Giving up drinking just before holiday

[ladiesandgentlemen]

I was going to wait until we got back as we are going to a child friendly holiday park with evening entertainment and bar and having been there before I know it’s going to be hard but I really don’t want another 7 day binge before I do this and I am a binge drinker and have decided I don’t want alcohol in my life anymore.

Am I setting the goal too high just 3 weeks before a potential boozy break where I know my husband will be drinking in the evenings?
If I’m honest I think I will find the evenings boring but will go over for the kids entertainment, I don’t really enjoy things like that but once the drinks start flowing I usually get into it and then it is all about going over and drinking.
I think if I am going to do this I need to do it and not say after the holiday, after this event or that because ultimately as a non drinker life is going to be about going to places where I’d usually drink.

I just know this first holiday is going to be hard. I also haven’t told my husband that I’m not drinking yet and although he thinks I drink too much and too often, he rarely does except on holiday and I know he’s looking forward to us having a drink in the evenings.

This was a huge part of my problem with alcohol - I loved getting tipsy, putting the world to rights with DH, finding tiresome things more enjoyable etc. And alcohol is an amazing social lubricant.

BUT

I couldn’t drink “normally” like others. The evening would start off great but end up tragic. Next day full of regret, feeling shit, needing more alcohol to make me feel human again. It was an awful spiral.

You are right that there is never a good time to stop - there will ALWAYS be a reason to drink.

It will be hard at first but you need to reframe from FOMO to JOMO - joy of missing out. Play the tape forward to remember how crap the mornings after are. Relish waking up on holiday hangover free. Be present for the DC rather than half scooped - really watch them having fun, engage with them, enjoy their enjoyment.

It gets easier the more you do it. I did a week all inclusive cruise where everyone it seemed was “drinking all day”. But when I looked closely, many people were not drinking alcohol, or having one then stopping. The people getting wasted stood out a mile and you could tell they had alcohol issues.

I’d let DH know that you are stopping, that you’re ok with him drinking, but you’ll quietly leave if things get too much. I told my DH not to come home/to bed with me as that would make me feel I had to stay out “for him”.

Ive had plenty of relapses but I’m in a good place now by doing the above. Our social circle are now completely ok with me just disappearing and DH snd I still have great fun with me sober.

remember - nobody ever regrets NOT drinking. Good luck ❤️