I’m so fed up with alcohol controlling my life

[MyLifeNow20]

For the past 18 months I am drinking a bottle of wine a night. I’m a single parent to 3 children.
It’s now making me unhappy, the constant thinking about wine during the day. Waking up in mornings feeling like shit. Getting ratty with my kids. I’m so fed up. I have done the odd day here and there not drinking and I felt proud I’d done it but then the cycle starts again....
I want to lose a stone and eat healthy, I used to be like this. 😩

I feel exactly the same as you. I spend all day thinking tonight I won't drink. Then bam it's 9pm and I'm pouring a gin or wine. This has gone on for most of this year drinking nightly. I used to maybe drink 3/4 times a week before this year. I drink to unwind and to help me go to sleep.

I've gained weight, have health problems now and I blame it all on alcohol. I haven't had a drink for the last two nights and I'm aiming to not drink until Xmas and then I might allow myself to drink Xmas Eve/ Xmas day.

My tolerance to alcohol has increased so much. I used to be a lightweight that was legless after a large glass of wine but now I can easily drink a whole bottle and not feel that drunk.

Everyone has been so helpful! Thank you. So last night I polished off a bottle of wine and a gin. My day off today and I have felt like shit. Didnt go for a ride cos ive been in bed all morning FFS. Im not doing it anymore. This has to stop

Sounds to me like this is a bigger problem than you'd like to admit.

You want to stop but you can't.

When I realised that's where I was, I contacted a friend of a friend who was in AA and went to my first meeting 2 days later.

I learnt a completely different way to live and am now unrecognisable from the person I used to be.

Maybe you could give AA a call??

This was me a month ago I've stopped cold turkey. It's been fine although it's often hard to get to sleep. I don't know if I'll quit forever but it's reassuring that I've been able to stop. Ideal world I'd go back to having the odd glass of an evening/ celebrations.

Am skint so there's that too.

Just to add to all the other helpful suggestions, that I really recommend taking Vitamin B complex when you are quitting. Alcohol rinses vitamin B out of your system and at the same feels like an anti-stress medicine

Those of you who find it difficult to get to sleep without a drink - if any of you are female and over 40, it might actually be worth trying HRT. A lot of women begin to have sleeping problems due to the drop in oestrogen around that age and that, of course, drives us to drink!

Thank you. I’ve actually brought some high strength vit b12 because I’m always tired.
I know once I’m in the zone I can do it it’s just bloody doing it. I’ll eat healthy one day and won’t drink and feel brilliant, I just need to keep the cycle going...

@shelvira

Those of you who find it difficult to get to sleep without a drink - if any of you are female and over 40, it might actually be worth trying HRT. A lot of women begin to have sleeping problems due to the drop in oestrogen around that age and that, of course, drives us to drink!

That's interesting I am over 40 and sleeping problems began recently will follow up, thanks.

@Iris5543

I was drinking a bottle a night (a bit more at weekends) I just quit cold turkey, replaced the wine with other treat drinks. I focused on financial savings health benefits my children not seeing me with a glass constantly fused to my hand. Not being grumpy not having a permanent hangover benefits for my skin. Weight loss Better sleep.

I’m almost 30 days sober
That’s a saving of at least £150!
My skin looks fab, I feel great
I’ve lost 6 pounds.

It was really easy, surprisingly so. I read lots of positive stories to motivate me. If I can do it, so can you.

@Iris5543 whatever are your treat drinks please?

I tried most of what Sainsbury’s had to offer🙂
I found all of the Prosecco and wine were too sweet.
I did like the merry berry mulled wine.
All of the 0% beers have been fab. ( Aldi, Lidl becks etc) are lovely.
Ikea mulled wine is my favourite. ( it calorific though, so I limit that)
Lime and soda and flavoured fizzy water.

I only drink them at wine o’clock and in a nice glass. I think a lot of it is about the feeling of treating myself at the end of the day. Turns out it doesn’t need to be alcoholic.

Try www.drydrinker.com

The thatchers AF cider is good. I really like Nosecco too. Tesco do nice no alcohol g&t in cans

Maybe look into magnesium. too much drink can causes lack of magnesium. ....magnesium is a muscle relaxent, can help aid sleep and is often recommended in peri/menopause

I gave up alcohol on first Nov.as I was much like OP..it hasn't all been easy. but I am finding the less I drink the less I want to. I have given up smoking this year, started exercising. ..got to sort my diet in new year

Hi OP. I can really identify with your post. I have been in your shoes. I drank too much most nights. Woke up full of fear and guilt. Swore off it for the day. Obsessed about it all day then finally caved in and drank again that night. A constant cycle. I'm so disciplined in my life I could not understand why I could not break this cycle. I tried absolutely everything and I mean EVERYTHING to stop. Finally against all my will I gave AA a go. It's been the only thing that has ever worked for me. Sober now over 7 years thanks to the AA program