drink

[Connemmara]

As as I sit at 6.31 in Sunday morning I do really have to take stock of my drinking habits.

I am drinking 94 units a week (female) and I am frightened. I drink extra special beer and since all my friends are around me getting chemo for various other reasons I need to reflect on this. I do only drink for boredom at night 4 cans of this stuff. but it is too much. Dont want to go to AA very much - will control this myself. Anybody advise me about the boredom. I never sit down all day and keep busy so look forward to this drink at night but sure I will have to give it or go down the route of perhaps a lighter beer or "wait for God" Any advice will be appreciated and thanks

[Sqad]

Conne...I know, but I cannot help you there as I cannot remember ever being bored....although surely I must have been at some time.

Pinki....indeed good advice, but I disagree with it in the case of Conne and her consumption of alcohol and situation.

The same applies to smoking.......if you want to give it up...then do so.

[anneasquith]

i think it would be dangerous for conn to suddenly stop alcohol. boredom with all due respect conn. is only one excuse which could .and is used to explain ones reason for consumption of alcohol..................sqad , we will just agree to disagree on this issue.

[ummmm]

4 cans is not a large amount of alcohol.

[Sqad]

We are getting confused here.........from what I have heard from Conne, she is suffering from Alcohol Abuse and not Alcohol Dependence, toe entirely different situations with differing methods of treatment. Sometimes it is difficult to differentiate between the two, but as I have mentioned that in my opinion it is abuse rather then dependence.

Yes, we will have to agree to disagree on the subject of sudden withdrawal in this case.

[anneasquith]

i hope conn, returns to her thread,

[whiskeryron]

I don't drink a lot but if it helps let me tell you about giving up smoking.
It was for me quite simple, I reasoned that during my sleep period of say 8 hours I obviously didn't smoke so I thought lets try 8 hours from waking to not smoke which worked for me so how about another 8 hours and so on, after 3 days I was so proud of myself I thought I can't go back to it now, that was 19 years ago.PLEASE try it.Ron.

[anneasquith]

well done ron :)

[masma]

Sqad .... for the first time ever I feel you're being unfair. It's not easy to just 'give up' on anything that has become adictive. I'm sat here enjoying a glass of wine that, although I like, I can give or take. My son, on the other hand, is alcohol dependant. We're having one heck of a time with him. He drinks 2 pints of cider a day - not a lot most people would say but... if he goes over that level (o.k. by quite a bit) or stops completly, he has a fit. It's all to easy for people to say ' get a hobby' but not easy to do. Sorry I'm rambling and sorry for invading your thread Connemmara - I would say go for the lighter beer - don't wait for God he'll wait for you xxx

[anneasquith]

masma, i hope your son improves in the future.

[sandyRoe]

AA meetings used to be held in smoke filled rooms full of mostly middle aged men. I believe there are womens meetings now.
If you were to phone AA and arrange to go to one of their meetings you'd be helping both yourself and the others who attend.

[masma]

My boy won't go to AA coz it's fairly religious, we're off to the hospital tomorrow to speak to a councilor (sorry my spelling has gone away with my every thought, all I think about is him and getting him sorted) He would like to be a social drinker but I really can't see that happening.

[anneasquith]

is he very young masma ?

[DTCwordfan]

get some help - if not your doctor, is there some one else you can turn to - a nurse in your practice may be able to die.

you dont' have to be drinking a lot to have a problem - a friend of mine went south on just two pints a day - he simply could not handle the alcohol and his weakness as a personality was to say "No I can not drink" - and he had a 1st class degree so he wasn't short of grey matter (in theory).

More recently, the brother of a close friend went south on a diet of booze and drugs and that was very sad. He never came to terms with the fac that he was addicted and hurt a lot of family and friends (inc his wife and young kids) around him.

You have recognised that you have an issue - as others have suggested, find some support to help you get to the next level - I would however start by drinking a much, much weaker drink and that in itself would have some benefits.....

And yes, you need to think about some alternative activities - a dog walking group as I suspect that you may have a weight issue too? Both of you would benefit from that!

[ttfn]

Conne - I have no experience to call on or qualification to advise you. Just wanted to say well done and good luck xx

[ummmm]

DT - no disrespect...ever thought of condensing your answers?