I don't want to drink today. Anyone else?

[zippy539]

Fed up. Drinking far too much on pretty much a nightly basis. Inspired by Dinny's thread last night I've decided to take a one day at a time approach to cutting right back/stopping. I'm posting this because I decide this pretty much every morning but usually give in later in the day - but if I've made some kind of public committment then I have a better chance of sticking at it.

If anyone else would like to join me in not drinking today, that would be lovely.

I had a headache last night aswell

It all went pear shaped for me, as a friend invited me round for wine on Sunday night to cheer me up before the return to work the following day. I am afraid I had a few glasses of wine, as my will power is rubbish! I am not having a drink tonight though!

err bundle was that directed at me

Well done Fio - and thanks for the company. What is it with these headaches? If it's withdrawal what causes them???

Pinkchampagne - I'm only managing to do this because I'm at home every night. If I was going out it would be impossible.

I had a shameful moment of realisation this morning. I was out with dd and felt a bit strange... different. Suddenly twigged 'this is what it feels like not to have a hangover'... Gulp. I think I'm only really beginning to realise how out of hand my drinking had got recently...

Hi zippy, u sound like me. I wake up thinking no way, then by 7pm I crack a bottle of wine open.

I drank a bottle Fri, Sun and yesturday and am not drinking until Friday night.

How is the cutting back/stopping going?

Hi Alexa - yup, I'm a wine girl too. I could easily drink a bottle a night. This will be my third night without a drink - which is a world record. The only way I'm sticking to it this time is because of this thread, so I'm going to keep posting on it even if only to myself . (Could easily become the most tragic thread in mumsnet history!).

I'm finding it really hard but if I can get past the whole '5pm - open a bottle while making dinner' scenario I'm okay for the rest of the night. I think the best thing so far is not feeling guilty every morning for having panned yet another bottle the night before. If only I can keep it up.

Hello, well, just back from friend's birthday party with kids (well, mean it was party of a friend's little boy). She had yummy nibbles and had those cans of pre-mixed Pimms and lemonade. I had two (and two cigarettes - whoops!) But am really pleased, actually, as I don't feel like anything more to drink now... So only 3 units or so, can live with that!

zippy - well done. I am the same - if I don't have a drink early on e the urge goes and I'm ok for the evening. It was a bank holiday weekend here and we drnak quite a lot so I'm def having hte day off too - only 3pm for me though so I'm not through the hard bit yet

was talking to a friend yesterday about the whole trigger for opening a bottle of wine or whatever, and she said you need to create a new neural pathway.. So, if you always want glass of wne (like me) after kids in bed, have a bath EVERY TIME. then having a bath replaces having a glass of wine as your automatic response to finishing bedtime or whatever.

when Sophie Anderton was in rehab, she was told to have a bath every time she craved coke (according to my friend)

pmsl - just mistyped coke as COCK, lol.

Dinny - psml re Sophie. Well done on your restraint today, not sure I could have restricted myself to two cans in similar circumstances.

That's really interesting about the neural pathway thing - I've noticed before that having a bath as soon as the kids go to bed does dramatically reduce my urge to drink. Weird. If I could just find something similar earlier in the evening when the kids are still up and I'm making dinner I think I'd be laughing. Will put my mind to it!

Thanks MrsApronstrings - hope you're getting through the 'witching hour' okay.

I stayed off it last night aswell. I have started to think i have a real problem (started to, hhmmmmm) I really really wanted to go to the co-op and fetch a bottle of wine, I mean I was almost desperate to, but didnt. So at least i didnt give in. I physically feel so much better though, even for a few days off BUT I am in an absolute foul mood and I mean foul

dinny good tip about the bath I also have been told that if you are craving alcohol to have something to drink with caffeine in as it gives you a 'hit' so to speak

Right. Here I go again. Got to make the vow in the morning while my resolve is strong.

I'm not going to drink today. Anyone want to join me.

Fio - well done last night. It's really, really hard isn't it. The last few days of abstaining (plus gradually reading through the drink dependency thread) has confirmed that I have a real problem too. But every time I get close to admitting it, my brain starts providing me with excuses.... 'It's okay, everyone drinks a bottle of wine a night...' etc ect. It's really quite scary. The only way I can face up to it at the moment is one day at a time. The prospect of a full week/month/life without a drink just seems impossible to contemplate. I know what you mean about a foul mood - but if it's any encouragement mine has finally lifted (and the head ache has gone too) and I feel fantastic this morning. Will you join me again tonight?

Meant to say about the coffee/caffine thing - I had a black coffee yesterday when I was gasping for a drink and before I knew it the urge had gone. I think it's a combination of the caffine rush plus the 'bitter' taste of the coffee. I read somewhere that people who drink loads tend to lack the tastebuds that make things taste bitter and so enjoy the taste of alcohol more than people with more highly evolved taste buds. (Think I've got that the right way round...)

Anyway, my new theory is even those with challenged taste buds taste get an overload of bitterness with a strong cup of coffee and so feel less inclined to have another essentially 'bitter' ie alcoholic drink straight afterwards. Actually, it had never occurred to me that alcohol tastes bitter - which might suggest that the tastebud theory is correct.

I haven't had a drink in a couple of days. Don't really feel like it as have too much to do in the evenings the next few nights.

Caffeine, tho, I can't see giving up.

When I was really dependent on alcohol, I'd have a cuppa every time I craved a drink.

I'm surprised my skin wasn't tea coloured!

Thanks expat - I read your posts on the other thread and found the way you turned around your situation really inspiring. You've given me hope .

It worked, zippy. Seriously, I just drank a cup of tea wherever. If I were working in the kitchen, in the living room, etc.

For a while, however, I smoked a lot more b/c I'd use ciggies to sub for alcohol. I don't recommend that, tho .

Mmmm...know what you mean about the ciggies..

yes I will join you again tonight zippy. I think this one day at a time thing is best!!!!

and me.. didn't have anything last night either

How's it going Zippy? I didn't drink any wine last night either. My DH drinks practically every night though so it makes it difficult for me.

I currently drink 3-4 bottles of wine a week and want to cut back to 2, then 1. I son't think it will happen though.

I can't seem to have Just one glass of wine. It has to be a bottle or nothing. Sad isn't it. I can never understand people who have Just one glass.

Anyway, I want be drinking tonight as I am having reflexology later on and your not supposed to drink after it.

Good luck!

Hello, I have a headache and bad mood today again! someone tell me that can't be from two cans of Pimms and lemonade at 4pm yesterday...?

Have just been for a run and feel a bit better - and there's no way I'm drinking tonight. It really is a habit that can be broken!

It is a habbit that is hard to crack. I used to smoke and quit 5 years ago, so I know I can do it, it's Just a case of do I really want to. I really do enjoy drinking a bottle of wine of an evening, definately more than I enjoyed smoking.

Are u having a night off it tonight?

no, not drinking anything tonight.

Oooh - it's lovely to have some company in this. I have been wavering all day. A wee voice in my head is saying 'if you can stop for three days then you're fine' . I'm not going to give in though. Will def not be drinking tonight. Used my 'wine' money today to buy a magazine, fruit juice and a bath bomb from Lush. Working very hard to reprogramme my neural pathways.

Fio - my headache came back a bit today and I didn't have any pims yesterday. Maybe it's just an on-going process... .

alexa - I know exactly what you mean. I just can't do one glass either. Someone gave me one of those wine stopper things once and I thought 'crickey - what's the point in that..' Maybe I should have taken the hint! DH also loves drinking but seems to know when to stop. Luckily he's with me on this one or I wouldn't be able to do it. The only way I'm managing is by not having any drink in the house and have also made him promise not to call me on the way home from his work to ask if I want him to nip to the offy!

Mrs Apronstrings - well done.

Fio - totally with you on the one day at a time thing. Soon as I start thinking ahead it just feels too difficult.