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The benefits of giving up alcohol

1 lurker | 280 watchers

31 contributors in last 30 days

Derby Tup May 2022 9:41pm, 10 May 2022 55,369 posts	0 Derby Tup I’ve said it several times before, but what Loobs and other cutter downers do is really great and much tougher than simply saying I’ve stopped
mrs shanksi May 2022 9:55pm, 10 May 2022 13,787 posts	0 mrs shanksi Welcome to the thread Rob 😊 You are not a fraud Looby! I agree with DT.
HappyG(rrr) May 2022 10:10pm, 10 May 2022 42,289 posts	0 HappyG(rrr) Agree Loob - I think you're doing great. Massive cut down and you're playing by your rules. Great work. Anyone seen the movie Turning Red? Great line at end by teenage girl in her new, accepting relationship with her mother: "Mum, my panda, my rules." OK I guess you have to ve seen the film... G
LindsD May 2022 10:12pm, 10 May 2022 54,511 posts	0 LindsD Hi Rob I agree with the others, Loobs
Rob_H May 2022 10:15pm, 10 May 2022 2 posts	0 Rob_H Thanks for the welcome all. There's no dramatic or particularly interesting story from me, I just got to the point where I didn't want alcohol in my life any more. I didn't drink often but would normally struggle to limit myself when I did and end up drinking a bottle of red or equivalent and not feel great the next day. It's just much easier mentally not to drink at all and it's one less thing to worry about! We've also got three small children so I was very conscious of modelling good behaviours for them. I've not really missed it much to be honest, the bottle of whiskey I got given for my birthday in April is languishing happily in the back of a cupboard still.
Derby Tup May 2022 10:25pm, 10 May 2022 55,370 posts	0 Derby Tup It’s easier mentally and physically
Jaks May 2022 4:48am, 11 May 2022 306 posts	0 Jaks I think you are doing great Looby. Welcome to the thread Rob. Morning everyone. Have been up since 2am with a poorly dog who is now sleeping at last. So pleased I had not been drinking last night. She has her head in my lap and I don’t want to move her so I might nod off sat up.
Sigh May 2022 5:34am, 11 May 2022 13,883 posts	0 Sigh Hope your dog is better soon, Jaks. Morning all, I'm in.
LindsD May 2022 6:37am, 11 May 2022 54,514 posts	0 LindsD ((Jaks)) Morning all. I'm in
mrs shanksi May 2022 6:38am, 11 May 2022 13,788 posts	0 mrs shanksi Morning all, I'm in today. Hope your dog is feeling better now Jaks.

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