What’s the incentive?

[BeOliveEagle]

Hello,

I know I’m a “problem drinker”. I drink too much. The trouble is that I have no real incentive to stop. I don’t drink enough to mean I’m not sober the next morning, but it’s enough that I know it will be damaging my liver. But I have no kids, worst case scenario in my mind is I die a bit early from some kind of liver issue..? That doesn’t ring alarm bells with me, I’m not sure what to do

The incentive is being kind to yourself. It improves your health and makes you feel better about yourself. Your sleep and mental health should improve as it's a depressant and causes anxiety. It also saves a lot of money.

What surprised me when I gave up alcohol was how much better my life was. Everyone talks about the health risks associated with alcohol, but no one tells you that if you don’t drink your baseline happiness will rise and your baseline anxiety will drop.

Why not give it a go? You could set yourself a target of 100 days (which is roughly how long it takes for the impact on your brain to kick in) as an experiment. If at the end of that you decide your life is better with alcohol in it, fair enough.

There is a quote by Laura McKowen which is something like “the question is not “are things bad enough they have to change?”: the question is “are things good enough to stay the same?”. And underneath it all, the question is “are you free?”

Better sleep.

Better skin.

Better brain.

More money.

I love alcohol especially the taste.

The quote above about being ‘free’ is true alcohol has a hold on me and I don’t like it to have. When I feel like I can’t say no to a glass of wine I abstain for weeks, months and years but inevitably I know I will always want a tipple at some point.

The incentive is being healthy and having tonnes of energy!

I rarely drink. Super happy and healthy size 8 mum of 2 with buckets of energy!! Have very busy full time job that demands my attention every day, I couldn't imagine doing my job plus juggling the kids on a dusty head.

Take a look into alcohol induced dementia. That might scare you enough, if the thought of liver damage doesn't.

On a more positive note, there is some evidence that a ketogenic diet can reduce addictive behaviors, so that might be something to try.
Take a look at this on You Tube if you have the time: Ketogenic Diets in Alcohol Addiction: Breakthrough Research with Dr. Wiers.

Why do you drink so much, OP? Because you get carried away when out with your friends? Because you're bored at home in the evenings? Because you are trying to escape mentally from something?

Whatever the answer, there's almost certainly something better you could do with your time and money. So maybe the key is working out what that might be?