The benefits of giving up alcohol

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32 contributors in last 30 days

Mrs Jigs (Luverlylegs) Dec 2024 9:28am, 26 Dec 2024 47,840 posts	0 Mrs Jigs (Luverlylegs) I am here ✋️
Corrah Dec 2024 9:31am, 26 Dec 2024 8,780 posts	0 Corrah Still here and still in 👋
Derby Tup Dec 2024 9:38am, 26 Dec 2024 69,745 posts	0 Derby Tup In
GeneHunt59 Dec 2024 9:45am, 26 Dec 2024 3,895 posts	0 GeneHunt59 Well done everyone. Christmas can be such a challenging time, when even your great-aunt Maud, who never drinks has a glass of sherry. Today is a big and important anniversary for me - please excuse my rambling. Boxing Day 1995 was my 9 month anniversary and getting through that first Christmas was hell. I was living on my own and there was a couple of days either side of Christmas day - the 23rd & 28th, where I literally thought I might go mad. I had the most intense, darkest episodes of depression imaginable. So black I can't even describe. I sensibly went to bed both times as I thought I could go into meltdown any moment. Thankfully the second was the last. I've never been able to describe how bad it felt, but imagine you had a million pounds and someone had a magic wand. Within a couple of minutes you would have offered them the whole amount and more to wave the wand and take the feeling away. I've never been able explain/understand what caused the episodes, but it felt like an internal psychic/psychological struggle. Like a part of my brain/psyche was always telling me I would never be successful at anything, even if unconsciously. My not drinking challenged this and it was like different sides of brain came into conflict. Anyway, coming though that Christmas gave me such hope that I might be able to stay sober and here I am some 30 Boxing Days later.
Corrah Dec 2024 10:20am, 26 Dec 2024 8,782 posts	0 Corrah Thanks so much for sharing @GeneHunt59. I don’t think we will ever fully understand the way the brain works and so glad you were able to get through x
Joopsy Dec 2024 10:22am, 26 Dec 2024 13,057 posts	0 Joopsy Great post GH. Conversely in the early days I always found Christmas easy, surrounded by my family was always, and still is a safety net with everyone knowing why I'm not drinking. The worst part for me is going into the new year with a renewed sense that I have done Christmas and New Year and that I am invincible against alcohol. That caught me out a few times. I am well guarded against January complacency these days.
Ally-C Dec 2024 10:29am, 26 Dec 2024 12,819 posts	0 Ally-C Well done for 30 years @GeneHunt59
Diogenes Dec 2024 11:13am, 26 Dec 2024 89,954 posts	0 Diogenes Well done Gene, great post.
Diogenes Dec 2024 11:17am, 26 Dec 2024 89,955 posts	0 Diogenes In
Looby Loo Dec 2024 11:53am, 26 Dec 2024 4,472 posts	0 Looby Loo Well done GH 👏

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