365 days without booze... join me?

[jjaack]

Davie_GLA said:

jjaack said:

Nothing for 9 months now.
This lockdown is making it a bit more difficult, though in all honesty if someone said i'd stop drinking one day I would have laughed all the way to the bar.

I think i'm £1700 and a wife up as last time i posted she had just walked out 10 days after my birthday and 3 weeks hols booked! I think she'd had enough... maybe!
So i think i dodged a bullet.
Not starting back up ant time soon.
Well done to anyone on here and trying this, it does get easier and the wknds longer which is ace as they can be much more constructive, i actually get up early on my days off now because i want to and the bonus is i feel great as no hangover etc and mondays are good cause i have achieved something, try it its a good feeling.

Hope that helps someone

The thought of a hangover is a nightmare. I remember them fondly.

I was talking the other day to a mate where we were of the same opinion. One day we were just machines, then almost overnight this hangover nonsense appeared

Yep, Fri, Sat night and Sunday afternoon. Would probably kill me off now : )

Edited by jjaack on Thursday 7th May 19:48

[mygoldfishbowl]

paulguitar said:

I have recently given up drinking apart from Friday and Saturday nights.

Has anyone else had any success with doing it this way? I was overdoing it a bit and felt that the tail was starting to wag the dog. I have not found it all that hard to make it just weekends, not sure if this is common or unusual?

Everyone's different but personally speaking I tried more than a few cutting down approaches and all failed spectacularly.

[Joscal]

paulguitar said:

I have recently given up drinking apart from Friday and Saturday nights.

Has anyone else had any success with doing it this way? I was overdoing it a bit and felt that the tail was starting to wag the dog. I have not found it all that hard to make it just weekends, not sure if this is common or unusual?

I cut down too, but it didn’t stop me drinking to oblivion when I did hit it. Everyone is different though, my off button just stopped working and I got tired of it eventually.

[K12beano]

I recall being "disciplined" enough to take a day off, maybe a couple, only to make up for the lost units the next day when I did start.

But just shows everyone is different - there's no "line" before which you're OK and after you're a raging alcoholic with no hope whatsoever - however from everything I've read there will come a point when it is likely you won't be able to keep those days off...... it's just you might be lucky and it not be due until you hit age 137, or something way off in the future.....

[Whatsmyname]

I’ve just managed to get outside (not been well) and sit on the bench it’s so peaceful I thought I’d love to be sat here with a icy drink and even convinced myself I’d only have one it would be ok but then remembered it’s been 1225 days and the thought subsided.

Well done to all those on the journey and most recovery’s involve a relapse or two, don’t be too hard on yourselves.

[500 Miles]

1225 days is a great achievement.

I’m only 10 weeks in - first couple of sunny days were hard, would normally have a few in the garden.

I realise I’m now drinking more fluid as the alcohol isn’t slowing me down - means after a bit I’m pissing for Britain!

Think it’s just the habit of having a drink nearby and sticking it down my throat.

Not actually missing the drinking now, thought lockdown would be harder but the wife isn’t drinking which helps - and no pubs open to meet mates in, also helps!

I have started to put things in my Diet Coke to make it taste a bit different, makes my virgin vodka and diet cokes more exotic

[Sebo]

paulguitar said:

I have recently given up drinking apart from Friday and Saturday nights.

Has anyone else had any success with doing it this way?

Only way i managed it was to have so much on the weekend that I felt so god awful and smashed to pieces and had caused that much carnage around me, that it took until the following weekend before I dared have another drink (swearing that this weekend would be different). Rinsed and repeated until I stopped in summer 2018.

See also: "I'm only drinking with meals", "I'm not drinking with colleagues", "I'm only drinking with colleagues", "I'm not drinking top shelf", "I'm not drinking wine" etc. etc. etc

[NorthDave]

Reading this thread has just reminded me it was 7 years on the 1st May. Haven't missed it all to be honest!

[K12beano]

Well, I know this is a thread about liberties and self-discipline.

But I thought this was of tangential interest here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52717825

AuntyBeeb said:

'Sobriety ankle tags' to monitor offenders' sweat

It got me thinking about the technology that might help in some way as motivation for someone who voluntarily wanted to cut out alcohol.

There must be better ways.

[Lifeisalemon]

Ticked over 500 days a couple of days ago. All is good.

[Blib]

K12beano said:

It got me thinking about the technology that might help in some way as motivation for someone who voluntarily wanted to cut out alcohol.

There must be better ways.

I'd like to see a follow-up study of those who have had these fitted. I'd wager that the majority were back drinking within days, if not hours of the tag's removal.

Without further support tagging is merely a way to tick boxes.

[500 Miles]

Lifeisalemon said:

Ticked over 500 days a couple of days ago. All is good.

Congratulations, you must be very pleased? Are you feeling much better for it?

Must admit, I’m glad I’m not drinking during the pandemic - a) would probably drink lots everyday.. b) it’s a bit crap just now, dodgy head and broken sleep probably won’t help that..

[HairyMaclary]

140 days for me today. Keep getting odd cravings for a pint. A lovely pint of ale or 6 sat in the garden in the sunshine.

Then I think of the 3am anxiety, bloated feeling and sore head and think better of it.

Keep going everyone.

[K12beano]

Blib said:

K12beano said:

It got me thinking about the technology that might help in some way as motivation for someone who voluntarily wanted to cut out alcohol.

There must be better ways.

I'd like to see a follow-up study of those who have had these fitted. I'd wager that the majority were back drinking within days, if not hours of the tag's removal.

Without further support tagging is merely a way to tick boxes.

Very true

[Lifeisalemon]

500 Miles said:

Congratulations, you must be very pleased? Are you feeling much better for it?

Must admit, I’m glad I’m not drinking during the pandemic - a) would probably drink lots everyday.. b) it’s a bit crap just now, dodgy head and broken sleep probably won’t help that..

Cheers. Yeah much better although as with everything it quickly becomes your new normal so not as immediately noticeable day to day as in the first 6 months.

But when I think about it...

I have lost 2 stone and my blood pressure returned to normal and that has remained which is good! Sleep is fantastic - a good 7 hours + every night which makes a massive difference in everything really. Anxiety more or less gone and generally a lot calmer and more settled if that makes sense. And a big one - no hangovers! And that constant feeling of being slightly ill is a distant memory.

No downsides at all and when I look back to my 'drinking days' which built up over 30 years to an every day bottle of red and a few pints it feels like a different life.

Would highly recommend it!

[Davie_GLA]

315 days today and i think i'm over the worst of it.

Lockdown has been OK but looking out today it's the perfect start to what would lead to multiple drinks in the garden after i'd convinced myself that today was the toughest day ever and I deserved it.

Now I just need to master passing the fridge and not eating everything in it. Any weight loss I benefited from has gone.

[Bathroom_Security]

Davie_GLA said:

Lockdown has been OK but looking out today it's the perfect start to what would lead to multiple drinks in the garden after i'd convinced myself that today was the toughest day ever and I deserved it. :

Been really tempted the last few weeks with hot weather and BBQs, can tell my neighbors have basically become alcoholics now on Lock down as well. Cant imagine what Id of been like. Warm weather and fk all to do. Would have been spending my furlough money on beer for sure, easy 8 beers + a day.

Lucky I've been working and been very busy. Lost count of the weeks now. Last drink 27th December.

[500 Miles]

Made it to 3 months!

Other half has started drinking again, not much but she had a few glasses on Friday and Saturday.

Usually I would have joined in, however, didn’t feel the need. Whilst I’m not missing it all, I do know it’s going to be harder once lock down is relaxed and we can start to socialise again. Difficult seeing drunk friends when you’re sober, no one wants to be fun bobby..

Congrats all

[funinhounslow]

500 Miles said:

Difficult seeing drunk friends when you’re sober, no one wants to be fun bobby..

Yes it is and no they don’t.

Easiest solution is to be the first to arrive and first to leave.

That way you spend time with them while they’re still coherent.

When they pass that quite noticeable line from “jolly” to “drunk”, just go home.

I’ve learned from experience at this point you can just bugger off without saying goodbye. Most people won’t remember you leaving, and the best part of the night is over anyway...

[K12beano]

Sage advice

funinhounslow said:

When they pass that quite noticeable line from “jolly” to “drunk”, just go home.

...after all, had you been drinking along, you wouldn't have been a *reliable witness* to what was said from that point anyway....