Health & Family Quitting alcohol and social life

Wise words, you've helped me make my mind up with that. Aside from getting passed the first month I went quite well with cravings etc, up to mid-summer and a few trips away, that was TOUGH to stay off the grog and had been contemplating trying to see the 12 month mark then maybe allowing myself a few nice craft beers when away, and stock the fridge with a rage of local brewery beers.

I'd mentioned that a couple of times to my partner.

She actually said to me a couple of weeks ago that she didn't think I should start again, (let me preface this by saying early on she didn't think I had as big a problem as I was making out and that I could just limit myself a bit), she's seen how hard it has been this last 12 months to stay off it and she's also seen me go from having a couple f bottles of non-alcohol beer on a weekend with dinner to putting 2 or 3 of them away a night, we both know that if I try and stick to going to just a few nice craft beers a week those nightly alcohol free bottles will soon become regular bottles, which will soon become more than a couple and soon add the weekend wine and nightly spirits.

I cannot trust myself, which means there's only one logical conclusion, stay off it....

Here's to the next 12 months.

 

Propagate,that's a good read and i hope anyone that's going through or having a drinking problem reads your intuitive wisdom..well played..

 

If it really is the taste you miss (is it really?) then perhaps just get a non alcoholic wine or beer.

 

@Propagate , it's been great following you on your journeys(Drinking and Running).
You should be proud of yourself as not many can achieve what you've done on both fronts and I can guarantee you that your journey is positively affecting many people out there so keep it up.

 

Thanks man, I really appreciate that. Cheers.

 

https://www.danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_65529/lyre-s-non-alcoholic-american-malt-spirit-700ml

Non alcohol scotch!

now ive seen everything

 

This came up in my facebook feed.
Might be interesting for anybody following this topic. For what its worth, I rarely drink. Maybe 1-2 glasses a month.
ABC Science

 

I feel I need to come clean on here after receiving so much support.

I fell off the wagon about 2 months ago. I'd gone exactly 15 months without a single drop of alcohol.

Not sure what the tipping point was, I had found it unbelievably hard to stay dry, right from day one. I'm pleased I managed to go 15 months, but a little disappointed to no longer be able to say I'm T-Total.

Disappointing, yes, but I can't say I regret it (yet).

I'm determined never to go back to how I was. I think that 15 month period has helped reset my relationship with alcohol. I've only been "drinking" again for a couple of months, but it has been one or two craft beers on a weekend, enjoyed on their own (not as a dinner lubricant), so I have drank them consciously and savored and enjoyed them for what they were.

I am absolutely determined not to go back to the days of sinking a 6er with dinner etc. (said every ex drinker ever).

I've said this before a few times in this thread I think? But I went Vegan over 3 years ago, cold turkey (no pun intended) after been a massive meat & dairy eater for 41 years. That, in comparison to abstaining from alcohol, has been EASY. I have not knowingly eaten animal products since, nor do I want to not do I particularly miss anything, but those 15 months without beer were unbelievably difficult, to the point where having a drink was on my mind almost all day, every day towards the end.

Thanks again to everyone in here that helped me kick it for so long, and kudos to those of you still managing to resist the temptation.

 

It's all about a healthy relationship with alcohol. If you think that you can maintain your current drinking habits, then there's not really anything wrong with it. However if you think that there's a chance that it could become a slippery slope, then it might be better to cut them out.
I'm sure I'm not saying anything that you don't already know.

Good on you lasting that long and well done going vegan too, it's a step I'm planning to take in the future.

 

Thanks @geoffw @spludgey Yeah, I'm sure everyone that has quit and then started again manages to convince themselves "this time it will be different". Thankfully, (blessing ans a curse) I'm self aware enough to be under no illusions that I can wonder off into the sunset with a continuing happy, healthy relationship with grog.

I have made a conscious effort of late to be more mindful with the things I do though, trying to find more balance in everything. One thing I can take forward is that I have a good window of "quit" in the bank now, which is a tool in the box for the future should I, or those around me, feel there's an issue boiling.

 

Lockdown have anything to do with it ? That´s what cracked me, but since that ended back on track. Lockdowns around the world caused a massive surve in alcohol consumption and problems.

 

That's a long time without having a drink ..
One of my mates I went to school with who was at one stage had a serious problem with drinking has not had a drink for just over 20 years tells me he still gets the urge to have one every now and again ..
So I guess it will always be there ,myself I'm still not drinking as it's been a long time now ,but I've been close several times but health wise it was the right way to go ..
I was thinking about having a quite one in the last few minutes watching the Brisbane Loins play but never did..
Good luck ,as you done it before and you can do it again ,understanding that part is a good step forward..good.luck...

 

I don't think so, I've coped quite well with the lockdown. Lucky to be on a few acres so that keeps me out of mischief. Pretty introvert with only a few friends anyway so haven't felt that sde of it too much and I've been allowed to still come to my office to work (permitted industry). The only frustration I have had so far is the 5k limit, gets a bit boring for a cyclist and not much motivation to keep going out looking for new routes in the same 5k.

I can totally understand it though for folk say stuck in a small home, no easy access to outdoors, very social people that are suddenly isolated, maybe not allowed to work, general boredom etc. Can easily see how alcohol consumption can rocket.

There was no real trigger, it boiled down to just wanting it more than I didn't I guess, in very simplistic terms.

Good work in keeping off it @willair

 

this works for me in other areas not related to alcohol, lets say chocolate,

I can finish a packet of tim tams or 250g cadbury block in an hour, which is pretty bad,
rather abstain from it totally, I set a limit of what I allow myself eg 2 tim tams/ 1 line of chocolate,
and then I just stuff myself with them thus satisfying the cravings, and then I take a shower!
by the time ive gone through all the motions, the cravings have usually gone/subsided

 

I think the key to it is NOT to beat yourself up about it.
Many, many people have fallen off the wagon only to understand that they simply are human.

 

Unlike giving up say animal products or gluten, alcohol is addictive and the addiction can quickly escalate unfortunately.

 

That is a very interesting point and many polls and stats have showed alcohol intake has risen during the lockdowns.

I ended up opening a few bottles of wine to drink by myself on a few occasions which was a first for me in many years as i only drink socially. That was the negative side of things. On the other hand, I never ended up drinking a whole bottle by myself, i was throwing more wine than actually drinking it which was a good outcome as to my mind. It cemented the idea that i only enjoy alcohol moderately and socially.

@Propagate, every journey has it's ups and downs and now you have a great win under your belt which as you mentioned, seems to have changed your relationship with alcohol so that is great outcome!

 

We're on the cusp of the time of the year when festivities commence.

For those who have decided to abstain or reduce their intake of alcohol, keep at it if you want to continue that approach.

For me, no alcohol since last Christmas Eve. However, it has not been a great hardship or issue for me and hasn't been for sometime. If I wish to imbibe I've no concerns about doing so but I'm simply not interested and find it easy to say Nup. Many other people are not so lucky.