Sobriety

[lazybones77]

I'm a big drinker. A bottle of wine a night for years. I'm sure this will have been asked before but is there ever a time when I will be able to be a sociable drinker and not have to cut it out completely? I enjoy drinking and can stop when I have to. I will have to next year (work related) and I will. I've done it before and I will do it again but I don't want to cut it out completely. Is this possible? My longest has been 6 weeks with no weekly wine. Only a Friday/Saturday night and it worked out pretty well. Can I maintain that? I don't know but I know I can stop when I have to. I'm a smoker as well and I know that when I try to give up smoking I do nothing but think of cigarettes. I can't handle the fact that stopping drinking might make me feel the same way about wine. I'm now realising I sound pathetic but I just want to be able to drink sometimes and not cut it out. Any advice would be great.

[MotiSen]

I'm not a big drinker so I can't answer 100% - but if drinking adversely affects your health, relationships, job, and if you can't limit yourself when you do drink, then, sorry - the alcoholic I do know can't drink sociably. Had to quit completely. It's a shame. But, if the benefits of not drinking outweigh a few holiday drinks ...

So, the reason I responded is actually about the smoking. I definitely could not quit or cut down or anything - even when it was obviously adversely affecting my health, what with the smokers hack. Honest, towards the end there, I had to inhale very carefully so I wouldn't have a coughing fit. And, I still couldn't quit. I switched to vaping. No more cough. You might try it - at least to avoid the tar and carbon monoxide.

Best wishes to you.

[lazybones77]

Thanks for responding. I'm not convinced my drinking is effecting anything else. I have my bad days but my circumstances are a bit weird at the moment. Won't go into things too much for fear of outing myself. It's not a bad thing and my whole life will definitely get better in a few months. More stable etc. You'll have to take my word for it! I'm quite certain I'll be able to do the sociable drinking thing but just wanted to hear other experiences.

I have friends who vape. I'm your typical smoker who'll make any excuse not to do it though and can't see it as healthier because there is no long term testing or research on vaping yet. It might well be just as harmful. My friends who use vaporisers seem to be sucking on it every minute of the day as well. That doesn't appeal to me. A quick cig outside every hour or so helps me deal with it and hide away iykwim. I'll deal with the smoking once the alcohol calm a down!

Again, thanks for taking the time to reply.

[lazybones77]

My grammar in that last post is horrific! I'll try harder next time.

[CatMilkMan]

I drank heavily for a few years, i just stopped completely and didn't drink a drop for about a year now I only drink socially and not in every social event.
I probably get drunk once a week but not every week I know I could easily go back to drinking much more and I keep it in the back of my mind.
Having a regiment and only drinking under certain circumstances helps me a lot.
That being said the reason I stopped drinking was because I found out someone close to me had a drinking problem and they cant drink at all, once they start they can't stop.

[MotiSen]

No problem. Good luck - you are right about the vaping every minute of the day. : ) Guilty as charged.