Quitting the swig

[Rincewind]

You don't want that pint I owe you then? :beer: :beer:

[The People's Hero]

Absolutely terrible. I took up a new sport, to replace a previous one to spend less time out of the house but this is within walking distance with loads of great interesting members and an extremely cheap bar. Between that and what at the moment is a very stressful job and three very young children, I've increased my intake if anything. Thinking I'll just have to knock it on the head altogether since I'm appalling at moderation. I'm at quite a few units a week at the moment and worryingly managed to get through 9 pints on a weeknight recently watching some conference football in town with a colleague. There was just no need. We probably aren't good for each other!

[Alf Bentley]

Absolutely terrible. I took up a new sport, to replace a previous one to spend less time out of the house but this is within walking distance with loads of great interesting members and an extremely cheap bar. Between that and what at the moment is a very stressful job and three very young children, I've increased my intake if anything. Thinking I'll just have to knock it on the head altogether since I'm appalling at moderation. I'm at quite a few units a week at the moment and worryingly managed to get through 9 pints on a weeknight recently watching some conference football in town with a colleague. There was just no need. We probably aren't good for each other!

 

I can relate to this twice over. If you work long hours (you commute, too, I think?) and spend more hours on childcare, pleasurable though that often is, it's difficult to do without some sort of a release, particularly if there's an enjoyable social element attached to it. To add to the problem, I work from home on my own, which I find a bit claustrophobic.

 

I've always struggled with moderation, too. My brain/personality seems to enjoy excess or abstinence but not moderation. Countless times in the past I've tried to exercise moderation in different ways: limiting drinks per night, drinking nights per week, time starting/stopping drinking, units per week etc. It's never worked medium-term, never mind long-term. The only thing that has ever worked is stopping completely for extended periods. After a few days off, I tend to feel full of energy and have an urge to expend that energy boozing, but provided that I get over that, I then find it no problem - indeed, a positive pleasure - to stay away from the stuff for weeks on end...though complacency/boredom can become an issue at about 2-4 months.

 

Good luck, anyway, TPH. Sounds like a fairly intense life you lead there.

[Merging Cultures]

I totally relate to everything TPH said too.

I am awful at moderation. I've not had anything since Friday. I know it's not long but I do feel better. I was drinking daily. Sometimes I'd start at lunch. It was bad. My wife would kill me if she knew the extent. Although it is clear from my physique. I've gained loads.

I work from home and it's a bit boring at times. Yes, I get to travel and see great stuff, but day to day, yawn. I need to find something that will keep me occupied.

[Guest MattP]

At some point this year I'm going to really try and do a month off.

My drinking is getting to silly levels at times. I can easily down 15 cans in a night or 10-12 pints before I hit the vodkas and I'm often doing it 4 nights a week.

It's so hard when you really love the social side of it and all my mates do the same so I'd be cutting off from them if I tried to stop.

[The People's Hero]

Sorry I have no idea how that just happened !

[broughtonblue]

Sorry I have no idea how that just happened !

Pissed?

[Manwell Pablo]

Absolutely terrible. I took up a new sport, to replace a previous one to spend less time out of the house but this is within walking distance with loads of great interesting members and an extremely cheap bar. Between that and what at the moment is a very stressful job and three very young children, I've increased my intake if anything. Thinking I'll just have to knock it on the head altogether since I'm appalling at moderation. I'm at quite a few units a week at the moment and worryingly managed to get through 9 pints on a weeknight recently watching some conference football in town with a colleague. There was just no need. We probably aren't good for each other!

 

Nine pints on a school night is pretty impressive. I occasionally get up to 7 on a Wednesday if there is a big game but 9 for the Conference is A league drinking

[David Guiza]

Currently about a month into a few months off from drinking for the October marathon, not missing it at all. Realised at Benicassim music festival that I really don't need to drink to have a decent time, and feel a lot healthier without it too. I probably won't stop altogether, I enjoy a pint or two at the pub. But really not fussed about huge sessions.

[Nalis]

It almost seems pointless to have just one.

Also, I find it impossible to maintain that nice 3/4 pint buzz level. If you keep drinking you're gonna be drunk, if you stop then the tiredness strikes and you just feel like sleeping.

[Houdini Logic]

I stopped for 8 years when I was younger (17-25) and 3 weeks ago I stopped again, this time for good (I'm 30 now).

 

It's easy if you get in the right mindset and very difficult if you don't.

 

Whilst I think he's a general end piece, Russell Brand summed up the feelings I have when he was on a talk show and asked about whether he still thinks about taking heroin. He said he thinks about it every day, even before coming on to the show, but he realises (through a lot of counselling) that the feeling is transitory and if you can accept that feeling and know it will pass then you're fine. Put into context it is difficult when I go out with friends and they're getting hammered on a Saturday night but when I get the urge to be as drunk as they are I know that in a couple of hours when I go home that feeling will no longer exist and when I wake up the next day at 7am, have a healthy breakfast and go for a walk I realise (for me) I did the right thing.