weekends and parties/special occasions. It would be so easy to drink more, place is full of alkies!

That's a very interesting point.

Without getting too deep, the slant I've been given is that you are being sociable for being present and switched on. It is the drinker that being unsociable for pressurizing you to take poison.

The motives are purely selfish on the drinker's part, so they feel more comfortable - on 2 platforms:-

1. They're not the only one taking a harmful, addictive drug.
2. You're inebriation brings you to they're 'level,' e.g. reduced inhibitions etc.

I hate to get drunk and have only been drunk about 5 times in my life!!!

Saying that I do like a drink - mostly wine but at weekends a nice Cognac or bourbon.

I drink most nights - usually 2-3 glasses of white wine - and not much more at the weekend.

I never get hang overs and I never get drunk. If I feel wobbly - I stop drinking. I like to feel just that pleasant relaxed 'buzz' but nothing more.

I did stop drinking in the week (Mon - Thurs) because of the weight issue - but fell back into bad ways once we have company over or the summer arrives.

This book you read Dom, was it Allan Carr's book by chance? (the guy who did the Easy Way Smoking stuff). I've read that one, after one too many Sat/Sun with my head down the toilet, and would thoroughly recommend it. It reprogrammes your way of thinking.

Having said that, I tried to give up for a month but my OH (who barely drinks) begged me to stop my attempts after 13 days as I was such a pain to live with!! Coming from an alcoholic family you tend to be a bit paranoid about not going down the same path.

You are so right in what you say above about others trying to pressure teetotallers into drinking. This is a very interesting thread. I would have thought the daily drinkers tally would have been a lot higher.

Yes it's Carr's book I'm referring to.

His smoking method stopped me in 1995, and I haven't looked back. Went from 20 a day to zilch overnight after many failed attempts beforehand.

I've read his book on alcohol now 5 times. It works along the same ethos, and I have abstained on and off for the last 2 years - longest spell being 7 months.

I think his biggest problem with drinking as opposed to smoking, is that he's fighting against a drinking culture which is so much more powerful and influential in our society, with 90% of the population drinking. This is backed up by the poll on this thread (around 10% tea total).

But then again, trends and attitudes change. It was only around 35 years ago that you were considered abnormal if you didn't regulalry light up. So who knows.

With alcohol killing an estimated 40,000 people in the UK per annum, maybe
one day, Carr's legacy could be his work on the demon drink as much as the fags.

Only every hour of every day.

You're my besht mate. I f***ing love you

That is nothing like me at all. It's not a normal night for me unless I wake up in a pool of my own feculence and covered in brusies about the head and face.

Well done on the smoking Yes, the book is excellent, everything he said made sense, but ultimately I just couldn't imagine life without ever drinking! Sad I know.

The thing is we use booze for all reasons - if we've had a good day/news, to celebrate and if we've had a bad/stressful day, to take the edge off, or for social reasons. There's always a reason! It is so entrenched in our society, it is seen as antisocial if you choose to abstain (or everyone wondering if you're a reformed alky).

I definitely drink considerably less in Aus than I ever did in England and the drinking culture appears more prevalent there every time I go back and visit.

I think attitudes may change on this front, but I think like most things, the 'everything in moderation' approach is the right one. I think humans are addictive creatures period. If it's not booze or fags, it's drugs, shopping, sex, food, religion, exercise, internet ... everyone's got something!

Cutting down this week too before meds on Saturday! May have left it too late though![/QUOTE]

Good luck with meds, im sure you'll be fine.

Jx

I'll have a drink any day that ends in Y. i keep saying ill cut it out during the week but once dinners gone and we get settled in front of the box,it seems like a good thing to have a few.
Todays the 1st day im 'stopping ' midweek drinks so we'll see how that goes.
It would also help shed a few pounds!

I wont give up weekends though,i still enjoy a skinfull and a pizza or kebab on the way home.

I will tell you when im sober, must dash off to AA now