Stopping drinking for a while

[Patbutcherismyhero]

Throughout lockdown I've gradually started drinking more and more. I now usually only have one day off a week. Last night I drank way too much and was sick, slept terribly and today I just feel awful mentally and physically. I need to cut back. It's become far too much far too often.

I hate waking in the night with anxiety and having to check my phone to if I put any shit on social media. I don't usually get hangovers but I always feel tired and lacking in motivation. Alcohol has become such a big part of my life but I know it's not healthy and I really need to stop for a while. Anyone else?

@Fedup21

Wine is the massive trigger with me-I like the taste, I like the feeling, but I never seem to m so when to stop.

I also drink far too quickly, so it’s gone before I realise. Drinking beer or long drinks with mixers do at least last a lot longer.

What is it about wine that’s so nice though?!

I am exactly the same. I love the taste of one particular wine and drinking it is comforting. I also don't know when to stop. There comes a point where it no longer tastes so good but that doesn't stop me drinking it. I have no alcohol in the house right now. If I did, I'd drink it.

@SucculentCandle

‘ I am exactly the same. I love the taste of one particular wine and drinking it is comforting. I also don't know when to stop. There comes a point where it no longer tastes so good but that doesn't stop me drinking it’.

This is exactly me! I have one type of wine that I like the taste of and it really hits the spot. I poured a basically full bottle of it down the sink Monday morning as otherwise it would have got drunk at some point this week. At first I thought I would just take it out if the fridge and that would remove temptation as it’d be warm but I realised that if I wanted it, I’d still drink it - just with ice! So it had to go.

Went to cook dinner a couple hours later and the recipe required wine - that was was annoying...

@RandomGirl lol! Cant count how much I've done that! I now freeze a bit as stock. Also enjoyed one brand of wine and drinking it but not the effects on my mental health...

I'm the same with my favourite wine. It's the only thing that gives me that feeling of relief - gin/beer/Prosecco doesn't come close and I can easily stop after one or two etc. The wine is my nemesis. It's also what turns me into a twat/nightmare/mess. I have a house full of alcohol but none of that wine in.

Right you lot stop talking about wine!!!!

Another wino here! It really does give the nicest buzz. Usually I can sit and enjoy a bottle of wine on a Saturday night and be fine, chilled and hangover free the next day. I realise a bottle is a lot to sink in one go but once a week I don't think is too much of an issue and certainly doesn't land me in any trouble. But my problems have occurred when I've been out for a day/night so maybe a wedding or a night out and just drank wine consistently throughout the day. I think people forget how strong it is and it's so easy to lose track of how much you've had when you're drinking by the glass over a long period of time. You don't realise it's too late and you're utterly trollied.

Day 4 here AF here and annoyingly woke up feeling headachey and a bit hungover today! Probably the heat.

I will definitely watch my intake at the weekend with my friends. Plan to start off with a few soft drinks and then maybe have a few glasses of wine if I feel like it. But the aim is to be able to take it or leave it and if I get there and really don't fancy it I won't force myself.

@Railingsohno hahah, sorry!!

@Patbutcherismyhero yeah same, the problem is not the glasses of wine - it’s the bottle and binges that I end up getting embroiled in. Have a heavy day/night and wake up feeling rough so then have a couple drinks the next day to perk up and then repeat - ends up in a three day bender. Bring on the guilt, anxiety lack of money in my bank!

My friend and I talk about the ‘wine buzz’ a lot. It really is a thing.

Yes it is a thing. To be honest I’m a bit uncomfortable about this as I find it quite triggering for me. I was hoping to stay on this thread as an AF person and support everyone. This kind of discussion does make it hard though - I’d ask you to be mindful to those of us who’ve given up completely.

I know @Railingsohno - I need to remind myself it's also the thing that causes all the behaviours and feelings that I don't like. It is not even remotely worth it.

Oh this is all true about wine, it's my chosen poison too.
Sorry @Railingsohno, I wont go into too much detail, totally get how it can be triggering.

Day 4 AF for me, all good so far. It's Thursday that's the breaker.
Still aiming for 6 AF days this week, will be chuffed with that.

Saturday will be planned drinks, but two of my friends don't drink anymore, so will just be me and another. The sober friends will make it easier to slow down. I hope.

@fluckityfluckfluck exactly. It’s my downfall. How far are you along with it now? I’m 6 months this week. Quite pleased with myself. Thanks too for your fab support during my holiday wobble! I’m not good with a lot of noise and people and I think in the past I’ve used the wine to numb the stress I feel in those situations (including noisy family life).

Well done @starskey80 - have you plans to keep yourself busy tomorrow night? It’s Just about breaking the habit!

@Railingsohno Day 56 - not that I'm counting

My dad was due to come on Saturday for a few days and has cancelled due to Corona - I'm so grateful as awful as that sounds as I find him/anyone in the house for a few days really stressful and he drinks a lot

@fluckityfluckfluckyou are doing so well! I think the best bit for me has been really thinking about why I drink and trying to tackle it at the root.

@Railingsohno I will be fine once I get past 7pm. If I don't have wine in the fridge by then I wont bother go to the shop to get some. Plus my son has a football training session at a local park at 6:30pm, so I will take him and go for a walk while he trains. I wont be back till after 8pm, so will have dodged the witching hour :)

So impressed you've gone six months, that's amazing. You must feel great.

@Railingsohno Sorry you felt triggered. However this is a thread for people with a variety of goals. For some it isn't a case of wanting to stop completely but learn to moderate and have healthier habits while still enjoying booze as part of their lives, just more mindfully and sensibly.

I have gone through phases of not posting here because I've been in a drinking phase and not wanted to bring other people down or flood the thread with talk of drinking when others are abstaining. But if that's the case then I should probably stop posting altogether because at this time in my life I'm not wanting to give up completely, just cut back. Which this week I have managed pretty well. Hurrah!

I'm all for celebrating achievements and I think those who have managed to stop completely for prolonged periods of time have shown amazing willpower and strength. But that's not all of us.

Very happy to support all, it was the specific discussion of the “wine buzz” that I felt uncomfortable with. I think I’m respectful and supportive of everyone here, whatever their goals are. I was just asking people to be mindful. It doesn’t bother me hearing about others drinking otherwise I agree I shouldn’t be on here. It’s that specific term and phrase. I think this thread has been great but I know I’m not the only one who will have found that hard. If we want it to remain a place for all then my pointing that out should be a good thing.

PS well done on your week so far 👍🏻💪🏻

@starskey80 good luck! 7pm also tricky for me but I’m getting there. 💕

We were thinking about going out for dinner tonight what with the Govt’s 50% scheme and was looking forward to eat out but then I got the fear about drinking and got my first real craving of the week and started to consider if I would drink. Fortunately the restaurant is fully booked. Just spoke to my husband and asked if he thought went would be drinking if we went out and he said, ‘no way, I’m not’ which then gave me a huge wave of relief and so now we’re going to find somewhere else that has outdoor eating

@RandomGirl - yay for supportive husbands! Enjoy your meal out. AF free lager is nice and I recommend a Virgin Mary if they do cocktails!

@Railingsohno country pub booked - I’m going to go for an AF lager! Thanks for the tip!

Hi everybody. Just wanted to thank you all for contributing to what I have found to be an extremely helpful and supportive thread. Yes, there were a few negative comments earlier on but all the recent posts appear to be honest and mutually supportive.
I find it difficult to express my thoughts about my relationship with alcohol, so appreciate the well written and thought provoking posts I’ve read. Some of them are uncomfortably true for me!
Something created a response in me early in the thread and took me to the Alcohol Experiment on recommendation from at least one of you. I started the experiment 42 days ago and am still AF! I’ve done Dry January before but this is the longest I have gone AF for the best part of 40 years.
I don’t want to go into details of my alcohol consumption, save to say that I’ve been concerned for a long time but have not found the courage and determination to do something positive before.
Fortunately my husband decided to join me early on and it has been helpful to do it together. That said, we don’t need to say much to each other about it now, as moments of weakness are getting further apart. Our mindsets have changed and it is now a given that we are AF.
I don’t think I will never drink again but for the time being I’m enjoying losing a bit of weight, lack of hangovers and the cash saving. The I Am Sober app, a poster recommended, says I have saved £344 (I put in £8 per day for my consumption).
Thanks for all the AF drink recommendations. We’ve enjoyed a few bottles of AF sparkling wine.
Nothing to add to the discussion really, save to say, please keep posting everyone and thank you.

I got a puppy today