Daily drinking - within limits?

[lilfoxfur]

I have realised lately that I tend to drink practically every day. There's maybe a few days of the month where I don't.

However, it's minimal. One or 2 glasses at most, usually wine or gin.

I worked out I drink around 14 units a week which is within guidelines.

So is this an issue? Is anyone else this way?

[ForTheLoveOfCatFood]

Trying to cut down as our drinking has crept up during lockdown
I’ve cut out drinking during the week then one or two glasses at the weekend

[LittleOverwhelmed]

Hi

How are you? All you ok? Why so you drink each day? Social? Habit? Stress? Down?

It might be worth looking at exactly how much you are drinking? Speaking from personal experience, it is easy to underestimate exactly what a unit of alcohol is, especially when pouring your own. If I pour a gin, it is probably most often a double (a decent glass of wine is also generally ore units that you would expect...),

I thinnnit is really importing to give your body / liver a break and have a few alcohol free days. Also alcohol (even small amounts) can make us feel sluggish and lethargic... so you never get to feel your “best” (and May drink more because of feeling crap).

So worth looking at why you drink and exactly how much you drink and taking a break (and seeing how different you feel and if that is better).

[lilfoxfur]

Mainly it's stress. I have a lot of stress in my life. I have an evil exh who seems to think his sole purpose in life is to make mine as miserable as possible. I also have a sister with a gambling addiction, a dad with liver and heart failure and a 12yo dsd who no longer has anything to do with us, for over a year, and has never given a reason, not to mention Covid stuff.I feel like a failure in most areas of life and drink puts me in a better mood.

I am not going to drink tonight I've decided. Thanks for taking the time to post to me 🙂

[BarbaraofSeville]

Are you sure its only 14 units? Most drinks have more than one unit per glass - you'd have to have a very small glass of wine or single G&T for it to be only one unit.

When I noticed how fast my bottle of gin was going down (after a week there was about a third of it left) I measured the volume of my normal measure, only to find it was 90 ml, so around 3-4 units depending on strength, which was a bit of a wake up call.

[BarbaraofSeville]

They do recommend that you have 2 consecutive alcohol free days per week.

Perhaps try to only drink on Fridays and Saturdays and if you have the odd slip up on Thursday (it's nearly the weekend) or Sundays (it's still the weekend) then you're still alcohol free Monday to Wednesday.

[vanillandhoney]

One drink doesn't equal one unit. If you're drinking a couple of glasses a day I suspect you're drinking a lot more than you think.

How would you feel about cutting down and having a few nights off? Drinking every day won't be good for you.

[ZombieAttack]

Are you relying on it and can you go without it. You’re also probably drinking more than you think.

[LittleOverwhelmed]

@lilfoxfur, I definitely understand. No where near to the same extent, but I had been doing a really stressful job since March and definitely found myself drinking more: it did help to relax and felt like I “needed” a drink. Covid makes everything worse: stress seems worse and less other outlets for it, especially in winter (staying in, watching TV with a drink is recreation...). I am taking a break from that job and the “need” and even desire for alcohol reduced quite a lot...

I will also say it becomes a comfortable “habit”: feels nice, feels relaxing, feels like a reward for a tough day. Takes effort to break some times.

Well done for not having a drink. Hope that you feel better for it: I always do. I definitely feel grogier and more “urgh” in the mornings after even one drink the previous night (which is why it is better on just non-school nights). That feeling can just fuel a crap time..

Do you exercise? Anything to get moving and clear the head? It is definitely the best stress relief. Harder at the moment because of less options and the crap weather. But even a walk during the breaks in the weather helps...

Hang in there: you are having a crap time and - as you say - there is Covid (and miserable winter) on top. The most important thing is to look after yourself

[LST]

I drink 2 big glasses most nights and a lot more than that on a Friday or a Saturday. Mine is more of a habit. If its not there to drink I don't care, I won't go out and get any.

[JoJoSM2]

I wouldn’t drink because of stress. Think of some healthier coping strategies like a nice bath, some yoga, watching a bit of comedy or having a chat with a friend.

To second what a PP poster said, are you sure you only get 2 units a night? A bottle of wine + 1 double measure of gin = 14 units. Are you sure that’s all you’d have in a week?

[ByGrabtharsHammerWhatASavings]

I used to drink the same OP, 1 or occasionally 2 small glasses of wine a day. Always with dinner in the evening, never binge drank or got drunk or anything like that. I never even thought about it until I joined a new doctors surgery and had to fill out a form about smoking and drinking. Based on my 1 or 2 a night answer, the nurse classed me as a moderate to heavy drinker. This was about 8 years ago now so it may have changed, but I was really shocked. I just have a glass or 2 at the weekend now, try and keep it to a bottle a month. Saves you quite a lot of money as well!