Quitting the bottle

[Sandstorm]

Why not just say you are off the grog for the foreseeable future, its the truth, and i find that is always the best approach, don;t tie yourself up in knots over it, there is no shame in my view.

Agreed. Not drinking these days has no stigma attached that I've seen. In fact we have praised those in our (aged 50-something) circle who have cut back or quit entirely. Drinking forever is not for everyone.

[Monkey Magic]

Cheers team, looks like I'm putting too much thought into it and just need to be honest.

Just need to work on the temptation to join in side of things, which again I'll probably over think beforehand when if I just go I'll be able to handle

[Ymx]

If I go to an event I will often have an alcohol free beer or cider. I don’t tend to have them at home, just when out, as sometimes one pint of lemonade is enough and want something else.

And yeah, just say I’m off the booze. No need to specify a time frame. If asked, just say not sure yet, I’m quite enjoying it without at the moment. Feeling quite good about it.

Good luck mate !

[Sandstorm]

Cheers team, looks like I'm putting too much thought into it and just need to be honest.

Just need to work on the temptation to join in side of things, which again I'll probably over think beforehand when if I just go I'll be able to handle

Just quietly order your own tonic water. Tastes and looks more like the real thing than you think and no-one will notice.

[Tichtheid]

Cheers team, looks like I'm putting too much thought into it and just need to be honest.

Just need to work on the temptation to join in side of things, which again I'll probably over think beforehand when if I just go I'll be able to handle

Just quietly order your own tonic water. Tastes and looks more like the real thing than you think and no-one will notice.

Regarding this, and ymx's point about one pint of lemonade, the last time I went back home for an international was in 2017, so coming up for six years ago.
We have a long standing fixture against an Irish club and we play on the Friday and go to the international on the Saturday, it's been going for 70 years.
Anyway, it's always been an excessive weekend, whether in Scotland or Ireland.
Last time I spent well over £100 on the Saturday beer kitty alone, that's around 20 pints in the one day, nearly 60 units of alcohol, if we ignore the whiskies. I started the day with a hangover too, from the Friday match between our clubs.
(two Greggs sausage rolls saved my life that day, or it felt like it at the time)

No one would drink 20 pints of anything other than beer in a day, it's the alcohol that makes us do it.

As to Sandstorms' point about ordering your own, that is the best policy, stay away from the temptation and peer pressure of the group "go on mate, one won't hurt"
One leads to twenty.

Just get a tonic with ice

[Kiwias]

The truth is that other people don't care whether or not you are drinking alcohol anywhere near as much as you think they will.

[Slick]

The truth is that other people don't care whether or not you are drinking alcohol anywhere near as much as you think they will.

This, this , this. If anything, you get people quietly approaching you asking how you are finding it and telling your their story.

[Kiwias]

The truth is that other people don't care whether or not you are drinking alcohol anywhere near as much as you think they will.

This, this , this. If anything, you get people quietly approaching you asking how you are finding it and telling your their story.

Several friends have taken the plunge after hearing my story and realizing it is possible to have an active social life even when you are sober.

[Canes4Eva]

Fell of the wagon the other day (last Thursday) a couple of lagers. Didn't enjoy as much as I thought. Didnlt relax me as much as I hoped. Felt a bit seedy the next day but not too bad. All in all a reminder that booze is not the answer to my struggles.

Has anyone tried cold showers instead of cold swimming? I don't have time or opportunity for cold swims at the moment. Should work as well, I'd think

[Kiwias]

Fell of the wagon the other day (last Thursday) a couple of lagers. Didn't enjoy as much as I thought. Didnlt relax me as much as I hoped. Felt a bit seedy the next day but not too bad. All in all a reminder that booze is not the answer to my struggles.

Has anyone tried cold showers instead of cold swimming? I don't have time or opportunity for cold swims at the moment. Should work as well, I'd think

Canes

Sounds like a wee wake-up call and you responded well. Well done, mate.

I usually have warm showers but switch to cold water for the last couple of minutes. It is highly refreshing.

[Canes4Eva]

Fell of the wagon the other day (last Thursday) a couple of lagers. Didn't enjoy as much as I thought. Didnlt relax me as much as I hoped. Felt a bit seedy the next day but not too bad. All in all a reminder that booze is not the answer to my struggles.

Has anyone tried cold showers instead of cold swimming? I don't have time or opportunity for cold swims at the moment. Should work as well, I'd think

Canes

Sounds like a wee wake-up call and you responded well. Well done, mate.

I usually have warm showers but switch to cold water for the last couple of minutes. It is highly refreshing.

Thanks Kiwias, I'll give it a go

[Canes4Eva]

Why not just say you are off the grog for the foreseeable future, its the truth, and i find that is always the best approach, don;t tie yourself up in knots over it, there is no shame in my view.

Agreed. Not drinking these days has no stigma attached that I've seen. In fact we have praised those in our (aged 50-something) circle who have cut back or quit entirely. Drinking forever is not for everyone.

Agree, been a major culture shift over the years in NZ - and elsewhere I am sure

[Kiwias]

Why not just say you are off the grog for the foreseeable future, its the truth, and i find that is always the best approach, don;t tie yourself up in knots over it, there is no shame in my view.

Agreed. Not drinking these days has no stigma attached that I've seen. In fact we have praised those in our (aged 50-something) circle who have cut back or quit entirely. Drinking forever is not for everyone.

Agree, been a major culture shift over the years in NZ - and elsewhere I am sure

Even here in Japan too. Far fewer vending machines selling alcohol nowadays.

[Ymx]

Actually…… To carry on that thought. Not thinking about drinking while a great place to be is by no means the final destination.

At the end of my drinking, I was a chronic, habitual drinker who drank to black out daily. However, long before I arrived at that point alcohol was an amazing tool that had the ability to instantaneously change my perception and the way I felt, and this is the key to managing long term sustained sobriety for an alcoholic like myself. Because while I have rarely if ever thought about drinking, there have been countless times I have really wanted to change the way I felt. This is why the little actions are so important regardless of how well I think I am traveling.

I thought about replying at the time, but I didn’t as I didn’t want to appear challenging of someone with your badge of presumably over a decade or more.

But I will say, it does feel like the final destination for me. I don’t feel the need to continue wasting energy on it every single day, be part of a weekly spiritual cult because of it. Like when I quit smoking, I don’t feel the need to do anything about it now.

I suffer from anxiety on occasion, get hit quite hard by it. Whilst I had used drinking to medicate it, I know it in fact exacerbated the problem. I largely rely on breathing techniques, exercise, and cold showers to help me for that now, plus medication. I have been through panic anxiety twice since stopping. And although I was in a terrible terrible place with it, cortisol gripping me every waking minute for a long period, I didn’t have the desire to drink. This was likely because of my CBT, and learned experience of it making it worse.

I guess we all do what we think leads to success. But I don’t subscribe to the need to constantly burning negative energy for what was.

Perhaps I’m wrong, and your warning of “I’ve seen other people fail by not heeding to it” is true. And perhaps that’s my next stage, learning. But until then (or not) I’d rather focus my life energy on living, than living in constant state of negative self reflection.

[Tichtheid]

Actually…… To carry on that thought. Not thinking about drinking while a great place to be is by no means the final destination.

At the end of my drinking, I was a chronic, habitual drinker who drank to black out daily. However, long before I arrived at that point alcohol was an amazing tool that had the ability to instantaneously change my perception and the way I felt, and this is the key to managing long term sustained sobriety for an alcoholic like myself. Because while I have rarely if ever thought about drinking, there have been countless times I have really wanted to change the way I felt. This is why the little actions are so important regardless of how well I think I am traveling.

I thought about replying at the time, but I didn’t as I didn’t want to appear challenging of someone with your badge of presumably over a decade or more.

But I will say, it does feel like the final destination for me. I don’t feel the need to continue wasting energy on it every single day, be part of a weekly spiritual cult because of it. Like when I quit smoking, I don’t feel the need to do anything about it now.

I suffer from anxiety on occasion, get hit quite hard by it. Whilst I had used drinking to medicate it, I know it in fact exacerbated the problem. I largely rely on breathing techniques, exercise, and cold showers to help me for that now, plus medication. I have been through panic anxiety twice since stopping. And although I was in a terrible terrible place with it, cortisol gripping me every waking minute for a long period, I didn’t have the desire to drink. This was likely because of my CBT, and learned experience of it making it worse.

I guess we all do what we think leads to success. But I don’t subscribe to the need to constantly burning negative energy for what was.

Perhaps I’m wrong, and your warning of “I’ve seen other people fail by not heeding to it” is true. And perhaps that’s my next stage, learning. But until then (or not) I’d rather focus my life energy on living, than living in constant state of negative self reflection.

I guess there's no one-size fits all for this, whatever works for one person may not work for the other, the point is to find something that works for oneself.

I suffer from anxiety on occasion, get hit quite hard by it. Whilst I had used drinking to medicate it, I know it in fact exacerbated the problem

That rang a bell with something I read in the Allen Carr book about stopping smoking, it's a long time since I read it, but iirc he made the point that all we are doing with a cigarette is extinguishing the need to have one.

As bizarre as it sounds, we create the need by having one in the first place, then the nicotine wears off and the craving starts, you only ever reach an equilibrium or go back up to the starting point you should be at, never an improved position, if that makes sense.

What is even more bizarre is that you have to work at it to become addicted. The first-ever cigarette is almost always disgusting, it stinks, it makes you cough, it tastes absolutely foul. The second isn't much better, but slowly that revulsion is broken down and what we think of is "enjoyment" is actually that need to return to normal, to ease the craving induced by nicotine withdrawal.
It's costs a lot of money to return to the state you'd be in without smoking in the first place - I used to smoke Rothmans and I see from googling that a pack costs over £10 now. So around £350 per month for my old habit.

This might sound dodgy, but I reckon it's the same with any addictive drug, the only thing with alcohol is that it might take some a lot more time and effort to become addicted than it does for others, but everyone has the ability to become an alcoholic.

Sorry, I'll get back to the point, I think, in my humble onion, that any anxiety is exacerbated by the withdrawal we feel from alcohol or tobacco, or the fatigue and lost sleep.

[Ymx]

There is plenty documented about the alcohol/anxiety spiral, when you’re still drinking.

It’s definitely not a great place to be in, speaking of it first hand. Feeling terrible in the morning, full of anxiety, withdrawals which last until the first glass of alcohol. The more you consume that day, the worse the next day will feel.

[Kiwias]

Actually…… To carry on that thought. Not thinking about drinking while a great place to be is by no means the final destination.

At the end of my drinking, I was a chronic, habitual drinker who drank to black out daily. However, long before I arrived at that point alcohol was an amazing tool that had the ability to instantaneously change my perception and the way I felt, and this is the key to managing long term sustained sobriety for an alcoholic like myself. Because while I have rarely if ever thought about drinking, there have been countless times I have really wanted to change the way I felt. This is why the little actions are so important regardless of how well I think I am traveling.

I thought about replying at the time, but I didn’t as I didn’t want to appear challenging of someone with your badge of presumably over a decade or more.

But I will say, it does feel like the final destination for me. I don’t feel the need to continue wasting energy on it every single day, be part of a weekly spiritual cult because of it. Like when I quit smoking, I don’t feel the need to do anything about it now.

I suffer from anxiety on occasion, get hit quite hard by it. Whilst I had used drinking to medicate it, I know it in fact exacerbated the problem. I largely rely on breathing techniques, exercise, and cold showers to help me for that now, plus medication. I have been through panic anxiety twice since stopping. And although I was in a terrible terrible place with it, cortisol gripping me every waking minute for a long period, I didn’t have the desire to drink. This was likely because of my CBT, and learned experience of it making it worse.

I guess we all do what we think leads to success. But I don’t subscribe to the need to constantly burning negative energy for what was.

Perhaps I’m wrong, and your warning of “I’ve seen other people fail by not heeding to it” is true. And perhaps that’s my next stage, learning. But until then (or not) I’d rather focus my life energy on living, than living in constant state of negative self reflection.

Ymx
Coming up on 19 years sober now though the length of sobriety does not give me any special privileges or any right to preach to others, one thing I have studiously tried to avoid doing on this and the PR thread.

I still attend weekly meetings of my support group. My rationale for attending does seem to have changed over the years. There was a genuine need to help me resist the urges to drink in the early days and being able to absorb the wisdom, experience, and support of people in the same boat was invaluable. They understood me in a way my wife or children could not.

Now, I attend for two specific reasons.

One is to offer new members the same things I too advantage of in my early days in the group, knowing what a massive encouragement it is to be able to sit with and talk to people with many years experience of sobriety when it is still very scary and at times overwhelming.

The second is as a strong statement to my wife who suffered terribly from my drinking (too terrible to put too much detail here but you know some already). Words are meaningless in providing her the assurance that it will never happen again and my not drinking on a daily and ongoing basis is important. However, my making the effort to get my lazy arse to the meeting each week is the best possible visible statement of my absolute commitment to staying sober.

Not thinking about drinking is not the final destination for me; living a good life and being a decent human being (husband, father, grandfather, etc.) is my final destination and staying sober by whatever means works best for me is the means by which I will reach that final destination.

All that said, I agree wholeheartedly with Harvey's comment

there's no one-size fits all for this, whatever works for one person may not work for the other, the point is to find something that works for oneself.

[Ymx]

The final destination was clearly in regards to relationship with alcohol, not about ones life.

I think it admirable helping others, and that’s wonderful. As you say it’s been 19 years, you’ve put plenty back I’d say, and shouldn’t feel the need to. But clearly you want to, and that’s to be commended.

I do however find it strange how they (AA) refer to themselves as ongoing helpless slaves to alcohol, and call themselves recovering alcoholics. Not ex alcoholics, but recovering alcoholics, that are told to endlessly keep thinking about it, meeting. To need to be saved by a higher spiritual power. Slaves to something.

This was the point I was making.

Though perhaps I’ve got it wrong what I’ve heard, and read.

[Kiwias]

The final destination was clearly in regards to relationship with alcohol, not about ones life.

I think it admirable helping others, and that’s wonderful. As you say it’s been 19 years, you’ve put plenty back I’d say, and shouldn’t feel the need to. But clearly you want to, and that’s to be commended.

I do however find it strange how they (AA) refer to themselves as ongoing helpless slaves to alcohol, and call themselves recovering alcoholics. Not ex alcoholics, but recovering alcoholics, that are told to endlessly keep thinking about it, meeting. To need to be saved by a higher spiritual power. Slaves to something.

This was the point I was making.

Though perhaps I’ve got it wrong what I’ve heard, and read.

I am lucky in that my support group has nothing in its charter (or the equivalent) about a higher power in the way AA does, though many people in this thread and the one on PR who do attend AA comment that many AA groups make hardly any emphasis on the higher power. I have attended 3~4 AA meetings in Auckland with my son and the people there are similar to members of my home group here in Japan in that their focus is very much on living a decent life, something that staying sober makes possible.

For me, the giving back is important but the major factor for me is that the simple act of attending one two-hour meeting every week means the earth to my wife, and after the shit I put her through, that is a good enough reason for me.

[pjm1]

A very interesting episode on Huberman Labs podcast just dropped. He's interviewing a Harvard Med Sch doctor who has been using keto diets to treat psychiatric conditions (including very extreme ones such as bipolar and schizophrenia). Really, really interesting discussion and approach which appears to be well founded on underlying science, not woo woo.

The interesting point for this thread is his look into using the same diet to help AUD sufferers (alcohol use disorder) break through and maintain sobriety. Well worth a listen if you have a spare couple of hours: https://hubermanlab.com/dr-chris-palmer ... al-health/

His observation that if you're on that diet and do consume alcohol is worth noting though... alcohol has up to 5x the effect vs if you were on a "standard" diet. So, some significant benefit in terms of keeping on the wagon, but real downside risk if you were to fall off and be keto.

Thought it was interesting.

[Ymx]

It’s getting close to Christmas time guys.

And for the next 10 days or so( it’s many Xmas evening events for all of us.

What are you guys doing? Coping strategies?

I dodged a parents Xmas dinner, but I had Covid so it wouldn’t have happened anyway.

I’ve got a Xmas work party next Friday. I’ll go to it. Though due to train strikes it’s not going to be easy to slip away.

There’s an exec team evening before it, on the Thursday which I was invited, but I can’t do two nights. And to be honest, I’d much much rather be home with my daughter than out with pissed up work colleagues for two days.

Looking forward to after that though as it’s Christmas, and our little girl still believes in Santa (well she pretends to at least). Plus she might stay up to midnight on new years for the first time. Will see !

[Kiwias]

Ymx

It is not an issue for me now at all as everyone knows I do not drink but in the early days, I avoided parties like the plague. Part of it was to avoid the temptation and another part was to make a statement to my wife that I was serious about my sobriety.

[Ymx]

Ymx

It is not an issue for me now at all as everyone knows I do not drink but in the early days, I avoided parties like the plague. Part of it was to avoid the temptation and another part was to make a statement to my wife that I was serious about my sobriety.

Everyone knows I’m a non drinker. It’s more that there’s a certain amount of time one wants to spend around others getting boozed up. I’m generally fine for a dinner event, once in a while. But not so much 2 nights at a hotel, and likely a fair bit of day drinking.

[Kiwias]

Ymx

It is not an issue for me now at all as everyone knows I do not drink but in the early days, I avoided parties like the plague. Part of it was to avoid the temptation and another part was to make a statement to my wife that I was serious about my sobriety.

Everyone knows I’m a non drinker. It’s more that there’s a certain amount of time one wants to spend around others getting boozed up. I’m generally fine for a dinner event, once in a while. But not so much 2 nights at a hotel, and likely a fair bit of day drinking.

That is pretty tough. I know that when I do attend a dinner and they are going on to a bar afterwards, I use my age as an excuse to head home (or to my hotel room) after dinner..

[Ymx]

How’s the cold dips going Slick?

Is the water cooling down?

Does the group keep doing it through Autumn and Winter?

All good thanks, water down to about 11 at the moment which is manageable, although time in the water is getting a little less - down to about 15 minutes from 20 minutes. The group goes right through the winter, although attendances get a bit smaller! I've seen photos of last winter with frost on the sand.

On this, we had a social on Friday night and about 25 turned up. Most were drinking but one guy I've got friendly with wasn't and I asked if he was driving, he wasn't, but he hasn't drunk for 8 years. This was a massive revelation for me, top bloke, life and soul of any gathering and I had no idea he was sober. Finding that out has edged me round the corner of accepting that this is not just a few months off, and it feels good.

Still going now??

We had a high of zero today and I live in the Southeast?

The water must be dropping in temp quickly too.

Was it you Slick who used to live around my current neck of the woods?

[Slick]

How’s the cold dips going Slick?

Is the water cooling down?

Does the group keep doing it through Autumn and Winter?

All good thanks, water down to about 11 at the moment which is manageable, although time in the water is getting a little less - down to about 15 minutes from 20 minutes. The group goes right through the winter, although attendances get a bit smaller! I've seen photos of last winter with frost on the sand.

On this, we had a social on Friday night and about 25 turned up. Most were drinking but one guy I've got friendly with wasn't and I asked if he was driving, he wasn't, but he hasn't drunk for 8 years. This was a massive revelation for me, top bloke, life and soul of any gathering and I had no idea he was sober. Finding that out has edged me round the corner of accepting that this is not just a few months off, and it feels good.

Still going now??

We had a high of zero today and I live in the Southeast?

The water must be dropping in temp quickly too.

Was it you Slick who used to live around my current neck of the woods?

Today was -1 air temp and 10.5 water, big waves as well.

It was quite a battle to get in and stay in to be perfectly honest and when I came out I couldn’t feel my skin as I was drying and for the first time really felt it in my hands. Didn’t get the immediate rush but it came a couple of minutes after getting out. A very different experience but loved it.

I grew up in Bucks

[Ymx]

That sounds a bit too much. I bet the numbers have thinned out a bit.

I’ve dialled back my daily 10,000 steps and long cold showers. Well I had covid and avoided it, and have returned to it.

In hibernation mode I think, until the new year.

I’d thought it was you who was brought up in Waverley, but I can see it was actually charltom, looking back at my search history.

[Tichtheid]

That sounds a bit too much. I bet the numbers have thinned out a bit.

I’ve dialled back my daily 10,000 steps and long cold showers. Well I had covid and avoided it, and have returned to it.

In hibernation mode I think, until the new year.

I’d thought it was you who was brought up in Waverley, but I can see it was actually charltom, looking back at my search history.

I did a fair amount of fencing and sheep dipping around that area, I worked out of a farm near Fittleworth/ Pulborough

I worked with a lot of Kiwis

[Ymx]

That sounds a bit too much. I bet the numbers have thinned out a bit.

I’ve dialled back my daily 10,000 steps and long cold showers. Well I had covid and avoided it, and have returned to it.

In hibernation mode I think, until the new year.

I’d thought it was you who was brought up in Waverley, but I can see it was actually charltom, looking back at my search history.

I did a fair amount of fencing and sheep dipping around that area, I worked out of a farm near Fittleworth/ Pulborough

I worked with a lot of Kiwis

My late father owned a farm (plants). So I grew up around doing it for pocket money, along with a bit of support work for shearing, and apple thinning. So was no stranger to that, but such exposure at a young age turned me the other way to IT, Engineering probably to my fathers disappointment.

So it certainly will not have been me you’ve come across.

Interestingly my grandfather who had started the nursery in NZ, who was from England had named one of the properties Frensham. Which is not far from me, but I don’t know of the exact link. No one to ask now, unfortunately.

[Monkey Magic]

How is everyone's festive season going?

I've got through main social events without a hitch, ended up driving for one of them which was an easy answer for the 50 odd questions that day of why I wasn't having one of the plethora if cocktails people got through. Being the only one at work the next day without a hangover was quite delightful

Should be pretty easy from here on in terms of peer pressure, just got to get through in law family fighting amongst themselves in terms if self control...

[Ymx]

How is everyone's festive season going?

I've got through main social events without a hitch, ended up driving for one of them which was an easy answer for the 50 odd questions that day of why I wasn't having one of the plethora if cocktails people got through. Being the only one at work the next day without a hangover was quite delightful

Should be pretty easy from here on in terms of peer pressure, just got to get through in law family fighting amongst themselves in terms if self control...

Well done

I didn’t make the work Xmas party in the end. Mainly because I hadn’t booked to stay overnight and all the trains were on strike - screw driving in to zone 1 of London and back !

[booji boy]

How is everyone's festive season going?

I've got through main social events without a hitch, ended up driving for one of them which was an easy answer for the 50 odd questions that day of why I wasn't having one of the plethora if cocktails people got through. Being the only one at work the next day without a hangover was quite delightful

Should be pretty easy from here on in terms of peer pressure, just got to get through in law family fighting amongst themselves in terms if self control...

Late to this conversation but one way I found to cut alcohol and explain it to work colleagues was that my blood pressure was a bit high during a work medical examination. My doctor recommended reducing salt and stress (easier said than done if you're busy at work) but I did my own reading and found that drinking is a major contributor to high blood pressure. Baffling my doctor didn't even mention this. Anyway at subsequent work drinks I just explained that I needed to reduce my BP or the doctor would be putting me on medication, something I was keen to avoid, so I was cutting the grog. Worked a treat and combined with cutting calories I had my BP back in a healthy range within a fortnight.

Anyway I have suffered another health setback and am on medication for at least 3 months where I'm not allowed alcohol. I find sparkling water with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice is very satisfying.

[Monkey Magic]

How is everyone's festive season going?

I've got through main social events without a hitch, ended up driving for one of them which was an easy answer for the 50 odd questions that day of why I wasn't having one of the plethora if cocktails people got through. Being the only one at work the next day without a hangover was quite delightful

Should be pretty easy from here on in terms of peer pressure, just got to get through in law family fighting amongst themselves in terms if self control...

Late to this conversation but one way I found to cut alcohol and explain it to work colleagues was that my blood pressure was a bit high during a work medical examination. My doctor recommended reducing salt and stress (easier said than done if you're busy at work) but I did my own reading and found that drinking is a major contributor to high blood pressure. Baffling my doctor didn't even mention this. Anyway at subsequent work drinks I just explained that I needed to reduce my BP or the doctor would be putting me on medication, something I was keen to avoid, so I was cutting the grog. Worked a treat and combined with cutting calories I had my BP back in a healthy range within a fortnight.

Anyway I have suffered another health setback and am on medication for at least 3 months where I'm not allowed alcohol. I find sparkling water with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice is very satisfying.

Good you found something that worked shit you've had another setback booji - think I saw you 0% beer thread in the other place which had some good suggestions.

Early on went with the diet lemon lime and bitters which went alright

[Kiwias]

How is everyone's festive season going?

I've got through main social events without a hitch, ended up driving for one of them which was an easy answer for the 50 odd questions that day of why I wasn't having one of the plethora if cocktails people got through. Being the only one at work the next day without a hangover was quite delightful

Should be pretty easy from here on in terms of peer pressure, just got to get through in law family fighting amongst themselves in terms if self control...

Well done

I didn’t make the work Xmas party in the end. Mainly because I hadn’t booked to stay overnight and all the trains were on strike - screw driving in to zone 1 of London and back !

Someone out there is looking out for you.

[Kiwias]

How is everyone's festive season going?

I've got through main social events without a hitch, ended up driving for one of them which was an easy answer for the 50 odd questions that day of why I wasn't having one of the plethora if cocktails people got through. Being the only one at work the next day without a hangover was quite delightful

Should be pretty easy from here on in terms of peer pressure, just got to get through in law family fighting amongst themselves in terms if self control...

Late to this conversation but one way I found to cut alcohol and explain it to work colleagues was that my blood pressure was a bit high during a work medical examination. My doctor recommended reducing salt and stress (easier said than done if you're busy at work) but I did my own reading and found that drinking is a major contributor to high blood pressure. Baffling my doctor didn't even mention this. Anyway at subsequent work drinks I just explained that I needed to reduce my BP or the doctor would be putting me on medication, something I was keen to avoid, so I was cutting the grog. Worked a treat and combined with cutting calories I had my BP back in a healthy range within a fortnight.

Anyway I have suffered another health setback and am on medication for at least 3 months where I'm not allowed alcohol. I find sparkling water with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice is very satisfying.

You are a lucky bastard. My blood pressure was always really low (60/100) until well after I stopped drinking and I had to start medication when it got to 100/140 or thereabouts.

Sparkling mineral water with lime or lemon juice is my go-to in the summer time.

[booji boy]

How is everyone's festive season going?

I've got through main social events without a hitch, ended up driving for one of them which was an easy answer for the 50 odd questions that day of why I wasn't having one of the plethora if cocktails people got through. Being the only one at work the next day without a hangover was quite delightful

Should be pretty easy from here on in terms of peer pressure, just got to get through in law family fighting amongst themselves in terms if self control...

Late to this conversation but one way I found to cut alcohol and explain it to work colleagues was that my blood pressure was a bit high during a work medical examination. My doctor recommended reducing salt and stress (easier said than done if you're busy at work) but I did my own reading and found that drinking is a major contributor to high blood pressure. Baffling my doctor didn't even mention this. Anyway at subsequent work drinks I just explained that I needed to reduce my BP or the doctor would be putting me on medication, something I was keen to avoid, so I was cutting the grog. Worked a treat and combined with cutting calories I had my BP back in a healthy range within a fortnight.

Anyway I have suffered another health setback and am on medication for at least 3 months where I'm not allowed alcohol. I find sparkling water with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice is very satisfying.

Good you found something that worked shit you've had another setback booji - think I saw you 0% beer thread in the other place which had some good suggestions.

Early on went with the diet lemon lime and bitters which went alright

They're all good but I find I can only have one serve of soft drink and after that it is just too sweet and sickly. Even the diet variety. With the sparkling water + fresh lemon juice I can have as many as I like but tbf I probably never have more than 2 or 3 at once anyway.

[booji boy]

How is everyone's festive season going?

I've got through main social events without a hitch, ended up driving for one of them which was an easy answer for the 50 odd questions that day of why I wasn't having one of the plethora if cocktails people got through. Being the only one at work the next day without a hangover was quite delightful

Should be pretty easy from here on in terms of peer pressure, just got to get through in law family fighting amongst themselves in terms if self control...

Late to this conversation but one way I found to cut alcohol and explain it to work colleagues was that my blood pressure was a bit high during a work medical examination. My doctor recommended reducing salt and stress (easier said than done if you're busy at work) but I did my own reading and found that drinking is a major contributor to high blood pressure. Baffling my doctor didn't even mention this. Anyway at subsequent work drinks I just explained that I needed to reduce my BP or the doctor would be putting me on medication, something I was keen to avoid, so I was cutting the grog. Worked a treat and combined with cutting calories I had my BP back in a healthy range within a fortnight.

Anyway I have suffered another health setback and am on medication for at least 3 months where I'm not allowed alcohol. I find sparkling water with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice is very satisfying.

You are a lucky bastard. My blood pressure was always really low (60/100) until well after I stopped drinking and I had to start medication when it got to 100/140 or thereabouts.

Sparkling mineral water with lime or lemon juice is my go-to in the summer time.

Mine was approx 145/96 and the doctor told me to monitor it and if I couldn't bet it down by natural means we might need to look at medication. My mother has high BP so I was worried it might be hereditary and I might not be able to get it down naturally and would need to start medication. Anyway as stated I cut the grog and lived on chicken salad or fish and salad and at the end of two weeks my BP was down to approximately 120/80 or less so my doctor was very happy and so was I.

[Ymx]

Late to this conversation but one way I found to cut alcohol and explain it to work colleagues was that my blood pressure was a bit high during a work medical examination. My doctor recommended reducing salt and stress (easier said than done if you're busy at work) but I did my own reading and found that drinking is a major contributor to high blood pressure. Baffling my doctor didn't even mention this. Anyway at subsequent work drinks I just explained that I needed to reduce my BP or the doctor would be putting me on medication, something I was keen to avoid, so I was cutting the grog. Worked a treat and combined with cutting calories I had my BP back in a healthy range within a fortnight.

Anyway I have suffered another health setback and am on medication for at least 3 months where I'm not allowed alcohol. I find sparkling water with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice is very satisfying.

Good you found something that worked shit you've had another setback booji - think I saw you 0% beer thread in the other place which had some good suggestions.

Early on went with the diet lemon lime and bitters which went alright

They're all good but I find I can only have one serve of soft drink and after that it is just too sweet and sickly. Even the diet variety. With the sparkling water + fresh lemon juice I can have as many as I like but tbf I probably never have more than 2 or 3 at once anyway.

I have lightly fragranced sparkling water. But I do drink it by the bucket load.



Of all the types, it’s the cheapo Tesco 50p per litre one which is the best, imo.

[C69]

Enjoying a Christmas drink today. Not getting shit faced, just having a few drinks.
This for me is a massive, huge positive. I am in total control.
This feels very different and knowing that I can now moderate my drinking and know when enough is enough is a massive break though.
Sorry for the selve indulgence but it means a lot to share and I wasn't sure if I could manage juts a few drinks.

[Monkey Magic]

Enjoying a Christmas drink today. Not getting shit faced, just having a few drinks.
This for me is a massive, huge positive. I am in total control.
This feels very different and knowing that I can now moderate my drinking and know when enough is enough is a massive break though.
Sorry for the selve indulgence but it means a lot to share and I wasn't sure if I could manage juts a few drinks.

Congrats, what a great Xmas gift self control- and the knowledge that self control is possible- to have for yourself.

Personally don't trust myself breaking the seal, today might be fine, two weeks from now could turn to custard, has been particularly tempting to find a mojito the last few days of 26 degrees at the beach