is there an alcohol support thread here?

[MuchLessTiredNow]

can anyone link me - can't find it!

I am a safe distance away, so I don't get these feelings all the time. I would not hesitate to call the police were he to become threatening again. I have kept some of his letters in case I need to take out an injunction against him, and Womens Aid have been fantastic.

I guess part of the problem is that my father has behaved atrociously(sp), and I do not get believed. A lot of old family friends still do not believe me. Away from the situation, it is sometimes hard to believe it myself.

I know for a fact that my parents' doctor does not want to believe that my father is a bully and wife and child beater.

It's horrible to feel so damaged and to feel as though I have learned too well how to destroy myself. I don't really want that!

Sorry Flowertop, x popsted! I know what you mean about using alcohol as you say. I have fairly been through the mill as far as councelling is concerned! I have never really talked about alcohol though - there were too many other things that would have killed me first... So I guess that it's quite a good thing really that I have got as far as this

I am seeing someone at the moment, which is perhaps opening this hideous sore again.

Bla - you have had a tough time, makes me realise how smooth my life has been.

I feel sad that there is an element of your drinking which is still linked to how you feel about your father - wouldn't it be great if he couldn't carry on hurting you. Counselling is tough, isn't it, but if it helps to get some of these things in a better perspective so that you can be strong for the future, then it is usually worth going through the rough stuff - and it's a good place to take your anger and sadness.

I had a very mixed week last week - and at least I managed not to drink at all on Tuesday and Thursday. Also I only drank in the evenings - I work from home and sometimes I can start work very early, complete all my tasks for the day by lunchtime and have a "glass or two" to reward myself. Shock! Horror! What an admission.

Yesterday though was bad - G&T while I was cooking, lovely wine with meal, and then I just wanted some more. I will join yella on aiming for less than 20 units this week.

Flowertop - you've done so well to keep going for a month, especially since it is difficult for you. I feel envious of the people who can give up for a period and not miss it.

this is so good that we can be honest with each other. I did not so well over the weekend, but felt ridiculously proud that I only had 1 glass last night. Ideally, that is where I would like to get to - one glass and then stop and for it not to be an effort.

A good Monday evening for me - maybe because I have lots of work to do at the moment (although that's never stopped me in the past).

I am away on a work trip tonight - so one drink max (none of the other trainers will be drinking) and then back late tomorrow. That could make for 3 days in a row.

I'll let you know.

Hope everyone else on here is doing OK. It's good that we're even trying.

That's good, beinghonest! WEll done! I am on my 4th day with nothing to drink. It could be because I feel like crap. I am going to the doc today to see if it is "just" my colitis and not something worse. I do feel as though my entire body is falling to bits, although I am surprised in some ways that it has lasted this long.

Hi everyone, haven't been online for a couple of days so just popping in to keep up-to-date.

Bla, so sorry to hear about the situation with your parents, I hope you get the support that you need.

I ended up sharing a bottle of wine with dh on Sunday so my units total was actually 31 for last week in the end. I'm finding it helpful to count up my weekly units at the moment so that I don't forget about the odd top-up or half glass of wine. I'm definitely aiming for the twenty or less this week. Two nights off already so feeling good about achieving this

Well done everyone in your efforts so far. This thread has really helped me become more focused on breaking the wine habit so thank you all.

Where is everyone? Hope you're all doing ok x

I had 3 glasses of wine last night so that's six units for the week so far. Hoping for a hot chocolate during Masterchef tonight so I will be able to have a few glasses of wine over the weekend.

How ar you all getting on?

Welld one yella! It's good to stop after a certain amount... To be able to stop after a certain amount! Dh and I shared a bottle of wine last night. We had 4 booze-free nights, which is almost unheard of in our house! I hope we can keep it up.

Posting here to keep this thread near the top. I am sure there are other mums out there who might worry about their drinking and would appreciate having somewhere to discuss it.

My self - not a bad week so far. I have been so busy. Away overnight with work on Tuesday, and back home late on Wednesday. I got in and poured myself a drink, was about to pour one for dp but he turned it down (think he'd had a few beers while I'd been away) - well that was good because it meant I only had one drink, I'm sure that if he'd joined me we would have finished the bottle.

Last night I was out again so dp and I only had a couple of drinks when I got in.

I know it is far from alcohol free but it is cutting down which is good.

Hi, well 1 day to go and that's me for the month. Trouble is now where I go from here. I said that I would have a drink tomorrow (Sat) as DH's birthday. I'm almost scared to have one because a) I will be back to square one b) feel crap on Sunday c) will be disappointed.
Well done everybody looks like you have all had a good week. Let's keep posting.
XX

Looks like we've all done well this week

Flowertop, a full month is fantastic I'm sure you're really proud of yourself and rightly so! How has your running been (think I remember you saying you were a runner?). Curious because I run too (10k's, hoping for a half this year).

So far this week I have had a bottle of wine (10 units) and I might have a few glasses tonight and tomorrow so will definitely make my 20 units challenge to myself this week. Next challenge is for 15 units. M&S are doing nice (and I'm fussy with my wine!)500ml bottles of red which are lower in alcohol than normal - works out just under 5 units for the 500ml bottle. Think I'll stick to these next week

Not such a good weekend. Will have to start from the beginning all over again.

Hi Bla - me too.

We had friends over of Saturday (well known for enjoying a bottle or two, so it wasn't a surprise) and didn't get to bed till 3am (and I guess I don't have to tell any of you what that means in terms of alcohol consumption!).

Nothing yesterday though, and late at night when dp was having a whiskey and offered to get me something, I was tempted, thought about it, and said no. Making that choice always feels good.

You are right though BlaDeBla - can't use last week as an excuse for this week, all we can do is start again. So... it's Monday morning and I have had nothing to drink in the last 24 hours.

I sometimes feel quite negative about the whole concept of cutting back on drinking - it feels like it focuses on "not doing something" which only makes me think about it more, and also every drink has the potential to feel like a failure against my self-imposed limit.

So I have decided to think about my drinking habits in a more positive way. I reckon that every glass of wine is costing me £1, so I plan to have 3 alcohol free days each week saving me half a bottle of wine (and the rest!) - replacing each glass of wine with a drink of fruit juice. I have a money bank and will put the saved money into this. Not a huge change but a positive one and it will save me more than £400 in a year.

I have posted my plan (along with a couple of other positive changes) under a thread called "Positive Decision" and I am going to post there every week about my progress.

I had a really good weekend despite going out for lunch Saturday and Sunday, I had half a small (125ml) glass of red wine on Saturday evening, a sip of DH's sherry last night, and that was it!

I'm pathetically proud of myself.

Beinghonest that sounds like a great plan, the expense is a huge issue in all honesty, a bottle of wine a night is 50 + quid a week! I don't spend much more than that on food! I think cutting down will really help in lots of ways.

Hi All and well done for trying to break a habit.

I've been attempting to cut back on my bottle of wine (ish) a day sice the beginning of January. I've had good days and bad.

I'm really pleased that I haven't bought a box of wine in over 2 weeks That's my downfall because if I have a box in the fridge I top up my glass and really have little idea of how much I am actually drinking. I've managed to get down to a half bottle with at least one alcohol free day a week. But that still seems too much

There is a history of alcoholism in my family. But to be honest it doesn't scare me or make me want to stop. I suppose I feel like I am still in control although deep down I know I'm not doing the right thing, if that makes sense?

There is a history of heavy drinking in my family too, although I don't know of anyone (yet) who has been killed by it. I know what you mean too about counting units. It's a bit pointless when there is a bottle open and your glass is a funny size. (In our house, "container" would be more accurate!)

I would like to stop drinking so much at weekends. I just let it all hang out, and don't stop. My brakes aren't very good sometimes.

Still going strong here but baby steps - nothing at all last night!

Strangely I feel dreadful - really tired and lethargic. Probably my poor liver recovering.

Well, I drank last night. Probably just over a half bottle of white wine.

I'm out tonight though and driving, so this will be my alcohol free night.

I feel so stupid because it just isn't normal to think about alcohol this much! I've even planned activities for my 4 year old, will have to drag the 17 month old with me too of course, so that I won't start drinking early evening. I find the later I start the less I drink.

Hi all. Well had a few drinks Sat, Sun and Monday. Really silly to start again after a month off but there you go. Hopefully I can get back into the swing of not drinking during the week but I just like my wine. I think the only way I will be able to help myself is if I stop completely but that really is not something I want to do at this moment in my life.
Keep posting everyone.
XX

Flowertop you've done really well. I don't know if any of us would be comfortable with the label "alcoholic" (I certainly wouldn't like it!) but that article Bladebla linked way back ont the thread shows that even for serious problem drinkers, the AA's method of complete abstinence is not the route to deal with it. It is possible to take back control and that is what we are all doing.

I am cheating, I am on medication which means I cannot drink except in minute quantities.

This is an interesting website. I'm probably more honest about my drinking habits on here than I am on an alcohol website.

I am going to try not to drink until the weekend. I know I am going out next week and could potentially get a bit pissed. I am a bit bored of that though so I may take the car.

Gosh, I just did the drinkulator test on there. Quite scary isn't it?

My results were low for most but did show mild dependancy.

I know that I should cut down for health reasons. God forbid if I were to get an illness because of drinking too much wine!!! Seems ridiculous to me that I would risk my life and ruin my childrens lives for the sake of wine.

Yet I can't seem to stop. As I said earlier I'm driving tonight so can't drink. A few times today I've regretted making plans that mean I can't pour that glass of wine when I get home. How pathetic is that? Better to be out with friends living life than sat at home holding another glass!

I was the same F2B (I answered as for before I started medication).