A bottle every 2-3 days

[missgraciea]

Hi, I drink wine every night. It will usually take me 2-3 days to finish a bottle so I drink 1/3 - 1/2 a bottle a night every night. I want to cut back but I don’t want to give up wine completely as I do love it! I don’t ever feel hungover and I do sleep well but I am just conscious it’s a bit excessive every single night. I did do dry Jan so I know I can do it but it was a struggle. I’m not really sure why I’m writing this I guess it’s a is it really that bad? And what can I do to cut back? I think the reason I drink is I’m lonely, I’m a single mum
and my daughter is little once she’s in bed I watch something and have my wine.

That sounds ok to me.
A couple of nights af would be better but if you can keep it at that level, fine.

Likelihood is the amount will increase tho, and that's where the problem lays

Can you try to cut back to weekends only?

Objectively, it sounds like you’re drinking 20-35 units a week. That’s more than the low risk guidelines, but a fairly common intake. (Although I realise people’s views on what is common will vary!)

What I would be more concerned about is that you’re using alcohol as a coping mechanism and a means to escape. And it’s starting to bother you. You may find yourself on a slippery slope downwards.

The author Laura McOwen says something like: the question we ask ourselves is whether things are so bad we have to change. The question we should be asking is: are things good enough to stay the same? And above all the question: are you free?

Can you find other ways of relaxing a couple of nights a week that don’t involve alcohol? A long bath? An early night with a good book?

Basically one (ish) bottle of wine per week is the recommended limit for women. Could you target that but still have your wine? Even if you went over a small amount you would still have improved the situation. Just cut back the amount per night and it will all add up. They do recommend you don’t drink every night so if even 1 or 2 nights per week you distracted yourself with a work out and an early night that might help too.

Try the alcohol experiment (Google it) I was drinking similar to you. It is a month where you attempt to stop drinking but each day it gives you a think to read /watch and think about to do with why you choose to drink and allows you time and space to think about that. I found it very helpful and was able to redu e down to a couple of nights drinking a month.

Here's what I would tell you to do: start by becoming super aware of the drinking habit. You know the quantity, but I would get curious about what's going on when you drink (a particular time of evening?), how you're feeling (sad, happy, fed up, bored), and what you are seeking when you drink. It's never about the wine. It's always about what the wine represents. Once you know that it's a straightforward process. But you need to understand the why (which can be buried a few layers deep). Happy to answer questions. The podcast 90 Days Later is also a super resource.

It’s over 14 units which is the safer drinking guideline