The benefits of giving up alcohol

5 lurkers | 281 watchers

32 contributors in last 30 days

mrs shanksi May 2022 12:35pm, 14 May 2022 13,797 posts	0 mrs shanksi Stay with us WA Parkrun was good, I took it really easy. It was nice to be back running with friends.
HappyG(rrr) May 2022 12:45pm, 14 May 2022 42,335 posts	0 HappyG(rrr) Dog was fine by tea time. Thanks everyone. 7.30am out door for club half marathon marshaling. Great success. In today. G
Looby Loo May 2022 1:11pm, 14 May 2022 2,447 posts	0 Looby Loo Nice one mrs s 👍 Glad the hound is ok 👍
Homeless Kodo May 2022 1:53pm, 14 May 2022 1,791 posts	0 Homeless Kodo WA, first time I got sober I got to 18 months & thought one drink wouldn’t hurt, so I had one. I didn’t get sober again for another 18 months-2 years. Some people can do it & are fine some are not. Forever does seem like a long time but taken second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day it breaks down into a manageable prospect.
WA May 2022 2:25pm, 14 May 2022 9,874 posts	0 WA Thanks all. HK- I think you've written before about being aware of feeling too comfortable with giving up and feeling that the desire/need to drink in excess has been conquered after a period of not drinking. Your comment is really helpful and a timely reminder, thank you.
Sigh May 2022 6:01am, 15 May 2022 14,010 posts	0 Sigh Morning all, I'm in. FWIW - both my previous two attempts at cutting down resulted in a return to drinking more than I should on a daily basis, so the only option for me is none. Hats off to those who can moderate, I'm not one of them. Yes, there is a chance that after (checks app on phone) 1,414 days without a drink that I've now broken that bad habit, but I'm not going to have one 'just to check'. I never think about 'never' , alcohol just doesn't interest me anymore. It took me a while to get to that stage, and I wasn't expecting it - it just happened somewhere along the way. And I'm glad it did.
Jaks May 2022 6:04am, 15 May 2022 318 posts	0 Jaks Morning everyone I’m in today.
AdrianB1066 May 2022 6:23am, 15 May 2022 9,155 posts	0 AdrianB1066 Morning all. Some great posts ^^^ I'm in for today.
GeneHunt59 May 2022 7:46am, 15 May 2022 3,398 posts	0 GeneHunt59 Morning. I'm in.
mrs shanksi May 2022 7:50am, 15 May 2022 13,829 posts	0 mrs shanksi Great post Sigh, I'm not going to check either. I'm in today.

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