The benefits of giving up alcohol

2 lurkers | 280 watchers

31 contributors in last 30 days

jda Dec 2019 9:04pm, 4 Dec 2019 5,904 posts	0 jda Oh good, I'm glad I'm not the only cut-downer lurking here a bit. Feeling a bit of a fraud and in great admiration of those who are facing down their problems. I am certainly enjoying my much increased frequency of abstinence and even the ability to have a zero beer early in the afternoon (lunchtime!) without wiping out the productivity for the rest of the day. I do still enjoy the odd beer but haven't seriously overindulged since August when I made a conscious decision to not do that any more...
LindsD Dec 2019 9:50pm, 4 Dec 2019 31,456 posts	0 LindsD Lots of cutter downers here.
LindsD Dec 2019 9:51pm, 4 Dec 2019 31,457 posts	0 LindsD We have 234 watchers....
Derby Tup Dec 2019 10:24pm, 4 Dec 2019 36,329 posts	0 Derby Tup ^ good work jda
mrs shanksi Dec 2019 11:02pm, 4 Dec 2019 10,176 posts	0 mrs shanksi Everyone is welcome jda
Merry Christmas & Happy New G(rrr) Dec 2019 7:54am, 5 Dec 2019 33,518 posts	0 Merry Christmas & Happy New G(rrr) Absolutely all welcome! We've got cut downers, stop for a whilers, stop until my goal racers etc. All welcome. Anyone heard of Yardarm? 0.5% female brewer, crowd funded, apparently yummy? Ta. G
Merry Christmas & Happy New G(rrr) Dec 2019 7:56am, 5 Dec 2019 33,519 posts	0 Merry Christmas & Happy New G(rrr) For the first 9 of my 14 years, I would allow myself just one. So I was a cut downer first! G
Derby Tup Dec 2019 7:59am, 5 Dec 2019 36,341 posts	0 Derby Tup No drinks planned today
Merry Christmas & Happy New G(rrr) Dec 2019 8:10am, 5 Dec 2019 33,520 posts	0 Merry Christmas & Happy New G(rrr) Quite right DT. Think I'll join you! First Christmas out tonight. But with a bunch of work pals who I know well. For a change it's "and partners" so we get to meet some wives and husbands, which will be fun. Actually, quite a few of us met at a wedding a few months ago. Alcohol will not be an issue! G
Grast_girl Dec 2019 8:31am, 5 Dec 2019 788 posts	0 Grast_girl Occasional abstainer here, although thankfully a moderate drinker in general (2 small glasses of wine is usually my limit). This thread is good for reminding those who do drink to do it mindfully: Why am I drinking? Why am I having another one? etc. Bored, hungry, sad, angry, anxious, stressed, social pressure are not generally good answers and it's worth trying to tackle the issue another way. Having said that, I still don't always manage it.

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