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Original poster

Share your drinking habits with me please

211 replies

gulp · 23/08/2007 20:30

Because I would like some examples of responsible drinking as I think I am on the verge of starting to drink too much too frequently. An idea of real-life responsible approaches to it would be very helpful. Thank you.

OP posts:
FioFio · 24/08/2007 12:21

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Carnoodleusfudge · 24/08/2007 12:25

I was drinking one or two glasses of wine a night but then I realised I was "having" to drink. If I did not have a glass in my hands by the time the Archers came on I was getting very tetchy. Also I was getting fat.

I now only allow myself to drink on Friday and Saturday night. It is really hard.

BigBearistheBigBear · 24/08/2007 12:41

Is there something else that I could do instead of drinking to signify this is now my down-time in the evening? Any ideas? And how to eat your evening meal without a glass of wine?

ernest · 24/08/2007 12:45

I never drank with meal anyway, only glass of water. I drink big cups of mint tea of an evening. It's going out that's a prob. Not that I do that that often

mwamwa · 24/08/2007 13:05

All you need to stop drinking is get a touch of labrythitus and the doctor gives you a 6 week course of pills which say 'Avoid alcohol'.....I've done a week of water and tea and can't quite believe it.....the bottle of rose just sits there winking at me in the fridge...

saltire · 24/08/2007 13:05

I usually get a bottle or two on a Friday, sometimes I will have a couple of glasses on the Friday, then the rest on Saturday night, or sometimes will have the whole bottle do me Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, soetimes I drink both bottles. I also ahve 2 bottles of cider in the fridge, love cider but don't drink a lot of it as it makes me very drunk. I haven't ever drunk on a school night, unless I
A) Don't have mindees (not a problem a teh minute though
B) DH is off the following day

I notice a lot of epople have a glass of wine with their evening meal every ngiht, I usually have a glass of squash or lemonade or fruit juice

hellobello · 24/08/2007 13:54

I don't drink at all if I have things to do the following day that require quite a lot of concentration and deadlines. Sadly that is rarely the case for me these days, so....

BarbieGirl · 24/08/2007 14:17

Reading this thread has made me realise I am not the only one that drinks heavily (which makes me feel better) and needs to give up the booze.

I really want to stop but it seems a habbit that is hard to break plus I can't handle stress very well. if the kids have been playing up and I have coursework to do and deadlines to meet, it makes me more stressed and so I hit the bottle.

I am going to give up the booze. It will be hard but I will do it.

spinspinsugar · 24/08/2007 14:24

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mawbroon · 24/08/2007 14:59

I used to drink dangerously when I was in my 20s. I was scraping a living as a professional musician and heavy binge drinking, often for days on end, seems to be part and parcel of that type of lifestyle. Most of the work was in pubs and more often than not, free drink was part of the payment.

Then I got a "normal" job and still drunk far too much, but didn't see it as a problem as I could still get up and go to work etc. However, looking back, I think it was verging on problem drinking.

Then I got pregnant (Feb 2005) and haven't touched a drop since then, so now 2.5 years.

I much prefer being completely sober. I have moderation problems (with all sorts of things, not just drink), so find this easier than just having one or two. I very much doubt if I will ever drink again tbh.

BarbieGirl · 24/08/2007 15:05

When u say moderations problems do u mean u just don't know when to stop? If so, that sounds like me. I need to give up completly too.

slim22 · 24/08/2007 15:05

I'm with bigbearisthebigbear!
If anyone can answer that riddle, i'll give uo the bordeaux!
PS: don't mention cigarettes please.

mawbroon · 24/08/2007 15:08

Yes BarbieGirl, couldn't ever just have one or two, always wanted more. When I say moderation problems, I mean things like being unable to have one biscuit, preferring to scoff the whole packet. So now I don't have biscuits in the house. Also things like staying up half the night to get things finished that could easily wait until the next day.

Or sitting on MN for hours on end.............

BarbieGirl · 24/08/2007 15:10

sounds a bit like me mawbroon. Do u miss the booze though??

mawbroon · 24/08/2007 15:13

I did terribly at first, but as was pg, decided it would be a disaster trying to be moderate. Now, I don't miss it at all. I used to get dh to pour his own drinks as the urge to have a sip was really strong, but now I can pour loads of drinks for people without a second thought. It has changed my life.

ImBarryScott · 24/08/2007 15:16

mawbroon, I understand where you're coming from.

I have no internal boundaries, so when I drank, I drank. When I got pg with dd, I stopped drinking completely. People kept saying "you can have the odd one or two" but I would have found this quite hard.

9 months booze free has really helped me gain perspective on my drinking. I do still drink, but I don't drink wine at home - a bottle in the fridge is too tempting. Instead I by those little bottles of beer -I think the Aussies call them "stubbies"! These are better for me as they come in single, sensible-sized, self contained units. So I will now have the odd bottle of beer, and just drink wine by the glass in the pub (and i don't get out much!).

mawbroon · 24/08/2007 15:26

That's great that you are able to do that ImBarryScott. I possibly would be able to do it now, but I am too scared to try!!

ernest · 24/08/2007 17:21

yup mawbroon, I'm exactly the same, in for a penny in for a pound and all that. tht's why I gave up. It was easy tho I thought it'd be hard.

then went on holiday, thought, oh i'd have 1, then promptly returned to old habbits, so have given up again, again, was easy, thanks to that book, and I also doubt i'll ever drink again

BigBearistheBigBear · 24/08/2007 17:26

Maybe the remedy for the rest of us is to get preg again then?

Slim, you say don't mention cigarettes, but I wonder how many people who think they might have alcohol issues are ex smokers/current smokers?

gibberish · 24/08/2007 17:36

I'm a non smoker. Have never smoked but have decided I do have alcohol issues. I actually feel slightly panicked about doing something about it...

OrmIrian · 24/08/2007 19:20

I do drink quite quickly - I've had 2 glasses already. But I tend to stop quite soon. Basically I've had all I shall have this evening now. But when I look at the amt I drink over a week it's over the guidlines for women.

sandyballs · 24/08/2007 21:26

How are you all doing tonight?

I've almost finished a bottle of red

KerryMumbledore · 24/08/2007 21:27

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

elasticbandstand · 24/08/2007 21:30

just taken my first sip of rose

aaaaar

Bluestocking · 24/08/2007 21:32

I don't drink at all; I can't stop at one so I gave up entirely. It has improved the quality of my life out of all recognition.

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