Giving up / Cutting down on alcohol

[FoxesDeb]

I'm envious of all of you that have cut down, I drink wine virtually every evening, but I enjoy it too much to stop 

I've never been a binge drinker and I hated the feeling of being drunk that I had when I was much younger, I just really love wine. I don't drink more than usual at Christmas or on holiday, I just consistently drink more than what is probably good for my health, and certainly my purse 

[Christoph]

The key to cutting down booze is increasing the amount of weed to smoke. 

 

 

[joachim1965]

6 hours ago, stripeyfox said:

This is one of the things that has put my off from abstaining in the past. When I have had the odd night off, I just can't get to sleep, so I end up using alcohol as a method to aid sleep (which of course it doesn't - or at least not quality sleep).

 

We had a "last" drink on NYD and the first couple of nights after that were restless, but has got steadily better since and last night slept really well (although I did go to Body Pump at the gym which no doubt helped)!

 

The problem with alcohol is it stops your body going into a deep sleep, you might think you're dead to the world but you will be sleeping very lightly.

Alcohol free sleep is way better, stick with it and you will sleep like a baby.

[Guest Manini]

Tend not to drink during the week - very rarely drink at home either. Although in saying that I probably will have a Rheinbacher for the football tonight - I did debate going to the pub to watch it but thought I’d save that for the second leg. 
 

I do struggle staying out of the pub on a Friday night though. Those golden hours between 4:30/7 on a Friday in the boozer with your pals after a week of graft is the best time of whole week to be honest. 

[FoxesDeb]

38 minutes ago, Christoph said:

The key to cutting down booze is increasing the amount of weed to smoke. 

 

 

It's interesting that you say that, I used to smoke weed daily until I met someone who disapproved and made me give it up. That was when I started drinking wine instead 

[Christoph]

4 minutes ago, FoxesDeb said:

It's interesting that you say that, I used to smoke weed daily until I met someone who disapproved and made me give it up. That was when I started drinking wine instead 

 

Sadly all too common. Most stoners find it hard to adjust to that stone cold sober feeling in the evenings especially anyone whos smoked daily. Usually replace it with drinking way more or smoking fags. 

 

I still smoke although stopped smoking daily and it was increddibly difficult at the beginning. Especially with sleep. When you go from practically trying to stay away at 10pm to begging to go sleep at 12am it can be a real pain in the arse. I used a vape to replace the feeling which kind of did the trick for a few months but stopped it after. Didn't like how tight my chest was feeling from chonging a vape way too much. Now I'm used to not smoking in the afternoons and sleep is much easier although lets be honest nothing gets you to sleep quicker than being stoned. 

 

Funny how your partner had an issue with you smoking weed but doesn't care about you drinking wine every night instead..! 

[VLC86]

30 minutes ago, Christoph said:

 

Sadly all too common. Most stoners find it hard to adjust to that stone cold sober feeling in the evenings especially anyone whos smoked daily. Usually replace it with drinking way more or smoking fags. 

 

I still smoke although stopped smoking daily and it was increddibly difficult at the beginning. Especially with sleep. When you go from practically trying to stay away at 10pm to begging to go sleep at 12am it can be a real pain in the arse. I used a vape to replace the feeling which kind of did the trick for a few months but stopped it after. Didn't like how tight my chest was feeling from chonging a vape way too much. Now I'm used to not smoking in the afternoons and sleep is much easier although lets be honest nothing gets you to sleep quicker than being stoned. 

 

Funny how your partner had an issue with you smoking weed but doesn't care about you drinking wine every night instead..! 

More likely to put out when drunk.

[FoxesDeb]

58 minutes ago, Christoph said:

 

Sadly all too common. Most stoners find it hard to adjust to that stone cold sober feeling in the evenings especially anyone whos smoked daily. Usually replace it with drinking way more or smoking fags. 

 

I still smoke although stopped smoking daily and it was increddibly difficult at the beginning. Especially with sleep. When you go from practically trying to stay away at 10pm to begging to go sleep at 12am it can be a real pain in the arse. I used a vape to replace the feeling which kind of did the trick for a few months but stopped it after. Didn't like how tight my chest was feeling from chonging a vape way too much. Now I'm used to not smoking in the afternoons and sleep is much easier although lets be honest nothing gets you to sleep quicker than being stoned. 

 

Funny how your partner had an issue with you smoking weed but doesn't care about you drinking wine every night instead..! 

Yes, something else I'd forgotten about but once the weed came out of an evening the cigarettes went away, the tobacco in the spliff was enough and I didn't need any more. Now that I'm drinking I smoke more cigarettes than I used to, should really give them both up and go back to the weed! 

[Guest Manini]

1 hour ago, FoxesDeb said:

Yes, something else I'd forgotten about but once the weed came out of an evening the cigarettes went away, the tobacco in the spliff was enough and I didn't need any more. Now that I'm drinking I smoke more cigarettes than I used to, should really give them both up and go back to the weed! 

Not taking the piss in any way here, but smoking blunts would probably be the least harmful option out of everything  

[FoxesDeb]

10 minutes ago, Manini said:

Not taking the piss in any way here, but smoking blunts would probably the least harmful option out of everything  

Haha I know! 

[steflcfc]

Myself, too many early years of drinking too much, had a great time, but look back now and think of what could have been different if I took my time a bit more for various different reasons eg Money, health and relationships male and female lasting or being different now.

 

I did have a year off alcohol back in think it was 2017 and ran 2 half marathons.

still went out but stayed on soft drinks, the peer pressure was hard for the first 4 months but once people realised I was taking it serious it got easier.

Like others have said I chose to be the designated driver and that helped.

 

I drink less often now prob once a month and over time have learned physically and mentally I can’t handle what I used to anymore (although my mind sometimes still thinks it can), and have more responsibilities in life than I did 10 years ago.

 

The range of non alcoholic drinks about now is more extensive, I have brought myself non alcoholic  Kopperberg mixed fruit and Heineken 0% for extra choice in my house than more fizzy drinks etc

O Neil’s also do Heineken 0% on Draught it’s £3.15 a pint but different to a bottle.

 

Good luck to anyone who manages 1 week 1 month or  make longer lasting life changes

It's not as easy as people make out.

 

 

 

 

[Jon the Hat]

Bloody hard work watching the match without a glass of something.  

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

7 hours ago, Manini said:

Those golden hours between 4:30/7 on a Friday in the boozer with your pals after a week of graft is the best time of whole week to be honest. 

 

This is when I'm really going to struggle, though I plan to just cut back rather than cut it out entirely. Allocate one day a week (and only one) for a sociable session, rather than a heavy one.

Biggest issue with working in a city centre is that the temptation and variety is always there in the week, and after a shocker of day the temptation to sit in the corner of a boozer and have four or five without thinking is always there.

[Guest Manini]

4 minutes ago, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

 

This is when I'm really going to struggle, though I plan to just cut back rather than cut it out entirely. Allocate one day a week (and only one) for a sociable session, rather than a heavy one.

Biggest issue with working in a city centre is that the temptation and variety is always there in the week, and after a shocker of day the temptation to sit in the corner of a boozer and have four or five without thinking is always there.

You know Leeds, I work half way down Wellington street and live right across the other side on East Street. Without my walk being an hour I have to walk straight, directly through town. I think I counted once I walk past 10 pubs on my usual route home, 4 of which I would consider drinking in, might be more now there’s a few new ones opened. It’s so bleeding hard. 

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

2 minutes ago, Manini said:

You know Leeds, I work half way down Wellington street and live right across the other side on East Street. Without my walk being an hour I have to walk straight, directly through town. I think I counted once I walk past 10 pubs on my usual route home, 4 of which I would consider drinking in, might be more now there’s a few new ones opened. It’s so bleeding hard. 

 

Aha mate if I lived back in Leeds I'd be the best part of five stone heavier, just pleased I was up there when my metabolism was still half decent.

[ScouseFox]

9 minutes ago, Manini said:

You know Leeds, I work half way down Wellington street and live right across the other side on East Street. Without my walk being an hour I have to walk straight, directly through town. I think I counted once I walk past 10 pubs on my usual route home, 4 of which I would consider drinking in, might be more now there’s a few new ones opened. It’s so bleeding hard. 

yeah i often consider following my mates in trying “dry” whatever, but most of them drive to work. and work 9-5. 

 

i finish work on merrion street of an evening or even a lunchtime, and i live by the canal. how are you meant to walk home with a few mates and go through the whole of town and just “go home”. not for me, ref. 

[Guest Harrydc]

I tried, and failed miserably. I can't imagine life without a drink. The problem is, I don't find activities fun if it does not involved drinking.  

[Izzy]

7 hours ago, Harrydc said:

I tried, and failed miserably. I can't imagine life without a drink. The problem is, I don't find activities fun if it does not involved drinking.  

And the crazy thing is.....we all found activities fun without drinking when we were young kids.

[stripeyfox]

9 hours ago, ScouseFox said:

yeah i often consider following my mates in trying “dry” whatever, but most of them drive to work. and work 9-5. 

 

i finish work on merrion street of an evening or even a lunchtime, and i live by the canal. how are you meant to walk home with a few mates and go through the whole of town and just “go home”. not for me, ref. 

I'm alright. I'm  old and boring and I universally dislike everyone I work with so I wouldn't go for a drink with them if they paid me. Plus I have to get home to cook dinner for the kids and wife....

 

[Alf Bentley]

Just to briefly put my Mr. Responsible hat on.....

 

Anyone who is drinking large amounts every day should get medical advice before "going cold turkey".

 

Stopping all alcohol in those circumstances without medical support can be seriously dangerous to your health.

If your body is physically dependent on alcohol, it can suffer dangerous reactions if alcohol is suddenly withdrawn. You might need to be weaned off under supervision in a hospital/rehab unit for a few days.

 

This happened to a friend of a friend: he'd been drinking heavily and continuously, went cold turkey - and had a brain seizure and died at age 49..... 

[Guest Manini]

15 hours ago, ScouseFox said:

yeah i often consider following my mates in trying “dry” whatever, but most of them drive to work. and work 9-5. 

 

i finish work on merrion street of an evening or even a lunchtime, and i live by the canal. how are you meant to walk home with a few mates and go through the whole of town and just “go home”. not for me, ref. 

Have you been in the new Beer Hawk bar or the Bankers Cat yet? I’m still yet to try either but will break my V tomorrow night. I like the new HOS as well. 

[Guest Manini]

15 hours ago, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

 

Aha mate if I lived back in Leeds I'd be the best part of five stone heavier, just pleased I was up there when my metabolism was still half decent.

I’ve always had the metabolism of a young Daniel Lambert so I’m ****ed and this city doesn’t help, basically. I look at a Big Mac and put about a stone on - that’s even worse, having to constantly worry about what you’re eating/drinking or just accepting being the size of a route master bus. 

[ScouseFox]

3 minutes ago, Manini said:

Have you been in the new Beer Hawk bar or the Bankers Cat yet? I’m still yet to try either but will break my V tomorrow night. I like the new HOS as well. 

went bankers cat this week after work, nice gaff. will be a regular i think seen as between me and a few of the boys at work it's slap bang on the way home. 

 

new head of steam is alright, bit too big and characterless even though they've obviously tried to keep it like the old one a bit, but then my main complaints about the other one are it's always fu cking rammed. so yano haha. 

[FerrisBueller]

On 08/01/2020 at 15:21, Christoph said:

The key to cutting down booze is increasing the amount of weed to smoke. 

 

 

Can confirm.

[FerrisBueller]

Personally, cutting down/cutting out alcohol is one of the best things I ever did. I just got to the point where the negatives vastly outweighed the positives.

As mentioned above, my weed uptake has gone up, but I don't encounter many negatives as a result.