Is any regular alcohol an issue?

TwentyForty · 2022-10-29T19:12:34+00:00

Had a very stressful time with a few things this year and found my weekly gin turning into weekend gins, then Monday, then Wednesday, then before I knew it I was drinking more days than not. Only max 1 or two drinks in the evening but I found myself thinking about it from lunchtime. And I'd drink before eating dinner to get a tipsy 'hit' to unwind. I stopped two weeks ago and I'm shocked at my mood and energy improvements. I genuinely don't ever want to drink again! I don't think I had a problem as such, it became an unhealthy habit, but a close friend says *any* amount regularly counts as an issue?

MrsTerryPratchett · 29/10/2022 20:16

I think if it's an unhealthy habit ANY habit can be an issue. You thinking if it from lunchtime definitely means it's unhealthy. But I've known people who consistently without any increase or desire for more have, for example, one glass of wine with dinner. Same size every night. Or a sherry every Friday night. I don't think that s an issue.

And I worked in treatment.

Chickenpeppers · 29/10/2022 20:25

I don't think regular alcohol is an issue on it's own, but if you start thinking about it or feel that you need it, then it becomes an issue. Well done for recognising that it was becoming a problem and doing something about it. I'm at the stage where I've realised my drinking has become a problem but I've yet to do anything about it. It has been a tough couple of years and I've turned to alcohol for comfort which I'm ashamed of.

Feetupteashot · 29/10/2022 20:27

Regular is irrelevant. One sherry a month is regular.

If you think it's a problem for you, then it's a problem.

Let others decide how they wish to live their days.

luxxlisbon · 29/10/2022 20:29

No I don’t think ‘any’ amount regularly is an issue. If someone had a drink every Thursday and Saturday that’s regular but not symptomatic if an issue.

In your case the obvious symptom was dreaming about booze from lunchtime which is not normal.

Glad you’re doing well giving it up though and feeling better.

TheSausageKingofChicago · 29/10/2022 20:31

I think we’re fed a lot of lies about alcohol. It’s such a weird culture. I’ve been the same, often, but it’s weird when the veil falls and you realise how toxic drinking culture is.
I did an experiment the other day, and spotted how many ‘pro-booze’ messages I saw in a day. It was every hour or so. Glamorous women drinking wine on TV after a hard day at work, birthday cards, mugs and gifts with ‘gin o’clock’ on them, ‘fuelled by prosecco’ hoodies.
Can you imagine changing all that for ‘crack’?
Ir doesn’t sound like you have raging alcoholism but it’s very easy to slip into habitual drinking - there are some great books on this which will really change your perspective. It’s like mass gaslighting.

I still like a drink, but see it in a very different light now.

roarfeckingroarr · 29/10/2022 20:41

Pregnancy has given me space from alcohol to examine my relationship with it and realise how disordered it has been. I actually really enjoy remembering every day and night, having stable moods (well, pregnancy hormones aside), trusting my judgment and seeing friends sober.

KatieB55 · 29/10/2022 20:47

TheSausageKingofChicago · 29/10/2022 20:31

I think we’re fed a lot of lies about alcohol. It’s such a weird culture. I’ve been the same, often, but it’s weird when the veil falls and you realise how toxic drinking culture is.
I did an experiment the other day, and spotted how many ‘pro-booze’ messages I saw in a day. It was every hour or so. Glamorous women drinking wine on TV after a hard day at work, birthday cards, mugs and gifts with ‘gin o’clock’ on them, ‘fuelled by prosecco’ hoodies.
Can you imagine changing all that for ‘crack’?
Ir doesn’t sound like you have raging alcoholism but it’s very easy to slip into habitual drinking - there are some great books on this which will really change your perspective. It’s like mass gaslighting.

I still like a drink, but see it in a very different light now.

I agree with this entirely!

Original poster

TwentyForty · 29/10/2022 21:16

TheSausageKingofChicago · 29/10/2022 20:31

I think we’re fed a lot of lies about alcohol. It’s such a weird culture. I’ve been the same, often, but it’s weird when the veil falls and you realise how toxic drinking culture is.
I did an experiment the other day, and spotted how many ‘pro-booze’ messages I saw in a day. It was every hour or so. Glamorous women drinking wine on TV after a hard day at work, birthday cards, mugs and gifts with ‘gin o’clock’ on them, ‘fuelled by prosecco’ hoodies.
Can you imagine changing all that for ‘crack’?
Ir doesn’t sound like you have raging alcoholism but it’s very easy to slip into habitual drinking - there are some great books on this which will really change your perspective. It’s like mass gaslighting.

I still like a drink, but see it in a very different light now.

That's it exactly, because I wasn't getting drunk every day I thought it was fine, but the whole 'gin o clock' vibe definitely turned sinister, for me personally. There's an ideology there that I wasn't aware I was buying into, with negative consequences.

I didn't realise how bad it was making me feel (and I've gained half a stone, definitely down to the drinking which led to snacking). I've lost a kilo of weight without changing anything else. Biggest change is my mental health, it's much better.

I have huge sympathy for anyone struggling - I can see how easy it would be to keep drinking and gradually slip further.

OP posts:

GoodnightGentleBoris · 29/10/2022 21:22

When I was pregnant I stopped drinking (obvs) and my husband also massively cut down. We started drinking 0% beers and haven’t really gone back. They taste the same and it’s a lovely half way house between the ritual of having a beer at the end of the day but not actually drinking

TheSausageKingofChicago · 29/10/2022 21:27

TwentyForty · 29/10/2022 21:16

That's it exactly, because I wasn't getting drunk every day I thought it was fine, but the whole 'gin o clock' vibe definitely turned sinister, for me personally. There's an ideology there that I wasn't aware I was buying into, with negative consequences.

I didn't realise how bad it was making me feel (and I've gained half a stone, definitely down to the drinking which led to snacking). I've lost a kilo of weight without changing anything else. Biggest change is my mental health, it's much better.

I have huge sympathy for anyone struggling - I can see how easy it would be to keep drinking and gradually slip further.

Show quote history

I was the same. It really crept when I was going through a messy divorce. Every day I felt I’d ‘earned it’. I took a step back and realised, ‘earned what?’ Weight gain, poor mental health, always feeling a bit blurry round the edges, 3am anxiety, bad skin?

It was then that I realised it’s not treating myself, it’s treating myself badly.

It’s Saturday night though, so I’ll confess to typing this with a glass of wine in my hand! I’m not totally reformed - just more mindful.