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Original poster

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

457 replies

zippy539 · 03/09/2006 08:52

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.

OP posts:
heavenis · 14/09/2006 10:32

Livelife, I think you get to a stage were you know that you shouldn't be drinking as much as you do. I don't think anyone else can tell you,your drinking to much only you can.

livelife · 14/09/2006 10:37

heavenis - think i'm just beginning to know... thanx

shell1980 · 14/09/2006 10:41

oh my god im not alone just been reading this thread and i cant believe how many people are the same as me i am terrible i can drink a bottle of wine most evenings my partner has even begun to comment and has tryed to make me cut down im fine all day but by tea time just b4 he gets home im ready for a glass i think it is just a habit now cos i dnt actually enjoy it i think you have all done so well that iam now declaring that i am not going to drink tonight!!! will let you know how i get on in the morning! Are the headaches really bad?

livelife · 14/09/2006 10:46

shell1980 - u sound just like me. I think i'm desp when cooking tea. will have glass wine or g&t then go on to open or drink rest of bottle during evening. i don't even get drunk anymore which is really what bothers me cos tolerance for alcohol is quite high. parents comment on empty bottles, call me alcy and i laugh them off. kids tell them i drink too much. but i'm fine cos can absolutely cope without drink so must be habit. tell me more bout your habits?

sandyballs · 14/09/2006 10:57

Well done everyone on here, it's very easy to get into a bit of a habit with the old vino. I was a bottle of wine a night girl as well, just found it very relaxing and an "adult" thing to do after a day with the children.

I haven't had a drink since Sunday though .

shell1980 · 14/09/2006 11:00

i think its boredom not that my life is crap or anything but i dnt know bout you i think i get stuck in a rut doing the same old thing day in day out and i also think it can be quite lonely being a stay at home mum thats my choice i know!!my days are all pretty much the same, get up take dd to school come home clean up play with dd2 go get dd from school have lunch and then try and find something to do for the afternoon cos i know the kids will send me potty if i stay in with them its usually at this point im thinkin roll on tea time so i can have a drink and wind down but actually i dnt wind down cos then its bath time and bed time for eldest dd then have to spend nxt few hours trying to get dd2 to sleep who is 18 mnths and will only go to sleep on my knee so its just easy for me to ask partner to get me a glass of wine then another till bottles gone and baby finally asleep. Im hoping that when eldest is at school full time i can start to do stuff for me we have just got a puppy so im going to start taking her out in an evening that way im distracted from havin the wine and slobbing in front of the tv all night god i sound like a right whinging cow!! wot about your habit!!

dinny · 14/09/2006 11:01

livelife, think it's too much when the next morning you're really annoyed/upset wit yourself for drinking and wish you hadn't! I don't think I was drinking LOADS but I felt if I allowed myself a drink every night, I'd want one, iyswim

I'm not drinking tonight (bit I will be tomorrow, lol)

dinny · 14/09/2006 11:02

yes, it's about reward, especially if you don't get out much post-childen (like me!)

shell1980 · 14/09/2006 11:11

your right dinny it is a reward but after doing it for so long i dnt think my liver thinks it is and i shouldnt use my kids as an excuse should i? When i was pregnant it never bothered me at all the second i knew i was pregnant i stopped its strange how i did it then but find it so hard now!!

livelife · 14/09/2006 11:14

dinny thats an excellent pointer about regret the next day. Y don't we learn tho silly buggers that we are! boredom n loneliness prob does play big part, wanting to unwind, be adult etc. also better sex when slightly pissed lol! bein complete mn novice whats iyswim mean? have seen it lots but haven't worked that 1 out!

dinny · 14/09/2006 11:17

the key is repetition - creating new neural pathways (ie, learned behaviours) think I said earlier down the thread that when Sophie Anderton was in therapy for coke addiction, she had to have a bath every time she craved coke, thus replacing the neural path with a more benign one!

Berrie · 14/09/2006 12:15

Laughing about better sex - me too! I'm even finding that I have said no to chocolate this morning because I know I can now. Mind you the day is young! would you believe the said chocolate is wrapped up as a gift for someone but I was considering opening it and then having to replace it!
Shell, the headaches are no worse than the hangover!

livelife · 14/09/2006 12:25

lol back bout the choccy - has made my day! excellent x

Original poster
zippy539 · 14/09/2006 12:26

Berrie - the control thing is weird isn't it? I know exactly what you mean about getting a boost from it.

Anteater - come on in.

Dinny - totally right about it being a reward and that horrible feeling of regret the next day. That's exactly how I felt.

OP posts:
naswm · 14/09/2006 12:34

Hi all. Not feeling great today. Was up and down in the night and now generally feeling eurgh. So I dont think I'll become one of you tonight either. Perhaps it is time to leave this thread! (Zippy - I didnt mind your post at all.)

Berrie · 14/09/2006 12:43

Don't go Naswm!

naswm · 14/09/2006 12:44

well you are all v nice and all that, but I dont think I really fit in, that's all. Nothign personal!!

Berrie · 14/09/2006 12:48

Arrange to go to the cinema tonight. Go and see a friend / relative for a cup of tea at the critical time. If you can't get out,(who can?) go get a film and popcorn and chocolate and ice cream - whatever and spend all night pushing that down your neck instead!

moomooland · 14/09/2006 12:48

Afternoon all. Lol messages today, esp choc been there!

Shell, i totally identify with you - i'm on career break at mo after having my third and can't help looking forward to those relaxing glasses of wine at end of day, kind of felt it was keeping inner rebel from pre kids alive in a way or being bit decadent after spending day with readybrek in hair. But was starting to worry about my liver too because i was easily getting through 3 to 4 bottles of (yummy!) red some weeks (more if we ever got a chance to go out). Also was disgraced putting out recycling every day, empty bottle of wine for each milk carton .

Anyway, I'm going to gym and pool tonight to keep myself occupied and won't be stopping at offy on way home because ... I'm not drinking tonight again (really helps to do this declaration somehow !!)

naswm · 14/09/2006 12:52

Thansk Berrie. The trouble with me, is that when I feel like this, I become very determined and dont want to stop. .

Berrie · 14/09/2006 12:53

Fair enough, have fun!!

dinny · 14/09/2006 13:06

know the feeling, Naswm, it's part of a cycle, yes? can you not just stay anyway? I'll be drinking on Friday and probably Saturday too!

naswm · 14/09/2006 13:08

maybe I'll lurk....

dinny · 14/09/2006 13:14

yeah, go on.

heavenis · 14/09/2006 13:33

I find that I have to say no wine at all. I did try to cut down to just weekends but the weekends started earlier. I would have a bottle and sometimes if I'd bought two I'd open that but the next day I'd have to get another just in case what was left wasn't enough.
I've suprised myself on how easy I've found it not to drink why it took me so long I don't know. But I do find I am an all or nothing person with regards to food and drink.