First Drink For 3 weeks

[jack123]

You are talking about addiction / alcoholism, I wasn’t.

You said just reading about someone having a month off the booze was appalling to read, I'm just pointing out why it's not.

I don't understand your logic, it's like you are saying anyone who decides to give up something, doesn't really count, because they are not addicted enough, like someone who is drinking all weekend, gives up for a month or so, but that doesn't count, becuase they are not a hardened alcoholic and drinking every day from the moment, they wake up, till bed time.

I bet you are fun at parties, Hi Nj Iv'e knocked drinking on the head, " Huh, bollox it don't count, unless you are drinking 4 flagons of Frosty Jacks on a daily basis..

 

[Neath_Jack]

You said just reading about someone having a month off the booze was appalling to read, I'm just pointing out why it's not.

I don't understand your logic, it's like you are saying anyone who decides to give up something, doesn't really count, because they are not addicted enough, like someone who is drinking all weekend, gives up for a month or so, but that doesn't count, becuase they are not a hardened alcoholic and drinking every day from the moment, they wake up, till bed time.

I bet you are fun at parties, Hi Nj Iv'e knocked drinking on the head, " Huh, bollox it don't count, unless you are drinking 4 flagons of Frosty Jacks on a daily basis..

Have a pleasant day butt.

 

[legoman]

I realised a long time back what others have pointed out here. I love the bump a bottle of beer or two gives me while I'm cooking in the evening. But I agree that once you've got over that initial bump you simply can't re-create it by having more.

I try to not drink Monday through Thursday so having 4 nights off a week. Gotta confess though it doesn't always work. But I've become better at recognising my bump is over so there's no point in having any more, so generally I don't. And I think this is what some of you have alluded to. It's a sustainable change in behaviour that I think is the best way to be. I've never done the dry month things.

But it is fair to say I still feel a little guilt every time I do have a drink. I confess to my doctor each year at my meds review to 25 units a week and I think thats a fair response from me. The recommended intake is 14 units so I'm nigh on double that. My bloods are always good though.

I appreciate any alcohol consumption comes with a risk; my 2 or 3 bottles of 5% lager comes to 3.5/5 units respectively. I really don't consider myself a "drinker" but perhaps I'm deluded. Even when I was younger I couldn't, nor ever wanted to, keep up with the other lads who would comfortably drink a gallon. More than 4 pints and I was p*ssed as a pudding.

It makes me laugh though that my 90 year old father-in-law will have every day a sherry (1 unit) and a glass of wine at lunch (1 unit) and a whisky before bed (1 unit) so that's 21 units a week. Don't know what the rest of you make of all this.

I don't believe drinking alcohol impacts my sleep at all. It's more about what's bothering me at the time that keeps me awake.

 

[MrSwerve]

Firstly, well done J123.

I am probably classed as a 'binge drinker' - I don't touch anything Mon-Fri, but enjoy 3,4,5 pints on a Saturday depending on what I'm doing, and usually a couple on Sunday. Sometimes nothing on a Sunday. I've not tried 'going dry' for a while, the thought of a couple of drinks with a nice takeaway or meal on the weekend gets me through the working week.

I do run a lot too, like Monny, which is ONLY thing I've found that regulates my sleep properly. If I run in the day, I can normally sleep between 10.30pm and 4-5am, which is good for me. Drinking absolutely f*cks up my sleep pattern on the weekend, I wake up pretty much every hour or two, heart racing, etc...depends on how much I've drunk though obviously.

I've got a Garmin watch (as I'm sure others have on here) and that really shows you what alcohol does to your body. My resting heart rate and stress shoots up over the weekend when I'm drinking.

 

[Fbreath]

I stopped drinking 7 years ago. Was training for a 10k race and decided to see what difference it would make to my performance if I didn’t drink for 1 month. I did my best time in the 10k.

I haven’t drunk since and don’t miss it one bit. Especially the fuzzy head etc. in the morning.

It’s easy to kid yourself you have it under control. I know people who could never imagine going out and not drinking. I mean how can you enjoy yourself if you don’t. Well I certainly manage ok.

 

[MrSwerve]

See what you wrote there, I find that appalling to read. Like it’s some achievement.

One of the things I hate most about this country is peoples obsession with drinking alcohol. Drink when happy, drink when sad, drink to forget, drink to remember, drink to relax etc etc. and when a regular drinker then has the audacity to have a go at people that use drugs, that puts the cherry on top for me.

None of that is aimed specifically at you mind.

I understand what you're saying, NJ. If I was to not drink for a month, I'd be quite proud of it...it just shows how engrained it is in our society. Meal out? Drink. Meal in with friends? Get the wine out. Football? Pints. Down the pub for a chat? What's on tap?

The ones that don't drink at these occasions are (wrongly) seen as weirdos. I think most of us are to blame for that. For example I went for a meal with family a couple of months back (well, January) and decided to cut down little that month...I had a diet coke with my meal rather than a pint, my mother was all 'what's wrong, is everything ok?!' as if it was something odd. I can totally understand the reaction too.

We are rather plagued with it in our country, although it does seem to be on the decrease with younger generations.

 

[MrSwerve]

I stopped drinking 7 years ago. Was training for a 10k race and decided to see what difference it would make to my performance if I didn’t drink for 1 month. I did my best time in the 10k.

I haven’t drunk since and don’t miss it one bit. Especially the fuzzy head etc. in the morning.

It’s easy to kid yourself you have it under control. I know people who could never imagine going out and not drinking. I mean how can you enjoy yourself if you don’t. Well I certainly manage ok.

Strangely some of my best runs have been when I've been hungover to f*ck. :lol: Probably trying to sweat the guilt out, lol. Nothing better to cure a hangover than a run...it's just hard to get out there, lol.

I think social anxiety, which is on the rise, has a big part to play in it. I'd hate to go for a night out with the lads and not drink. Well, hate is the wrong word, but I don't feel I'd enjoy it as much...I certainly wouldn't be able to relax as much.

 

[jack123]

Firstly, well done J123.

I am probably classed as a 'binge drinker' - I don't touch anything Mon-Fri, but enjoy 3,4,5 pints on a Saturday depending on what I'm doing, and usually a couple on Sunday. Sometimes nothing on a Sunday. I've not tried 'going dry' for a while, the thought of a couple of drinks with a nice takeaway or meal on the weekend gets me through the working week.

I do run a lot too, like Monny, which is ONLY thing I've found that regulates my sleep properly. If I run in the day, I can normally sleep between 10.30pm and 4-5am, which is good for me. Drinking absolutely f*cks up my sleep pattern on the weekend, I wake up pretty much every hour or two, heart racing, etc...depends on how much I've drunk though obviously.

I've got a Garmin watch (as I'm sure others have on here) and that really shows you what alcohol does to your body. My resting heart rate and stress shoots up over the weekend when I'm drinking.

Thanks, I'll be giving it a fortnight skip again after today. Hmm I drink a bit more than 5 pints, so it's quite worrying reading about the increase in resting heart rate, I'd never even thought of that.

 

[Darran]

I haven’t had an alcoholic drink for the three years and three months.
I’ve no idea if I’ve quit drinking for good but I stopped for personal reasons that I’ve mentioned before but am not going into again.

 

[Fbreath]

Strangely some of my best runs have been when I've been hungover to f*ck. :lol: Probably trying to sweat the guilt out, lol. Nothing better to cure a hangover than a run...it's just hard to get out there, lol.

I think social anxiety, which is on the rise, has a big part to play in it. I'd hate to go for a night out with the lads and not drink. Well, hate is the wrong word, but I don't feel I'd enjoy it as much...I certainly wouldn't be able to relax as much.

That’s what I don’t understand is the wouldn’t be able to relax/enjoy yourself if people don’t drink on a night out. You go out in a lot of European countries for example Spain/Italy and people a drinking coffee etc. not alcohol. I guess it’s a cultural thing.

When I first stopped drinking I used to get what’s wrong with you, how can you enjoy yourself etc. But now they don’t say anything

 

[JustJack]

That’s what I don’t understand is the wouldn’t be able to relax/enjoy yourself if people don’t drink on a night out. You go out in a lot of European countries for example Spain/Italy and people a drinking coffee etc. not alcohol. I guess it’s a cultural thing.

When I first stopped drinking I used to get what’s wrong with you, how can you enjoy yourself etc. But now they don’t say anything

In the Mediterranean countries, they grow up with the confidence that they are in control, I believe you can have a glass of wine (with your meal) in Spain as young as 14.

Getting a glass of water (usually free) as an accompaniment with your purchased drink is the smartest thing anyone can do in a bar, doesn't even have to be a 1-1 ratio, even one glass of water between 2-3 drinks is going to go a long way.

I do it regularly and its just bizarre how drinking water in a pub is benign in our culture. The 'lad' culture particularly overtakes the brain of many a sensible individual.



We

 

[monmouth]

I stopped drinking 7 years ago. Was training for a 10k race and decided to see what difference it would make to my performance if I didn’t drink for 1 month. I did my best time in the 10k.

I haven’t drunk since and don’t miss it one bit. Especially the fuzzy head etc. in the morning.

It’s easy to kid yourself you have it under control. I know people who could never imagine going out and not drinking. I mean how can you enjoy yourself if you don’t. Well I certainly manage ok.

My wife doesn't drink, which means that I have to.

 

[monmouth]

Strangely some of my best runs have been when I've been hungover to f*ck. :lol: Probably trying to sweat the guilt out, lol. Nothing better to cure a hangover than a run...it's just hard to get out there, lol.

I think social anxiety, which is on the rise, has a big part to play in it. I'd hate to go for a night out with the lads and not drink. Well, hate is the wrong word, but I don't feel I'd enjoy it as much...I certainly wouldn't be able to relax as much.

I've run after a couple of beers (and played squash after 3 pints of Dogbolter) and run and played better.

Oh, that should read, I thought I ran and played better.

I ran the bath half once the day after attending the welsh GS match and getting home at 3am totally smashed. I shouldn't really have driven there, but ran as fast as I was ever going to. Sobriety is overrated .

My dad used to drink what the doctors would say is too much whisky. He lived to 95. He used to say that you don't live any longer if you give up the booze, it just feels like you do.

 

[Skippyjack]

In the Mediterranean countries, they grow up with the confidence that they are in control, I believe you can have a glass of wine (with your meal) in Spain as young as 14.

Getting a glass of water (usually free) as an accompaniment with your purchased drink is the smartest thing anyone can do in a bar, doesn't even have to be a 1-1 ratio, even one glass of water between 2-3 drinks is going to go a long way.

I do it regularly and its just bizarre how drinking water in a pub is benign in our culture. The 'lad' culture particularly overtakes the brain of many a sensible individual.



We

Nearly every youngster that's in a party island drinks water whilst having a drink, you'd die if you don't.. bloody a lot of cocaine snorting nutters only drink water and no alcohol on a night out..

 

[jack123]

Nearly every youngster that's in a party island drinks water whilst having a drink, you'd die if you don't.. bloody a lot of cocaine snorting nutters only drink water and no alcohol on a night out..

That's something I've never really tried cocaine that is, I did partake in cannabis offerings many years ago mind. And I was thinking of getting some, just for aphrodisiac purposes, but it seems everyone is smoking skunk these days, which can be smelt a bloody mile off, so for that reason, I have not bothered.