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Original poster

How much do you drink, honestly

187 replies

Cluelessat33 · 20/04/2023 10:49

As a child from an alcoholic home, I've always been a bit aware of this and my own drinking. But I think it's really easy to be qushonest with yourself. When I lived with my ex and during lockdown, I'd probably have a bottle of beer most nights. I cut that a few years ago because living on your own I think its a slippery slope. I generally don't drink during the week. If I'm at home on a weekend I may have 3 or 4 at most over the course of a weekend. If I'm with friends or family I probably hit the recommended weekly unit limit. I enjoy the taste of it but rarely drink to get drunk. But of course it us something probably more aware of than others.

Among my friends I generally have two extremes. Some people who drink most nights and some who rarely have a drink at all. So what is normal?

OP posts:
DelphiniumsBlueWildRose · 21/04/2023 06:46

I probably drink the same amount you do op.
Nothing in the week.
A couple Fri/Sat
More if with friends for a social event.
I can't tolerate it like I used to in my youth! Am nearly 50.

AllIeveknewonlyou · 21/04/2023 06:51

Far too much at the moment, so I'm taking a break for a while.

OkayBozo · 21/04/2023 07:04

Just over 2 bottles a week on average, spread out. 1-2 days off. I usually have a large glass with cooking and stop after that but might have an extra glass at the weekend

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DinosApple · 21/04/2023 07:24

I share a bottle of wine at home with DH once every couple of months. DH has a beer more regularly.
Special occasions if I'm not driving and camping holidays most nights I'll have a glass.

These days I find I really need to be in the mood.

seventwelve · 21/04/2023 07:25

A few months ago I was in the terrifying habit of drinking about 30-40 units a week. I didn't think I was addicted, more just in bad habits. I started tracking my drinks (Drinkaware app) and was surprised by my drinking patterns and how easily after a tough day, my brain just went 'wine'.

Anyway, have been slowly reducing and eight weeks later, I'm drinking 10-11 units each week. It was a lot easier than I thought (thankfully!). It's nice waking up on a Saturday morning without a yucky head and even just by halving my intake, I'm saving a fortune because I'm also not eating loads of hangover junk the next day.

I'd like to trim it down a bit more for health reasons but so far I'm really pleased with being able to chop it right back. There's lots of app trackers around. It's definitely worth getting one and being really strict to report every drink you have. For me, just seeing it all written down was the thing I needed to stop it getting worse.

Also, both my uncle and my grandad were alcoholics. My uncle died of it. My dad was heading down the same path about 20 years ago and he suddenly had some kind of life epiphany moment as he could see he was on the same road as his father and brother. He was able to reduce and then stop completely. He's not had a drink or been interested in one for over 17 years.

Easterfunbun · 21/04/2023 07:27

Incredibly rare drinker here. It’s just not my thing. Doughnuts however….. we all have a vice.

RudsyFarmer · 21/04/2023 07:30

I can honestly say I drink zero alcohol. Prefer tea.

ziggiestardust · 21/04/2023 07:37

I rarely drink now, and if my old friends could see me now they wouldn’t recognise me or they’d laugh in disbelief. I used to have 2-3 glasses 4-5 times a week, easy. Sometimes even more. I moved away and it was like a light switch went off. I just didn’t fancy it anymore, so I don’t. I think it’s been about 2 weeks since I had a drink. I’m not sober, I think the kids these days call it a ‘damp’ lifestyle. Most unfortunately I can’t say I’ve noticed any significant benefits, like weight loss or beautiful skin! But my liver is probably thanking me.

Orcubed · 21/04/2023 07:57

Mine varies quite a bit, I’ll go ages without having a drink at all then drink every day for a week. The second week of the Easter holidays we had guests staying for the week and it was my birthday as well as another family celebration so I had 2-3 glasses of champagne or wine every day. I hadn’t had anything since mid February before that and haven’t had anything at all this week.

I hate drinking in the evenings because it stops me sleeping so am more of an afternoon glass of wine person which sounds way worse even though I probably drink a lot less than many evening drinkers! As a result it tends to be occasion drinking rather than regular drinking.

Freefall212 · 21/04/2023 08:13

I am mid 40s. For the first 40 years of my life, I barely drank. A glass of wine on occasion socially with friends. I would go months and months without a drink. I never bought alcohol or drank at home other than for a special occasion when guests would come over. In the last five years I have started drinking more - first via a new next door neighbour who I became friends with who was a daily drinker and always pouring me a glass of wine or bringing wine over, then pandemic and being trapped and bored and I started buying it myself. In the last year I moved away from that neighbour but have started having a drink or two almost every day after work and then still drinking socially on weekends. Thankfully I have no addiction issues and I can not drink and its fine but I am definitely drinking a lot more than I need to. It's a bad habit to get into.

MajesticWhine · 21/04/2023 08:15

I probably drink about 14 units a week.
Mostly concentrated on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday unless there is a specific event on another evening. I have at least 3 days where I don't drink sometimes 4.
If I'm in holiday I drink every day.

daisymoonlight · 21/04/2023 08:18

None. Alcohol is a class A carcinogen and even one drink a day raises the risk of certain cancers and entire body inflammation. If shampoo held the same carcinogenic risk as alcohol, people would be outraged that it was allowed to still be sold.

AncientToaster · 21/04/2023 08:31

The only time I drank quite a bit was in my twenties. I worked in a very sociable place and we would be out after work to a bar a couple of times a week. Plus most Saturday nights were spent out in Birmingham or London. I grew up in a rural area and anyone who wanted to achieve anything left and we all lived in those two cities and met up loads for about 5 years till we started to couple up.

I hardly ever drink now, probably works out to 2 units a month.

IfIGoThereWillBeTrouble · 21/04/2023 08:36

Like OP, I come from a family of alcoholics so I don’t drink at all, I can’t risk it. It’s not that I don’t want to drink, I do want to, but I know that I won’t be able to control it, so the only solution is not to touch it at all.

Lastqueenofscotland2 · 21/04/2023 08:47

Usually 1 beer on a Wednesday: social night with my hobby
1 beer on a Friday with DP
1/2 beers on a Sunday.

Used to drink a lot more and feel so much better for less

Geckle · 21/04/2023 08:53

I’ve not had a drink since a few months before I became pregnant with my first dc in 2019 , coupled with extended breastfeeding and having my 2nd dc earlier this year.
I’ve never been a big drinker though, I’m just not a fan of the taste of most alcoholic drinks, they just taste like chemicals to me, especially wine and things like whiskey 🤢
I don’t mind a fruity cocktail though or a Guinness and black.

GalileoHumpkins · 21/04/2023 11:06

I used to binge drink every weekend, but haven't touched a drop for years. The hangovers and indulging in risky behaviour just became too much. I now stick to tea and Ramune.

LiliLil · 21/04/2023 11:08

I don’t drink at all unless I go out which is maybe twice a year.

I don’t like hangovers, and drinking at home just makes me tired.

I used to binge drink a lot when I was younger.

hasket · 21/04/2023 11:11

Like you, OP, I remember the experience of one or two alcoholics from my childhood. Not my mother or father but other people who had an impact.

I used to drink on special occasions but haven't had anything in over 10 years, not a drop. My ex husband was/is an alcoholic and that was the deciding factor for me. I'm not against having a glass of something in the future, but for now I don't drink at all.

usedtobeasizeten · 21/04/2023 11:16

I rarely drink. The very occasional glass of wine/champagne, I’m all but teetotal really.

kitsuneghost · 21/04/2023 13:30

YerAWizardHarry · 20/04/2023 18:39

I think your maths is slightly off there…

Show quote history

1 bottle of wine and 4 doubles is 17 units
OR
7 pints of cider is 21

So yeah 20 ish
Did you read that as I was drinking option 1 AND option 2 all in one night?

ChickenMacaroni · 21/04/2023 13:35

I drink about 3 or 4 units a year. No health concerns, I just don't like the way alcohol - any alcohol at all, even a Baileys in hot chocolate - makes me feel. Finding a grown-up-feeling alternative on nights out is tricky, though... I tend to alternate lime and soda with Appletiser or water.

blockyder · 21/04/2023 13:45

Dh and I try not to drink mon- weds. Pretty chill about it apart from that though, we enjoying sharing a bottle of wine in the evening, and a pint or two down the pub if it's a nice day.

We definitely go over the recommended amount, but we eat well and exercise lots.

Kyse · 21/04/2023 13:53

It's bad but nothing except once a year when I drink probably my monthly unit allowance in one night Blush
Last time I drank was Dec for a work do and that was 2 bottles of wine, tequila, Prosecco, cocktails, gin...

FunnysInLaJardin · 21/04/2023 13:53

Ragwort · 20/04/2023 13:42

Two or three large glasses of wine most evenings. I drink at home .. I like a glass of wine before my evening meal and a glass or two with it. I don't ever get 'drunk' and don't go 'out' drinking. Occasionally I will have an alcohol free evening.

Same here. Never get drunk, never drink more than that. I also dilute my red with half alcohol free to spread it out a bit

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