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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how many nights a week you drink alcohol?

186 replies

BlondeOnATreadmill · 19/02/2016 20:34

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.

OP posts:
OttiliaVonBCup · 20/02/2016 17:04

One or two nights, two glasses max.

Cellardoor1 · 20/02/2016 17:18

I have read several articles that state that daily drinking, even in moderation, seems to be the biggest risk factor for alcoholic liver disease. Are they not saying that now?

I drink anywhere from 1-3 nights per week depending on whether I feel like it or not. Sometimes one or two glasses of wine. Sometimes a whole bottle, in which case I probably won't drink for the rest of that week.

A family member drinks at least a bottle every single night and more at the weekends. I do worry about their health.

notagiraffe · 20/02/2016 17:19

People who lost weight from giving up drinking - how long did it take? I now only drink on social occasions - so one or two nights a week max. Hoped I'd lose weight but haven't noticed a change.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 20/02/2016 17:33

That was my take on it Celladoor1. Maybe there's been new research or something.

pointythings · 20/02/2016 17:50

notagiraffe I think giving up drinking doesn't necessarily mean massive weight loss unless drinking alcohol triggers snacking - which it certainly did with me. Not drinking for me meant not scoffing crisps and nuts last thing at night, not having second portions, I simply ended up feeling less hungry.

lorelei9 · 20/02/2016 17:55

this is really interesting for me as I have a worry about a friend who I think is drinking too much. it's mostly twice or three times a week binge drinking. She needs about 12 units before she notices feeling different and about 16 before I can see that she's a bit tipsy but she can hold it together very well.

she seems to feel fine on it and is otherwise very healthy, plus I'm not one for interfering with the habits of adults, so I have no idea whether I'm being silly to worry, but the mere fact that she can (and has) got away with it for so long (she's 47) seems to mean her tolerance gets higher. She would say one or two drinks is pointless.

She did dry January but tbh I think a lot of people do that and then just go back to normal. We were on a holiday in a group last week and once, in response to a "joke" made by someone else, she said "I'm not an alcoholic" quite crossly.

OP, if you are still drinking a whole bottle 3 times a week then I guess your intake is similar to hers. I also guess you feel fine on it? She does so no disincentive really. She works longer and harder than I do by a mile, and also is very slim, fit, good muscles.

confusing. I also thought that binge drinking was worse for the liver but this thread doesn't agree...?

Sidalee7 · 20/02/2016 17:55

It really varies. This week I had nothing until Weds when I had 3 drinks during a meal out. Nothing on Thursday and one drink (Friday destress!) last night. Tonight I may have a couple of glasses of wine.

maggiethemagpie · 20/02/2016 18:19

I have a bit of an all or nothing attitude to booze. I don't drink at home, I never feel the need. Possibly the odd glass of wine but very few and far between and no more than that. If I go out specifically to drink ie to a bar, I will hit the cocktails and down maybe 6 of them. I probably only go out around 2ce a month so have never seen this as a problem.

LilacAndLovely · 20/02/2016 18:22

Most of the time none.

I'll have a drink at home (a couple of glasses of wine or a couple of cans of larger) maybe once every 2-3 months.

Gracey79 · 20/02/2016 18:31

Never drink at home generally, I'm a lp so very rarely go out maybe once every 3 months I would have 8-10 units on a night out.

MrsHathaway · 20/02/2016 18:46

I don't drink at all. I used to, but stopped to ttc and then to bf, and never started again. I might have the fizz to toast a wedding, or a very occasional port or G&T at Christmas or similar.

I think having several alcohol-free days a week is an excellent start. Part of what makes it hard to cut down is finding alternatives. I find some pubs better than others at offering a range of soft drinks: diet coke or £££ for a thimble of tonic isn't appealing, but our local does mocktails and Fentimans etc.

At home I drink a lot of fizzy water and herbal tea (no caffeine and no calories). I like Appletise/Schloer/fizzy elderflower type things to take to parties or for a nice meal in. Tonic or bitter lemon are good too and lots of people swear by ginger beer.

I'm still working on a gin-ish non-alcoholic cordial (lime/juniper etc) to get closer to the adult dry/spicy flavour of gin.

Good luck, OP. Some great advice on this thread.

writingsonthewall · 20/02/2016 20:44

Every night. Just a glass of prosecco. I can't seem to do without it which I'm aware isn't great. But it's only a little glass Blush

biggles50 · 21/02/2016 10:06

I used to drink far too much, a shared bottle of wine every night with my dh, since the menopause my body rejects alcohol, I suffer migraines if I drink wine now. I enjoy a lager maybe three times a week, can't hack a second bottle, it makes me very dizzy. Pre menopause I would be looking at the clock waiting for the chilled wine. Nowadays I enjoy the ritual of tea making, big pot, tea cosy and tray set. I don't miss the booze as I feel brighter and sleep better. Good luck with cutting back, am sure you'll feel the benefits.

MalbecAndLindt · 21/02/2016 10:41

I was in a habit of getting through a few bottles throughout the week just for the sake of it, but it was during a time of high and intense stress in work. I've now changed jobs and don't drink like that anymore. Nowadays, I enjoy a few glasses of wine on a Saturday. I bought some lovely wine from a local merchants that I can actually appreciate. So on a Saturday, we'll cook a really nice meal and savour some delicious Malbec or something. Plus, between two jobs and studying I only get Saturday nights off and only a lie in on a Sunday so it's nice to relax and unwind with a few glasses of wine.

bigTillyMint · 21/02/2016 10:45

Generally, just one or maybe 2 nights a week - anything between 2 and 6 glasses of wine/G&T's unless it's a big girlie night out

During the holidays it might be nothing at all or every night depending on where we are/who we are with.

Nothing compared to what I drank from 18-30 Blush

LoisWilkersonsLastNerve · 21/02/2016 10:51

I buy two bottles of wine on a Friday and they last me until Sunday. I don't drink during the week apart from the rare Mondays I might have some left. It sounds okay but technically its binge drinking. I don't plan on stopping to be honest.

ricketytickety · 21/02/2016 10:55

None. But used to be like you.

Do you feel like you have control? If not, try cutting down. As you recover emotionally then you should be able to start cutting down even more. I felt much better for it physically and emotionally.

Louise43210 · 21/02/2016 10:57

None. Husband and I used to drink, but through a series of circumstances, stopped. We have a cupboard full of booze - presents - that we offer to guests lol. We feel better for lack of alcohol.

bertiebow · 21/02/2016 11:08

If I could, I would drink every day I think. A glass of wine with dinner, at least. But I am worried about health risks and am starting to get hangovers if I have more than a glass so I limit it to the weekends now. It is very easy to get sucked into drinking more than is healthy; there's a lot of social pressure to drink.

A bottle in a night, even if a few times a week, is too much. But you have done really well to cut down.

For everyone who doesn't like to leave wine, suggest you invest in a Vacu Vin - makes wine keep for ages: www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=vacu%20vin

notagiraffe · 21/02/2016 12:36

I think the key to cutting down is having other options to drink that you genuinely enjoy. I'm so square, I like water. But DH when we did dry January made a big thing of making Virgin Marys or a cranberry and soda at around the time he'd normally have a glass of wine. That worked for him. Having lots of really nice cordials - elderflower, lime, ginger, and sparkling water and bags of ice in helps, as does infusing jugs of water with citrus fruit or cucumber and mint. Stops it feeling like you are giving something up and feels like a healthy exchange ifswim.

Lweji · 21/02/2016 12:39

Actually, there is mounting evidence that a drink a day (one glass of wine) for women and two for men (I'm sure it has to do with body mass) had health benefits.

www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/alcohol-full-story/#what_is_moderate

OttiliaVonBCup · 21/02/2016 12:48

I'm sure the health benefits of one drink are there, but one drink easily turns into two, two to three..

If you can only have one, good, it's easier to stick to nothing though.

JustBeingJuliet · 21/02/2016 12:51

I used to drink way too much; a bottle of wine most nights and more if I went out. I had an alcohol induced accident 2 years ago and nearly died, which put me off it totally for about 11 months, but I've slowly been drinking more and more again. I can't seem to just have a glass out of a bottle; the whole thing just seems to disappear, so I just don't really buy it anymore. I'm working away from home at the minute and getting up at 4.30am for my commute, so I'm not drinking Monday to Friday at all. I had a bottle of low alcohol spritzer type wine last night and I feel like shit today, so I think I'm better off not bothering at all!

TattyDevine · 21/02/2016 13:57

You are still drinking too much at 3 nights a week unfortunately, unless it is just one glass.

I used to drink too much, and every night. I was stuck in a boredom rut and stopped caring about my health, just about getting through the mundane crap each day brings. But knew I had to cut down.

I did a dry month which turned into about 6 weeks, to get out of the habit, and now "allow' myself to drink once a week, usually on a Friday. Because it is now once a week, I will sometimes drink a bottle of white wine or prosecco, over the course of an evening, and don't beat myself up about it because whilst it technically might be binge drinking, it is so so much less than I was and I can realistically stick to this for the rest of my life.

I've been sticking to this for over a year and feel and look so much better for it.

So I think those of us who have less of an off switch, or moderation switch, need to reduce it further to stay healthy and safe. If I ever get the hang of having just one glass, I might drink more regularly, but till then, I stick to my Fun Friday and stay away from it for the rest of the time.

Do you reckon you could do that?

KitKatCustard · 21/02/2016 14:24

I have about two glasses per year. I just don't drink any more. Gives me indigestion and a headache and I don't need to have alcohol to have a perfectly enjoyable time!