wanted a drink before noon.
I almost never drink at lunchtime - wastes the day.
That's been the status quo for over a decade - so unless you can identify harmful booze effects or positive "wagon" effects I wouldn't worry - just do what makes you feel fit and healthy!
(Don - you sound very like me.)
I drink pretty much every night. Have done for over 15 years. I can usually make a bottle of red last 2 days although sometimes it's 2 bottles in 3 days. Having said that, I'm laying off the red at the moment as my wife and son say it turns me into a grumpy, grouchy old bastard. Ho hum.
I'm currently drinking 2-4 bottles of import beer like Nastro, Asahi, San Miguel, etc. a night as a wine substitute.
Every so often I stop for a while. My record is 3 weeks but usually I just take a few days or a week off.
Sometimes I do feel like I'm gasping for a drink, but it's not particularly a craving.
I do find it a bind if we go out for a meal and I'm the designated driver (which isn't too often - my wife is pretty cool about driving us home) but that's just because I enjoy a couple of drinks with my meal.
So, on balance, it sounds like you're not that different from me. A mild alcohol dependence at worst, but not an alcoholic.
Now, I'm gasping. Anyone fancy a pint?
>> Edited by JonRB on Thursday 4th August 08:49
I drink pretty much every night. Have done for over 15 years. I can usually make a bottle of red last 2 days although sometimes it's 2 bottles in 3 days. Having said that, I'm laying off the red at the moment as my wife and son say it turns me into a grumpy, grouchy old bastard. Ho hum.
I'm currently drinking 2-4 bottles of import beer like Nastro, Asahi, San Miguel, etc. a night as a wine substitute.
Every so often I stop for a while. My record is 3 weeks but usually I just take a few days or a week off.
Sometimes I do feel like I'm gasping for a drink, but it's not particularly a craving.
I do find it a bind if we go out for a meal and I'm the designated driver (which isn't too often - my wife is pretty cool about driving us home) but that's just because I enjoy a couple of drinks with my meal.
So, on balance, it sounds like you're not that different from me. A mild alcohol dependence at worst, but not an alcoholic.
Now, I'm gasping. Anyone fancy a pint?
>> Edited by JonRB on Thursday 4th August 08:49
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