365 days without booze... join me?
Discussion
Smitters said:
Nothing works for everyone, or all problems would be easy to solve. Making progress is about trying things, holding on to what works and discarding what doesn't. The trying things bit is important. Except trying whiskey. That's not going to help at all.
What a shock - he didnt respond to that since your post is sensible and theres no easy smart arse reply. Some people...!funinhounslow said:
LordGrover said:
I strongly recommend Easyway to Control Alcohol by Allen Carr.
It can be life changing, maybe even life saving.
I would agree with this - I read this book four years ago and haven't touched a drop since. More importantly, I haven't wanted to, and have never felt I've missed out by not drinking.It can be life changing, maybe even life saving.
It's a short book, can be read easily in a couple of days, and if nothing else, will give plenty of "food for thought"
In a similar vein, but slanted toward a younger audience is "Kick the Drink Easily" by Jason Vale.
My only regret is that I didn't read either of these books years earlier...
oldbanger said:
Another Allen Carr advocate here. I also read the book and followed Carr's process. It seems to have worked - I'm 4 years down the road, with only a couple of slips ups since.
Out of interest, what do you consider to be a slip up?Are you talking of necking a tempting mulled wine at Christmas and instantly regretting it, or going on a 3 week bender?
King Herald said:
I think it is all a question of whether you need to stop drinking, or whether you want to.
I like drinking, but I am not a good drunk, so I stopped because I wanted to, 370 days ago. However, I spent years being a bad drunk when I really needed to stop, but didn't want to.
In a past life I stopped totally for 16 years, but then I thought maybe I had changed so started again.....I was wrong.
It is a good question. As someone pointed out a page or two back, I'm the sort who probably shouldn't be on this thread. I don't want to stop, I just want to drink LESS. As for your question, probably because I NEED to drink less. When I was younger I was a shocking drunk. In my 20's, no self-control whatsoever. I wasn't a badly behaved drunk, and mates always used to say I was a happy drunk, but generally always add that I was "absolutely hammered". I like drinking, but I am not a good drunk, so I stopped because I wanted to, 370 days ago. However, I spent years being a bad drunk when I really needed to stop, but didn't want to.
In a past life I stopped totally for 16 years, but then I thought maybe I had changed so started again.....I was wrong.
I'm not like that now, well, very very very rarely. Now I just drink every day. The negative effects really start to creep up on you after a while. Weight gain, lack of fitness, lack of motivation, lethargy, mild nausea, random bouts of depression, aches and pains, all was in a typical day. And yet despite this I was still doing it. I've done a lot better this week and already feel loads better for it.
I used to have basically 4 beers most days, small bottles, sometimes none, sometimes 6.
But then, once every couple of weeks, I would get the taste on, and there was no stopping, just wanted to drink into oblivion. We would drink at the house, have a few buddy beers in the garden, then I would decide I had to go down the big city...... 24 hour bars, dancing girls, no reason or motivation to stop guzzling... so I often didn’t.
But then, once every couple of weeks, I would get the taste on, and there was no stopping, just wanted to drink into oblivion. We would drink at the house, have a few buddy beers in the garden, then I would decide I had to go down the big city...... 24 hour bars, dancing girls, no reason or motivation to stop guzzling... so I often didn’t.
I've got through Christmas, I'm finding that people are either really supportive, some bring me an alcohol free alternative, others choose not to drink around me and then there are those who constantly berate me and try to 'encourage' me to have a drink, I wonder if a smoker with lung cancer would face the same.
4 years for me too this weekend. I’m not 100% teetotal though, very occasionally, like once a month (or two) I will have a small whisky as I still have a decent sized collection.
I’m losing the taste even for this though, the last one I had ended up going down the sink.
That said, on Christmas Eve the wife and I shared a 375ml bottle of champagne that someone gave us as a wedding present back in 2013.
I’ve developed a bit of a taste for alcohol free beer, like normal beer it’s an acquired taste but it’s fine when you get used to it. The good bit about it is that I never, ever feel the need to have more than one, unlike how I used to be with the real thing.
I’m losing the taste even for this though, the last one I had ended up going down the sink.
That said, on Christmas Eve the wife and I shared a 375ml bottle of champagne that someone gave us as a wedding present back in 2013.
I’ve developed a bit of a taste for alcohol free beer, like normal beer it’s an acquired taste but it’s fine when you get used to it. The good bit about it is that I never, ever feel the need to have more than one, unlike how I used to be with the real thing.
TameRacingDriver said:
To be fair that's probably because beer generally tastes like crap, the main motivation for drinking more is to get more drunk.
This is true, I used to be one of those people who believed I drank because I liked the taste. In hindsight I was fooling myself, although in small doses I quite like the non alcoholic stuff. As long as it doesn’t taste of old socks like ‘real ale’.
Super Slo Mo said:
This is true, I used to be one of those people who believed I drank because I liked the taste. In hindsight I was fooling myself, although in small doses I quite like the non alcoholic stuff.
As long as it doesn’t taste of old socks like ‘real ale’.
Exactly, I've never tried to kid anyone I drink too much because I love the taste. If I'm being fair, red wine and the like can taste fairly pleasant, at best, but for me, beer and lager, despite the fact I drink lots of the latter, isn't really all that nice. I'd rather have a glass of milk for the taste than a Stella! As long as it doesn’t taste of old socks like ‘real ale’.
My annual contribution to this thread.
Six years alcohol free now and I still enjoy all the things listed below. Despite a tough year - including redundancy - (managed to sort a new job straight away fortunately) there was nothing to push me back in to it and 'I don't know why people drink'.
I really enjoy being thin and fit in my early 50's - it just wouldn't have happened if I hadn't given up.
Six years alcohol free now and I still enjoy all the things listed below. Despite a tough year - including redundancy - (managed to sort a new job straight away fortunately) there was nothing to push me back in to it and 'I don't know why people drink'.
I really enjoy being thin and fit in my early 50's - it just wouldn't have happened if I hadn't given up.
Tim16V said:
Today I have reached five years without a drop.
It all started out with 'let's see if I can go for one day' then three, OK - try a week, a month, 3 months etc.
It is great and here's a reminder of the main benefits for all looking to give it a go:
Great quality sleep - wake up feeling refreshed, clear headed and ready to go.
None of that 'feeling lightly poisoned all day' state which I hated.
2.5 stone weight loss in literally a few weeks with no additional effort.
I'm thin - was 38'' waist before and now down to 31''- excellent.
Tons of energy for sport and fitness classes, now I'm in good shape aged 51. Never got off the sofa before.
None of the amplified negative thoughts brought on by alcohol - if people knew how bad this really is they would think again about boozing. I've had ups and downs in that time but it's much easier to cope with things.
A few thousand pounds in the bank.
The slight downside is that there is a craving for sugar/chocolate - maybe this replaces what I lost? I've tried to come off it to no avail. Still, nothing's perfect.
I would urge anyone considering it to really try. I literally took it one day at a time at the start (very difficult) and I'm in too deep now to ever go back, not that I'd want to.
It all started out with 'let's see if I can go for one day' then three, OK - try a week, a month, 3 months etc.
It is great and here's a reminder of the main benefits for all looking to give it a go:
Great quality sleep - wake up feeling refreshed, clear headed and ready to go.
None of that 'feeling lightly poisoned all day' state which I hated.
2.5 stone weight loss in literally a few weeks with no additional effort.
I'm thin - was 38'' waist before and now down to 31''- excellent.
Tons of energy for sport and fitness classes, now I'm in good shape aged 51. Never got off the sofa before.
None of the amplified negative thoughts brought on by alcohol - if people knew how bad this really is they would think again about boozing. I've had ups and downs in that time but it's much easier to cope with things.
A few thousand pounds in the bank.
The slight downside is that there is a craving for sugar/chocolate - maybe this replaces what I lost? I've tried to come off it to no avail. Still, nothing's perfect.
I would urge anyone considering it to really try. I literally took it one day at a time at the start (very difficult) and I'm in too deep now to ever go back, not that I'd want to.
Tim16V said:
My annual contribution to this thread.
Six years alcohol free now and I still enjoy all the things listed below. Despite a tough year - including redundancy - (managed to sort a new job straight away fortunately) there was nothing to push me back in to it and 'I don't know why people drink'.
I really enjoy being thin and fit in my early 50's - it just wouldn't have happened if I hadn't given up.
(snip)
The slight downside is that there is a craving for sugar/chocolate - maybe this replaces what I lost? I've tried to come off it to no avail. Still, nothing's perfect.
Can I ask how it's going with the sugar cravings please? Five years in and this is still a bit of an issue for me, and I didn't have a sweet tooth at all when I drank. Odd but I find controlling the sugar is far far harder than giving up the booze...Six years alcohol free now and I still enjoy all the things listed below. Despite a tough year - including redundancy - (managed to sort a new job straight away fortunately) there was nothing to push me back in to it and 'I don't know why people drink'.
I really enjoy being thin and fit in my early 50's - it just wouldn't have happened if I hadn't given up.
Tim16V said:
(snip)
The slight downside is that there is a craving for sugar/chocolate - maybe this replaces what I lost? I've tried to come off it to no avail. Still, nothing's perfect.
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