I'm sorry to bother but

[RuggerHug]

I know I shouldn't drink. I stopped for a week and one day (it's nothing but for me I was an achievement ). I went to the pub tonight because one of my best friends had a crap week and I didn’t want to tell her I couldn't help her/listen. I've had 3 glasses and want to leave before it turns into oblivion. If I leave now I think I will buy a bottle for home 'just in case I want it' but if I stay...I don't know. I'm sorry for babbling but I just feel if I tell anyone, even where no one replies, I might have gotten something out of me/talked. If anyone knows how to deal with cutting down drastically and pretending to be normal I would really appreciate it. Thank you.

[MyPath]

I hope you were ok last night RuggerHug, saw this and wanted to give you a reply! I had too much last night as well. About to sleep now sober, looking forward to tomorrow. Some good threads here, I'm getting ideas and support from them.

[JaneA1]

If you truly know yourself and you can't resist, then friend or no friend, it is absolutely necessary to avoid pubs of all kind.

[BeautyGoesToBenidorm]

Social pressure to drink - real or perceived - is a thorn in my bloody side, it really is. Alcohol is EVERYWHERE, the first thing you see on the promo shelves walking into Tesco, in adverts in the paper, at any given time on TV. If you're trying to stop or cut down, it makes it even harder, and the expectation that you need drink to excess when you're on a night out with friends is all too common.

I appreciate how hard it is to say no, at least with any conviction. A week and a half without a drink is really good going, especially if you're getting the nagging feeling that it's becoming a problem.

You might need to start arming yourself with excuses, to begin with - at least until the urge to drink starts to wane and you start feeling good about your choice. Antibiotics, driving, an early start, going on a diet are all things I've used. Buy your own drinks, even if it's just a lemonade that you can pass off as a vodka mixer, if you're feeling the pressure.

It does suck that people don't think they can be honest about cutting down, especially if your social interactions are alcohol centric, as a lot of the time it makes others uncomfortably aware of their own alcohol consumption. That is THEIR issue, so don't feel as though you have to cave and have 'just one' in order to brush it under the carpet and avoid a grilling.

I'm in recovery myself, something I'm not terribly open about in general, but I find it easy now to just say 'No thank you, I'm not drinking today, but I'll have a sparkling water please' calmly and firmly. You will get there, sooner than you think. Good on you for cutting down and reviewing the situation, before it becomes even harder to handle

[finnishbiscuiteater]

Morning!

They're are two long running threads on here, brave babes and dry.

Brave banned is for people trying to moderate their drinking, dry is for people trying to give up.

I read both on and off for a few months while I thought it all through, then plumped for dry. Today I've been sober for 100 days!!!

If you want to address your drinking, join once of these threats, and get support...