Giving up booze - almost entirely

[shaunbhoy]

I took up a hobby which left me with no money left over for alcohol

You mean you got married?

[scooterscot]

I drink too much. I know that. Not massively in binges, but regularly like a couple of pints and a couple of big shots (whiskey or rum or vodka + a mixer) every evening.

Jeepers.. Sounds like dependancy rather than quantity. Should give your liver a couple of days rest at least.

Father to two young ones and a self inflicted work load I'm all too aware the need for distraction.

Just stop for a week, don't make excuses. You'll feel mahousifily better.

[jmo21]

don't make excuses

This.

Dealing with similar trying to lose weight.

If you don't want to do it, it won't happen.

[jmo21]

Interesting comments there and nice to see many others here having had similar thoughts/experiences.

The social aspect is a big one for me. My friends are drinkers. My cousins are drinkers. So pretty much every single social occasion involves drinking to some degree - not so much the heavy sessions (I'm in my 40s now so can't deal with it ) but perhaps 3 or 4 pints or a few glasses of wine etc. I can't imagine sitting there with fizz water all night. And personally, having seen non-drinkers in a group, they tend to be ridiculously boring ... and you just know there's something dodgy about them

Isn't this the hardest part of giving up or at least drastically cutting down booze?

Cut out the mid week every night drinking, and enjoy the sociable drink with friends.

[Fronttoback]

Just make a rule to never drink two days on the trot.

Simples.

[SueEllen]

Just make a rule to never drink two days on the trot.

Simples.

And then you have two birthdays in a row or such thing.

Unless you have an excuse not to drink e.g. you have to run, cycle etc in the morning then it's unlikely to work.

[Fronttoback]

And then you have two birthdays in a row or such thing.

Unless you have an excuse not to drink e.g. you have to run, cycle etc in the morning then it's unlikely to work.

Self discipline. Creating distractions will only get you so far. To be a drinker in control comes from self discipline, not distractions.

[greenlake]

Cut out the mid week every night drinking, and enjoy the sociable drink with friends.

But....

[shaunbhoy]

I try to have at least as many non-drinking days as drinking days. I mainly try and drink on fridays and saturdays with maybe one night during the week too. You are never far away from the next beer/wine/scotch and having lime & soda or filter coffee/green tea evenings is actually quite enjoyable too.
So is the distinct absence of hangovers (which I seem to suffer quite badly from!!)

[NotAllThere]

Self discipline. Creating distractions will only get you so far. To be a drinker in control comes from self discipline, not distractions.

And how do you get the self discipline?