Alcohol - when does it become a problem (part 2)

[janh]

I thought it would be a good idea to start a new thread for this because the old one has got so long! (My PC is very slow at loading up long ones.)

OK, ghengis! (And anyone else who wants to, of course.) Wednesday it is for our mutual support group to start - but we'll have to decide what our own targets are...I already can't decide whether to go for alternate days or to bite the bullet and try to go straight for none during the week (except maybe for a couple of stubbies now and then.) How about you?

I'm a Mumsnet virgin and so a bit nervous. What's so wrong with alcohol? Not that I want you all to fall off the wagon or anything, but a couple of glasses of red wine can be beneficial can't it? Not so sure about a couple of bottles though. Maybe I'll take that bottle back into the kitchen.

Hi, Tori, welcome to mumsnet! Nothing wrong with alcohol, in fact 2 glasses a night is just fine, it's just that some of us have realised that we can't stop at 2 glasses (and some nights some of us only stop at 2 bottles, I was Very Bad at Christmas...) (There is another thread just below this one with the same title, if you click on "last week" you'll be able to see where we started from.)

So we are having a go at cutting back a bit - you're welcome to join in if you want! I am amazed at the number of pretend alternatives that have come up, I have a long list for the supermarket tomorrow!

I can't do alcohol substitutes if I really want a big glass of wine; if they don't give me a hit, might as well drink water

Hi - me too I'm afraid !!

Today I will be mainly drinking Britvic J2O which is absolutely scrumlicious !!!

Woke up without a headache for first time in a few weeks today - directly attributable to no alcohol being consumed last night !!

Agree about the reward factor - definitely felt I deserved a G&T last night - but oddly discovered than T without G didn't taste very much different !!!

I succumbed last night and drank a whole bottle of Chardonnay last night (MMMMmmmm)!! I wasn't going to, but dp brought it home from work with him. Excuses excuses.

I won't be drinking tonight though or Friday! But I'm hitting the town on Saturday night.

I don't think I could trick myself into drinking fruit juice...... I have no willpower and when it comes down to it, I'm not drinking wine to quench my thirst.

I was 'clean' too last night, despite eyeing up the Bailey's longingly.
Tori - I wish I could just have a couple of glasses a night! But once I succumb to one, then I just can't stop! For me it turns a boring night into something more interesting as it relaxes me, and me and dh have much more interesting conversations whilst drinking. We're also more likely to turn the tv off and play some nice music instead. It's a social thing for us. So to do without alcohol feels like a punishment and I have yet to find an alternative that is as good for relaxing and socialising. I'm just hoping that the less I drink, the stronger my willpower will be, and then hopefully I will find that I don't actually 'need' a drink at all.

You've gotta be an optimist!

I was 'clean' too last night. I still haven't woken up feeling better for it (apart from being guilt-free) but my jeans feel a bit looser and my skin feels really good. Plan not to drink tonight either but going out Friday night.
Wish I could just open a bottle and have a glass or two but that's just not me at the moment. I wouldn't have got through last night without thinking of this 'commitment' so well done us!

Well done all you cleanies!

Have to confess I was slightly grubby last night - had 2 gnat's piss (3%) stubbies - sorry!!!! (But still felt quite pleased with myself because I know I am WEAK!)

BTW, Batters, thanks for your reply, very reassuring though I can't imagine ever getting out of the "reward" mindset myself, in fact I'm a bit good at rewarding myself before I've done the thing the reward is for. And then it doesn't get done for some reason.

Today I did the non-alcohol shopping - red grape juice, sparkling elderflower stuff and tropical juice, plus some fizzy water, don't know how I'll get it all in the fridge, and I know it won't hit the spot like a big fat glass of Shiraz but I'm planning to experiment a bit, it'll put the evening in...sigh...

Here's a poem that saw me through my youth and described how I felt on a Sunday morning, I'm sure alot of more people will agree they have felt the same:

I sometimes get up in the morning
And try to get out of my bed
But it feels like my tongue
Has been dipped in some dung
And a Rhino's charged into my head

Here's another I remembered:

However much booze you've been drinking
You just want a little bit more
You head begins reeling
You stare at the ceiling
And then you throw up on the floor

Whoopee! 3 days on the wagon and I felt really good today. My crunch time is between 6.30 and 7.30pm. It seems if I can put off having a drink during that period then it's not too hard afterwards. DH is so inspired with how it's going that he is going to join in next week.

REALLY looking forward to going out tonight and having a few drinks because I know I will value them more. Well done us!

I've kept track of this thread over the last few days and just want to congratulate you all on your good work. I'm PG so off the strong stuff, mind you I don't drink a great deal anyway...I'm abit of a lightweight and get slaughtered on a couple.
Anyway Well Done girls, keep up the good work. Enjoy your night out Ghengis but maybe not your hangover tomorrow!

Still no drink last night for me, though I was sorely tempted - it helps having to own up on here if I did! Probably won't drink too much today either as we are heading off to London at 6pm, arriving about 10.30pm. I'll let you know how I get on!
Good luck to everyone else this weekend!

ghengis, have a great time tonight - you deserve it - and I'm glad your DH is so inspired!

Rhubarb, and everybody else going on the march, hope it all passes off peacefully and that the kids have a memorable day (and you too of course).

And Chiccadum, thanks for the lovely poetry!

Oh dear! Not a good Friday night out. I got plastered by 10pm (4 glasses of wine) and we had to come home early. Still, we sorted things out and last night was okay. We are both going booze-free this week: should be interesting!

ghengis, I was about to ask how it went! Never mind - 3 steps forward, one step back - I think the longer you go without, the less you feel you need it, as Batters said. (Didn't stop me having some all 3 days of the weekend mind you but I didn't need it - just felt I could!)

I'm off for the week now too - lots of luck to all of us! Rhubarb, how did you get on in London?

Chiccadum, thanks for the elderflower recommendation, it's lovely! Liked Chinchilla's red grape juice too and it does look like wine but it's a bit sweet for me (but DH liked it a lot.)

Well, I had 3 large glasses of wine on Friday night, about 5 pints of lager and a glass of wine on Saturday night, half a bottle of wine on Sunday night, and three cans of lager last night. So I didn't get bladdered and feel a bit proud, although I should have stayed clean last night, with it being a weekday and all! But I shall try not to have any now until Friday.

Good luck Ghengis - I shall be thinking of you!

Well, it's Friday so we can officially down a few/a bottle! How is everyone doing? What are you drinking?

I've had good days and bad days but got better towards the end of the week. Am really enjoying my bottle of red tonight because I feel like I've 'earned' it. I did feel better on the mornings after I didn't drink so I now know it is worth abstaining during the week.

Oh, well done, ghengis!!! How has everybody else got on? Rhubarb, you did well last week!

Have to confess I cheated on Wednesday - had a very stressful day so caved in and had a bottle of Shiraz, woke up in the night with a thumping head and couldn't get back to sleep, as a friend pointed out it's obviously a mistake to mess with your alcohol levels!

The nights and mornings are better as time goes on, aren't they? It is definitely worth doing. ghengis, is that milk thistle making any difference or have you stopped because it's so horrible?

I'm still taking the ghastly milk thistle tincture and do feel better for it, although that may just be my mind! Don't beat yourself up about Wednesday Janh. Atleast you enjoyed it!

I was told to cut down after a blood test showed abnormalities in my liver function.
Now I don't drink alcohol on weekdays (previously around 1½ bottles of wine each evening) - I drink loads (2 to 3 litres) of diet coke or sodawater (that sodastream proved useful at last).
At the weekend, I have about a pint of coke or sodawater before hitting the booze. I certainly drink less alcohol after that. I reckon that I was, to an extent, using alcohol as a thirst-quencher.
Lose your thirst before having that wine or beer - it may not work for everyone but it's worth a try.

I'm afraid I blew it last week But I have told dh that I will need some help and support to drink less, so he says he will encourage me

Sorry to hear about your problems StuartC, it doesn't even sound as though you were drinking loads! Can I ask what your symptoms were? It's warning stories like these that make me really feel as though I ought to slow down!