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Quitting Drinking


WorkingForTheMan

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HOLA441

That's one solution, the god awful bitters some people sell under the guise of proper beer.

I have always stuck to 'cooking lager' - but now trying some other proper stuff. Def a good move.

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HOLA442

These things are always very difficult to comment on, unless you've been there it's hard to understand. Talking about myself in the first person may seem a bit selfish but it's really the only way I can impart anything that might be useful, or not.

So possibly ignore this or just pick out anything that's interesting as it's a rambling stream of consciousness type affair.

Eveyone wants to think they are not an alcoholic because it's a really bad flaw to have, so they think of themselves as just drinking a bit too much and if they cut down or stop then everything will gradually calm down. That way they can have a pint down the pub with their friends, all very James May, all very old school simple drinking with the occasional binge.

I'd say having quit and restarted serveral times some people cannot handle it, such as myself. When I quit I start to improve, lose weight, get fit and even improve my income.

Then I start to move into long term plans and relationships everything is going fine, I'm clean clear and happy and even studying for fun and profit, so why not have a drink, it's a part of life and would make a charity event, or party or work do so much easier.

I start to get annoyed by people talking about drinking, like having a few pints down the pub after work, weddings, funerals, films, barbeques etc. It seems so unfair that I cannot join in, after all I don't drink at all, I work out, I am living a good life with responsibility, income, socialising. I just want to sit down in the pub after a hard week and have a pint.

So I have a drink and it's ok, all very novel and interesting. Then the next day I'm a drinker again, not an alcoholic of course, just someone who had one pint in the pub and went home. If a statistical survey came round I'd mark it down as 1 pint a week, with a meal.

Then it's a really hard day, the weekend is coming and after all I'm not an alcoholic, over the last 8 months I've had one pint, so what harm will 4 do, maybe if I wake up feeling really bad it'll just be a binge, just like the media says the UK adults binge drink on a Friday, but they aren't suffering. Steelworkers could down some weak beer after a hard shift, why can't I have a couple of Stellas and settle down in front of the telly.

That becomes 8 the next night and eventually it's Sunday, got to get to sleep, got to get up for work so 4 cans of larger will do, I'll go to sleep, wake up fresh and start sorting this out because I know I'm already drinking too much at the weekends.

Then it's Monday, tired slightly hungover and was unable to get to sleep until 2am, no matter, Tuesday same thing but 4am so 8 cans that night and Wednesday;

I feel right as rain, no problems no worries in work back home to a meal with my girlfriend , tomorrow is Thursday so one night without drinking, then Friday and I can do whatever I want, isn't it childish to be so controlled by work that you can't have a drink on a Friday, after a long week with not much stress but still it's the weekend so 10 pints. Then Saturday it takes 12 cans to get to a nice level of ordering pizza or grabbing a kebab if it's the pub, then

Sunday

Powerful stuff there northwest. I don't run to those top volumes but have been thinking for a while I'm getting a dependency, it's been every night for weeks. Anything from 3 to 7, not vast amounts but enough that I'm noticing detrimental physical and mental problems from not having a single day off. Six days off (tonight to Thursday) to break the cycle then will go back to the 3 or 4 nights a week that I genuinely don't see as a problem and does not (that I notice) affect me physically or mentally. I can see the danger of not breaking the pattern and continuing to drink every single night, and I choose not to go there.

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HOLA443

Well, its been a week since my original post, and I spent that time mulling over what to do..

My conclusion was..I'm not quitting drinking.

Mainly because it would be too big a blow to my social life (which mostly revolves around pubs/drinking). And, when I don't totally lose it, I really enjoy a few beers. So, I have to learn to control it..

Easier said than done you might think, and those who view alcoholism as a progressive illness might say impossible. But I don't think I'm that far gone yet.

I don't drink at home, and most evenings are spent at home. I usually have plenty of beer in the fridge left over from parties etc, but they honestly do not appeal to me during the week. I may go for a pint or 2 once or twice in the week, but with work the day after I never, ever overdo it (hangover+work=hell for me).

So I believe I am capable of moderation. I just need to learn to carry that moderation into the weekends

This weekend was the first in about 6 months I didnt get totally sh1tfaced. I had a few pints on friday after work, but purposely only took a small amount of money, and when that had gone, I had no choice but to go home. Because of this I felt generally ok yesterday, and pleased with myself for doing the right thing for once. I had literally 2 or 3 drinks at my friends house last night. Feel completely fine today. Have motivation and energy and am not at all miserable which is completely bizarre for a Sunday! Spent about 30 quid all weekend on booze (have been known to do £200 on a big weekend bender!!). And work colleagues will be amazed at my fresh faced optimism tomorrow morning!

So I'm thinking this is the way to go. Distract myself as much as possible (had an invite to the pub yesterday afternoon but made excuses and did something practical instead), and, when I do decide to go out drinking, restrict my spend/consumption/lack of willpower by only taking a small amount of cash and no bank cards.

As well as feeling far better for my choices this weekend, I have a sense of accomplishment, and my wallet is much heavier

Will it work? Will keep you all posted..

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HOLA444

Well, its been a week since my original post, and I spent that time mulling over what to do..

My conclusion was..I'm not quitting drinking.

Mainly because it would be too big a blow to my social life (which mostly revolves around pubs/drinking). And, when I don't totally lose it, I really enjoy a few beers. So, I have to learn to control it..

Easier said than done you might think, and those who view alcoholism as a progressive illness might say impossible. But I don't think I'm that far gone yet.

I don't drink at home, and most evenings are spent at home. I usually have plenty of beer in the fridge left over from parties etc, but they honestly do not appeal to me during the week. I may go for a pint or 2 once or twice in the week, but with work the day after I never, ever overdo it (hangover+work=hell for me).

So I believe I am capable of moderation. I just need to learn to carry that moderation into the weekends

This weekend was the first in about 6 months I didnt get totally sh1tfaced. I had a few pints on friday after work, but purposely only took a small amount of money, and when that had gone, I had no choice but to go home. Because of this I felt generally ok yesterday, and pleased with myself for doing the right thing for once. I had literally 2 or 3 drinks at my friends house last night. Feel completely fine today. Have motivation and energy and am not at all miserable which is completely bizarre for a Sunday! Spent about 30 quid all weekend on booze (have been known to do £200 on a big weekend bender!!). And work colleagues will be amazed at my fresh faced optimism tomorrow morning!

So I'm thinking this is the way to go. Distract myself as much as possible (had an invite to the pub yesterday afternoon but made excuses and did something practical instead), and, when I do decide to go out drinking, restrict my spend/consumption/lack of willpower by only taking a small amount of cash and no bank cards.

As well as feeling far better for my choices this weekend, I have a sense of accomplishment, and my wallet is much heavier

Will it work? Will keep you all posted..

One more trick that worked for me was moving down in the strength scale. I enjoy a 3-4% bitter as much as a 5.5% lager, and you're drinking a lot less alcohol. Not to everyones taste I know - but it worked for me.

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HOLA445

I no longer drink much - at most two evenings a week, sometimes nothing - but it's down more to moving south and no longer having the disposible money to squander down the pub. I feel also that I don't have the stamina toput in a decent day's work if I've been drinking the previous night.

One thing that I do miss is the social network and banter. At one time if I needed (for example) to buy a second hand car, or a decent electrician, i'd know to ask in my local and someone would have the right connection. I suppose the internet alleviates this, but you are still putting trust in strangers.

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HOLA446

Have had German mulled wine, gluhwein before at one of their Christmas markets and it was very nice, so tried doing it at home that to was also good....last week they were selling hot mulled cider so I thought I would give it a go, it was very nice......this is the apple season and to save good apples going to waste, someone local with an apple pulper and press is letting anyone who has apples they don't know what to do with make their apples into pure apple juice, I am sure hot mulled apple juice will taste just as good without the alcohol. ;)

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HOLA447

Well, its been a week since my original post, and I spent that time mulling over what to do..

My conclusion was..I'm not quitting drinking.

Mainly because it would be too big a blow to my social life (which mostly revolves around pubs/drinking). And, when I don't totally lose it, I really enjoy a few beers. So, I have to learn to control it..

Easier said than done you might think, and those who view alcoholism as a progressive illness might say impossible. But I don't think I'm that far gone yet.

I don't drink at home, and most evenings are spent at home. I usually have plenty of beer in the fridge left over from parties etc, but they honestly do not appeal to me during the week. I may go for a pint or 2 once or twice in the week, but with work the day after I never, ever overdo it (hangover+work=hell for me).

So I believe I am capable of moderation. I just need to learn to carry that moderation into the weekends

This weekend was the first in about 6 months I didnt get totally sh1tfaced. I had a few pints on friday after work, but purposely only took a small amount of money, and when that had gone, I had no choice but to go home. Because of this I felt generally ok yesterday, and pleased with myself for doing the right thing for once. I had literally 2 or 3 drinks at my friends house last night. Feel completely fine today. Have motivation and energy and am not at all miserable which is completely bizarre for a Sunday! Spent about 30 quid all weekend on booze (have been known to do £200 on a big weekend bender!!). And work colleagues will be amazed at my fresh faced optimism tomorrow morning!

So I'm thinking this is the way to go. Distract myself as much as possible (had an invite to the pub yesterday afternoon but made excuses and did something practical instead), and, when I do decide to go out drinking, restrict my spend/consumption/lack of willpower by only taking a small amount of cash and no bank cards.

As well as feeling far better for my choices this weekend, I have a sense of accomplishment, and my wallet is much heavier

Will it work? Will keep you all posted..

This sounds like me through most of my twenties, when most socialising involved alcohol. What I found was, getting into my 30s, with friends (and myself) getting married, having kids, that type of social life simply ended up fizzling out, replaced with other activities. At the same time I simply couldn't be bothered anymore with the hangover every week and the days needed for recovery - I had things I wanted to do.

Having said that, I do enjoy the odd blow out when the opportunity arises and I hugely enjoy wines/ales in moderation. I don't think I have an addictive personality, though and I can see how p*ssed in the pub every week in one's 20s could be continued with p*ssed at home every week when 30+.

My personal opinion is that it has much to do with stress and the consumerist lifestyle we lead, the increase in escapism. I lost interest in this type of lifestyle through my 20s and my priorities changed, so maybe this has had an effect as well. In many cases I think that escapism through drugs is a symptom of something else, not just personal issues which are often blamed, but the malign influence of our wider society and lifestyle.

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HOLA448

Seven days so far without the dreaded drink CCC. ;)

Up to seven miles tomorrow morning with 7 more training runs left.

Nice work. I class beer as part of my training diet. :D

So you giving yourself a good few days rest before the big day ?

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HOLA449

One more trick that worked for me was moving down in the strength scale. I enjoy a 3-4% bitter as much as a 5.5% lager, and you're drinking a lot less alcohol. Not to everyones taste I know - but it worked for me.

I have also recently "shifted down a gear" from strong lagers (which I love) to bitters. I loved a crisp cold lager with a bit of bite but I was finding it harder and harder to cope with the morning after even after only three or four. With lager sniffing around the £4/pint mark round here I thought I'd try bitter again for the first time in almost 20 years.

Have to say it's a good move. It's cheaper, not as strong, and I drink slower as I appreciate the flavour more. I also find that three or four are plenty; with my lager head on I could drink to the cows come home.

Fullers do a beer called "honey dew" whose advertising seemed pitched at tempting the lager heads over to the dark side, and I've moved on from that to other brews. Really enjoying the flavours and variety so far.

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HOLA4410

Never pass judgement on a persons drinking,we all have different drinking patterns and different reactions to it.

But many years ago someone told me that the best way an individual can tell if they have a problem is if their drinking is costing them more than the money they pay for the booze. This could be problems in their homelife relationships,work related or financial. If it does you need to look at your drinking and if you are willing to cope with those extra costs.

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HOLA4411
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HOLA4412
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HOLA4413

Read through this thread, interesting stories

I always felt that drink and drugs are the same thing. It's self-medication, designed to make you forget reality.

I'm amazed when I see guys drinking eight pints of beer in one night. i could no more drink eight pints of beer than I could drink eight pints of coca-cola or eight pints of vimto.

Definetly some deeper psychological stuff going on there.

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HOLA4414

I always felt that drink and drugs are the same thing. It's self-medication, designed to make you forget reality.

So the millions that swig a cup of coffee before heading off to work are doing so to forget reality? Peoples moods can change each day yet there is no change in their circumstance. By taking an appropriate drug, they can maintain the consistent state you believe to be the default. I cannot accept this nobility of suffering argument. If I have a headache, I take an aspirin. If I am depressed, I may take a drink to perk up my mood, once again a cure. None of this has to do with forgetting reality. By doing this I can offer superior performance to what would otherwise be the default.

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HOLA4415

To the OP, if you feel you have a problem, talk to a real person (a doctor) and please avoid taking seriously anything written on a forum (I include my own post in this statement).

From personal experience, I love my wine and some ales/bitters.

I occasionally drink a lot, mostly don't drink at all in the house (although I do have a respectable red wine collection) and if I fancy a tipple it's for the taste and the enjoyment and not the craving for getting wasted. Which sometimes happens, but I've yet to experience an hangover from too much Torre Muga.

What next, veganism, no sex, no tv and no cars since they kill baby seals?

Perspective, please.

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HOLA4416

I am off it now 30 days, and hope to never drink again. Been thinking about quitting it for a long time, just felt its just not me getting drunk anymore. Its a millstone around your neck, the thought of having go out get shitfaced, and wake up with a hangover - even "drinking in moderation" completely pointless - whats the point if your just having one or two glasses of wine you'd be better off not drinking at all.

-never been a heavy drinker, perhaps binge drinking one or twice a month on average,and having a few wines or beers at the weekend. I just don't like the anxiety, poor memory and concentration, and generally not being with it the day after anymore.

Alcohol turns people into unthinking Sheeple, they don't have passion or any real high in their life, or real goals- so drink at the weekend is the release valve to escape the reality of there 2 bedroom slave box, wage slavery, and drab relationships

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HOLA4417

I haven't stopped, but i've radically cut down over the past six weeks from drinking almost daily to less than once a week. It had become so much of a habit, and I was shocked when I totted up how much I was putting away. Walking a friend's dog would inevitably mean popping into a pub for a "quick one" (often two or three) before heading home. Meal out? That would be a couple of pints before, and the best part of a bottle of wine with the meal and a brandy afterwards. Getting the train to see my parents? That's a couple of pints at the 3 Guineas when I changed trains at Reading.

Although I was very rarely drunk (although I did go on the lash every month or so with a few friends), and I never drank at home, alcohol did seem to have wormed its way into my daily routine, and I was almost drinking without thinking about it; whenever I had half an hour to kill, it would be time for a pint.

Not having a car doesn't help - I never "need" to be in a fit state to drive. Nether does shift work - I am often around and free at "odd" times.

The big surprise is that no one looks at you like you've got two heads when you ask for a bottle of fizzy water at a pub or restaurant. And when you're drinking it, it could be a g&t for all anyone can tell.

The second surprise is how little I miss it. OK I haven't given up totally but it is a huge reduction overnight. I am sleeping a lot better, and feel more "content". I've also lost weight but this will also be due to other changes in my diet and exercise. And when I do have a drink (a small glass of wine in a restaurant, not most of a bottle), one pint of bitter rather than four before picking up a takeaway I find myself enjoying the drink's flavour more. I may in time stop completely but I see little point if I am able to maintain my current minimal level of consumption.

In a way I wsh I'd done this a while ago, but I didn't see myself as having a problem previously and didn't "want" to reduce my intake. now I have to decide what to do with this clear head and bulging wallet that I seem to be acquiring...

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HOLA4418
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HOLA4419

Not quit, I can still imagine a good binge drinking night but I have cut down a lot. I cut down because I've got things to do and read and a hangover can trash a whole weekend. Money too. I think some people do it as they really don't have anything better to do.

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HOLA4420

I haven't stopped, but i've radically cut down over the past six weeks from drinking almost daily to less than once a week. It had become so much of a habit, and I was shocked when I totted up how much I was putting away. Walking a friend's dog would inevitably mean popping into a pub for a "quick one" (often two or three) before heading home. Meal out? That would be a couple of pints before, and the best part of a bottle of wine with the meal and a brandy afterwards. Getting the train to see my parents? That's a couple of pints at the 3 Guineas when I changed trains at Reading.

Although I was very rarely drunk (although I did go on the lash every month or so with a few friends), and I never drank at home, alcohol did seem to have wormed its way into my daily routine, and I was almost drinking without thinking about it; whenever I had half an hour to kill, it would be time for a pint.

Not having a car doesn't help - I never "need" to be in a fit state to drive. Nether does shift work - I am often around and free at "odd" times.

The big surprise is that no one looks at you like you've got two heads when you ask for a bottle of fizzy water at a pub or restaurant. And when you're drinking it, it could be a g&t for all anyone can tell.

The second surprise is how little I miss it. OK I haven't given up totally but it is a huge reduction overnight. I am sleeping a lot better, and feel more "content". I've also lost weight but this will also be due to other changes in my diet and exercise. And when I do have a drink (a small glass of wine in a restaurant, not most of a bottle), one pint of bitter rather than four before picking up a takeaway I find myself enjoying the drink's flavour more. I may in time stop completely but I see little point if I am able to maintain my current minimal level of consumption.

In a way I wsh I'd done this a while ago, but I didn't see myself as having a problem previously and didn't "want" to reduce my intake. now I have to decide what to do with this clear head and bulging wallet that I seem to be acquiring...

See cutting down does not work for me- drinking one glass of wine, or one beer seems pointless - you'd be better off not drinking. Two or 3 drinks, is the happy medium - but hard to keep to, plus two or 3 drinks 3 or 4 nights of week, it all adds up adding strain to liver, plus all the other health effects - I think drinking in moderation is perhaps a few glasses wine a week - not 3 glasses 4 times a week - its probably just as bad as binge drinking.

- plus it leads to the chance of drinking a lot - I'd rather not touch it all even over holidays or xmas, special occasions. What do you think of a social cocaine user, or social cannabis user - who only does it in special occasions or moderately - They still use drugs.

Whilst many people are very health orientated, fit and healthy eating, and we live in times where people get morally superior about being healthy - Smokers, fatties are the ones looked down on but curiously Alcohol is still seen as OK, drinking in moderation - the image of having two red glasses of wine with meal - like because the Alcohol is in wine its healthy, or if its with a meal that makes it healthy.

Alcohol is going to the way of smoking, marginalized and looked down on if your a drinker. I can see in 20 yrs time, it just no longer be socially acceptable to go out and get hammered a few times a week, just like smoking in pubs - what was common now looks odd.

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HOLA4421

Alcohol is going to the way of smoking, marginalized and looked down on if your a drinker. I can see in 20 yrs time, it just no longer be socially acceptable to go out and get hammered a few times a week, just like smoking in pubs - what was common now looks odd.

I think you're own your own there. Going out and getting hammered is something that you used to do mostly in your late teens / early twenties. Starting from the 90s this has gone up to people aged into their 30s and 40s regularly going out and getting hammered of a weekend.

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HOLA4422

Me? I've no desire to quit. But then, I've never drunk so as to suffer hangovers. At home limit, one pint of beer or cider, or one glass of wine. Eating out socially, two pints, or my share of the wine - typically half a bottle.

Caffeine is a different story. Used to drink that to definite excess, probably still do, and once or twice I've given it up just to prove to myself I can. Withdrawal symptoms mean feeling grotty for the first 24 hours, after which things improve. But as a little trick of nature, any time I have a middling-to-bad cold the body tells me to give up, and the feeling grotty merges into the symptoms of the lurgy.

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HOLA4423

I think you're own your own there. Going out and getting hammered is something that you used to do mostly in your late teens / early twenties.

What generation was that?

I don't think most people could afford to go boozing at that age (we certainly couldn't - overdosed on caffeine instead). Unless you're the Bertie Wooster class.

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HOLA4424

What generation was that?

I don't think most people could afford to go boozing at that age (we certainly couldn't - overdosed on caffeine instead). Unless you're the Bertie Wooster class.

My generation. We are talking about a bottle of cider and then subsidised college bars not 8 pints in a pub, couldn't have afforded that.

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HOLA4425

I think you're own your own there. Going out and getting hammered is something that you used to do mostly in your late teens / early twenties. Starting from the 90s this has gone up to people aged into their 30s and 40s regularly going out and getting hammered of a weekend.

I'd add drinking in moderation as well - how long before were told that no level of drinking is safe and that this idea of drinking two drinks whilst is much better than binge drinking, is doing us harm.

Well there is getting hammered which is sort of looked down on - but there is also people who drink a bottle of wine, or 6 beers, or more a few times a week at home - whilst there not out there causing trouble and getting totally wasted - they see themselves as moderate drinkers who may be consuming as much as someone getting hammered on a saturday night except there doing it over a few nights.

People drink to get enjoy the effects of alcohol, your can call it social drinking, drinking in moderation or a drink with food, or enjoying the taste of beer or wine - but its generally about changing your mental state with alcohol - if your just using a drug slightly - then whats the point you'd be better off not drinking at all - and not suffering any effects.

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