Do most people drink alcohol every day?

[Fingernail]

My FB is full of dry January; mostly people lamenting how awful/difficult it is

I drink very rarely, so it’s not a thing but made me wonder if most people would struggle with an alcohol free month?

I consider myself a low drinker. I'll have one or two glasses on a sat night. At Xmas I do drink more maybe a drink every day with a day off every 3 days. This goes on for 2/3 weeks.

By the end of Xmas I'm fed up of booze and do dry jan to detox Then I'm back on maybe 8 units a month which I don't consider much.

The people queuing up to brag that they only have three drinks a year or whatever is bizarre

It is weird i agree.

This thread is like a load of healthy-weight people queuing up to say that they can’t understand why people go on diets, because they personally don’t like the taste of cake.

So true.

Anyone having more than a couple of glasses a week is considered an alcoholic on Mumsnet.

Yep. I have a very close friend who has a glass of wine with her meal every night. She's Scandinavian and skinny as a rake, a vegan in excellent health who walks at least 5 miles a day (she's a dogwalker). She's in her late 50s with an adult child who can well afford good wines. Her h usually has a glass of wine or beer with the evening meal every night, too. He's 70 with no health problems.

I probably drink about 3 or 4 times a month. Sometimes less. I also don't get dry January. You are drinking too much if you need to give it up for a month.

The question is do most people drink every day so you’re going to get responses saying no I don’t

I agree mn is funny about alcohol though see the cocaine thread atm

This sums it up

I started dry January 3 years ago & haven't drunk any alcohol since, I don't miss it one bit.

I guess people do dry January in an attempt to detox or lose weight/ save money following several weeks of excess over Christmas/ New Year. It’s probably not that they need to do it as such but I guess having a clear target and reason makes it easier.

It wouldn’t be difficult for me to go a month without alcohol and I don’t drink that often; I rarely drink at home and only tend to drink when I go out. In the summer that might be every weekend but in winter once a month or so.

You are drinking too much if you need to give it up for a month

I drink the same as you and i do dry January. If you can't cope not having your weekly glass of wine for a few weeks then maybe its you that has a problem?

We always do dry January. I don’t eat any refined sugar otherwise, so you could say it’s sugar-free January, if that makes you feel better?

@MrsTerryPratchett I do have a bit of a giggle at the shiny new trainers and clothes That was me on NYD parkrun. New white trainers. Well after 2 parkruns on mud and fields, they weren't so white then

In regards to dry January. I dont do it, but I dont drink that much anyway. Only really drink socially and I dont do a lot socially apart from running which is usually the day and I drive to most places so dont drink. I do like a nice cold pint of lager from time to time though (obvs not when driving)

When I originally took up running a few years ago I stopped for 6 months, then Christmas came and I had a drink.

Dont care about what others do or dont do TBH

Do people give other people shit about Lent as well? Or Ramadan? Because there is a reason many religions have an inbuilt period of reflection on overindulgence. It's good for us to assess what we are doing to our bodies and reset our eating and drinking.

Yes, it would better if people were aware all year. But if they aren't, a month or two is better than nothing. And seems to lead to reduced intake at other times.

Some people need to give up being petty, judgemental wankers for January.

That was me on NYD parkrun. New white trainers. Well after 2 parkruns on mud and fields, they weren't so white then

however that means you're a real runner now!

I'm in a few sober groups on Facebook and its a real eye opener when you see how many people have alcohol dependency. Strong, vibrant women (and men) from all walks of life who have got a little bit too dependent on 'wine o clock'. People don't go around advertising it.

I don’t drink every day. I do drink maybe 3 or 4 nights a week. I have done dry January a couple of times, because I find it helps me ‘reset’. It sometimes becomes a habit to open a bottle of wine, and dry January helps to break the habit. I’m pretty sure the years I’ve done dry January I’ve drank less in the following months than on the years I haven’t.
I don’t care what anyone thinks about me doing dry January 🤷🏻‍♀️.

however that means you're a real runner now!

Was I not before then? I have another 10 pairs of running shoes, I just chose to wear these ones (I didn't look at the course description - both parkruns were new to me). I've been running since 2012 and doing my 3rd marathon this year.

I have a glass of wine at least 5 nights out of 7. Wouldn’t consider that an issue at all.

Was I not before then?

Any pair of truly filthy shoes counts in my book! I have to say I now mourn the good ones when they pass. And bitterly resent the new ones.

I look like shit and feel like shit the next day when I drink, so I usually just a drink or two a month ... and a couple of massive blow-outs a year ... when I have the next day to stay in bed a recover (it's a shame Cos I luffs being pissed - luckily in my youth I didn't suffer any consequences, so I those memories or not !)

I prefer drugs, but they are not as socially acceptable for some reason?

Goodness what a load of sanctimonious : ' I only have one small Sherry all year' types.

We all have our failings: anxiety, being fat, etc.

Drinking too much is just one of many peoples many failings.

I truly can't remember the last time I ate chocolate, had a ready meal or even sniffed a piece of cake or went into M&S for 'bits' and 'picky things' or crisps.

I am not overweight or unhealthy as a result. I don't own a car and walk everywhere.

I love wine though. I will do dry Jan as I want to. Also having a bit of a lower carb time of it. As a PP put it very well, do we criticise Lent or Ramadam?

I wouldn't fucking DARE to come on some of these threads with people who are FAR less healthy then me and criticise them and say they are gluttons as they are constantly eating cake and chocolate and 'LOL' bags of crisps and cheeky takeaways etc. Who list their daily food intake endlessly and frankly it is more than I could eat in a week.

Each to their own. Do not throw that stone.
'I drank a glass of champagne at Christmas'. Good for you. Understand we are all different.

I drink most days. It's not good. I'm working on it, as I suspect are many others who do dry January. What also isn't good is ex's bipolar, my dd's ASD, my ds's ptsd, my constant borderline burnout.and the total lack of mental health services. There are a lot of holier than thou people on this thread.

I used to be alcohol dependent. I drank 3-4 times a week, at least one bottle of the strongest red I could find. Then I went teetotal for 6 years. I can drink safely again now, but I've actually gone off it for some reason. I had a few glasses of wine over christmas but I haven't drunk for a week now, so I might as well carry on not drinking for January at least.
I can see the point of dry January myself. I think a lot of people do drink more than they probably should, without being alcoholics, and being dry for a month might help them to realise that. It's similar to discovering you are prediabetic, gives you a chance to make changes before any damage is done.