Binge drinking

[Whatamuckingfuddle]

I have a problem with binge drinking. I don't do it very often but when I do I go way over the top and end up depressed for days/weeks afterwards. I appear to have no control at all once I've had a couple of drinks and refuse to stop. I'd love to have a social drink but once I've had glass or two, it's like I have to be drunk, it's embarrassing and I don't know how to deal withit, apart from going teetotal which is fine but I'd love a glass every now and then without ruining the next week or two of my life, does anyone have any idea of what I talking about and any suggestions on how to deal with my behaviour?

I get it OP. I used to be very similar. No booze in the week but tons at the weekend. I got sick and tired of it. I stopped completely for about 6 weeks and it was like pushing a reset button. I adored having a clear head, sleeping well, having clearer skin and more money, and losing a bit of weight. When I did go back to drinking, I was determined to never drink enough to feel the effects the next day. And, with the odd slip up, I've stuck to it and now drink about 20% of what I used to. I'm feeling in need of another reset now so I'm going to stay dry for the next few weeks.

I highly recommend ditching the booze for at least a month to start with. Try to see it as taking care of yourself rather than depriving yourself. Alcohol makes anxiety loads worse - it feels good at the time but you pay for it for the next few days. Take care of yourself and keep posting x

Thank you for replying, I just feel that I'm too old continue to behave like I do but because I don't drink all the time I dont feel I can get help in RL iyswim? I do have some anxiety issues anyway and I find it a struggle to admit to having problems and laugh about it to friends and family because I don't want to admit to/burden others with my problems. I have got a second appointment for a phone counselling session tomorrow and I haven't told anyone and I don't know why I can't seem to do it. Although I will bring up the drinking which I didn't mention inour first session because I was concerned with telling him too much in one go - that's a bit silly now I've written it down.

Sorry my messages are a bit garbled aren't they? I'm on my phone

Is it all drinks or just a particular one? I find I'm like this with white wine/bubbles so I tend to avoid them now. If I drink red wine or g&t I can stop at one or two. White wine I tend to keep guzzling until I'm an embarrassing wreck.

It's all drinks to be honest, wine probably gets me drunk quicker but it's me not the drink that's to blame

I could have written your post op - am in exactly the same boat.

For me it's wine, white wine - I start and literally don't know when to stop. I am going to see an alcohol counsellor this week. I know it's tied up in anxiety issues for me too.

No advice but totally know how you feel. I can go tee total without a problem but don't really want to have to - I want to be able to enjoy a glass of wine with a meal and drink it sensibly.

Good idea to talk to your counsellor OP. I'm in therapy and I talk about alcohol from time to time, it helps to understand my relationship with it, what drink does for me and what drink does to me. Lots of people have complicated relationships with alcohol. It sounds like you're ready for a change so good luck x

I used to be like that too. I think it often starts because if you are a bit shy or lacking confidence at social gatherings, that feeling of 'taking the edge off' your inhibitions and anxiety which you get with your first couple of drinks is so liberating that it's hard to stop (even though you don't really replicate that initial feeling if you carry on and drink loads!).

Like you, I used to find it bothered me for ages afterwards. That feeling of worry and paranoia about what you might have said or done while drunk. Horrible feeling.

I still enjoy a few drinks, but haven't gone beyond the 'a bit tipsy' point for years (with one major exception at a big party last year). I'm not really sure what made me stop though. It's probably partly that I don't go out socialising much these days. My drinking tends to be a pint at home in the evening with dh, or a couple of glasses of wine with Sunday lunch when we have visitors.

I always found that the tipping point for me was 2 units. I could stop after 1, but once I had 2, my willpower was gone. So maybe start by saying that you are only ever going to have one drink, and see how that works?

Thank you all and good luck Jedi. And a good point made that I don't really understand my relationship with alcohol. I think no alcohol is great advice - I really enjoyed that part of being pregnant and certainly had fewer anxiety issues during pregnancy and breastfeeding which I hadn't considered before. Although I wouldn't wish problems on people it's reassuring to hear of others in the same boat