Cutting back on booze

[lastminpanic23]

I've always loved a drink. Binge drank a lot in my twenties which I rarely do now barring the very occasional night out. But I do enjoy having a few drinks at home in the evening and this has crept up to 3-4 nights a week. I don't get blackout drunk obviously but nicely tipsy and I still do enjoy it.

However I can't ignore how much better I feel when I don't drink. I sleep better. I have more energy. Even though I don't get hungover I can tell I've had a drink and I've also put on a fair bit of weight.

Most importantly I know I'm a better parent when I don't drink. I have more time and patience. I don't want to give up entirely but I do feel like for my health and for my kids I should cut back. Has anyone else done this?

Following this because I could have written it. Decided this morning to try not to have a drink until the weekend.... sounds like nothing but it will be unusual for me.

Good luck OP

Currently on day 77 of an initial 90 day alcohol free challenge. I can not begin to tell you how much better I feel. Planning to go beyond the 90 days possibly for good. Cut it out completely for a sustained period of time. You may find you don’t want it at all.

I read Allen Carr. The easy way to stop drinking. I am a social drinker and terrible binge drinker. This book has really helped me refocus my relationship with alcohol.

That's it isn't it? After listening to podcasts it seems like most people do a stint not drinking and realise their life has changed so don't go back.

Not drinking alcohol has been one of the best decisions I've ever made. The benefits are well known, but one advantage that I hadn't really thought of before is this: I never, ever have to decide whether I'm going to have a drink. I just dont.

I believe so & I was a heavy drinker. Daily habit. Feel like a new person :)

Can I ask what made you stop? And how has it changed your life?

I've always liked a drink - could go a few weeks without it, but then have 3 or 4 weeks in a row where I'll have 5 bottles of wine in a week. Had weeks when I had 3 full bottles of gin in a week, or 2 full bottles of whiskey. As I said, I would go for 3 or 4 weeks with nothing sometimes, except the odd can of lager, but the weeks when I did drink, I drank too much.

I think the shit hit the fan for me back in January this year - when I went to get a bottle of a particular whiskey I like - and it had gone up a THIRD since I got it last - one month earlier. At that point I thought 'I'm not going to pay that. It's gone up so much' and realised that most of the other booze I liked has steadily risen in price too.

That was the catalyst for me. I haven't had any alcohol since mid January. 7 months now. I honestly, don't miss it. Don't go to the pub very often anyway. (Not in the evening. Occasionally go for a night out with mates.) Husband has been teetotal for 3 years after he used to get through a lot of booze as well. So it makes it easier to not drink tbh.

I've saved loads of money, and I don't suffer horrible nasty headaches and hangovers now either. Not saying I will never ever drink again, and I didn't plan to stop drinking, and this is probably what's made it easier. Maybe I will have another drink one day, maybe I won't. I don't need it. I often get a headache before I start to feel tipsy or merry anyway! As I said, I don't miss it. At all. (I'm in my 50s.)

Go for it @lastminpanic23

I’ve cut down. So stopped the sitting on the sofa on a weeknight drinking half a bottle of wine. I’ll have a drink if out with friends, though they don’t drink as much any more, in our 50s. I’ll have a pint on a lovely day outside a pub, but won’t automatically think I’ll have a gin in the garden.

I’ve lost weight, I’m sleeping better, I’m saving money…just by knocking random drinking on the head.

I think it's worth trying. I cut midweek drinking out a few years ago and feel better for it. Having a drink on a work night just doesn't appeal anymore. Still not prepared to never have a bottle of wine on a weekend ever again, but I've stopped drinking every weekend and I'm staying within the recommended weekly units.

I was in almost exactly the same position as you. I would try and cut down but it would always creep up. I realised that the only thing I could do was stop completely.

I read Allen Carr'a book a few years ago but struggled to relate to it. Then in June 2023 I read The Naked Mind by Annie Grace and something clicked. The theory is the same as Carr's book but I just found her more relatable. I've not had a drink since.

I feel so much better but the main thing is no longer having that nagging feeling in my mind that I'm damaging my body. I also feel more relaxed after a night out because I don't have to piece together what happened and work out if I made a fool of myself.

I’ve always been a “binge” drinker in the sense that I’ve never seen the point of having a couple at home on a weekday night and getting mildly tipsy. I’ve therefore never had a drink at home outside of Christmas.

What I still do is drink socially. When I was younger it was a couple of nights a week, getting absolutely shit faced in the main. I should say I regret this, but I don’t, they were great times.

As I’ve got older my social drinking / nights out have got fewer, maybe once a month at most. I still binge on those occasions but less so, don’t get shit faced and tend to start and finish earlier in the night. I now find a large glass of water before bed and a good nights sleep sorts me out.

I just don't drink in the week.
Only Saturdays.

I actually don't perform as well at work if I do, so I don't.

Non alcoholic beer only if I am at a work social thing too.

I cut right down recently and feel so much better, I don't want to go back. My meno belly has flattened and I feel healthier but most of all my mental health is better. You can do it OP. I still have the odd glass but that's all.

Cut out the home drinking, that will make a huge difference. We have never been big home drinker (I have the occasional glass of wine with dinner on a Saturday night in, Mr Monkey does not drink at home at all).

I am generally a beer drinker and I have found when out switching to the newer lower alcohol beers (1 - 3%) is a great way to cut back. Many of the new ones taste as good, if not better. Small Beer Company is one of my favourites.

I'm currently 2 weeks into a 'I must drink less' phase. I do it often. Last year I went a whole month without a drop. I did have a large gin last night and enjoyed it but woken with hell of a headache. So back off it again now!

I'm currently watching the pennies so have vowed that if I do drink I'll use what's in the house (got tons of gin/vodka/rum built up over several Christmases!).

I do feel so much better for it but it's so hard when I get home from work and fancy a glass of something to wind down!

Try to find something really delicious that you love that has no alcohol in it! I have found this helps tremendously. For example I used to drink a glass of lovely Qcumber and used to really look forward to it (can’t find it now - think they have stopped making it which is really annoying). Also 0% gin - you still get that ritual with the ice and tonic etc but no alcohol.

Yes, I stopped drinking at home because I was uncomfortable with how it was creeping up. I will drink at home if it’s something celebratory or we’re having a bbq or something, but I just stopped adding wine or g&t to the supermarket shop so it was always available. It was disappointing at first 🤣 but the cravings for it did go away and now it’s just normal that I don’t drink at home. I do feel much better for it.

Why don't you want to give up entirely op? Alcohol is a poison and negativity impacts your mental, emotional and physical health whenever you drink it so if you can go six days a week without it why not go for seven?

I was up to drinking pretty much every day at the end having tried cutting down for years. Moderation simply isn't possible for lots. It's an addictive drug like heroin or cocaine - would you try moderating those?

DH and I did dry January a few years ago and after that only have a drink at weekends. So Mon to Thursday AF. Still really enjoying a few at weekend- don’t drink lots though.

Because it's something it I enjoy. I know it's not particularly healthy. I'm aware of the negatives just like I am when it comes to eating cake and making a conscious decision not to exercise. But I still enjoy these things from time to time.

That's fine op. If it's worth it to you then keep drinking. Hope you can cut down like you want to. I know how hard it is

I know where you're coming from, @lastminpanic23 . I used to really, really like a glass of fine wine, a mojito, a Cointreau. I never drank to 'get hammered'.

However, my alcohol consumption gradually increased over the years, and I began to notice that it was affecting me more. This happens to a lot of people as they got older.

My wake up call came when my HbA1c crept close to pre-diabetic range. That's when I decided to stop completely. I found it surprisingly easy - after less than a week I barely missed it.

Like others, I found the benefits definitely worth it: better sleep, healthier looking skin, lost weight, more energy, less procrastination, less money wasted - plus never having to make decisions such as am I going to drink or drive, shall I have a regular glass or a large one, what about a nightcap...

Also not having to worry about the longer term damage to my health, especially the risk of diabetes. If you are young, this may not be top of mind, but it should be a very real concern.

I'd also urge you to re-read your OP...

I’m haven’t drank for 3 years. It has been hands down the best decision I ever made. I was always a social binge drinker from an early age. The first 6 months were hard, but I still socialise a lot with alcohol free substitutes and enjoy the company of my friends. I love being able to drive myself home whenever I want and zero hangover of shame the next day. Honestly just go for it, lots of sober curious support on instagram and social media. Millie Gooch is a good person to look into as she’s been involved in setting up sober support for women.

I just got to a point where I felt rubbish for a few days. Even a couple of drinks on a Saturday affected me till Tuesday.
That meant that for half a week I was not at my best. I feel so much better mentally and physically. Listening to podcasts and reading soberlit made me realise I was not getting anything out of it anymore. I have had the odd pang when out on a group of friends as I was always the party animal. I can also recommend listening to sober stories from everyday people.