How to break bad habit

[Needtochange123]

I've been drinking pretty much every night over the last few years. I don't drink enough to feel drunk (around 4 cans of lager) but obviously I know it is affecting me.

It has become a habit really, get in from a long day at work and open a can. I rarely drink when I go out as I have to drive due to my location and having no other driver in the house. I don't feel the need to drink when I do something interesting, I can go a couple weeks if I'm on holiday without missing it or thinking about it (for example).

I think it is habit, boredom and being too tired to go out after work to do something more wholesome!

However. more recently, the last month or two, I've been filling up on drink and snacks rather than cook a hot meal in the evening. Mostly I just can't be bothered with the food prep and cleaning up after. My children are adults so often aren't here now or get themselves food so I have nobody dependant on me for meals like I once did (I did cook each night then). I've been a single parent for many years and I feel like I've just burned out now with having to think about all the domestic drudgery, which includes cooking.

I just wondered if anyone had any advice on how to break the rut and the habit before I do mess up my health significantly. It's hard to find the motivation to do something different in the evening but I know I need to.

Don’t buy it in. It’s that simple.

You sound unhappy and alcohol is usually used as self medication. Have you considered getting to the root of the problem and finding other strategies to deal with it?

Create a new habit. I was drinking significantly more than you. But I switched to having an alcohol free beer or two every night at 5pm. Literally every night. I made it my new routine.

You also don’t have small children to keep you at home in the evenings, so do something besides sitting and drinking and snacking. I started walking and listening to a podcast. Some nights I’d go to a class (choose one you like, I did a sound bath, yoga, went swimming). I also had a mint tea every night when I went to bed. Some nights I just went to bed early with a book and my mint tea. I wasn’t going to reach for booze if I was already ready for bed with a tea.

Thank you for your comments. It’s given me some things to think about.

I guess I’m generally quite lonely. I’ve been parenting without their dad for many years and have stayed single over that time. I do have friends I see but not the kind I could talk about this with.

I lost my mum a couple years ago and dad has been battling with cancer since before then. Mum was my biggest support with the children until she got too unwell.

I have got worse since she died, but did enjoy an evening drink before that so it isn’t the primary cause.

I did look into some evening groups last night after reading the messages but I’d have to check with my boss if our rota could be shifted to accommodate them as I often get home after 6pm and some of them start for that time.

Yes, it is as simple as not buying it in on one level but as I pass a shop that sells it as I leave work and my will power isn’t at its high point at that part in the day it doesn’t work , unfortunately. If the shop wasn’t there it would be easier as I’d be unlikely to drive all the way into town! This is the area I need some support in and I know it.