Giving up booze

[skibidimom]

I am a 25-30 unit per week drinker and have been for about the past year. Haven't always been this bad, it sort of crept up steadily but I have always drank regularly.

I can't carry on like this and although it's not the best time of year to start, I am planning to cut back massively before Christmas and then do dry January. I hope I can stick to it and am feeling quite nervous because alcohol has become a large part of my lifestyle and routine - mainly drinking at home in the evenings to relax once the dc are in bed.

I know it's going to be hard and I know I'm going to miss it. The initial, warm buzzy feeling anyway. But I also know my health will suffer if I carry on and I owe it to my dc to look after myself better.

So if you've cut back or completely quit altogether please inspire me with how it's benefitted your life.

Yeah I was like you then cut back and prob have around 10 unit most weeks, often less. Your tolerance goes down quickly and then you like it less which helps. Definitely worth it. Exercise alongside (walks or whatever) good. Good luck

I highly recommend being alcohol-free. I stopped drinking in March. Missed it to begin with, but I kept setting and breaking rules for moderation prior to this, so abstaining was so much easier. Feel so much better for it. Reading threads on here about the benefits of being alcohol-free was really helpful.

I agree with @babsnet. I think it's easier to be alcohol free than to try and keep to a more moderate drinking schedule.
And the way you will feel so much better by stopping drinking will really encourage you. For me losing weight when I stopped drinking was a big incentive and the dread of putting it back on again really helps me to stay sober.
Good luck OP. You can do this.

It’s s definitely easier to decide once that you are cutting out alcohol altogether rather than to try and moderate yourself on a night out and have to make multiple decisions every time someone says ‘what are you having’. Brazen it out with so called friends and learn to say, no thanks, I’m just not in the mood tonight.
You will still crave that hit you get off a drink after a tough day at work, or when you want to relax in the evening but if you acknowledge that feeling and just let it sit for a while and remind yourself how shit you feel the next day after drinking, and it does pass. Carry on with the ritual of pouring yourself a drink, but choose alcohol free lager or gin or wine or whatever for a while.
You will appreciate feeling bright and together in the morning after a good night’s sleep rather than that being hungover and slightly pissed off with life all the next day feeling. Your bank balance will thank you too.
If I can do it, then you can too!

I decided to cut down at the end of our summer holiday. 1st - I stopped drinking at home, now I usually have sparkling ginger & raspberry with lots of ice so it still feels like a nice evening drink. 2nd - when going out I make sure I drive so I don’t drink then. So it turns out I haven’t had a drink since the last week of August.😇
My husband gave up alcohol 4 years ago (after lockdown) as he’d been overindulging, which has helped. I think I’ll probably have a drink over Christmas and stop again in the new year.
Good luck

My DM was an alcoholic (recovering alcoholic now) and honestly stopping the drinking changed her life for the better. She's managed to repair the relationships she thought she ruined, she has a life again, she is as healthy as she's ever going to be and most importantly she's happy for the first time in a very long time.

At her worst she was having 56units a day (not a spelling mistake) and it almost killed her. You aren't anywhere near that level but she didn't start off that way, it slowly built up and got on top of her.

What I'm trying to say is yes it will probably be hard but you've recognised you've got a problem and want to do something about it - which is great. Good luck OP!

I was fat, now I'm slim. Sooo many calories. Gum health also better.

Definitely feel better for not having a drink last night. Might have a glass of wine with Sunday lunch later but I think it's the mindless evening drinks that I need to tackle really. It's just habitual.

Find yourself something non alcoholic that you can enjoy drinking rather than going for the drinks that mimic.

Why do you drink in the evening? Is it about giving yourself permission to relax? Marking the time when you can finally switch off and have some downtime?

Perhaps think about finding a new way of giving yourself permission to go “off duty”. I have a cut off time beyond which I’ll only deal with genuinely urgent or emergency situations. Otherwise it is my time to relax. I don’t drink so I’ve just told (and reminded) the family that I am off duty so don’t ask for stuff to be done.

I quit daily drinking early summer. I wasn't excessive drinking - one (very) large glass of red every evening. Still 250-300 empty calories per day or 100,000 calories a year 😱 the biggest shock has been weight loss! Ate pretty healthy and was active but still had the metabolism of a sloth. Now it seems to be working like a freight train! It's so nice seeing people I haven't seen for ages do a double take.

I I tried loads of non-alcoholic options, ciders were nice were still full sugar and non-alcoholic wine (tried them all) was dank. Someone told me about Real - https://realdrinks.co/ which is fermented tea based 'wine' which is lovely - sell at Waitrose. Really helped during the summer BBQ/festival season! Don't bother so much anymore as I feel over the 'idea' of booze but will get some for Xmas!

Read Alcohol Explained by William Porter.

Best quit lit.