First weekend in years without a drink

[Rudechoob]

First weekend without a drink, I'm going to miss my Friday get home glass of vino.

My DP says its over if I keep binge drinking or drinking more than a bottle of wine at the weekend as he doesn't want a girlfriend /wife with liver failure.

I want to stop doing it and I'm going to try my hardest. I think its just mainly due to habit. I'm looking forward to waking up fresh tomorrow though.....

Aghhhhh but I'm going to miss it! This is what my head is like...pro's n con's constantly! Xx

[FlopIsMyChristmasGuru]

Good luck and hopefully you'll find it was mostly ritual/habit.
Is there some other way that you can mark the start of the weekend?

[Bunbaker]

"My DP says its over if I keep binge drinking or drinking more than a bottle of wine at the weekend as he doesn't want a girlfriend /wife with liver failure."

Harsh as that sounds this might be the wake up call that you need. Sadly SIL didn't do this with her husband and he now has liver failure (and dementia) due to excess alcohol.

Can you manage to go to the supermarket and not buy wine? Just walk past the wine aisle. If you go out can you be the designated driver so you can't drink?

[Rudechoob]

I can easily walk past the wine aisle no problem. Its just my stress relief to drink. Eg I had a chap ring me up last night saying he is going to sue my business (which I have now found out he cant) and we were arguing for a while and soon as I put the phone down I could kill for a glass of wine.

I just want to get past the first hurdle of this weekend.

[waitingforgodot]

I'm on dry January too-weekends are harder but I think its about changing the mindset of rewarding myself with wine. Hope you get on ok this weekend

[expatinscotland]

How much were you drinking? A half bottle Friday and a half bottle on Saturday? I know on MN that means you are addicted, but it's not extreme.

[waitingforgodot]

Agree expat-there's drinking levels and there's MN drinking levels!

[Oldwestaction]

Good luck. Come and join us on the penguins thread ifyou want? There's loads of us doing dry January, for lots of different reasons. The support is fantastic!

[BikeRunSki]

One day, one weekend, one week at a time.... My mum's been doing it for 38 years. You can do it too. One day at a time.

Dad gave her a similar ultimatum when I was a small child, One of her 4 DC. She still says it was the wake up call she needed.

[waitingforgodot]

Oldwestaction-can you link the Penguin's thread? Many thanks!

[Rudechoob]

Yes please link it! Xx

Erm I'd say 3 bottles of red Fri-Sun xx

[Oldwestaction]

Here you go guys!
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2538318-Penguins-Is-there-a-Dry-January-2016-thread-yet

[FurryDogMother]

I have a tendency to drink too much - can easily polish off a bottle of wine over the course of an evening, but I've given up for a while (want to lose weight and give the liver a break). Something I find helpful is to replace my usual drink with a 'posh' fizzy water, like San Pellegrino, with plenty of ice. Still seems somehow special, and gives me something to sip.

[Roseformeplease]

Not sure if it helps or not, but my Mum is dying from the long term effects of alcohol. She smokes too, so not just that. Giving it up is bloody hard but I wish she had listened, as you are, years ago.

Good luck OP. You are making the right choice for you and those that love you.

[expatinscotland]

Oh, okay, that is a lot . I was thinking it was a half bottle one night and a half the next.

[waitingforgodot]

Thanks Old!

[Rudechoob]

Will its a bottle fri. Bottle sat night and bottle while cooking/eating a riadton Sunday so yeah 3.. So far ok now I supposr, early nights help me get through!

To be fair my anxiety makes me crave the chill and relax

[Wolfiefan]

You need to find a different way to relax. What else could you do?

[Rudechoob]

Exercise used to help - but my addictive personality gets me hooked on that.....and I get obsessed...and I mean obsessed!

Reading a good novel, watching a comedy or comedian, hot bath with candles....xx

[AgentCooper]

Good on you, OP. You mention anxiety - I have generalised anxiety disorder (it's shite) and used to drink to relax. Now I see very clearly how much it made things worse - the artificial 'high' of being drunk or even just tipsy followed by the massive, crushing low the next day.

I can happily say I never plan on drinking to get drunk ever again. I will still have a glass of something nice if I'm going out for a special meal but, tbh, I'm not fussed. I'm quite happy with an icy sparkling water. Controlling your drinking is tough in the UK because drinking to get a bit out of it is positively encouraged. Not on the High Street with it's myriad 'Mummy Needs Prosecco' prints and tote bags. SIL has 'wine o'clock' and 'give Mummy gin' signs up around the kitchen. We're led to believe you can't bond with people or have fun without it. It's all bullshit. Life is better without feeling you need drink.

[Rudechoob]

Well l I've got to my 2nd weekend! And i dont intend to drink this one either! Wow I feel so much better xxxx

[Wolfiefan]

Well done you! You have done so well!
Do you think CBT or similar could help with the addictive personality?

[Rudechoob]

Thank you! Yes definitely, its learning to cope with not becoming obsessed with anything....like detoxing now..I can feel the exercise bug kicking but no where near as bad as it used to be. I just need to grasp control xx