Wankerbastards will upset us that try, but we will still be dry. Or dryer at a push. It's a good job we are not in a rush.

[Frouby]

Thread 6 for the Tryers to be Dryers.

Support thread for reducing alcohol, stopping alcohol, monitoring alcohol. All welcome, absolutely no judgement. Whatever your aims with alcohol come and join us here. Lots of swearing but no judging or criticising.

Previous threads dotted around but can never do clicky links.

Iris welcomed to the thread! I'm in the same boat as you (I think) at least exercise wise, if I'm addicted to anything it is doing some form of sport every day, rather than drinking.
I run 60 miles a week and it still isn't enough, I like to cycle and swim too if there is time. I like a drink but if I put on even 1kg I will go AF in the week and skip meals if I drink.
Alcohol doesn't help with stress, it just makes it worse.

Hi All, lurker here and NC. Just slinking onto the thread, as I've been a nightmare recently. Last night I had 7 beers and felt rough as hell all day at work.

I frequently binge then replace the missing booze so DH doesn't know. He probably does know though. I can sometimes easily go Monday-Friday not drinking but as soon as I open a bottle I'll keep going until I'm completely smashed, and I probably do it once-twice a week. 2 bottles of red, or an 8 pack of Heineken, bottle of gin, whatever is in the house.

No idea why I do it. Part boredom, part escapism. Fuck sake, I'm too old for this.

Iris I have a stash too. Behind the big bulk boxes of cat food.

So failed last night, had a really bad day, but only had a couple of glasses instead of 2 bottles of wine, so better than I usually am.

Wave to the new people iris, money, pyramid and anyone else I have forgotten.

Lovely day at beach yesterday nearby. Felt all the better for no hangover. Even my in laws didn't stress me out.

Drank a bit more than usual this week, but never more than 2. Spice girls gig required it. Also drank at meal out with a friend which I'm questioning now as she didn't. Work night, she had coke... I didn't need the second and ended up overeating and having tummy ache. The cake was sooo good and so huge. Tried to save half but it kept sneaking in my mouth.

We have a bbq today too. Not a boozy one (although that never used to stop me). I have a mini bottle of wine and two pre mixed gin and rhubarb. Maybe i can save one of those... hopefully.

Looking forward to a weekend away in tenby next week.

Enjoy the weekend.

Not brave enough for picture of me, but here is beach. Anyone guess where?

@screwthepyramids - at least you drank less. That’s a step in the right direction!
@Moneybegreen - having your stash behind the cat litter made me laugh. I also replace the booze I’ve drunk if it’s from the drinks cabinet. I also know what you mean about boredom. I think my drinking is a way of escaping that too.
@MadameForest - Exercise is definitely one of my addictions. If I miss a day I feel as if I’ve put 10lbs on.

Determined to make today day 1 of AF. Good timing as I’ve just finished my stash.

@cottonsock, the beach looks lovely and well done for drinking less than usual. Those pre-mixed things are one of my weaknesses!

Racing through... Welcome, Iris and Money. I also have a stash, though it moves around the house a bit in case the DC find it. Also replace anything that anyone else might notice.

Iris, your situation sounds like the mirror image of mine. More later.

Welcome Iris and Money. You’re already doing well by joining this thread and cutting back.
I have a hangover. This is it now though. I’m back from holiday, and wedding is done with. It was nice, so many old faces, from 20 odd years ago. It was quite interesting seeing people’s drinking habits.
Lots of moderate drinkers, two teetotallers, both with a back story. I realised most people don’t drink as much as I do. Time to make changes. This can’t carry on. I have already cut back since I joined here but there is so much more to do. I just want a better relationship with drink.
Cottonsock I can totally relate to the cake thing. I just can’t resist anything - wine, cake.
I’ve reconnected with my old PT and am meeting up with him on Tuesday. I’m hoping with a bit of support I can turn this round.

Morning all

Welcome iris and money, hope you find support here.

Am having a bbq this afternoon and some vegan guests are coming. Doing a tapas style platter type thing and realised they can't have most of it. The dipping bread has milk in it, the pitta has egg in it, the stuffed peppers are stuffed with ricotta. Fml. They will have to munch on olives qnd crudites. They are bringing some veggie kebabs though so thats ok.

Hoping my drinks selection is vegan enough otherwise they will be on council pop.

Wasn't dry last night, but moderate with 3 gins so not too bad.

Blitzed house, made chicken tikka kebabs, shredded cabbage salad (like you get from takeaways on kebabs, it's lush), just got half an hours work to do then having a bath and getting ready before I start with rest of salads and stuff.

Be glad of a beer in a bit. Got becks blue in and will switch to gin later but going to treat myself to at least 1 can.

Hello everyone it's nice to be able to talk freely with other problem drinkers!

That beach looks beautiful, wish I was there today!

I'm going to a beer garden this avo then to watch the champions league final. I'm determined to have a couple of halves and enjoy myself as opposed to waking up tomorrow having no idea how I got home with huge beer fear. It's like I just lose my mind at the first sniff of booze. The presence of MIL will hopefully hold me back

Speaking of becks blue Frouby, has anyone found a really nice 0%?

I've tried the Heineken zero, bud zero, necks blue, brewdog fruit 0%, ghost ship, and not liked the taste of any of them!

I’m not a fan of alcohol free booze. I prefer to drink something different if I’m not drinking.

Oh no, someone gave me a bottle of wine this morning which is now in fridge. I'm deliberating my strategy for moderating

cotton pour your first glass, and then do a second and leave it in fridge then take the rest of the bottle out and put it to one side somewhere warm 😂.

Good idea, put it in the oven / microwave/ greenhouse.... At least I am still on soft drinks. Been known to start v early in the past. Maybe dh will share. In laws coming are so moderate I find it inhuman

Home! Long journey and took dd2 straight out to a party in the park. Had come to expect prosecco at such affairs so had resigned myself to boost afternoon but it was a dry do so still on coffee. Minor win. It's the champions league final and Dh is Liverpool, but so are various neighbours and he's been invited round to watch it. Am torn whether I want him to go so I can have an AF early night, or whether to be more sociable.

Nanny state is the best AF beer I think. Also the priciest.

Hey everyone. Sorry not been around for a few days. The thread moves on so fast. Which is a great thing and shows the lovely support here. I will read back.
I’m sat in a bar in France while dh watches the football. Dd’s Are playing air hockey. So I’ve got two mins To myself!!
I’ve drunk redicilous amounts while away on holiday. I’ve also not used my phone or checked in with the real world. Just wanted to shut everything out and live for the moment. Feel a bit of a wreck when I think of life right now..it’s easy here when I don’t have to face dd’s illness. Until today!! Silly things like she had mega nosebleed that went on for over an hour and I could see her going into clinical shock!! Dh and I kicked in as a team. But it made me realise the magnitude of her illness and that silly things can change or rock our world!! Then tonight she choked over dinner and was bloody awful!! Big choke. Needed loads of slaps to get the damn pizza out of her throat. So I’ve been slammed back into reality and so I reach for my phone.

Anyway...got to own up..today I’ve had a gin cocktail at 1pm, a bottle of bud with lunch at 2pm, a half of Heineken at 5pm and now I’m sat with a fucking bottle of wine for one!! 😰😰. Why the fuck do I do this!!
Our ferry got cancelled home!! Like someone was telling me something. Anyway supposed to be going home tonight but instead we don’t leave til Monday night. Time off school and work!! More time to drown in realisation that I just want to run from reality!!

Urghhh. DS's b'day, so no chance of being AF. He was out with friends this afternoon (as was DD), so I took the opportunity to induge in the kinds of French practices previously mentioned by MadameF. Good at the time, but slightly annoying now. Meanwhile, my period is 50+ days late (following three in one month). FML.

NC4, I am with you re wanting to change things. I'm glad you enjoyed your hol, though. Likewise, Longest. Agree that Nanny State is good. Becks Blue likewise. However, I think I have come to the conclusion that soft drinks work better for me, as they sort of fill me up and don't make me think so much about alcohol.

Frouby, your cooking sounds absolutely amazing. I still can't believe you were quizzed about anything to do with diet, as you sound completely exemplary. We have had Domino's.

Money, I hope MIL's presence helped. I do find that being among people with an off-switch helps me a bit, as I'm so sure I'm being observed and judged.

We crossed, Flossie. So glad to hear your news. I would be doing the same if I were you. xx

Cotton - where’s the beach?? I’m beach mad!!

Dion - you took part in the French practises!! Noooooooooo. Even Madame doesn’t these days!! Do you Madame?!

Well today was a bust as far as AF is concerned. I did drink less though and I drank in front of my partner.

On the plus side I had to attend an all day meeting which went well and I successfully used some new software.

So not all bad. But anxious as my stash is finished and I have very little left in the ‘public’ cupboard -my partner doesn’t drink what I do. So I either a)buy a whole new bottle, b)buy a new bottle to top up the ‘official’ bottle and stash the rest (which I have been doing) or c) don‘t buy any. I know I should do c) but I don’t want to! Compromise might be a) so it’s not secret. But I know I should be AF - been told not to drink because of an existing serious health condition and all the meds I am on.

As someone said upthread - FML

Flossie - it sounds like you've handled it brilliantly considering the circs, I think most of us would be reaching for the wine It sounds very stressful but it sounds like you and your DD are troopers and have got through the stressful bits admirably.

MILs presence indeed held me back but I still had 2 pints and am on my 4th back home: I'm not trashed so hopefully tomorrow I'll be ok to get up and carry on. I've come home to watch the CL final so at least I'll be far less of a state tomorrow than I would have been staying in the pub!

Hope everyone else is doing ok