Drinking too quickly?

[namechange269]

I am trying to cut down wine consumption as I think otherwise i may need to give up completely.

I don’t drink every night but when I do I find I drink really quickly. I try to sip but unless I walk away from the glass I want to gulp it down which I think means I have a problem.

also on the weekend I will easily drink a bottle or more and then fall asleep before 11 and feel rubbish the next day

this only happens at home. I can moderate when I am out with friends

Any tips on moderating at home? I have friends who have gone down the slippery slope of alcoholism and I don’t want to end up like them or having to quit altogether

I started adding lemonade to my wine in order to cut down, I can’t gulp down lemonade like I can wine so it made a glass last considerably longer but was still enjoyable.

Have a pint of water first, so it totally quenches your thirst?

How about not drinking at home on your own, but only when out with friends?

How much water do you drink? If you don’t know buy a bottle of still mineral water like volvic or Evian or something and see. We need 1.5 litres a day apparently.

Drink a large drink of water before you start in the wine to fill yourself up. You won’t feel as thirsty so won’t want as much wine.

I agree with this. Drinking alone was where my problem started. I've decided to quit because I ended up drinking a bottle or two an evening. It got to a point I had to stop.

I don't think the OP is drinking quickly because she's thirsty.

No, I realise that. I am not stupid.

But actually ensuring her body is not thirsty/dehydrated first, and "filling up" on water may well help prevent unconsciously "glugging" with the first glass. Adding "consciousness" to what she is drinking.

It certainly won't harm!

I do this, but tbf, I notice I also do it with soft drinks.

My advice is: When you pour a wine, also pour a big glass of sparkling water or a long soft drink with lots of ice. Top the wine up with ice and soda or sparkling water to, if you like spritzers. Then make sure you finish the soft drink before you pour a second alcoholic drink. Do this every time you pour a glass of wine.

@ShredderQueen apologies as although I didn't assume you were stupid, but didn't understand the logic. But yeah - see what you mean making yourself more concious of what you're drinking.

I am currently 30 days in to a no alcohol at all for health reasons and for me that seems easier than trying to moderate. I only drink red wine and enjoy the taste, so adding water wouldn't work - but there's obviously more than one way to cut back.

You’re not drinking so much so quickly out with friends because it’s not socially acceptable.

Really when you get to the point of making rules for yourself to control your drinking, you’re already at the point when you need to stop drinking.

Realistically, if you don’t want to drink too much too quickly at home, you just need to not drink at home. Keep it to dinners out or meeting up with friends if that works. It will also reduce your alcohol consumption overall and you might even think of giving up completely.

No one who really wants to drink a bottle of wine or two at home is going to (long term) drink less because they use a different glass or mix in some sparkling water or any of those little tricks.

I disagree. I certainly (used to) drink 2 beers instead of 1 and then gradually realized that if I drink a couple of glasses of water first, I beer is plenty.

Honestly maybe try some time away from it altogether, break some of your associations with alcohol. I agree with some others that when you need to put this much thought into moderation it may be time to think about a step back from alcohol at least for a while. I've been alcohol free for 9 months and it's totally reframed my thinking around it, I wasn't binge drinking or drinking much over my units each week but moderation took up headspace and it required me to be super conscious to not overstep and it was a lot. I also found alcohol even in small amounts affected my mood/anxiety. I honestly am super enjoying not drinking it really doesn't feel like a loss and feels like self care, I'm planning doing a year and then I'll see but if I do go back to drinking I think it would look very different.

@namechange269 Buy cheap wine. It might help if it doesn't taste nice.