The benefits of giving up alcohol

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31 contributors in last 30 days

LindsD Mar 2017 9:04pm, 8 Mar 2017 15,801 posts	0 LindsD Hang around i_w.
mrs shanksi Mar 2017 9:27pm, 8 Mar 2017 7,823 posts	0 mrs shanksi Hi idle-wilder, welcome to the thread. Will you be at D33 on Saturday?
idle_wilder Mar 2017 9:32pm, 8 Mar 2017 696 posts	0 idle_wilder I'm hoping to LindsD-I know I'm feel so much better, just haven't had the willpower lately. I will indeed be at D33, MrsS - marshalling at 1/4 & 3/4 check point. Are you running?
mrs shanksi Mar 2017 9:43pm, 8 Mar 2017 7,824 posts	0 mrs shanksi Yes I am, can't believe it's the 8th one! I'll look forward to seeing you there, especially the second time!
HappyG(rrr) Mar 2017 8:30am, 9 Mar 2017 26,458 posts	0 HappyG(rrr) Good luck at D33 mrs s, you ever present you. How many of you are left as ever presents? Give Dod and Lintie a big hug from me please. ide_wilder, enjoy you marshal party point(s). Tea, water, other distractions are your friends for evenings and events. Lots of things to drink other than alcohol. Good luck. G
Perfect Organism Mar 2017 2:14pm, 9 Mar 2017 659 posts	0 Perfect Organism Idle, I've been in a similar situation to yourself recently. I had last week off work and a friend came to visit, so we hit the pubs of Brighton. We had a great time, but I drank far too much. Since I've got back to work I've been booze free, and again I'm noticing the huge difference it makes to my general frame of mind. I'm not being too hard on myself when I overdo it because I KNOW that I'm drinking a lot less than I normally would. I see all of this as a progressive decline into sensible drinking as opposed to a "Dry January" style abstinence at all costs approach. Besides, I like a sensible glass of wine or a beer.
Perfect Organism Mar 2017 12:59pm, 12 Mar 2017 662 posts	0 Perfect Organism Made it through another weekend without the sauce!
mrs shanksi Mar 2017 1:15pm, 12 Mar 2017 7,830 posts	0 mrs shanksi That's great PO. HappyG thanks for the good wishes, D33 was (mostly) fun, the after party was good. There are 8 ever presents left. Sadly josieT couldn't run this year because of her mother in law's funeral.
HappyG(rrr) Mar 2017 8:57am, 13 Mar 2017 26,475 posts	0 HappyG(rrr) Well done at D33 Mrs S. How awesome was Duchess?! The after party is a bit legendary - how do you feel nowadays dealing with that as a teetotaller? Well done PO - always an achievement! G
mrs shanksi Mar 2017 11:14am, 13 Mar 2017 7,832 posts	0 mrs shanksi Thanks HappyG, and yes Duchess was fabulous. Everyone was so chuffed for her and it made it even better that she'd kept it secret. I've actually attended the afterparty sober about 4 times now. I reached the stage where I preferred drinking at home as big nights out and talking to lots of people made me get worried that I'd do something stupid if drunk. I think I deal with it a lot better teetotal.

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