alcohol overindulgence

[Inky]

I've always been partial to the odd drink or two. I was practically weaned on it. None of my family are alcoholics but all drink (probably quite a lot). Always a beer or 2 with lunch (even brunch), not to mention every evening.

During my pregnancy I found it quite difficult to abstain, and almost impossible while I was breastfeeding.

Now I find I'm drinking quite a lot (on average half a bottle of wine every night). The thing that brought it to my attention was I was trying to loose weight but found it impossible to not drink. Is this just because of the strain (I am finding it quite difficult at the moment - at home full time, although I do have something to go to with the kids every day), no time off, not very helpful & very over worked dh, no family for help. Or does it sound to you like I'm a raging alckie?

I rarely wake up with a hangover but always wake up feeling shit, mainly due to a lack of sleep. I could solve both problems (ie too much booze & not enough sleep) by going to bed as soon as I put the kids down, but then I don't feel like I've had any chance to unwind, have any peace or adult conversation or any break from work.

I have no self control - I can't just watch one TV programme - I'll stare at any old rubbish all night, nor can I have just one malteseer - It has to be the whole (family pack). I can't just have 1 drink it always ends up being loads.

Any helpful & un-condemming comments/advice please.

Hear hear Janus.

Yes, Selja, I'll be hear on 1st January swearing never to touch another drop & begging others to join me. Seriously though, what do you think - total abstinence is a non-runner I think. So our choices are only one (or 2 or 3 ) glasses a night, or no drinking mid-week or just trying to keep it down & coming clean about our toatls. I think I need a fixed limit & loads of moral support, otherwise I'll just get merrily plastered and then own up every now & then.

Tigermoth - I used to drink lager, but had to give it up as I had to go pee too much in the night - very tiring & also embarassing when you had guests to stay _ I was even tempted to borrow dd's potty for the night! And weak lager - I'm sure I'd just drink it like pop. Plus dh would have a fit & me bringing such muck in the house - he's a bit of a purist! I'll definitely try the loads of tonic in my gin tonight.

Cheers

One or two a night? None at midweek? That's bit much isn't it? What about the weekend outings? The girlie nights out? If we're allowed 21 units a week, then how about no more than 10 pints (or 2 bottles of wine) spread over the weekend and no more than one drink during the week? Then we'd all be drinking our recommended quota so none of us would be alcis.

When you put it like that, 2 bottles of wine sounds good, but only one drink during the week???? Starting to get cold feet, sorry!

If we're serious about this, does it mean we can drink loads more now in preparation?

I might buy myself 2 bottles and then only drink them & when they're empty that's it. Dh would thnk Iwas mad, dunno if he'd go along with it. Has anyone tried this. Problem also is our wine glasses are massive - Icould probably get the equivalent of 3 glasses in one if I tried.
Again, dh is purist & strongly disapproves of overful glass.

How about one glass of wine a night during the week (I've got big glasses as well don't go in for those piddly little things you get in some restaurants) and then two bottles over the weekend or is that too much? Maybe I have got a problem oh dear....

What about getting a box of wine and keeping it in your fridge, that way you can have a little bit here and there (and there and there and there!),you don't have to have a full glass if you don't want to (who am I trying to kid!) and you don't have to worry about an open bottle of wine hanging around going off (as if!). As you can see, I haven't got the willpower to cut down, but you never know, my comments might be useful to someone out there!

Chanelno5, A BOX??? ARE YOU MAD????

Forgive me for shouting but if I had a box in I would drink even more (it's the willpower problem you see.)

Lisav, I wish we were allowed 21 units but that's blokes, we're only allowed 14 because we have feeble livers or something...

The problem with only having one glass (and of course I can stop at one!!) is that dh is incapable of putting an opened bottle in the fridge and always drains it...and it's not fair!! If he's going to drink more then I have to have my share...after all, I was the one who gave up for years of pre-pregnancy de-toxing, pregnancy, breast feeding...all those years of being the driver. Now it's my turn to indulge! Sorry, I guess I'm just another sad alkie joining the club! seriously, we (O.K., I) try to limit our intake to W/E's, but there are some weeks when the W/E starts on Weds and ends on tues! Depends how stressful work is.

Should add, haven't had a drink since Mon....but now I'm thinking about it...

Faith, I have gone one whole evening this week without a drink (round of applause please) and I'm just wondering if I can do it again...doubt it though!

Janh, we've tried the buying the box of wine, and it doesn't work!! my friend and I tried this and ended up counting how much we were actually consuming and wey hey, we got a bloody shock!!. I do like a glass of wine, or two, and we've got the big glasses, I don't have a glass every night, and do watch what I drink as my dad was an alchoholic, and drank whisky, I haven't had whisky for over 2 years now, as it makes me think I could fall into the same trap as he did.

Do love a good old gin and Lemonade, canny beat it wi a big stick on a friday night, when all the cows are fed and everything inside is bedded up and I know my farming brain can relax until sunday night again!

Janh - You know I was joking, don't you?

Chanel, I did wonder, from "here and there (and there and there and there etc)"...although as it might actually work for somebody who does have a bit of will-power I wasn't sure!

Tigger, you must appreciate your Friday nights more than most, but how do the animals know it's the weekend, do they switch off milk production till Sunday night? () (Ooh - that's interesting - a smiley with bunches!)

Janh, I've succumbed...but it tastes so good...!

Just a few thoughts - do you know that the 14 units a week was supposedly just plucked out of thin air with no real scientific basis. I recall Stephen Dorrell (remember him?) coming clean on this. I mean, I know we can't drink uncontrollably, ALL the time but the 14 units is a bit (a lot) flexible.

Plus, chocolate is good for you and red wine is good for you and to get maximum benfit it's best to enjoy the two AT THE SAME TIME

dh is so stressed out at work at the mo that if we stay up late (ie past 10pm) (he's not getting in til 8 - if I'm lucky, so it's radically cutting down on my available drink time he's a nightmare to be with & hideously grumpy with the kids, so it looks like he might indirectly be a help (for a change) as that pretty much only leaves one night for a couple of drinks.

I've started thinking that if I have to finish earlier I can logically start earlier! Having to convince myself I must drive to the shops this pm as it's the only guaranteed way of keeping me from opening that fridge door!

That's just showing off, Batters!

Janh, we look them everyday, just over the weekend we don't have to take silage out, we feed them on a friday and look them over the weekend and then back to normal on the monday. Do admit though in another month or so, the lambing should start so there goes the quieter weekends!!!!! Farming term for feeding extra "Buffering"!

I think everyone is worrying a wee bit too much!! It doesn't sound as though anyone is overdoing things and so what if we have a BIG night once in a while. We need our rewards and a shared bottle of wine every night is - I find - the very best way of relaxing once munchkin is in bed. So enjoy!!

As for the choccies, not a problem with me....it's the cheese!!!!

That's right, Tinkerbell. From what I've read, I don't think anyone is a raving alkie, so why are you worrying? If you enjoy it, and don't do it to excess every night, what's the problem? It's Friday night and I'm p**d, so I hope my typing is alright. CHEERS!

Well, I had an whole alcohol-free day & night (first in ages) and dd decided to cut short my sleep so I feel awful anyway!

Tinkerbell, I dunno if I'd say everyone on this thread was worrying too much - we're pretty much just comparing notes, but I for one would like to drink either less altogether, or less often, or both, but will definitely need some help & encouragement. That's where this thread comes in...

Only 14 units!!! Arrggh!! I had the equivalent to one bottle of wine on Friday, one and a half on Saturday and I've just had three pints today. That's me knackered!

Ok, no more booze until next weekend and from now on I will drink slower!

Lisav - how many children do you have, and their ages? I'm just asking because I'm so jealous that you can drink and still survive motherhood! Is there hope of a social life and general enjoyment once more? I shall be looking to you for tips from now on.

We went out for the first time in ages, I had to drive the babysitter home & spent the whole evening terrified of the 'phone ringing - hence my 1st alcohol free day in ages.

Even going out was so stressful, it seems far easier to just stay in with a bottle. But of, the consequences...