To ask how many nights a week you drink alcohol?

[BlondeOnATreadmill]

I have cut down, but I'm not sure it's enough? I think my thinking may be skewed?

I was drinking wine every night. For quite some time! And not just a glass either. Generally a bottle, or even more, every night.

For the past few months, I have cut my drinking back to 3 nights a week only.

The other 4 nights a week, I have no alcohol at all. I have lemonade with dinner and a few decaff coffees later on.

Is this ok? Is 3 nights of drinking still too many? Or do you think this seems ok?

I have lost all perspective.

[Squiff85]

Too much! I try and have 2 nights off a week, then 3 maybe a glass of wine or two and then 2 "bingey' nights. I should stop, its just habit.

[MNetter15]

I drink a bottle of wine every Saturday night.

If I go out (literally no more than 5 times a year) I only have one drink or else none, and drive (personal reasons)

[Lweji]

I knew it. Never ask if you drink too much on mumsnet as the "I have a thimble of wine with Xmas lunch" brigade will be out in force.
Touchy?
Or maybe many actually don't drink that much.

[caroldecker]

About 20% of women say they drink about the same (or more) as you do now. However, these surveys only account for about 50% of the alcohol sold in the UK, so it is probably nearer half.
Regardless of the quantity you drink, you are only an alcoholic if it causes problems in your life/relationships/finances.
You can still get significant health problems without being an alcoholic.

[toffeeboffin]

In theory, just cutting down to half a bottle is a good idea.

But I know for DH and I that if we open a bottle we finish it that night, well, he does.

So it's better to just not open a bottle at all. Cut back that way instead.

[Cat2014]

I drink a Similar amount to you..
Half a bottle 2 nights a week. And then about a bottle on. Saturday night, and a large glass with Sunday lunch. So 2 and a bit bottles a week.
I'm trying to cut down to 2 bottles a week so less on a sat night initially - maybe 2 large glasses instead of a bottle.. Weekly units recommended max is 14 so I'm aiming for that - just under 2 bottles a week.

[MrsSparkles]

We got a wine box (took a while to find a decent one) but found this really helped with just having a glass or two rather than a while bottle. But as others have said you've done really well to cut down so much.

[DecaffCoffeeAndRollupsPlease]

Your GP can do a liver function test quite easily if you are concerned about that.

If you want to change your drinking habits, there are some good tips in this thread. I would also recommend lining up some support, from friends/family/professional too.

Good luck and well done for the changes you have already made. Change is often difficult, but you've done it and can continue to.

[dementedpixie]

Bottle of wine on a Friday, 3 double long vodkas on a Saturday and most weeks a small bottle of fruity cider on a Sunday. Don't drink on any other night

[whats4teamum]

Thank you lweji but amongst my social circle I am the lightweight. The point I am trying to make is that these threads attract those who feel a little bit pleased with themselves pouring drinks away etc.

You could compare it to the weetabix/cake breakfast thread where everyone appeared to be up poaching eggs every morning.

[flanjabelle]

0 per week. Perhaps once a year? I can't bear the hangovers, it's just not worth it to me.

[CornishDoll82]

Gosh there are a lot of non/low level drinkers here. I'm not sure this is normal elsewhere but pretty much all of my friends and colleagues drink way more than most of those stated here. Late 30's, professionals.

Personally I try and have 2-3 nights off a week and I guess probably drink between 2/3 and a bottle other nights. I spent years drinking a lot more.

Last time I had liver test it was fine luckily

[flanjabelle]

The thing is I really enjoy a drink and am a little bit envious of those who can drink and not be completely incapacitated the next day. If I have even one glass of wine I feel rotten, really sick and unwell the next day. I have to sleep it off and that's not possible with a toddler. I'm not being holier than thou, alcohol just doesn't like me.

[Pangurban1]

0 at the moment because I'm on painkillers. I made a boeuf bourguignon the other night and would have loved a glass of red wine with it.

Can get low or non alcohol beer though. Don't really drink much anyway. Cold beer with barbecue or wine couple times a fortnight or month. I really enjoy it with my meal when I do have something.

Simply couldn't be doing with feeling below par if I drank too much. Like flan.

[littlestlily]

On occasion ( in stressful times) I was drinking thurs, fri, sat nights, prob half a bottle on Thursday and Friday and a bottle on sat, it makes me feel rubbish tho so I'm trying to cut back, it's very difficult as my husband refuses to do a dry any month, and seems to deliberately drink more when I'm trying to cut back!
I have some very intelligent non alchoholic ( I presume!) friends who drink half a bottle and a gun and tonic every night, but yes, it's too much 😕

[littlestlily]

Gin not gun 🙄

[MarieThereseLouise]

I agree with pps about getting support with emotional side so that you don't have to do it all by willpower. Your parents weren't just modelling a habit while you were growing up, they were also demonstrating what to do with emotional pain or life's frustrations, so you had less chance to develop your ways of dealing with these.

Having had this growing up too, it felt like catching up with missed milestones when I started to fill this gap as an adult.

Good luck OP, this is brave.

[notagiraffe]

OP a bottle a night three times a week is still way too much. If you drink white, could you try having long spritzers? Pour a small glass of wine into a massive wine glass or tumbler and top up with ice and soda or sparkling water until it's at least half a pint's worth of liquid to 125ml of wine.

Or try some of the lower alcohol wines. M&S do some frizzantes which are 7% instead of the usual 11-14%.

I used to drink one small glass every night and three or four times that whenever I went out. Now I don't drink during the week. Did dry January (for the first time ever) and just lost the desire for it. I hate feely woolly the next day and even one small glass does that now.

[Madnson]

I'm drinking every night, just one glass of red a night. So ashamed of it but I've got so much going on now i feel it's my only way of relaxing.

[notagiraffe]

just seen flanjabelle's post. yes. That's how I am. I love the taste of wine but hate how it makes me feel next day, even one glass makes me sleepy and stupid all day long.
Going to a party tomorrow night so I know Sunday will be a total write off.

[GenevaMaybe]

I drink 1 glass every night during the week and maybe 2 to 3 glasses on. Saturday night.
Probably excessive but it really is the only thing that helps me wind down.

[Mayvis]

The Drinkaware app is good for tracking the amount of alcohol you're consuming. It shows if you're drinking within a low level and you can set goals on there. It's also interesting to see the difference in units within different drinks- my can of cider tonight was 2.6 but my usual vodka is 0.9.

I'm not a huge drinker but work in a bar a few nights a week. I use it to keep watch on my consumption, but it's more as an interest rather than being worried about it. I've had 16 drinks this year, that included a weekend away.

[Fourarmsv2]

On average my weekly consumption is 0.

Stopped drinking much when pg with DS1. Pg, BF, got pg again whilst still BF, BF DS2. Meant virtually dry from June 2003-May 2009.

Can hardly drink now without feeling dreadful the next day.

[MrsSparkles]

I would love some wine now - only a couple of weeks to go!

I agree that a lot of people on this thread drink far less than people I know in real life,

[Ginkypig]

If I drink on my own in the house I probably would drink the whole bottle of wine in one go so i don't open one. I know if on my own I don't have a healthy relationship with alcohol so I dont have one

My normal is 2 glasses with dp on sat night (so half a bottle) and could do the same on Sunday night but not every sunday. And now and again a bottle of radlers mid week but they are really low %

although on occasion if I go out or have a wine with the girls type night it would be more (hardly ever though twice a year if that) but on a night like that I could easily put a bottle to a bottle and a half of wine away!