AMA.. I gave up 1-1.5 bottle of wine habit per night

[goonrhere]

Not hugely exciting but didn't think it was possible without support or intervention.

It is!

Hope it might help someone in the same boat.

Do you drink at all now?

It's only been 7 weeks but yes I do have drinks on one night per week over an evening/ night rather than two hours and passing out.

When did you realise you had an issue? For how long did you drink that much and how did it affect your health? What made you stop and how did you stop?

I don’t drink as much, but I could easily fall into that as I’m a ‘drinker’ by nature.

No questions, just wanted to say well done! It is a difficult thing to do but it’s such a positive change.

Funnily enough, I came out of a horrible relationship after a horrible marriage and realised once the latter was gone, I didn't want it. A chest infection helped.

I was self medicating I guess... avoiding the fact that he just wasn't a nice man.

The drinking ramped you through covid restrictions as my marriage had just ended.
I was in turmoil and so were my kids.
Again, self medicating.

Realised I had an issue after I got rid of bf and wanted to drive to local bottle shop for another bottle, after a bottle of wine.

I've always liked a drink so I'm going to say for about six years, my drinking ramped up as I was deeply lonely and unhappy and the wine was my way of getting a temporary high and then passing out.

I also sent many message to people I would never dream of
Messaging and found myself checking Phone first thing in the morning to see who I had text and what I had said. Never nasty
Or anything , just embarrassing. Defences went completely down.

My health is fine. I never really
Looked hungover and never got hangovers .

I got a chest infection before Christmas, couldn't drink so just stopped altogther except for a Friday or Saturday night since .

@35965a Thank you!

Following with interest

Great work op! Did you read much quit lit before you gave up, and what’s been the hardest part of it so far?

I haven't read any quit lit and the hardest part is sitting at the same time every evening in the same seat in front of the same fire without the same glass in my hand .
Breaking the habit... but the success so far is sitting with the feelings, with a mug of tea and chocolate in my hand and
Going to bed early.

I'm also doing work on myself from past trauma so I do a little reading which I view as a form of self care and forgiving myself for abusing my body with booze and cigarettes for so long and trying to learn to love my body and mind instead of treating it like shit as a form of punishment .
Dunno if it works but it certainly distracts !
I gave up cigarettes in summer.

Did you go through any withdrawal symptoms other than just wanting a glass of wine?

No but had crazy dreams and unsettled sleep for the first few nights. I loaded up on b vits and a multivitamin and drank shedloads of water and I still do.