Today I am giving up alcohol.

[mylittlescarypumpkin]

It's been creeping up since I left exP.
To the point where it's every night. Sometimes I look forward to it all day.

It's not good for me, it's messing with my head, and I've started to put on a bit of weight, too.

I'm not expecting it to be easy, and wondered if there's anyone else in a similar position who would appreciate some support along the way.

[MadameOvary]

I haven't touched alcohol for years and dont miss it at all. Gave up smoking as well. I was lucky as they both made me feel so bad in the end I've never been tempted again.
Also my Mum died of liver disease when I was 17 (she didnt smoke or drink)/ So that has a lot to do with it.
Good luck everyone.

[OrmIrian]

I'm cutting it out in the week. Hoping it will be enough. I don't want to stop completely - wine is a great pleasure and I spend most of my time doing things I don't want to do. But it's been getting out of control. I need to get back to running to give me something else to focus on.

I don't find it hard to not drink I just find it hard to drink moderately sometimes.

[LouMacca]

Blimey BlaDeBla hope you are ok now! So sorry that you are feeling this way about yourself. Is it something you want to talk about on here? I think anniversaries of awful events have a habit of creeping up on you. You think you are dealing ok with it then bang! I am sorry that you have to have your breast taken off. I won't even pretend to know what you must be going through (((hugs)))

Not sure if I'm more sensible than you! I did end up going to the shop for a bottle of Merlot. Drank 3 glasses which was pure heaven. I still have half a bottle left which I won't be touching this weekend as we are off to Legoland with the DCs

How is everyone else doing?

[vannah]

sorry havent read whole thread just posting to say I gave up about 4 years ago, so very glad i did it. Gave up smoking about 10 years ago so now when i have a moment of crisis - I reach for ...a hot cup of sugary tea (normally cant stand tea) but do find it very comforting. Was drinking a lot during my divorce 6 years ago, but recall that the hot cups of tea durig the day helped.

I do feel a bit envious when others are drinking very occasionally, miss it a bit. But I dont think about it during the day at all ever and dont really socialise with people who smoke/drink therefore much easier.

best of luck

[DoubleToilandTroubleBluff]

Have been rubbiish this week so far, have had a crap week at work , so have beeen knocing back the red, although never more than half a bottle which is restrained for me.
Hope you are all faring better.
Nnext week is my birthday, so will def have a few or more!

[BlaDeBla]

Well, you might fall over in the dark and look as though you've been beaten up, like I do because I did fall over in the dark I have a huge black eye, I fell on my hand, which swelled up, and I have bruises on my leg. I am so horrified, it really makes me feel as though I never want to drink again.

I also felt very very anxious and worthless and so bad it was truly horrible. I think it was a build-up of all sorts of things I can do nothing about and lots of old stuff I thought I had dealt with. Also bang on a year since I had my boob lopped off.

This was on Saturday and I still feel pretty awful though better than before!

I'm sure you are more sensible, Lou, and it's been over 20 years since I fell over in the dark!

[LouMacca]

It's all gone quiet on here. How is everyone doing?

DH is out tonight. Am so tempted to walk to shop and get a bottle of red. Someone talk me out of it!

[LouMacca]

agree with walkin. must be extremely stressful for you.

[walkinthewoods]

OMG MYLS I can't imagine how a SIDS death would affect me (in any way that it's related to me). That;s so awful. How do you cope with that kind of thing? (apart from ahving a drink although it doesn't seem excessive) How old? Do you deal with the parents? I'm guessing you're a nurse on a&e?

[mylittlescarypumpkin]

I have still been having some, but much less. Yesterday there was a baby brought into work after SIDS, today was hugely tough in other ways, I guess there's always and excuse but seeing as it seems to be staying at just 1 that's probably ok for now.

Well done all of you for the cutting down. I have been working lots, missing my baby, and so tired. Guess I need other coping strategies.

[LouMacca]

Hi BDB. Great - well done! Do you feel physically better for it?

I've not had a drink since Sunday and am not planning on having one until Friday night. Will try and keep it to 2/3 glasses of wine. Like I said am just so chuffed I am not drinking at all mon - thurs.

[BlaDeBla]

It's now midweek. how's everyone getting on? I've drunk 1 tin of beer since Saturday, so that's 3 nights without booze and one night with not very much. This is almost unheard of and I'm not pg

[DoubleBluff]

Well done 100 units. babysteps are good.
I think swapping wine is god.
Might have a berr tonight as I can only really drink one can before i feel full.

[BlaDeBla]

Well, I'll have one of those too - Water on the rocks with ice and lemon. Yum! I had a momentary idea that since it's started tipping with rain and I'm feeling better, a glass of wine in front of the fire would be nice.

I saw my friend today and she was much better than I had anticipated. We went to her doctor and talked about other sources of help, since where we live, therapy on the NHS is a foreign concept apart from sodding CBT which is limited.

I will be chuffed to bits if I get as far as Thurs without a drink! I will be really chuffed!

[LouMacca]

800 - OMG!! That answers a few quesions!! Expanding bum here too! Well done on losing 3lb mlsp thats fab

I had boozy weekend. Girls night on friday where 5 of us drank 5 bottles of wine. Went away for weekend and drank 3 glasses on Saturday night and 3 glasses last night when we returned.

Have no wine in the house now so going to have another wine-free week until friday night when we are out for a meal.

Probably sounds a lot but am chuffed that I am not drinking mon-thurs night and that I limited myself and sat and sun night.Back on the ice and water tonight.

Good luck to everyone else.

[jesuswhatnext]

hi all, had a fairly boozey weekend, but still not as much as usual - have NOT gone to the pub this lucnhtime again, that makes it over 2 weeks since i drank at lunch time

bloody hell though, 800 cals per bottle, no wonder i have got such a big bum!

good luck 100 units!

sympathy bladebla, you are having a shitty time arn't you - hope this week goes ok for you.

[100unitsaweek]

about 800

[100unitsaweek]

well I didnt manage no alcohol but totted up my unit and reckoned I halved them......ie 50 from 100.

So this week I intent to do 25. Will keep a tally.

Not brilliant I know but Rome wasnt built in a day!

Well done all. Its a hard struggle.

[BlaDeBla]

30 units isn't too bad - certainly the right direction! It's only about 3 bottles of wine.

This week I've drunk about 2.5 bottles of wine and a tin of beer, though not very spread out. I don't like drinking when I'm feeling down in the dumps, so it'll be easy to lay off if I'm feeling the way I am.

My mum is in the early throes of Alzeimers, which is particularly hard for her. My dad is mad and has behaved very very badly, particularly towards me, and towards her. It is very sad to see my parental family in total meltdown. I am now safe from the worst excesses of my father (dv, bullying etc), and more able to see his behaviour as not part of my life, but it is also quite difficult to believe that he really behaved so appallingly. At the moment I don't have any external support and sometimes I just feel as though I'm going round the bend.

Tomorrow I am going to see a friend who may have to be sectioned (again). I really thought I had done my time with mental health. Anyway, I don't think it would be at all kind to just leave her spinning away.

Sorry to keep banging on... It's so strange with all this money and banking stuff. I have no money, and am not involved, apart from having a house we would like to be in a position to sell. It seems to me that all this money being thrown at the banks is a bit like trying to pump up a burst balloon, and they're just handing round the pump. It kept me awake all night, just thinking how on earth they could all be so stupid and stuck.

[DoubleBluff]

am going to switch to g and t with lots of t!
I will be happy when i can get under 14 units a week, i reckon i am on about 30 at the moment.

[mylittlescarypumpkin]

BladeBla - feel free to post about what's going on. I'm sorry it all seems so hard lately - what seems so unpleasantly complicated?

DoubleBluff - was going to say, can you drink something other than wine? Could you buy the 25cl bottles (I've considered that - not meant to be patronising).

Well, I've not given up. But I've had under my 14 units for the week since last Monday when I posted, probably about 10. I feel better. Lost 3lb. How is anyone else doing?

[DoubleBluff]

Bla debla, you an me both eh?