The benefits of giving up alcohol

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31 contributors in last 30 days

Wooters Mar 2017 11:39am, 1 Mar 2017 4,801 posts	0 Wooters Thanks peeps, I really like the erdinger, I've only thought about having a beer twice and both times a cup of liquorice and mint tea sorted that out, sparkling waters my main substitute drink when out
mrs shanksi Mar 2017 1:19pm, 1 Mar 2017 7,814 posts	0 mrs shanksi Welcome Wooters and well done!
makkem Mar 2017 1:26pm, 1 Mar 2017 735 posts	0 makkem I hardly drink at all. Bought 4 bottles of various beers from ASDA at Christmas, two are still in the fridge, there's always Easter though.
HappyG(rrr) Mar 2017 2:13pm, 1 Mar 2017 26,437 posts	0 HappyG(rrr) That's good too makkem. When I was on cutting down rather than cutting out, bottles could stay in the cupboard for months. And as my wife doesn't drink much, if we've had people round, an open bottle of wine in the fridge will eventually be thrown away a few days later, because it won't get drunk. My wife's amazing actually. She's the kind of drinker I would like to have been (but know from bitter experience that I am not). She won't have anything during the week or even at weekend for weeks in the house. Then we'll go for a meal and she'll have one G&T or one glass of wine. She'll go to a party and have a few, but not get out of control, just be a bit silly. Then she'll go back to nothing for weeks. That is so not me! G
Bez-head Mar 2017 4:47pm, 6 Mar 2017 4,677 posts	0 Bez-head After a few relapses I am going to join in again. :-):-):-):-)
HappyG(rrr) Mar 2017 5:03pm, 6 Mar 2017 26,447 posts	0 HappyG(rrr) Good plan Bez! Me too! G
LindsD Mar 2017 6:43pm, 6 Mar 2017 15,749 posts	0 LindsD Hiya Bez
mrs shanksi Mar 2017 6:53pm, 6 Mar 2017 7,819 posts	0 mrs shanksi Hi Bez!
Bez-head Mar 2017 9:25pm, 6 Mar 2017 4,678 posts	0 Bez-head Hello. And thank you.😀😀
idle_wilder Mar 2017 9:02pm, 8 Mar 2017 694 posts	0 idle_wilder After being more in control after New Year, and only having a few drinks at the weekend, I've fallen back in to weekday drinking - work getting busier and more stressful, friends up for the weekend, eating out/takeaways, on holiday this week - I've fallen back into the evening wine bottle. Need to get back on it, especially with not running as much/any great distance now.

About This Thread

Maintained by HappyG(rrr)

Looks as though this thread has become popular again, here in 2010 (it's now 2024, and it started in 2008, so I think "ever popular" might be more apt! :-)

G )

Good Luck everyone.

A recent plea for those struggling to "reach out" as they say in US of A!

"Anyone not feeling strong and confident, please shout out. Or fmail. Or any other comms that works. Don't drink alcohol when you don't want to, for lack of someone to talk to. Pick up the phone, not the bottle."

Some acronyms, in case people use them:
JFT - Just for today
ODAAT - One day at a time
KIS - Keep it simple
TBOGUA - The Benefits Of Giving Up Alcohol (the title of this thread!)

New feature: article/blog of the month (period may change randomly!) Swittle's wonderful 14,611 days blog: (see links below)

Linking Joopsy's 17 year blog too, cos it's awesome!

There is a GREAT article summarising some of the benefits, to save you having to trawl through the thread (includes links to helpful apps and other resources).

And a great list of Alternative Drinks started by the lovely LindsD:

Please add to these articles and make them as valuable as possible! Thanks! :-)

G

And one from way back when...
Dirt Monkey's brilliant blog on TBOGUA too - go try this...

Rebel has recommended a couple of good books:
The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober: THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
by Catherine Gray

The Alcohol Experiment: 30 Days to Take Control, Cut Down or Give Up For Good
by Annie Grace

A great response from a health professional in Ireland responding to a question from a Guardian reader about why the warnings on alcoholic drinks that are coming in:

theguardian.com

"Alcohol is responsible for at least 1,000 cancer cases every year in Ireland, with one in eight breast cancer cases arising from alcohol use. Even one to two drinks per day increases the risk of developing cancer, and that risk is the same whether those drinks are wine, spirits or beer. Unfortunately, there is a very low level of public awareness that alcohol has been classed as a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning it is carcinogenic to humans. That is why Ireland has passed legislation that provides for health information labels on alcohol products, including warnings about cancer, liver disease and the danger of drinking in pregnancy. It is unsurprising that the alcohol industry, which promotes its products with carefully crafted myths of good times for all, is objecting to the mandatory provision of facts (Anger brews in Italy over Ireland’s plans for alcohol health warnings, 12 January).
Dr Sheila Gilheany
CEO, Alcohol Action Ireland
"

And the all important fabulous services:
Alcoholics Anonymous
National Helpline (FREE) 0800 9177 650
help@aamail.org

Al Anon
020 7403 0888

medal

Contact TBOGUA medal

We're adding in our own Fetch offer of one to one contact too, for anyone who doesn't want to post in the thread for whatever reason. Please feel free to fmail ANY of the names listed below.

- - - -
HappyG(rrr)
( Oscar the grouch RIP )
mrs shanksi
Derby Tup
iaincr
Love Lettuce
DocM
LindsD
GeneHunt59
GregP