Battling the bottle.

[Domestique]

It's fast approaching the dry drunk's worse time of the year ("I KNOW the pubs are full and I'm not in there...") so for anyone like me, just a "good luck and keep clean". Assuming I make it (and assumptions are not to be confused with complacency), this will be my ninth consecutive dry Xmas (and every day in between!).

Well done.
This year is my 14th sober year. I am sure now that I do not miss a drink 

[clarion]

A good and timely message of support, oncemore.

[Ewan Houzami]

I intended to have a dry Jan last year and it wasn't as difficult as I thought it might be. In fact I got to the end of March before I touched a drop. But I started drinking again because I was bored -  not a lot in the big scheme of things  - maybe building up to a couple of bottles of wine a week. But I found that the 'pull' to drink wasn't as great as before. So this year I intend to be dry for the first three months and then see what happens thereafter. Deep down I'd like to slowly wean myself off booze. Perhaps not totally (I find it's the days lost to hangovers that are the problem, and not necessarily the booze itself), but am hoping I can last longer each year before I get back on the wagon.

But to you guys who have abstained, and fought temptation for so long - 'Chapeau!!!!'

[bobb]

First sober xmas for me this year. Not worried about it at all 

[rob]

Well done everyone.

3rd dry Christmas coming up.   3yrs total on New Years Day.


Rob

[Blodwyn Pig]

Haha! thought I'd did up an old un! 

today it is has 7 days without any ALHOCOL...there I've said it.  Not an intentional thing really, but having a boozy easter weekend away in the VW camper, Monday I just thought no!.. Then Tuesday, didn't feel like it, and so on. Went to pub Fri night with friends, and just had lime and soda.  Not sure how long this will go on for, not even sure if there is a plan, but I had to ease off a tad.  Typical eve after work, 2-3 tins whilst waiting for dinner to cook, plus prob something with dinner, (1/2 another beer - 1/2 bottle wine), then a couple of whiskey or brandy and gingers as a night cap,or a couple of port. Not addictive, coz some nights , just had none, but a very bad habit, that was getting worse.  Trouble is I'm a bit anal, in that now I've started counting, I won't want to drink to break the cycle. hmmm!

Perhaps it needs a new thread #Battling the Brain#

PS  Must just add that the weight has just fallen off this week, and my stomach is flat once more.

[rob]

Well done everyone.

3rd dry Christmas coming up.   3yrs total on New Years Day.


Rob

Wow that is an old post.   10 years plus now.

[Peat]

I became mindful of the amount I drink in my mid-20's after a member of my family drunk her way to an early grave.

I drank alot at university and carried on into my working life. I had a moment of realisation one evening when I was putting my recycling bin out. I was truly ashamed by the number of bottles I had accumulated in 2 weeks. I wasn't by any means a 'drunk' but I was well in the habit of having a bottle or 2 of beer every evening. I appreciate that to some people battling the bottle this may seem utterly trivial.

I've almost completely stopped drinking at home nowadays- the trick is not to have any grog in the house in the first place. What I do stock is low-abv beers. There are some really quite palatable options now. Brewdog's 'Nanny State' is quite easily available, but I really like Big Drop Brewery's 0.5% 4 Citra Pale. A really nice drink! Very good for the odd time you just really fancy a beer and are an effective placebo. 

I allow myself to wander down to my excellent local once or twice a week. The beer is fantastic but I rarely have more than 1 or 2 pints per visit. I really enjoy being a 'regular' and all that entails but I'd never want to be one of those who seemingly have no other hobbies and never leaves.

Truth be told, my biggest battle is with Sugar. I'm fairly confident I have booze under control now, but I regularly slip up with sugar and have ridiculous junk-food binges without even thinking about it. And it's that which gives me some empathy over alcoholism. I actually feel a sense of accomplishment if I can navigate around a supermarket without peppering my basket with biscuits and chocolate. I sometimes feel utterly powerless over it.

[hellymedic]

Sugar is certainly my weakness!

It's very difficult to avoid...

Well done Peat for controlling the C₂H₅OH!