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The benefits of giving up alcohol

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33 contributors in last 30 days

WA Jun 2022 9:04am, 7 Jun 2022 9,937 posts	0 WA Indeed. Today is all that matters.
HappyG(rrr) Jun 2022 9:06am, 7 Jun 2022 42,560 posts	0 HappyG(rrr) Good self awareness there Jef, it's the first and essential action. Best of luck and jeep us posted. Steve, don't know where you are in Norway (presumably) but there is still a very strong drinking culture there in my experience of visiting. Middleclass excess and in rural areas, moonshine (was normal to see farmers bringing it to village events at my pals holiday home up north). And while spirits are very expensive beer in supermarket is cheaper. Still plenty of temptations. So well done sticking to your guns! In today too. Which is great. And in office, which is less great! G
Derby Tup Jun 2022 9:14am, 7 Jun 2022 55,731 posts	0 Derby Tup Best wishes Jef. Lots of support here for all
Wombling Plodder (Welsh Womble) Jun 2022 9:27am, 7 Jun 2022 4,027 posts	0 Wombling Plodder (Welsh Womble) All the best Jef. Thanks for the comments re journals. I am using Drinkaware which I find useful. However I need to deal with why I feel the need to drink - especially as I don’t have an off button. Usually it is a bottle of wine once a week in one sitting - as I was at a BBQ the wine was bottomless so I can not tell you how much I consumed. I am going through a lot with my mother who has Alzheimer’s and she went missing for several hours last week. I won’t use that as an excuse as I have always been all/nothing/no stop - but I am finding I am drinking more these days.
Diogenes Jun 2022 9:52am, 7 Jun 2022 70,415 posts	0 Diogenes It's not excuses, WP, it's life. I managed to keep my promise yesterday, here's to today.
Diogenes Jun 2022 9:53am, 7 Jun 2022 70,416 posts	0 Diogenes I don't have a journal (although I keep a brief note in my notebook). What I do have is a spreadsheet with graphs and analysis. This goes back to 1st Jan 2021.
Looby Loo Jun 2022 9:57am, 7 Jun 2022 2,515 posts	0 Looby Loo WA I’m not completely free of alcohol yet but I truly believe I’ve changed my relationship with it. One big thing you can do is not buy it for the house. I haven’t bought any now for 2 years so it’s not here when I’m tempted. I was a regular drinker indoors now it mostly doesn’t occur to me. When it does I haven’t got it and can’t be bothered to go and get it.
Fields Jun 2022 10:28am, 7 Jun 2022 4,870 posts	0 Fields Not having any “in” works wonders for me As a man living on his own who already has enough arrested development issues; if I bought booze at home it would be a slippery slope With the cost of living hitting me hard at the moment it’s a cost that I can’t afford either
Maclennane Jun 2022 1:15pm, 7 Jun 2022 28,959 posts	0 Maclennane that's the big thing for me. I'll drink very nearly anything if it's around, it's an effort to go out to buy it, and if I'm honest by the time I've got to the shop, the yen for it has generally left me
WA Jun 2022 1:37pm, 7 Jun 2022 9,938 posts	0 WA I used to spend far too much time finding excuses to just nip down to the co-op so that I could also buy another bottle of wine or gin. I would get very anxious about running out of booze. The situation with your Mum sounds very difficult WP ((( )))

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