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Post by elstoof on Oct 25, 2022 9:02:10 GMT
Had a fairly boozy weekend, no drinks yesterday and this morning I’ve woken up feeling properly shagged. Maybe I actually am not 25 any more
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Post by quadfather on Oct 25, 2022 9:05:04 GMT
booze, booze and more booze
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Post by pierrepressure on Oct 25, 2022 10:11:33 GMT
My drinking has drastically reduced, I'm more of a social drinker but that's when the worst side of me comes out so I've been pretty good at removing myself from those situations by leaving early.
Seems I've got a new problem now though and that's food, I've been eating loads of crap instead of drink with no enthusiasm for exercise to try and balance it out.
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Post by drhickman1983 on Oct 28, 2022 12:40:08 GMT
Not had a drink since Monday (which was at a work thing).
But now the weekend is approaching I'm finding the urge to drink increase. No plans, at all. But just have this desire to get drunk to blank out the awful world.
Might just go to bed instead.
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EMarkM
Junior Member
Well, quite...
Posts: 2,150 
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Post by EMarkM on Oct 28, 2022 13:06:49 GMT
drhickman1983 I’ve wondered whether I’d be tempted a few times over the last few weeks, but it keeps coming back to this: it doesn’t solve anything (for me) and I generally feel a little worse as a result, rather than better. Not meant as advice, but, in these early days, those thoughts are enough to completely turn me off the idea of alcohol. Good luck, whichever way it works out.
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Post by dfunked on Oct 28, 2022 13:33:54 GMT
Definitely have a go at reading or listening to the audiobook of this naked mind. I only really needed to read a couple of chapters to get my head on straight when it came to weekends.
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Post by drhickman1983 on Oct 28, 2022 14:35:40 GMT
The mistake I made was poking my head above the cushion walls of my homemade fort, and seeing a few things that really made me despair at the future. So the idea of drinking to ignore it really appeals.
I'm going to try very hard to not drink but I need something to distract me...
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EMarkM
Junior Member
Well, quite...
Posts: 2,150
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Post by EMarkM on Nov 4, 2022 8:10:01 GMT
Definitely have a go at reading or listening to the audiobook of this naked mind. I only really needed to read a couple of chapters to get my head on straight when it came to weekends. I read this over the last two days. I thought I knew everything. I didn't. 32 days clear for me now, but that book has properly put a spring in my step. I feel amazing this morning. And yes: I DID do the whole "self help" book circuit decades ago, and am aware of that whole arena, positive or not... Anyway, I'll be rereading the book today and tomorrow, just to affirm the messages to myself. A deeply-felt "thank you" to those on here who have been supportive. |
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Post by rawshark on Nov 4, 2022 8:51:27 GMT
Last week was fairly heavy for me so made a real effort to abstain for a bit. The hangovers weren’t fun but what really motivated me was the heartburn. Seriously, fuck being 40.
I think being colder has helped. An ice cold beer isn’t as tempting right now. The temperature has helped me sleep too so getting to bed earlier is another good way of not getting on it.
I’m basically weaning myself off at this point as baby Shark arrives Feb next year which basically means I’m off the drink from Jan 1st.
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Post by dfunked on Nov 4, 2022 8:55:31 GMT
Good stuff, Mark. Glad that it helped you out!
I've had a few "you could just have one, it won't hurt you" thoughts recently so probably need to pick that up again too.
Bank account is looking so much healthier already, so I probably owe myself a gadget as a reward...
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EMarkM
Junior Member
Well, quite...
Posts: 2,150
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Post by EMarkM on Nov 4, 2022 9:23:27 GMT
Good stuff, Mark. Glad that it helped you out! I've had a few "you could just have one, it won't hurt you" thoughts recently so probably need to pick that up again too. Bank account is looking so much healthier already, so I probably owe myself a gadget as a reward... \o/ |
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wunty
Full Member
Pastry Forward
Posts: 6,673
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Post by wunty on Nov 4, 2022 9:32:15 GMT
Good stuff, Mark. Glad that it helped you out! I've had a few "you could just have one, it won't hurt you" thoughts recently so probably need to pick that up again too. Bank account is looking so much healthier already, so I probably owe myself a gadget as a reward... Yeah, I'm the same. More and more recently. "Ach, look, just open that bottle of malt that's been sitting there since Easter. Just have one."
But I can't just have one, and the self loathing that will follow means it's just not worth it, not to mention what it'll do to my fucking head.
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EMarkM
Junior Member
Well, quite...
Posts: 2,150
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Post by EMarkM on Nov 4, 2022 10:01:20 GMT
At the risk of boring the crowd, here are the three main takeaways I have from the book after that first two-day reading:
1. I never actually "liked" alcohol quite as much as I kept telling myself (and others) that I did.
2. You are constantly surrounded by well-meaning (sometimes) folk who will do their very best to justify YOUR intake because they are so desperate to justify their own.
3. As Wunty says: Just one will fucking do you in. What I hadn't really heard before is that just having one can put you right down at the bottom straightaway, rather than simply starting the slope again.
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Post by elstoof on Nov 5, 2022 10:29:45 GMT
A friend I’ve known since I was 10 is a builder, had him round this week fixing up a few home improvements. As I rarely see him and he’s quite a heavy drinker, we've been knocking off around 4:30 for a few pints and discuss the dramas of his life. The first day or two was good fun but fuck me I feel like I’ve aged 10 years after a week of it
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Post by Dougs on Nov 5, 2022 10:54:10 GMT
Yeah, I kicked the arse out of it last weekend and felt absolutely terrible until basically yesterday.
Wasn't going to drink but then found myself entertaining 6 9 and 10 year olds for my daughter's birthday party sleepover. Had to have a couple to get through it.
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Post by quadfather on Nov 5, 2022 12:53:52 GMT
I'm in a band. There is no escape.
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Post by freddiemercurystwin on Nov 12, 2022 20:12:09 GMT
So my usual supply of Pimms substitute (Sainsburys equivalent but approx half the price) has dried up so to speak, that is Sainsburys have stopped selling it for some reason, my massive stock of about 40 bottles of proper Pimms I bought at £10/litre around the time of the Queens Jubilee has finally been used up so I've taken to various spirits, Rum, Vodka or Gin, I cant be spending £22 on a bottle of Pimms a few times a week.
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Post by elstoof on Nov 12, 2022 20:15:03 GMT
Pimms is nice and all, but is it a few bottles a week nice? How much lemonade does that require?
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Post by freddiemercurystwin on Nov 12, 2022 20:46:00 GMT
Well it's been my choice of drink for a few years, it's weird because I hated it for decades but gradually got used to it as my mum and Mrs Mercury drank it, yes the lemonade is also costly, immaterial now anyway.
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Post by Syrette on Nov 13, 2022 0:53:17 GMT
You have teeth left?  |
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Post by freddiemercurystwin on Jan 31, 2023 16:01:54 GMT
So I thought my drinking was getting a bit away from me over last year so I decided to knock it on the head for a while, coincidentally it was at he beginning of the year not really a dry January thing just seemed like a natural time to stop for a while, I was definitely only drinking to enjoy the feeling of being a bit drunk as I was only drinking spirits and just knocking them back as a means to an end. Anyway I'm not hear for commendation or anything but what I have noticed is for the last few weeks I've had an almost continual headache albeit pretty mild and also nausea, again fairly mild, I have no idea if I'll return to drinking or not, I always planned to but I've not really missed it so perhaps not, anyway this post isn't about that more wondering if anyone had felt similar symptoms since knocking the booze on the head? My sleep has definitely improved.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2023 16:08:10 GMT
I informally stopped around October or November, and if anything, I’ve had less headaches, heart burn, acid reflux etc, but it does depend on how heavily and how often you drank previously. A sudden removal of anything the body is used to processing can have a negative affect.
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Post by freddiemercurystwin on Jan 31, 2023 16:28:27 GMT
I generally didn't have hangover's before, namely because I would always stop before the onset of a hangover, I suppose I was drinking about 2 litres of spirits a week but that was predominantly consumed between 6-8pm, so I am a bit peeved I seem to have a near permanent albeit mild hangover now!
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Post by Danno on Jan 31, 2023 23:19:17 GMT
Sounds a bit like dehydration. Are you drinking anything in the evening to replace what you stopped consuming?
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Post by Danno on Jan 31, 2023 23:25:16 GMT
Ive still got to finally fucking quit. It's just the thought of being alone with my thoughts all damn night. Every night.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2023 23:33:11 GMT
See, I get more morose and introspective on and after the drink. So quitting has helped me get to a healthier space all around.
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Post by Danno on Jan 31, 2023 23:56:30 GMT
See, I get more morose and introspective on and after the drink. So quitting has helped me get to a healthier space all around. Same. Doesn't help me stop. That fear of the long night gets above all. |
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ekz
New Member
O_o
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Post by ekz on Feb 1, 2023 0:25:52 GMT
See, I get more morose and introspective on and after the drink. So quitting has helped me get to a healthier space all around. Did the opposite for me, however drinking only provides short breaks and then heightens it again with the ol' hangxiety. Anywho, had too many beers over the weekend after being 3 days short of 7 months sober. Confused now. |
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Post by Dougs on Feb 1, 2023 6:54:12 GMT
Don't beat yourself up over it. Dust yourself off and go again.
My neighbours and good friends have both given up ahead of a skiing trip they're going on later this month, where they want to be Uber fit. It's my wife's birthday at the weekend and we're meant to be going out for dinner but she's pissed off they'll be sober! Have tried to tell her that it's not all about the booze, but when most of our socialising is done over beers/wine, it's a bit hard to shake that association. I'm sure it'll be fine but she's not impressed!
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EMarkM
Junior Member
Well, quite...
Posts: 2,150
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Post by EMarkM on Feb 1, 2023 7:30:03 GMT
Still doing okay here.
I know that tales of others’ success are hardly likely to help, but my last drink was on 2 October 2022, and I couldn’t be happier with my decision.
Christmas was easy, and it’s just such a relief knowing that I can drive at any time, and all the other little negatives have gone away.
Case in point: on Saturday afternoon, we dropped the little girl off at dancing, but her friend’s mum was bringing her home.
As we arrived back from dropping her off, I said to Mrs. M., “Is that it? Are we home for the night now?”
We were and, in the old days, this would have meant a wine or whisky while I started putting dinner together.
Fifteen minutes later, the studio called. She’d had a fall and, it turns out, broken a bone in her foot.
I was able to drive straight over, pick her up and get her to hospital.
No problem.
The sense of relief at being able to do so was overwhelming.
The best of luck to us all.
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