High functioning alcoholic - anyone want start reducing/stopping together?

[goodmorningallx]

I've name changed today sorry .
Well here goes- Im 47 and somehow ended up drinking a bottle of wine most nights .
Am noticing that Im not concentrating as well at work and def not being the best parent / friend or girlfriend i could be .

I got divorced last year after a long and unhappy marriage.
Have sorted out everything myself over 4 years.... the children , the divorce, the finances and lastly the house .
Ive even met a lovely man which i never expected.
So its everything Ive wanted for years and years.
So why am i drinking so much now ?
Its a habit i hope not an an addiction .
The only time i dont drink is when i cant. Ive noticed that when i cant Im moody but no physical symtoms .
I think Im just scared of taking the plunge of that first alcohol free night ?
The first thing i do is pour a drink after work.

Anyone want to not drink this evening with me for the first time in too long ?

[Myse1f]

After a particularly over indulgent weekend I'm having some time off.
Definitely nothing to driink Mon-Thurs and no more than a bottle of wine between 2 on one day at the weekend.
Happy to join you abstaining this evening.

[Trooperslane2]

Should really NC but fuck it.

You're slightly older than me not much as of next week and I'm in the same boat.

Anxiety sufferer too so clearly the wine is a great idea not

I'm doing some work with a counsellor and would love to join you.

whether I can or not is a different matter

Will PM you later

[Trooperslane2]

I don't know if I'm an alcoholic - but I've definitely been using it as a crutch for waaaaayyyyyyyyyy too long.

[Alabasterangel6]

There is a thread ongoing for a few of us who are trying to cut down. It’s very supportive. The amount you are drinking is around the same for lots of us on there...you’d be welcome to join.

Most of us are habitual drinkers who are trying to be damp rather than dry. No judgements.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/alcohol_support/3132994-Not-dry-january-But-less-booze-in-general-Anyone-else

[Selfsestructactive]

I'm on that slippery slope and I ideally want to give up. Difficult when dh is an alcoholic imo - drinking every day, to excess. Some says I might have just one or 2 but it's not me, not who I ever was so I'm considering just stopping completely....if I can 😕

[Jamboree05]

What a lush thread.

I'm also an anxiety sufferer and have noticed that my alcohol consumption is really unhealthy. I'm in week 2 of cutting down but would love some support/to support others along the way.

Well done OP and all PPs for making the first step. It's hard work but we can do this :)

[Punta]

Hi I’m also trying to go dry again. I have done it before and I have always felt much better when completely dry, I just have this self sabotage switch where I drink heavily for months. I really want to to stop again this time.

[Whatevs80]

OP I could’ve written your original post.

I’m in almost exactly the same boat and rather frustrated with myself.

Will post properly later on but I’m with hog on this one and will take all the support I can get - starting by owning up on here!

[Whatevs80]

*with you, not hog !

[A4710Rider]

Signing in.

[A4710Rider]

If I make two alcohol free days a week I'm really pleased. Which is utterly pathetic. I think I'm addicted.

[Jamboree05]

How did you get on last night OP?

[Jamboree05]

Totally not pathetic at all @rider. Are you gonna have a go this week?

[Myse1f]

I've had 2 nights off. I struggled to get to sleep last night and then struggled to wake this morning.Usually after wine it's the other way round: I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow but then am awake on and off from 4am. I'd put it down to being peri-menopausal...maybe not!
I'm feeling quite positive and productive workwise. All good so far.

[Myse1f]

How is everyone else doing so far? One day at a time...

[Thiswayorthatway]

If you think you drink too much then you probably do.

[HerBigChance]

I was on that original damp January thread and have cut down my drinking by more than half (and some weeks, by two-thirds).

Mentally I feel so much better, fresher and sharper. Definitely less anxiety. The better mental feeling has really spurred me on to keep my drinking down at this level. The mix of focussed yet calm is great. Wishing you all good luck on the thread.

[A4710Rider]

So this week so far I've had 3 cans of IPA on Monday, medium glass of red on Tuesday and nothing last night.

....which makes me feel like I've earned a bottle of wine tonight.........

[NotN0wBernard]

Can I join please? For several weeks I've been chastising myself about my daily drinking. Last night I drank a bottle of wine and my tolerance must be so high these days that I don't even feel it this morning. I'm high functioning and it isn't impacting too negatively on me, but I know my unit intake is horrific and that can't be good for my long term health. My issue is that I just love the taste of wine. I'm not someone who relaxes easily and I'm a career insomniac so find it so hard to sleep when I don't have alcohol in my system (I know this is the opposite for others). I'm sure my skin and bank balance would be better for cutting down drastically, but I just can't seem to keep my daily pledge of not drinking so I've joined here for some accountability. My husband just laughs at me when I say I'm not drinking as he knows how weak willed I am! I'm good at self control at nearly everything else in life, I just need to find some strength to do it with alcohol. One day at a time I guess. Tonight I will DEFINITELY not drink....

[A4710Rider]

Yup, bottle of wine last night with a lamb dinner, it was delicious.

Probably have another tonight.............

[Myse1f]

After posting that I felt better already after 2 nights off I spoiled it be sharing a bottle of wine over dinner on Wednesday. Didn't feel woolly or anything on Thursday but hardly in the spirit of where I want to be. I was out late at community things yesterday (no alcohol at all) and fell asleep at 10.30. Woke at 6.37 this morning after pressing the snooze button at 6.30...very very unlike me. Tonight I've asked DH to get a bottle of red as I need it for the sauce I'm planning so will probably share the remainder with him. If I have any tonight my plan is not to have any for the rest of the weekend...we'll see!

[NotN0wBernard]

No alcohol yesterday. Wish I could say I felt better but slept badly as my baby is teething and has a cold. Will be v hard to resist later as we're having friends round for a BBQ. How is everyone else doing?

[HerBigChance]

Carolyn Cowan on YouTube is very good: it's a series of 21 videos (about five minutes each) called How to Effortlessly Drink Less Wine.

It's not preachy, but gets you to think about making a kind of 'contract' with yourself about drinking and its place/role in your life. She's not telling people to stop completely either (unless they want to).

[TheHeathenOfSuburbia]

The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober is a great book, it really changed my point of view from 'But I want wine!! ' to feeling positive about life without it. It's my 2 month soberversary today as it happens...

Lots of good blogs out there too including //www.tiredofthinkingaboutdrinking.com. (Not today, wolfie, not today )

[Trooperslane2]

How's everyone doing?

I'm weaning off my AD and anxiety is TTR... so I'm failing miserably!