The booze-quittin' buddy thread!

[Andrew_Culture]

So I'm on day 2 of what's looking like it will be a 3 day hangover. After multiple failures though I can't decide whether to give up in the New Year or try a different tack of "less quantity but better quality" beer. Will see how I feel on Thursday/Friday although I can't have a great deal at New Year as I'm on call.

I drink a far higher quality of beer since I stopped drinking beer . On the very rare occasion that I have a beer at home it's usually a bottle of Leffe or some other quality Belgium beer. This has also crossed over into gig drinking. Sadly the pubs I go to don't stock Belgium beer but they do sell very high quality real ales. I went to a gig a couple of days ago and drank more ale than I would have done lager, didn't fall over and felt totally fine in the morning. Shame it's so peggin expensive though!

 

[Andrew_Culture]

It's interesting we're talking about having good stuff we don't want to go to waste, I've just realised I used to feel the same about tobacco! That seems insane looking back now!

We don't tend to have any booze in the house anyway. The case I bought from naked wines is all gone and there's almost zero chance I'll want to drink the two bottles of Hardys someone left here after Christmas Day

 

[youngoldbloke]

Remove temptation - just throw it out or give it away now - if you're serious you'll have to later. And just think of how much money you'll be saving in the future anyway - new bike this time next year, maybe?

 

[Kevoffthetee]

I'm giving up drinking midweek and only having a social drink once a week. I need to shift some winter timber and up the mileage ready for the longer days in the saddle

 

[subaqua]

Remove temptation - just throw it out or give it away now - if you're serious you'll have to later. And just think of how much money you'll be saving in the future anyway - new bike this time next year, maybe?

If I buy another bike my wife will kill me.

 

[david k]

I've only really been drinking in December I'll be stoping again in Jan and only having the occasional drink when out socially. Up until the grand final in October I had only drunk on 3 or 4 occasions last year, I'm aiming for something similar rather than quitting.
Finished last year Xmas beer a fortnight ago! My advice is not throw your beer away just leave it where it is, when your ready for a beer have one if you want one

 

[martint235]

I've only really been drinking in December I'll be stoping again in Jan and only having the occasional drink when out socially. Up until the grand final in October I had only drunk on 3 or 4 occasions last year, I'm aiming for something similar rather than quitting.
Finished last year Xmas beer a fortnight ago! My advice is not throw your beer away just leave it where it is, when your ready for a beer have one if you want one

Yeah, the plan is to keep the beer. I'm aiming to cut out the 12 cans of Kronenbourg sessions and put a real effort into "just a couple of something really nice". Will see how it goes.

Not counting the beer, there's about one glass of brandy; a bottle and a half of port; two bottles of fizz; a bottle of red left in the house. The port will go in the cupboard till next year, I'll probably drink the brandy tonight, SWMBO can have the fizz and the red will probably stay in the rack until a rare day when I feel like a wine.

I also find the pressure of "I'm never drinking again" just builds whereas this new idea (to me) of quality over quantity seems easier. If I said (as I often do) I'm stopping drinking tomorrow, that's it, it makes me ill etc. I'd already be starting to worry over "but what about those really hot days in the garden/out on the bike" or "what about when I go North for a week" etc. I know it's meant to be a day at a time but my thought processes still stray.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

The quality thing works well for me. I never puposefully get drunk anyway, it's an unfortunate side affect.

 

[david k]

Yeah, the plan is to keep the beer. I'm aiming to cut out the 12 cans of Kronenbourg sessions and put a real effort into "just a couple of something really nice". Will see how it goes.

Not counting the beer, there's about one glass of brandy; a bottle and a half of port; two bottles of fizz; a bottle of red left in the house. The port will go in the cupboard till next year, I'll probably drink the brandy tonight, SWMBO can have the fizz and the red will probably stay in the rack until a rare day when I feel like a wine.

I also find the pressure of "I'm never drinking again" just builds whereas this new idea (to me) of quality over quantity seems easier. If I said (as I often do) I'm stopping drinking tomorrow, that's it, it makes me ill etc. I'd already be starting to worry over "but what about those really hot days in the garden/out on the bike" or "what about when I go North for a week" etc. I know it's meant to be a day at a time but my thought processes still stray.

For me I stopped drinking in Jan and after a couple of weeks stopped missing it and found I had so much time without hangovers I didn't want to go back. I did drink when out with friends or going to a party but not every time, I have been selective.
I have been drinking what and when I want in December but my tolerance has dropped and therefore I'm happy with 4/5 cans rather than the 12/14 I used to drink without a problem
So it's been a win win, feel better, saved money, drinking less and less hangovers, all without having to quit entirely.
I'd maybe consider a month off which will get you in the swing

 

[Dogtrousers]

How tastebuds change. I was at a do with a free bar recently. It was a bit noisy and I think the barman gave me a vodka and lemonade by mistake, instead of a lemonade. One sip tasted to me how I would imagine a mixture of cat urine and petrol would taste.

Or perhaps he just didn't like the look of me and gave me a cat urine and petrol cocktail.

 

[martint235]

I'd maybe consider a month off which will get you in the swing

Once I've had a month off, I really start to crave which is weird I know. As I explained to my doc (I do tend to be honest with her), I'm not sure if I'm in a better or worse place. Binge drinking as in not during the week then splurging at weekends is meant to be really bad for you. I tend not to drink for 3 weeks then go on the lash for a weekend. Probably not good. I can honestly say that my year on year alcohol intake is definitely heading in the right direction though.

The other thing I found with committing to the "I'm never drinking again" is that when you fail, the self-loathing or self-pitying is the often the worst bit of it.

Going to give the new idea a go. Might work, might not work, then again heart doc may take it entirely out of my hands.

 

[david k]

Once I've had a month off, I really start to crave which is weird I know. As I explained to my doc (I do tend to be honest with her), I'm not sure if I'm in a better or worse place. Binge drinking as in not during the week then splurging at weekends is meant to be really bad for you. I tend not to drink for 3 weeks then go on the lash for a weekend. Probably not good. I can honestly say that my year on year alcohol intake is definitely heading in the right direction though.

The other thing I found with committing to the "I'm never drinking again" is that when you fail, the self-loathing or self-pitying is the often the worst bit of it.

Going to give the new idea a go. Might work, might not work, then again heart doc may take it entirely out of my hands.

It's the other way with me, my cravings stop after a few weeks, the things I miss are the occasional day or night out with the lads watching rugby or similar, it's the company of friends rather than the beer that I miss, if I don't refuse that of myself then it works well, has done for me this year so I want to repeat in 2016 also

 

[midliferider]

It's the other way with me, my cravings stop after a few weeks, the things I miss are the occasional day or night out with the lads watching rugby or similar, it's the company of friends rather than the beer that I miss, if I don't refuse that of myself then it works well, has done for me this year so I want to repeat in 2016 also

Do you mean to say you can not have the company of friends without the beer?
If so, is it because they want you to drink or you feel the need to drink?

 

[david k]

Do you mean to say you can not have the company of friends without the beer?
If so, is it because they want you to drink or you feel the need to drink?

Ha ha no not at all, just saying I like having a day or evening out drinking with friends, I can still see them out walking, cycling, rugby matches etc. But cut out or down on nights out when I'm trying to reduce drinking. In fact I didn't miss them that much that I wanted to go out each week, probably after 6 months of staying in and finding other interesting things to do I did fancy a good night out with friends.

Come to think of it I think it's the environment that often influences decisions, so if you change the environment it's easier to change the habits

 

[subaqua]

Yeah, the plan is to keep the beer. I'm aiming to cut out the 12 cans of Kronenbourg sessions and put a real effort into "just a couple of something really nice". Will see how it goes.

Not counting the beer, there's about one glass of brandy; a bottle and a half of port; two bottles of fizz; a bottle of red left in the house. The port will go in the cupboard till next year, I'll probably drink the brandy tonight, SWMBO can have the fizz and the red will probably stay in the rack until a rare day when I feel like a wine.

I also find the pressure of "I'm never drinking again" just builds whereas this new idea (to me) of quality over quantity seems easier. If I said (as I often do) I'm stopping drinking tomorrow, that's it, it makes me ill etc. I'd already be starting to worry over "but what about those really hot days in the garden/out on the bike" or "what about when I go North for a week" etc. I know it's meant to be a day at a time but my thought processes still stray.

if the port has been opened then it needs consuming within a few days ( 2 weeks tops) or it really does get awful. I had to sack one butler for that offence.

if you have stuff not opened leave it in the cupboard and put something in front of it.

my downfall is I have Londis constipation ( I cant pass the local one ) and end up with 6 cans of Pils or some bottles of real ale as they are 4 for £6.