[Drinking] Giving up drinking

[BigGully]

Giving up is for quitters!


In all seriousness, well done to everyone who has reduced or stopped their intake. I didn't even start drinking until my mid-twenties. Was playing football a lot and didn't want to interfere with that. Once I started I went out with my mates a lot and drank a lot. But only at weekend so etc. Now with a wife and kids I obviously don't go on the lash very often, and whilst I like a beer with the football etc I can easily take it or leave it. I was a social smoker as well (after I stopped playing) and that never got its hooks in me. I'm starting to think I have been very lucky not to have any sort of dependency on these things.

Blimey, in my day (80's) it was the drinking and smoking that introduced me to playing football ........

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Interesting thread. Well done to those who've stopped.

Intrigued to know what is defined as heavy drinking?

I saw myself falling into trap of drinking for any excuse... stressed, it's Friday, celebrations, bad day etc. Having said that, I am about to buy a cocktail as I'm on holiday!

I joined One Year No Beer to listen to other people and I soon realised what dependency is. People on there talk about drinking two bottles of wine a night minimum. That sounds like a real problem to me. I am more of a quick drinker at weekends which I have now largely brought under control. One Year No Beer is a great resource to remind me what bad looks like

 

[pearl]

I'm not sure that term is at all helpful. It's completely subjective.

Problem drinking is better. Is it a problem for you? How often and how bad?

https://www.smartcjs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/SADQ.pdf

"The Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire was developed by the Addiction
Research Unit at the Maudsley Hospital. It is a measure of the severity of
dependence. The AUDIT questionnaire, by contrast, is used to assess whether or not
there is a problem with dependence."

And a very simple 5 question one more around life impact than physical addiction - http://lrsb.org.uk/uploads/alcohol-use-questionnaire.pdf

The Severity questionnaire is pretty damn sobering - thanks