How much do you drink, honestly?
Discussion
The Doyle said:
I’m 50, drink 2 bottles of decent red wine a night & have done so for decades.
That's roughly the equivalent of 2/3 of a bottle of spirits a night though - surely that's bound to catch up with you soon enough!Liver failure is a pretty slow, nasty way to go - though I'm not exactly a fan of abstinence either!
I think once the eyes go yellow I'll find a convenient skyscraper and fall out the window...
johnxjsc1985 said:
depends if you consider 8 weeks months or 3 a couple. maybe try a drink yourself it may make you less angsty.
John, I was just making a joke and made the decision that would be obvious and didnt require a smiley 
Looks like i was wrong!I used to be a big drinker myself and have massively cut down over the last few years.
Odd one today. I'm on day 62, been okay so far, keeping busy at work and enjoying getting more sleep.
Had loads of things lined up for this morning but couldn't seem to settle, I'd start something then get bored and restless after 10 minutes and go and do something else. The weather dried up a bit so I thought I would go for a blat, I have a fun car but even that was getting on my nerves. Then it hit me like a train, I was absolutely gagging for a beer, I hadn't realised it was that calling to me!
I decided to go to the pub and deal with it rather than go home and hide, spent the next 2 hours with 5 blokes all downing pint after pint watching the football while I drank cokes.
It was f
king hard I won't deny it, first time it's really wobbled me since I started, completely out of the blue.
Had loads of things lined up for this morning but couldn't seem to settle, I'd start something then get bored and restless after 10 minutes and go and do something else. The weather dried up a bit so I thought I would go for a blat, I have a fun car but even that was getting on my nerves. Then it hit me like a train, I was absolutely gagging for a beer, I hadn't realised it was that calling to me!
I decided to go to the pub and deal with it rather than go home and hide, spent the next 2 hours with 5 blokes all downing pint after pint watching the football while I drank cokes.
It was f
king hard I won't deny it, first time it's really wobbled me since I started, completely out of the blue. br d said:
Had loads of things lined up for this morning but couldn't seem to settle, I'd start something then get bored and restless after 10 minutes and go and do something else. The weather dried up a bit so I thought I would go for a blat, I have a fun car but even that was getting on my nerves. Then it hit me like a train, I was absolutely gagging for a beer, I hadn't realised it was that calling to me!
That, was an "extinction burst"https://youarenotsosmart.com/2010/07/07/extinction...
did a brief calculation
work overseas so at least 6 weeks away completely dry of the remaining 3- weeks home .from feb
I bought a Heineken sub draught beer machine at Christmas ....with 36 x2 litre torps of beer each around 5% roughly 3 pints.in each
had x5 bbq's with friends over the two week period = 72 litres of beer ,x 10 bottles of wine , x1 bottle of malt whisky
went out x4 times for family meal at local pub x2 pints each time
very roughly my consumption = 40 litres of beer over 21 days about 3 pints a day = whisky - wine with a meal average per day 15 units with a high on the day back of 31 units
that was an exception including 20hr stopover in Dubai and a 7hour flight A380 Dubai- London with a bar on board
early 50s had a full ukaoe medical everything showed normal ..........apart from weight gain around 4kgs , which I will lose over the 6 weeks away
work overseas so at least 6 weeks away completely dry of the remaining 3- weeks home .from feb
I bought a Heineken sub draught beer machine at Christmas ....with 36 x2 litre torps of beer each around 5% roughly 3 pints.in each
had x5 bbq's with friends over the two week period = 72 litres of beer ,x 10 bottles of wine , x1 bottle of malt whisky
went out x4 times for family meal at local pub x2 pints each time
very roughly my consumption = 40 litres of beer over 21 days about 3 pints a day = whisky - wine with a meal average per day 15 units with a high on the day back of 31 units
that was an exception including 20hr stopover in Dubai and a 7hour flight A380 Dubai- London with a bar on board
early 50s had a full ukaoe medical everything showed normal ..........apart from weight gain around 4kgs , which I will lose over the 6 weeks away
Turn7 said:
Im looking for the best place to help guys, my drinking has now become a dailty habit that I am struggling to control.
Wheres the best place to turn ?
Ive tried self control, and although I managed to quit fags many years ago, this seems way harder to avoid.......
I am not the person to give advice because I seem to be able to not drink at all or drink too much.Wheres the best place to turn ?
Ive tried self control, and although I managed to quit fags many years ago, this seems way harder to avoid.......
I think you need something else to replace it even if its just a couple of days a week to start off with.
Failing that a support group of people who are also looking for guidance. Personally I am close to giving up drinking completely I just do not enjoy it as I once did.
Don't sit back and wait grasp the nettle and start the process
Turn7 said:
Im looking for the best place to help guys, my drinking has now become a dailty habit that I am struggling to control.
Wheres the best place to turn ?
Ive tried self control, and although I managed to quit fags many years ago, this seems way harder to avoid.......
It is only hard to avoid if you keep going to the pub! You can always stop having it at home. It depends where you drink and who with. You may have to lose some drinking buddies. Or move home! Wheres the best place to turn ?
Ive tried self control, and although I managed to quit fags many years ago, this seems way harder to avoid.......
There are books you can read, recommended on this thread.
For group stuff, Alcoholics Anonymous is not for everyone (it's not preachy but still quite churchy) but there are local authority drug and alcohol programs doing the same thing - groups of people trying to work out how it became a daily habit they couldn't break on their own.
You'll find that buying it, drinking it, and feeling a bit s
t took up a lot of your time. Time that you now have spare. And you'll lose weight. And have more energy. I quickly found TV insufferable without a few drinks inside me. You'll want a hobby.What worked for me was reading this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alcohol-Explained-William... followed by completing this 30 day online program https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/the-alcohol-experi...
72 days without alcohol so far.
72 days without alcohol so far.
JamesD74 said:
What worked for me was reading this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alcohol-Explained-William... followed by completing this 30 day online program https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/the-alcohol-experi...
72 days without alcohol so far.
Remember day 4 is the worst of the "kick" withdrawal with alcohol...after that it is plain sailing72 days without alcohol so far.
Robertj21a said:
I guess that identifying WHY you drink is a good start point - is it to socialise, reduce stress, keep up with buddies, not look a wimp - or you just like the taste ?
Drinking alone (I have no friends) I drink for comfort and to forget my problems. I'm an alcoholic but I know I need to reduce my consumption. This is my last week. johnxjsc1985 said:
Don't sit back and wait grasp the nettle and start the process
Trying that now....Thesprucegoose said:
drinks diary, try to limit to drinking 2 times a week. get a new hobby.
If I could do that, I wouldnt be asking for help.....grumbledoak said:
It is only hard to avoid if you keep going to the pub! You can always stop having it at home. It depends where you drink and who with. You may have to lose some drinking buddies. Or move home!
There are books you can read.
Only drink at home really.... There are books you can read.
Robertj21a said:
I guess that identifying WHY you drink is a good start point - is it to socialise, reduce stress, keep up with buddies, not look a wimp - or you just like the taste ?
Tough one...Ive always liked a drink, and went through a fairly dark period about 5 years ago. On a reducing dose of antidepressants that I hope to quit by year end.I like the taste, the feeling, actually getting nearly drunk...used it as a crutch in the past but now stuck in an increasingly regular but bad habit
Bill said:
And how have you tried to cut down?
I found trying to have 2 nights off a week was too vague and easily put off, so have now stopped Mon-Thu.
Just by trying , and afailing to not stop at the garage/Tescos on the way home tbhI found trying to have 2 nights off a week was too vague and easily put off, so have now stopped Mon-Thu.
JamesD74 said:
What worked for me was reading this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alcohol-Explained-William... followed by completing this 30 day online program https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/the-alcohol-experi...
72 days without alcohol so far.
Thanks, I will order that book...72 days without alcohol so far.
fast diesel boy said:
Drinking alone (I have no friends) I drink for comfort and to forget my problems. I'm an alcoholic but I know I need to reduce my consumption. This is my last week.
I have freinds, but I too like the comfort I think..it takes the edge off life a little////Turn7 said:
Im looking for the best place to help guys, my drinking has now become a dailty habit that I am struggling to control.
Wheres the best place to turn ?
Ive tried self control, and although I managed to quit fags many years ago, this seems way harder to avoid.......
The problem for me that made it hard is that I'm surrounded by hundreds of bars and restaurants, and TV always shows either people drinking or ads for booze which does tend to keep reminding you... Wheres the best place to turn ?
Ive tried self control, and although I managed to quit fags many years ago, this seems way harder to avoid.......
For me to massively cut down, (I've only had 3 glasses of wine and 1 pint in the past few weeks which is probably the longest dry spell in 7 years), the key was/is just to not buy alcohol at home and avoid going to the pub. (The wine I drank was because I got home from travelling and my wife had a bottle in the fridge. So I drank it naturally).
I must admit the 1 pint was a few days after drinking half a bottle wine and I had a bit of a craving for a cheeky one on the way home (and literally had to walk through a bar after a tough day).
Now its been a while since I've had a drink, I'm not really missing it which I thought I would be.
Turn7 said:
johnxjsc1985 said:
Don't sit back and wait grasp the nettle and start the process
Trying that now....Thesprucegoose said:
drinks diary, try to limit to drinking 2 times a week. get a new hobby.
If I could do that, I wouldnt be asking for help.....grumbledoak said:
It is only hard to avoid if you keep going to the pub! You can always stop having it at home. It depends where you drink and who with. You may have to lose some drinking buddies. Or move home!
There are books you can read.
Only drink at home really.... There are books you can read.
Robertj21a said:
I guess that identifying WHY you drink is a good start point - is it to socialise, reduce stress, keep up with buddies, not look a wimp - or you just like the taste ?
Tough one...Ive always liked a drink, and went through a fairly dark period about 5 years ago. On a reducing dose of antidepressants that I hope to quit by year end.I like the taste, the feeling, actually getting nearly drunk...used it as a crutch in the past but now stuck in an increasingly regular but bad habit
Bill said:
And how have you tried to cut down?
I found trying to have 2 nights off a week was too vague and easily put off, so have now stopped Mon-Thu.
Just by trying , and afailing to not stop at the garage/Tescos on the way home tbhI found trying to have 2 nights off a week was too vague and easily put off, so have now stopped Mon-Thu.
JamesD74 said:
What worked for me was reading this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alcohol-Explained-William... followed by completing this 30 day online program https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/the-alcohol-experi...
72 days without alcohol so far.
Thanks, I will order that book...72 days without alcohol so far.
fast diesel boy said:
Drinking alone (I have no friends) I drink for comfort and to forget my problems. I'm an alcoholic but I know I need to reduce my consumption. This is my last week.
I have freinds, but I too like the comfort I think..it takes the edge off life a little////You've effectively got into Stage One and need to now progress to Stage Two. Personally, I would think that, in your case, this looks like a need to cut down the amount of alcohol you buy, to drink at home. Again, I know it sounds stupid but if you don't have the drink at home/readily available then you're far more likely to start cutting back a bit.
Perhaps Stage Three then needs to be trying 1-2 days where you drink no alcohol at all ??
.
Up until a few days ago I had fallen into a daily drinking habit and was regularly consuming between 50-70 units per week.
It culminated in me having a massive bender at a sportsman's dinner, which made me VERY I'll.
I tend to drink alone,either in the pub or at home and I think this period of heavy drinking is related to work stresses ( I was signed off for 3 weeks in January with depression\anxiety) and.the death, following a prolonged illness, of a family member.
I stopped for a 6 days, then had a couple on Friday after work and a couple more this afternoon.
I did manage to stop for nearly 4 months during my last binge period about 3 years ago.
I lost loads of weight, had more energy and generally felt better.
I do this every so often just to prove to myself that I can and that ( hopefully) I'm not borderline alcoholic.
It culminated in me having a massive bender at a sportsman's dinner, which made me VERY I'll.
I tend to drink alone,either in the pub or at home and I think this period of heavy drinking is related to work stresses ( I was signed off for 3 weeks in January with depression\anxiety) and.the death, following a prolonged illness, of a family member.
I stopped for a 6 days, then had a couple on Friday after work and a couple more this afternoon.
I did manage to stop for nearly 4 months during my last binge period about 3 years ago.
I lost loads of weight, had more energy and generally felt better.
I do this every so often just to prove to myself that I can and that ( hopefully) I'm not borderline alcoholic.
Edited by GTI16V on Sunday 17th March 22:06
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