have you eer given up alcohol?

[DimpledThighs]

If so what were your reasons?
was is hard?
did you go back?

I am wondering about stopping drinking for a whole year - it is my birthday adn I am wondering about stopping for the whole time I am 33.

[Beetrootccio]

i have given up for lent aond am really enjoying it

[Pruni]

Message withdrawn

[Baysmum]

My little brother (who is a journalist and therefore bit of a drinker) is doing an experiment in non drinking for this year. He started on 1 Jan and is writing a blog about it called 'A dry year in the life of a social alcoholic' - sorry cant do links - it makes for interesting reading if you're considering it. Personally - NEVER - even tho Im pg, I still need the odd glass to keep me going! Good luck if you decide to go for it!

[FrannyandZooey]

I have given up, forever I hope

It was hard but I had support and it had such immediate benefits, for me

[Nockney]

I quit for a month when I was 19 or so I think - I'd just had a couple times in a week when I drank more than I wanted to, iyswim.

Since then, I was teetotal for all of my pregnancy with DS1 and most of my pregnancy with DS2 (would sometimes have about 1/6 of a pint of Guiness near the end), and also much of the time I've been bf.

[Nockney]

Oh, I should have said, stopping for a month wasn't really hard, I did go back, but drank much less (which was the goal).

[Aefondkiss]

I stopped drinking at home, for a month, just to see if I could, it wasn't very hard, esp since dh and I have different drinks we like, not sure I would do it for a whole year - unless I was pg/bf, which I have done.

When I was in my twenties I could never imagine not drinking, but now I can, for health and money reasons. I agree with Pruni, I really enjoy drinking socially and would like to do it more often!

I don't hink I would stop drinking forever, so if I had an extended break from drinking I would be going back to alcohol at some point.

[glitterfairy]

I have not had a drink at all for the last five weeks. It has only been ahrd when I have been stressed but I dont drink during the week normally anyway.

[DimpledThighs]

thank you for all the responses - very interesting.

F&Z what were your reasons for stopping if you don't mind me asking?

[zippitippitoes]

try it

I stopped drinking in october or november and have carried on since

how hard it is is individual

reasons to be independent of alcohol and therefore healthier and happier

[Baysmum]

Thanks Little lapin! He will be so pleased to have appeared on mumsnet! Will drink a toast to him tonight with nice glass of red - haha!

[AitchYouTwat]

DT I don't mind at all; I had alcohol problems.

[AitchYouTwat]

LOL I said that would happen! I am F&Z with a name change

[MumtoRothkoandHogarth]

I thought you were Aitch on another thread ... what inspired this change?

[monkeymonkeymoomoo]

1. Because I was recently widowed and didn't want to drown my sorrows in booze.
2. No.
3. Yes but not often, get drunk on a glass these days!

[Nikki76]

I've been off the booze for nearly three years now...converted to Islam so not allowed alcohol...found it really hard at first but now am very used to it. Still get the odd pang for getting plastered with mates and the taste of vodka... but it goes away pretty quickly...

[DimpledThighs]

wow - what an interesting lot of stories.

If you do not drink do you ever feel social pressure?

[motherinferior]

I periodically have a month off the booze. It's deeply enjoyable. In between I drink. Which is also enjoyable.

[MumtoRothkoandHogarth]

When I took a month off, I was in Canada, which has less of a boozy culture than the UK.

When I've been sober because of pregnancy or breastfeeding, yes, I've felt social pressure. I find it so strange that people feel compelled to ensure that those around them are intoxicated in the same way they are.

[Nikki76]

I agree - people used to get positively twitchy around me and DH when they found out we didn't drink - espec his workmates who love their wines! Its improved loads now tho - they are used to us ordering soft drinks when we go out - not that we do that much now DS is on the scene!!

[foxinsocks]

I stopped after I had a v nasty bout of bacterial dyssentry (for about 6 months) and stopped in one pregnancy (because it made me ill).

Have never felt social pressure (not bothered by that really ) but then again, I never found it hard to stop and in fact, found it harder to start up again after I'd stopped.

[WideWebWitch]

Baysmum, I really like your brother's blog, I've added it to my favourites.

I gave up drinking for a month last year and my tolerance was substantially lower once I drank again.

I also quite often do some or most of January without booze.

And atm I am doing a six week 10 year younger thread so attempting to not drink during the week and managing B- so not as well as I was at the beginning.

I do it
a) to lose weight
b) to prove that I can really

I usually find the first couple of days tough but then find it fine once I get used to it, not drinking becomes as much of a habit as drinking. I'm not very good at moderation though, I'm all or nothing, probably the worst way to be.