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.

it's easy at the beginning of the week, gets harder by the weekend! i'm going to bar (lol) myself from this site though after 9 cause that sends me a little crazy and makes me sup more

Well done so far everyone!

PP - of course you had to finish the wine left in the box. It would drive me mad thinking there was wine in the house and I couldn't have it!

Really wanted a glass of vino last night - instead got a wine glass and filled it with ice and water. Had 3 of those instead (wasn't quite the same and went to the loo twice in the night!)

Am out with the girls on friday night so will be having a couple of -bottles- glasses. If I can get to thurs nite without having a glass I will be really chuffed.

Well done so far everyone!

PP - of course you had to finish the wine left in the box. It would drive me mad thinking there was wine in the house and I couldn't have it!

Really wanted a glass of vino last night - instead got a wine glass and filled it with ice and water. Had 3 of those instead (wasn't quite the same and went to the loo twice in the night!)

Am out with the girls on friday night so will be having a couple of bottles glasses. If I can get to thurs nite without having a glass I will be really chuffed.

Hi all,
I'm two weeks into a month of being on the wagon. It's been hard but do-able. I decided I needed a break from the old boozo as it was definitely becoming a habit. Usually four nights a week, and drinking heavily at weekends. I think I went to social events BECAUSE I could have a drink. When I mentioned giving up to a friend she says 'ooh yes I think I drink too much - we open a bottle on Friday, finish it on Saturday and THEN open another bottle on Sunday' I just did a hollow laugh. Anyway, what I've found really helpful is non-alcoholic lager, particularly the Bavaria brand. It's palatable and still feels a bit like a treat. I even hesitated to drive after drinking it, it's so convincing!

Well done everyone

Ice water in the wine glass is a good idea. I find one of the hard things is having nothing to do with your hands iykwim so i'm having a glass of juice or coffee instead of a lager.

Good luck for tonight everyone

Something to hold in your hand i mean.

Having nothing to hold in your hand i mean

Lol @ Phoenix - know what you mean!

I might try some non-alcoholic wine - anyone tried it?

yes I've tried the Eisberg Cabernet Sauvignon - hahah it's nothing like wine, unfortunately. It's more like red grape juice with a vinegary top note. Looks good in a wine glass tho.

Thanks. Will give it a miss then.

Yep I always have the Tesco flavoured water in the fridge. I do really like it but can't seem to manage more than 2 glasses at all time.

Can I join you too? I didn't drink last night and I expect I won't drink tonight, but then it will probably start to build up by about Thursday. It's a problem because I'm beginning to enjoy it too much, and I am seeing a pattern of too much too much of the time! I'm addicted to nicotine pills which is embarrassing, and I don't want to be addicted to alcohol. The low alcohol lager sound worth a try. The last time I drank it it gave me a hangover. Have the brewers sorted that one out yet?

BlaDeBla - I go for the non-alcoholic rather than low alcoholic ones.

ha ha! - i just got through another lunch break without wine!!!

am absudly pleased with myself

am saving money too!

100units I didn't follow a diet, but did my own thing. I was going to put a thread in a diet topic thingy in case it helped anyone... if I do I will put a link on here tomorrow.

Hoorah - had a wine free night last night. Had a lovely bath instead and strangely didn't miss the vino. My theory is that we all have a 'wine/gin/whatever' hour in the day when we are suddenly desperate for a drink. Mine is horribly early (cooking dinner/homework @4.30) while others have a 7pm/kids in bed moment. If you can ride out that moment then the urge passes. I can do it if I have a wine glass of grape juice /a coffee/a bath - before I know it it's gone past my witching hour and the urge has passed. If I give in though, I'm sunk.

Roll on tomorrow for another wine free day.

can I join in? I went on the dependent drinkers thread for a while but when I wasnt improving stayed away from it.....but I need to try again.

I probably drink about two thirds of a bottle of wine per night, more at weekends so it ends up being 5 bottles per week plus a few gin and tonics and maybe a port or something - when you tot it all up its about 60 units a week. I have done this for 10 years now and have no idea how to stop. Every morning I wake up full of good intentions and every evening either work has been a nightmare or the kids have wound me up so much on the days I am home that I feel like I deserve a drink - and then I end up having another and another etc. I rarely feel drunk as I dont like to be out of control (I used to get that drunk years ago)but still drinking 4 times the recommended limit cant be doing me any good.

I will try really hard tonight to just have fizzy water, might try that bath trick and have a soak with my book instead of drinking....

(goes without saying that I did not drink when I was pregnant just incase it sounds like I have drunk solidly for last 10 years!)

How is everyone doing??

I am developing a diet dandelion and burdock habit but I guess that's healthier! I seem to eat less too, so that's good.

I felt awful this morning - dd up lots plus having funny back pains lately - which made me thing how much worse I might have felt. I am amazed how relatively easy this has been so far even with a fairly rubbish week.

Hi mlsp - dandelion & burdock? I've not had that for years!! Pass some over

Glad you are finding it ok. Its so easy to have a drink if you are having a crap week. DH has taken DC to karate so I've just poured myself my usual ice and water. Bought a big bar of choc as a treat for me when DH goes to the pub later to watch the football.

Am seriously thinking about staying off the wine when I'm out tomorrow night

I think drinking tends to be a habit rather than something that I rely on to get me through the day/evening. I agree that you need to find something to do when you would normally have a glass or wine. My hard time is same as lulu, about 4.30-5 when I'm making tea. If I can get past tea time, I can be ok! Had a wine free night last night and so far so good for tonight!

i am desperate for a drink tonight, have such a bad cold, it would be medicinal ;0

Well, I've had about half a bottle of wine tonight... Pretty much the first hurdle. I'm knackered - I had a writing crit today, which went better than I had anticipated - really it went well, which was encouraging. I cycled home on my newly serviced bike, whizz whizz.. I am so tired now and thought I felt more like a drink than I do. I think for me, it is a passing thing. Perhaps it would be more useful to channel that time into work and a new habit?!!!

Hard tonight to sit across the table from DH and the open bottle, especially when today was a corporate "team bonding" day at work which is enough to drive anyone to drink. But I did it - one night at a time.

blabla what are nicotine pills?

It's nicotine replacement. I stopped smoking just over 5 years ago, and about a year ago started taking the NRT so I didn't smoke.