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Alcohol support

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Original poster

Not dry january. But less booze in general. Anyone else?

934 replies

Frouby · 07/01/2018 17:24

I am posting this thread because I really want to reduce the amount of alcohol I drink.

I was going to do dry January but think that is too much for me. And when I do drink again I will revert back to bad habits.

On a normal week I would have 1 or 2 g and ts mon to thurs. Bottle of wine on a friday. Then either a couple of beers or a couple of g and ts on a Saturday night. Nothing on sunday.

Over Christmas (which started for us mid December as we had a holiday) I have drank every day. Never been drunk drunk but 4 or 5 drinks every day.

I feel fat, bloated and lethargic. I want to cut my drinking down to a couple of nights a week. Friday and Saturday. Or thursday and friday. DP also drinks most days (more than me too) and we both need to address our relationship with alcohol.

I didn't drink last night and won't tonight either. And I feel 100% better already. We get married in May and I want to lose weight and improve my health.

Does anyone else want to join this thread for support? I know there is the dry January thread but I will be drinking (probably) 2 days a week so dont want to post on there and knock any penguins off the ice.

Currently drinking ginger ale with loads of ice and contemplating a shower and a cupp of tea later with the last of the Christmas cake (diet starts tomorrow) 😁

OP posts:
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AthenaAshton · 13/02/2018 21:27

Frouby, that is fantastic. It's also interesting that you think your DP looks better, even if he doesn't feel it. One of the many reasons I want to cut back is that I'm vain and don't want to look like an alcoholic..

Dry here tonight, after last night. Couldn't stomach it today! So that doesn't really count as a triumph. Tomorrow will be more of a test. I will keep checking in here, as I find it helps me a lot.

PlayingTheStrumpet · 14/02/2018 20:07

Becks Blue again. Sitting on my hands now. Dinner is late (as I failed to read the recipe properly). A danger time for me...

PlayingTheStrumpet · 14/02/2018 20:08

(Sorry - NCd for another thread! AA)

Original poster
Frouby · 14/02/2018 20:24

Keep sat on your hands AA!

After last nights cockiness tonight was more difficult. Ds (4) has been an absolute little shit today. 3 times I had to do a Hussain Bolt style sprint around Tescos for him. He also had an epic tantrum at the till when he realised I was serious that he wasn't having his treat as he hadn't behaved. Which then prompted another sprint with me shouting 'Sebastian, stop' while trying to dodge folk with a loaded trolley and him screaming 'No mummy no'. We were like a Benny Hill sketch vs Horrid Henry. Fml.

He is currently bouncing around upstairs as dd has a friend staying over and ds wants to be with the girls. Dp can deal with him. I have had enough.

I had to resort to tonic/lemon and ice just to get to 6pm.

But tomorrow is thursday and will be very very wet. Can hear them all fighting upstairs now. Ffs.

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AthenaAshton · 14/02/2018 21:51

Oh dear, Frouby. Sorry to hear this. But you have done seriously well if you have got through on only tonic and lemon and ice. FML and FFS are pretty much the only sensible responses, I reckon. Mine got through an evening without fighting, which is little short of miraculous, but DP has turned his phone off so I am bothered by that instead... Sad Still, I have at least now managed two AF nights, so that is something. I'd probably feel even worse if I'd given in...

AthenaAshton · 15/02/2018 19:45

Have caved in tonight, following evening from Hell with one of the DC...

Original poster
Frouby · 15/02/2018 19:47

Today has been mostly FML and FFS again. Dramas everywhere.

I have had 3 gin and tonics. And am not even sorry. 😂😂

Stopped at 3 tho. Now sipping water.

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AthenaAshton · 15/02/2018 20:11

Frouby, FML too. And I am not sorry for my half a bottle of wine, either.

Original poster
Frouby · 16/02/2018 15:58

I am not sorry about the bottle of wine I am now drinking tonight either.

#sorrynotsorry 🥂🍾😂

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orenisthenewblack · 17/02/2018 10:02

Just want to say that I'm not enjoying red wine anymore. Might be because of this cold has done something to my tastebuds, but seriously don't like it at the moment.

woosey35 · 18/02/2018 14:03

Wow just found this thread.
Am really worried about my drinking but just love wine!!!!
I drink between half and a whole bottle at a time (mostly whole!!) but really try two nights off a week. Those two nights are so crappy!!
My work about wine is the cancer risks. If it wasn’t for that, I’d literally drink a bottle a night and love every drop!!
I have a fairly stressful life and it really does help my stress levels!! Anyone else struggling with finding something else to help stress??
I really do need help with this, I know that. I drink to ease stress, then the next day feel mega mega guilty....til about 6pm when thE cycle starts over again!!

woosey35 · 18/02/2018 14:03

‘Worry’, not ‘’work’

Original poster
Frouby · 18/02/2018 16:10

Hi Woosey. It is really difficult. I am finding it easier the longer it goes in. And generally less stressed. But the first few weeks were really, really difficult.

What has helped me is being so much more productive by not drinking as much and as regularly. Because I feel physically better I get more done, which means I havr less to stress over. So the urge to drink because I am stressed has reduced.

My mental health is much better. I am more focused and more organised. Still mega busy but I think most people are these days. I don't wake up in the middle of the night anymore with the beerfear either which helps.

Had a wet friday but been dry since then. Have stuck to my limit of 3 g and ts and a bottle of wine. I even bought a bottle of wine in Saturday as I was debating going over to a friends for a drink. But left it in the fridge in the end.

Haven't even thought about a drink today despite doing a roast dinner.

How has everyone else been this weekend?

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woosey35 · 18/02/2018 17:32

You are doing so so well!!
I cut right down in sept as started a diet so didn’t drink 4 nights a week. Was so proud of myself. Sadly it’s crept back.
I’m out currently and know I have a large glass left in a bottle in the fridge. Dh has said ‘let’s stop off on way home and get a bottle for tonight’. I want to drink. But I’m also terrified I’ll end up with throat or mouth cancer!! My health anxiety screws with my head!! And my stresses aren’t easily rectified..my daughter is fairly poorly and I gets to me, so I drink. Doesn’t help I know..but makes it more manageable....at the time!!

woosey35 · 18/02/2018 17:32

‘It’ not ‘i’

AthenaAshton · 18/02/2018 17:42

Woosey35, I could have written your posts for you. Stress, anxiety - anything at all does for me. The thing is that I now know that drinking makes stress and anxiety worse. There is absolutely not doubt about this. I am less stressed when I drink less. My problem is remembering this at 6 PM.

I have had two dry nights, and am not going to have a third. It has been a tricky day. I know that I should watch Call the Midwife with a cup of tea, and then go to bed, but I will instead have wine and then beer-fear at 3 AM. I know this, but I will do it all the same. Sigh, sigh, sigh.

Woosey, if you could do four nights a week in September, you can do it again now. I think four nights is my current record. What I'm finding is that I drink more on the nights that I drink, which isn't good either.

Frouby, I am in awe of you. I'm so glad you started this thread, as it seems to have helped you get over the worst of it. Smile

AthenaAshton · 18/02/2018 17:42

^^ no doubt, not 'not' doubt!

Original poster
Frouby · 18/02/2018 17:54

It certainly has Athena. Because I started it I feel responsible to all of you lively vipers too 😁. I think if I go on a 2 week bender you will all think I am a hypocrite and be cross with me.

I will have a cuppa with you later if you like. If you are drinking more when you do drink maybe try setting a weekly limit?

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woosey35 · 18/02/2018 18:05

I agree with drinking more on the nights I drink. It’s almost as if I go mad and can’t stop!! It just slips down so well!! 🙄🙄
I’m going to drink tonight....and I will reign in all your strength to be dry the next two!! 🙏🏼🙏🏼

woosey35 · 18/02/2018 18:07

Athena..2 dry nights on a Friday and Saturday is amazing!!

AthenaAshton · 18/02/2018 18:10

Woosey, I would love to claim credit for amazingness on Friday and Saturday nights, but it was simply due to DP being abroad and all my DC being at home (this could in itself be a good reason to drink, but better not to really, as one of them winds me up so much when I'm sober that it's definitely better not to drink). Plus I was too hungover on Friday to feel like it...

Frouby, yes, a weekly limit might help. I was keeping a note of units, but of course lost my list (which I'd cunningly hidden from the DC, in case they wanted to know what it was...)

woosey35 · 18/02/2018 18:30

So how much do you both tend to drink??
I have mostly a bottle 5 nights a week. So 5 bottles a week!! Just so bad and so embarrassed by that!!

woosey35 · 18/02/2018 18:32

Although I’m proud sometimes to say I can make a bottle last two nights!! Pathetic hey!!

Original poster
Frouby · 18/02/2018 18:42

I was having 1-3 35ml gin and tonics 4 or 5 nights a week. A bottle of wine, plus either a couple of cans of lager or a couple of g and ts on a friday. A couple of cans and maybe half a bottle of wine on a Saturday. Then half a bottle of wine and a g and t or 2 on a sunday.

Hadn't had an AF night since probably end of October. Last time I was AF was last January when I managed dry jan until about the 3rd week.

Since 8th January I have had 3 g and ts one night. Then a bottle of wine on a friday. I did have 1 weekend when I drank friday and saturday as well as the thursday but it was finishing the bottle off I started on friday so still the same amount.

I have lost half a stone in weight too. Which is a bonus!

OP posts:
woosey35 · 18/02/2018 19:05

Wow frouby, you’ve done amazing!! You should be so so proud. I wish I had your strength.
I start ‘healthy eating’ tomorrow so will try again with cutting alcohol down. Trouble is, most weekends for next month or so, we have things on. This Wednesday I have a gin tasting night already planned with friends and on Thursday I have family coming to stay for a long weekend which will undoubtedly involve alcohol. So I’m planning dry mon and tues. sounds stupid but if I can do that I will be so proud!!