Do I drink too much?

[user1491413344]

I drink a bottle of wine every night. DH says this is too much and thinks I should stop.

Is it too much? Thought it was okay.

Walk!!!

I drink because I like the taste of it and I like the buzz it gives me when I drink it. I don't like being really drunk but I do like feeling slightly tipsy and giggly.

MasterOfNap If you wish to believe that, that's your look out.

But your children will never be happy if their mum is an alcoholic who is unwilling to do anything about it.

do I need to see the GP? Can I not just do this alone?

don't really know hoew gp can help.

how

I have tried but if I'm alone what can I do?? If anyone would like to help me then please jump in

My mum used to drink a bottle a night. As long as you're not hurting anyone, I don't see the problem.

I've had to give up drinking since I got pregnant, but I do go to the monthly rock club night - I just stay on the pop! I worry a bit about the loud heavy metal music, but hopefully my baby will turn out to be a rocker just like me!!

Mmmmm op er so many alcohol
Threads tonight.

You drink a tad more than I do But probablly not more than my
Friends.

master you are not alone pm me

Hi OP,

I think you're getting a bit of a rough ride here. If you speak to your GP they'll refer you to your local drug and alcohol service. It it they who can discuss with you where you feel your health is and if you have a dependency.

In the years my Mum was dying I drank about a bottle or sometimes more a night and I still do on occasion when feeling depressed. I was embarrassed and terrified that I was alcoholic and going to ruin my life. The stigma about alcoholism is huge and it's such a scary thought that you might be somewhere on that spectrum. I was in a rehab place for a tranquillizer addiction and after having tests and speaking to my key worker and physiatrist they were able to out me in the picture of where my alcohol usage fitted into behaviour patterns they've seen in other people and made me realise that, although my use was obviously excessive and dangerous, I wasn't beyond help.

I hope you can find a kind keyworker and supportive friends to help - Mumsnet isn't the best place for this sort of discussion really, best have a chat with a professional. They'll have seen it a million time before and will be able to offer you advice.

You're not a weak or bad person, this happens to loads of people for whatever reason. Be kind to yourself and don't expect miracles overnight

@Batgirlspants you may need to message me first

You don't have to stop completely just retrain your body and try and wait for the weekend. You will feel so much better for it trust me. I still drink now and then.

Master I'm not an expert, but I do know that cbt doesn't work for everyone, and that you could stop drinking without having to use cbt, or aa etc.

User I think it depends on lots of factors, for example how long have you been drinking every night for? With me it was 3 and a half/ 4 months so though I was drinking more I wasn't physically dependent on it - well bar feeling a bit shit for the first few days. I think in reality you've got to be drinking a lot to need detox, more than a bottle a night I'd say. But again, I'm not an expert. It all depends on you personally too. Personally I couldn't go to the GP, even though I was worried about my liver, I couldn't. If you could bear to go it might be worth it, but it's up to you really. I think the main things the gp can do is to help you detox (which only a small number of people need afaik) and refer you to other services (counselling, support groups etc).

My cousin used to drink a pint of vodka for breakfast he nearly died. I think he's of the drink now he turned jaundice and he was given a lot of support from the services he entered.

I'm like you.Its an easy habit to slip into.I have switched my wine to weak cider in the week and have a bottle of wine at the weekend.I am down to 16 units most weeks(with the odd wobble).,if I'm feeling a bit susceptable then I don't have wine in the house.It really is breaking the habit(finding pointless hobbies doesn't really help).
I do enjoy wine and was also never drunk and have finally managed to get a grip.You can do it OP you have already started,you now have to work out how to cut down in a way that works for you.🍫

You need to face up to the sober reality of why you are drinking. I can sense both User and Master are feeling sad and ashamed. This happens and has happened to so many people. Alcohol is so freely available and relatively cheap. It is no wonder it's something many people use to cover up or run away/forget your problems. There is help out there but you have to take it and want to do it. No one here can make you want that for yourself.
It isn't until you cut down or stop drinking that you can see how much it's affecting your body. Right now you are also how I was - not getting drunk and my kids never noticed! But I knew I just feel sad a lot. And bleary eyed and very very anxious.

What I am telling you is that the idea of cutting down or stopping is not as bad as you are imagining. At the moment you are desperately trying to cling onto reasons why you can't stop or cut down, like trying to find out if it's normal or not having a suitable replacement. That anxiety is also normal in this situation. You are not bad people you have just lost your way. You can find your way back, you just need a bit of help.
The dry thread was very helpful to talk about how I was feeling - like a diary - and share with others in similar situations.
Perhaps set yourselves little goals to cut down and come back tomorrow or the next day and talk about how you feel?

I could easily drink half a bottle a night, but try to have a few alcohol-free days a week. May be easier cutting down gradually? Leave a bit in the bottle for the next day etc etc?

Hi op and others it's nothing to be ashamed of for a start.

Me and dh have always enjoyed a drink to unwind at the end of the day. We met at 18 and are now late 40s so that's a lot of wine.

Now we have non drink days which are flexible around holiday times/birthdays etc so we have 4 alcohol free days a week. It's more beneficial to your liver if you have non drinking consecutive days so mon to thurs? It's hard to start with but once you get into the rhythm it gets easier.

I don't know about you guys but it's actually habit. You finally sit down at the end of the day and it's that time that it's unwind time.

You could try just buying a miniature bottle to start with to wean off so that's just a glass rather than a bottle so you get the initial hit but a lot less alcohol.

Don't have alcohol in the house. Not while you are in the cutting back phase.

Put the cash you would have spent in the wine into a money box and at the end of the week treat the kids or yourself. You can do it. It's worth it.

That is way too much OP, and also extremely bad for your health.

I would also question WHY you need to drink that much every night? There are other ways to unwind and relax tbh, now that the evenings are getting longer, get out for a walk!

Can I add not everyone who drinks every night or excessively Is unhappy or drinking to mask something it can be simply habit to unwind and you need to find another way to unwind

As long as you're not hurting anyone, I don't see the problem

If you drink a bottle every night you are hurting yourself. You are also hurting others in your family, if not now, but eventually.
You can't function properly with that much alcohol in your system every day. You may kid yourself it's not making a difference but it is.

I agree @Batgirlspants - when I was drinking daily it was habit, something I did to chill out and relax, and part of my social life.

The thing that really helped me cut right back (now only max 2-3 drinks per month) was being presented with the facts on cancer risk. Alcohol is a proven major risk factor for 7 types of cancer.

1.5 units a day (one small drink) increases breast cancer risk by 5%. For every extra drink per day the risk increases by 7 - 12%. Breast cancer is already very common (I believe 1 in 9 women will now get it in their lifetime) and I in no way wish to increase this risk!!! This is not even to mention the other types of cancer which are even more strongly linked to alcohol (bowel, mouth, throat, oesophageal etc)

www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/alcohol-and-cancer/alcohol-facts-and-evidence#alcohol_facts1

Don't want to be preachy but just saying this is what helped my partner and I cut back. I will never say never, and suspect I will always enjoy a glass of fizz on a special occasion, or a nice cold beer with a pub lunch but I doubt I'll ever drink regularly again.....this is bloody scary stuff!!

Hi OP

The symptoms of alcohol withdrawal range from unpleasant (shakes, sweating) to potentially life-threatening (seizures). These can be managed with medicines/support.

Nobody here can tell you whether you would need extra help to cut down your drinking and to manage any withdrawal symptoms safely. You would need to be properly assessed first. That's why I and some other posters have recommended seeing your GP.

If you and the people close to you are starting to question your actions then now is the ideal time to make some changes - hopefully before any lasting damage is done. Good luck.

@user1491413344 I'm sorry you've been getting some negativity on here. It is good you are questioning your alcohol intake....I really don't think you have to stop completely but for health reasons less alcohol would definitely be beneficial. Since I cut back, I have so much more energy and have lost weight without trying, hurrah!

One bottle of wine is approx 625 calories. So 7 bottles = 4375 calories per week = 227500 calories per year. As one pound of body fat = 3500 calories, your wine consumption equates to 65lb of fat which is 4st8lb I know there is a bit more to the energy balance weight gain/loss thing but still, this is a LOT of empty calories and would be an easy way to cut back.

Yes a lot of empty calories.

taffle if the op is being truthful and drinks no more than a bottle of wine a day she shouldn't need to seek medical advice to stop regarding withdrawal symptoms. She won't have any with that amount.