Alcohol - Gave Up
Discussion
My mate was an alcoholic and his life fell apart to the point where he ended up in a shelter, and as he had ‘alcohol dependency’ on his record they gave him 4 cans of lager a day.
All it did was set him off on a bender - every day. He used to joke about it, that they just didn’t get what it was about and should have given him nil. He didn’t refuse it though. He’s dead now.
Sadly for anyone who has to have another after the first, not having the first is really the only way.
All it did was set him off on a bender - every day. He used to joke about it, that they just didn’t get what it was about and should have given him nil. He didn’t refuse it though. He’s dead now.
Sadly for anyone who has to have another after the first, not having the first is really the only way.
V6 Pushfit said:
My mate was an alcoholic and his life fell apart to the point where he ended up in a shelter, and as he had ‘alcohol dependency’ on his record they gave him 4 cans of lager a day.
All it did was set him off on a bender - every day. He used to joke about it, that they just didn’t get what it was about and should have given him nil. He didn’t refuse it though. He’s dead now.
Sadly for anyone who has to have another after the first, not having the first is really the only way.
What age did he pass? All it did was set him off on a bender - every day. He used to joke about it, that they just didn’t get what it was about and should have given him nil. He didn’t refuse it though. He’s dead now.
Sadly for anyone who has to have another after the first, not having the first is really the only way.
Welshbeef said:
V6 Pushfit said:
Welshbeef said:
What age did he pass?
He was 38. 
t - what a waste and loss. Can you share what he died of was it liver gave up or some other issue? Did he know how close he was and did he do anything when told ie one more drink will finish you
He couldn’t stop. Wanted to but couldn’t and each day was a mission to get out of his head.
The one thing he told me that stuck was ‘for fks sake Pushfit don’t have the first drink’. It didn’t make sense at the time but it does now.
I haven’t had a first one since 2010. I was just a heavy drinker but that one thing I think saved me from where I was definitely headed. Life changed completely- more hours in the day and a successful business resulted.
I would say to anyone worried - there’s nothing to be scared of, if you can stop then after about 3-4 days it’s out of your system and with a few Mars bars and stuff like that you extend that to weeks and beyond and you CAN recover. I used to go down the wine aisle and pick up a bottle of £15 Shiraz, tell it to fk off and put it back in the shelf.
I’ve known a few like Michael but on the whole various mates have done it, got out before they’d reached the basement, and got on with the rest of their lives.
ks sake Pushfit don’t have the first drink’. It didn’t make sense at the time but it does now.I haven’t had a first one since 2010. I was just a heavy drinker but that one thing I think saved me from where I was definitely headed. Life changed completely- more hours in the day and a successful business resulted.
I would say to anyone worried - there’s nothing to be scared of, if you can stop then after about 3-4 days it’s out of your system and with a few Mars bars and stuff like that you extend that to weeks and beyond and you CAN recover. I used to go down the wine aisle and pick up a bottle of £15 Shiraz, tell it to f
k off and put it back in the shelf.I’ve known a few like Michael but on the whole various mates have done it, got out before they’d reached the basement, and got on with the rest of their lives.
Carrot said:
Well had a small whiskey on the 1st, then nothing else. Sort of enjoyed it knowing that was it for the night but could do without. Interesting.
As someone who's given up a few times over the years, my personal experience is that over the long term moderation is impossible. Every time I've started again my intentions have been great. I'll just drink on special occasions - that works for a while. Then eventually I think to myself that I'm doing really well managing to minimise my intake, so a little more won't do any harm. So I'll just drink when I'm out of the house. That goes ok for a while, but the next thing is we've got people over for dinner or a party and it looks weird that I drink with them at restaurants or the pub but not at home, so now I'll only drink at home when we have guests over. Again that goes on for a while, until I have a big night with guests over, so just have a couple at home the following night to help me sleep and take the edge off the hangover.
At this point I'm now drinking as much as I did before I gave up and feeling total s
t about it again. Rinse and repeat.Not everyone is going to be the same, but without fail the above happens over time for me, usually over several months. For me it's easier to not have anything at all than to try and moderate.
365Clean said:
Carrot said:
Well had a small whiskey on the 1st, then nothing else. Sort of enjoyed it knowing that was it for the night but could do without. Interesting.
As someone who's given up a few times over the years, my personal experience is that over the long term moderation is impossible. Every time I've started again my intentions have been great. I'll just drink on special occasions - that works for a while. Then eventually I think to myself that I'm doing really well managing to minimise my intake, so a little more won't do any harm. So I'll just drink when I'm out of the house. That goes ok for a while, but the next thing is we've got people over for dinner or a party and it looks weird that I drink with them at restaurants or the pub but not at home, so now I'll only drink at home when we have guests over. Again that goes on for a while, until I have a big night with guests over, so just have a couple at home the following night to help me sleep and take the edge off the hangover.
At this point I'm now drinking as much as I did before I gave up and feeling total s
t about it again. Rinse and repeat.Not everyone is going to be the same, but without fail the above happens over time for me, usually over several months. For me it's easier to not have anything at all than to try and moderate.
I think what works for me is being really strict about when you will and won't drink, but I appreciate that's not going to work for everyone.
Teetotalism isn't my aim so the rules are nothing on a work day unless I don't have work the following day, in practical terms Monday to Thursday.
I accept that I will drink on a weekend so I don't beat myself up for this but I am mindful of what I am having - no high strength stuff if I can avoid it.
I think given the above comment my approach would simply be that I would drink only when out or if I had guests but just be very strict about it the rest of the time. Once you've had your fun, get straight back to it.
Easier said than done but my will power isn't too bad so I can stick with that.
Ultimately how you approach it depends on what your goals are, if any. If teetotalism is a goal then I say just get on with it and stop altogether, no excuses.
Teetotalism isn't my aim so the rules are nothing on a work day unless I don't have work the following day, in practical terms Monday to Thursday.
I accept that I will drink on a weekend so I don't beat myself up for this but I am mindful of what I am having - no high strength stuff if I can avoid it.
I think given the above comment my approach would simply be that I would drink only when out or if I had guests but just be very strict about it the rest of the time. Once you've had your fun, get straight back to it.
Easier said than done but my will power isn't too bad so I can stick with that.
Ultimately how you approach it depends on what your goals are, if any. If teetotalism is a goal then I say just get on with it and stop altogether, no excuses.
Craig Beck has a good way of putting it:
If you substitute the word alcohol with Heroin
"I am only going to use Heroin when I am out with friends" or "I am only going to use Heroin at the weekends" "I am going to cut down Heroin, but will use it still occasionally" etc..- he asks how we think it will work out for those people in a years time. If we admit that we have a problem with Alcohol then we should no longer use the stuff.
Both drugs, one is legal and socially acceptable, the other is not. Heroin generally kills you faster.
If you substitute the word alcohol with Heroin
"I am only going to use Heroin when I am out with friends" or "I am only going to use Heroin at the weekends" "I am going to cut down Heroin, but will use it still occasionally" etc..- he asks how we think it will work out for those people in a years time. If we admit that we have a problem with Alcohol then we should no longer use the stuff.
Both drugs, one is legal and socially acceptable, the other is not. Heroin generally kills you faster.
I have a very odd relationship with alcohol. I'm convinced that I'm not an alcoholic as I can suddenly stop for weeks or months at a time.
The longest being about 6 months after a particularly horrendous Christmas/New year's period in my early 20's
But it definitely is an emotional crutch/ coping mechanism/ avoidance technique.
I did 99% of dry January just because I couldn't be arsed with drinking, but then followed up with a massive bender on the first weekend of February.
The worrying thing is that I wasn't even hungover and was seriously contemplating drinking again when I woke up
The longest being about 6 months after a particularly horrendous Christmas/New year's period in my early 20's
But it definitely is an emotional crutch/ coping mechanism/ avoidance technique.
I did 99% of dry January just because I couldn't be arsed with drinking, but then followed up with a massive bender on the first weekend of February.
The worrying thing is that I wasn't even hungover and was seriously contemplating drinking again when I woke up
Edited by GTI16V on Monday 3rd February 19:46
Stumbled on this thread last week, I am now 7 days with no alcohol. Joined the Army at 17 & I honestly don't think I have had a dry week since then & i'm now 49. Funny thing is I'm never drunk, the last ten years or so its just been a couple of cans with dinner & half a bottle of wine with the wife in the evening, bit more on the weekend as the first beer would have been mid afternoon. On an average week I worked it out to be around 80 units. If i'm not feeling anything from it then, WAKE UP CALL, whats the point?!
I'm fit, slim, cycle 100 miles a week so taking into account all of above you probably think i'm an over weight drunk but I race Time Trials with a cycle club & everyone thinks i'm a fitness freak but come 5pm, all I can think about is that its time for the first can of Stella. A can isn't quite a pint so i'll need another to top up the glass. Then shall we open a bottle, yea, its Monday after all..
So 7 days with no alcohol & I have noticed my resting heart beat has reduced from 48 to 42. I feel less bloated (which is good for a cyclist!) & I feel kind of happier in my self. I always woke up full of energy but cant wait to see how I feel in another week. I have no intention to have another beer & there is still 7 cans of Stella & two bottles of white in the fridge taking up room. Its hard to fight the chimp in my head that says just drink them & get them out the way but its also kind of nice knowing I could have a beer as its there, but instead I can stick two fingers up to them when ever I open the fridge door.
Hope my heart rate doesn't keep reducing as if it drops that much every week i'll be dead
. Thanks for reading, great thread & thank you all for posting 
I'm fit, slim, cycle 100 miles a week so taking into account all of above you probably think i'm an over weight drunk but I race Time Trials with a cycle club & everyone thinks i'm a fitness freak but come 5pm, all I can think about is that its time for the first can of Stella. A can isn't quite a pint so i'll need another to top up the glass. Then shall we open a bottle, yea, its Monday after all..
So 7 days with no alcohol & I have noticed my resting heart beat has reduced from 48 to 42. I feel less bloated (which is good for a cyclist!) & I feel kind of happier in my self. I always woke up full of energy but cant wait to see how I feel in another week. I have no intention to have another beer & there is still 7 cans of Stella & two bottles of white in the fridge taking up room. Its hard to fight the chimp in my head that says just drink them & get them out the way but its also kind of nice knowing I could have a beer as its there, but instead I can stick two fingers up to them when ever I open the fridge door.
Hope my heart rate doesn't keep reducing as if it drops that much every week i'll be dead
. Thanks for reading, great thread & thank you all for posting Hi everyone, great to read the last page or two and hear people's experiences.
I'm still trundling along ok. It was my father's birthday this weekend so we sat and had a Guinness during the second half of the France - Italy match.
Upon draining the last dregs and looking into the empty glass I just thought to myself 'Why did I even bother?'. Usually I'd be up to the fridge for a second one.
Had a long chat with my sister as well. When they come to stay the three of us could happily drain four or five bottles of red before getting on the port! She tells me they're both off it at the moment. Said they'd gone out for a meal had one glass each and left the rest on the table.
It's great to hear such positivity from everyone here and from my sister. I'm feeling quite a bit healthier already and my mental state is improving.
- keep at it lads 
I'm still trundling along ok. It was my father's birthday this weekend so we sat and had a Guinness during the second half of the France - Italy match.
Upon draining the last dregs and looking into the empty glass I just thought to myself 'Why did I even bother?'. Usually I'd be up to the fridge for a second one.
Had a long chat with my sister as well. When they come to stay the three of us could happily drain four or five bottles of red before getting on the port! She tells me they're both off it at the moment. Said they'd gone out for a meal had one glass each and left the rest on the table.
It's great to hear such positivity from everyone here and from my sister. I'm feeling quite a bit healthier already and my mental state is improving.
- keep at it lads splodge s4 said:
Stumbled on this thread last week, I am now 7 days with no alcohol. Joined the Army at 17 & I honestly don't think I have had a dry week since then & i'm now 49. Funny thing is I'm never drunk, the last ten years or so its just been a couple of cans with dinner & half a bottle of wine with the wife in the evening, bit more on the weekend as the first beer would have been mid afternoon. On an average week I worked it out to be around 80 units. If i'm not feeling anything from it then, WAKE UP CALL, whats the point?!
I'm fit, slim, cycle 100 miles a week so taking into account all of above you probably think i'm an over weight drunk but I race Time Trials with a cycle club & everyone thinks i'm a fitness freak but come 5pm, all I can think about is that its time for the first can of Stella. A can isn't quite a pint so i'll need another to top up the glass. Then shall we open a bottle, yea, its Monday after all..
So 7 days with no alcohol & I have noticed my resting heart beat has reduced from 48 to 42. I feel less bloated (which is good for a cyclist!) & I feel kind of happier in my self. I always woke up full of energy but cant wait to see how I feel in another week. I have no intention to have another beer & there is still 7 cans of Stella & two bottles of white in the fridge taking up room. Its hard to fight the chimp in my head that says just drink them & get them out the way but its also kind of nice knowing I could have a beer as its there, but instead I can stick two fingers up to them when ever I open the fridge door.
Hope my heart rate doesn't keep reducing as if it drops that much every week i'll be dead. Thanks for reading, great thread & thank you all for posting
Good for you, it sounds like the benefits are outweighing the cons. If you pour away the cans you are telling the chimp that it’s over, I guess.I'm fit, slim, cycle 100 miles a week so taking into account all of above you probably think i'm an over weight drunk but I race Time Trials with a cycle club & everyone thinks i'm a fitness freak but come 5pm, all I can think about is that its time for the first can of Stella. A can isn't quite a pint so i'll need another to top up the glass. Then shall we open a bottle, yea, its Monday after all..
So 7 days with no alcohol & I have noticed my resting heart beat has reduced from 48 to 42. I feel less bloated (which is good for a cyclist!) & I feel kind of happier in my self. I always woke up full of energy but cant wait to see how I feel in another week. I have no intention to have another beer & there is still 7 cans of Stella & two bottles of white in the fridge taking up room. Its hard to fight the chimp in my head that says just drink them & get them out the way but its also kind of nice knowing I could have a beer as its there, but instead I can stick two fingers up to them when ever I open the fridge door.
Hope my heart rate doesn't keep reducing as if it drops that much every week i'll be dead
. Thanks for reading, great thread & thank you all for posting I had a couple of glasses of wine on Friday and Saturday. Stopped there and didn't want any more. Yesterday was a terrible day at work which would normally trigger drinking in the evening but didn't. Got to keep an eye on it but if I can keep it at this level without sinking back I will be happy.
Regular exercise is so much easier now!
Regular exercise is so much easier now!
Carrot said:
I had a couple of glasses of wine on Friday and Saturday. Stopped there and didn't want any more. Yesterday was a terrible day at work which would normally trigger drinking in the evening but didn't. Got to keep an eye on it but if I can keep it at this level without sinking back I will be happy.
Regular exercise is so much easier now!
I can’t exercise the day after booze . My sleep is ruined and I feel too lethargic. Regular exercise is so much easier now!
Amazing the difference in energy levels when you come off alcohol.
No need for daily power naps and no more wasted days/weekends.
Morning All,
I like many on this thread have had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol over the years. I was drinking every day, beers then wine. It was simply a habit. But it became all consuming. I found myself planning my next drinking session. Sneaking out to buy more and hiding the empties from the wife.
I ended up brewing my own, that was the end. Having crates of home brew in the garage meant I didn't even have to leave the house and during the winter they were already chilled!!
I woke up one day and decided that was that. It took a few more days of mulling it over but on July the 8th 2017 I finished my last glass and went to bed.
Woke up and poured the rest of the home brew down the drain and have not looked back.
I was always active, but now I've dropped 20kg and am so much more healthy, both physically and mentally. My family are happier, I'm happier and I can genuinely say I've not missed it.
The alcohol free scene is taking off and I've found some great 0% craft beers if I feel the need to taste 'beer'.
I never labelled myself an alcoholic, but looking back I probably was to a degree.
My only regret is not doing it years ago.
I like many on this thread have had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol over the years. I was drinking every day, beers then wine. It was simply a habit. But it became all consuming. I found myself planning my next drinking session. Sneaking out to buy more and hiding the empties from the wife.
I ended up brewing my own, that was the end. Having crates of home brew in the garage meant I didn't even have to leave the house and during the winter they were already chilled!!
I woke up one day and decided that was that. It took a few more days of mulling it over but on July the 8th 2017 I finished my last glass and went to bed.
Woke up and poured the rest of the home brew down the drain and have not looked back.
I was always active, but now I've dropped 20kg and am so much more healthy, both physically and mentally. My family are happier, I'm happier and I can genuinely say I've not missed it.
The alcohol free scene is taking off and I've found some great 0% craft beers if I feel the need to taste 'beer'.
I never labelled myself an alcoholic, but looking back I probably was to a degree.
My only regret is not doing it years ago.
I used to have a can or two of beer three nights out of five, weekends started on Friday with a few G+T followed by a bottle of red. Saturday would be four or five pints, then a few more with a curry and Sunday was G+T and red wine all afternoon into early evening.
I have quit drinking beer at all. Unless I have a curry. I cannot eat curry without a beer. However, it is now just a beer with the food. I have also stopped drinking during the week until Friday night which might be one or two G+T, or nothing at all. Saturday might be three or four G+T and Sunday nothing or perhaps a single glass of wine.
I feel a lot better in myself, am sleeping better and my clothes fit a lot better. I've only been doing this for about four weeks, but the difference is noticeable. My skin is in much better condition too.
I don't want to give up completely. I enjoy an occassional drink as above. I think the key is having the self discipline to control your intake.
My ex wife was/is an alcoholic. The destruction they cause and the allowances you unwittingly make because of their drinking doesn't become fully clear until you break free. But that is another story altogether.
I have quit drinking beer at all. Unless I have a curry. I cannot eat curry without a beer. However, it is now just a beer with the food. I have also stopped drinking during the week until Friday night which might be one or two G+T, or nothing at all. Saturday might be three or four G+T and Sunday nothing or perhaps a single glass of wine.
I feel a lot better in myself, am sleeping better and my clothes fit a lot better. I've only been doing this for about four weeks, but the difference is noticeable. My skin is in much better condition too.
I don't want to give up completely. I enjoy an occassional drink as above. I think the key is having the self discipline to control your intake.
My ex wife was/is an alcoholic. The destruction they cause and the allowances you unwittingly make because of their drinking doesn't become fully clear until you break free. But that is another story altogether.
I posted earlier in the thread that I hadn’t had a drink for a few years now.
This wasn’t through actually being a drinker but a lifestyle choice.
I used to drink, I’d go out with colleagues and have a few G&T’s and mix and usually end up with a bad hangover. One night the bar staff at a well known hangout decided to spike my G&T, I was sick for 2 days.
Since then (maybe 6-7 years ago) I haven’t had any alcohol.
Having read some of the replies I want to add that 3 or 4 years ago a put a friends CV under the nose of the boss and he was actually invited for an interview.
As I work abroad, he travelled out and I put him up in my place and told him I’d be back from work around midnight and just to make himself at home.
I arrived back and was shocked to see my friend absolutely off his face and a gibberish wreck on the floor with the remnants of a litre bottle of duty free whisky on the side.
I spent the next few hours trying to understand or being given his life problems and to be fair I was shocked as I never knew this was what he was like.
I also felt embarrassed that he would be going for an interview at the place I worked & to whom I recommended him to.
Lo & behold he managed 3 or four hours sleep and he woke apologetic and sober!
To cut a long story short he didn’t get the job as there were other interviewees there who maybe did and some 2 years ago he passed away from health issues.
Yes I miss him as he was a good friend who hid his problems well but I’m glad I didn’t see him in his final days. I had arranged to go visit him on a Sunday morning as I knew he was not well but his wife called me to say he had died just an hour earlier.
This wasn’t through actually being a drinker but a lifestyle choice.
I used to drink, I’d go out with colleagues and have a few G&T’s and mix and usually end up with a bad hangover. One night the bar staff at a well known hangout decided to spike my G&T, I was sick for 2 days.
Since then (maybe 6-7 years ago) I haven’t had any alcohol.
Having read some of the replies I want to add that 3 or 4 years ago a put a friends CV under the nose of the boss and he was actually invited for an interview.
As I work abroad, he travelled out and I put him up in my place and told him I’d be back from work around midnight and just to make himself at home.
I arrived back and was shocked to see my friend absolutely off his face and a gibberish wreck on the floor with the remnants of a litre bottle of duty free whisky on the side.
I spent the next few hours trying to understand or being given his life problems and to be fair I was shocked as I never knew this was what he was like.
I also felt embarrassed that he would be going for an interview at the place I worked & to whom I recommended him to.
Lo & behold he managed 3 or four hours sleep and he woke apologetic and sober!
To cut a long story short he didn’t get the job as there were other interviewees there who maybe did and some 2 years ago he passed away from health issues.
Yes I miss him as he was a good friend who hid his problems well but I’m glad I didn’t see him in his final days. I had arranged to go visit him on a Sunday morning as I knew he was not well but his wife called me to say he had died just an hour earlier.
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