111–120 of 139 posts
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I get it: harm can be caused even if the person is not drinking... My advice is this: eat, drink, love, wear your new clothes, enjoy life... don't waste it worrying about non problems...
Four to five bottles of wine a week isn't a non-problem. We know it it's a problem because OP is asking for help.
Current UK drinking guidelines are that you drink no more than 14 units per week. 750 ml of wine at 12% = 9 units per night. 9 * 5 = 45 units per week. That's considerably more than the guidelines. With excess drinking we tend to talk about problem drinking (drinking a bit too much); harmful drinking (drinking enough to cause harm, and you're certainly doing that) and dependent drinking (drinking enough to have a phy…
Edit: Here's some advice from the English NHS on how to reduce alcohol use:www.nhs.uk/Livewell/alcohol/Pages/Tipsoncuttingdown.aspx the problem of talking about addiction is that you can be causing severe harm well before you have a physical dependency. Harmful drinking is over 14 UK units per week. A hospital based medically supervised withdrawal will happen at maybe 20 or 40 units per day. Obviously there's a big g…
1. Have you ever felt you needed to Cut down on your drinking?
2. Have people Annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
3. Have you ever felt Guilty about drinking?
4. Have you ever felt you needed a drink first thing in the morning (Eye-opener) to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?
I think the fact that OP noticed he has a physical detriment due to his alcohol intake is strongly suggestive that he is drinking too much. Whether he has a 'problem' is whether he's willing to admit to himself that this level of alcohol is causing overall harm and reduce his intake.
I have an addiction to procrastination for similar reasons and to similar detriment.
I've known a few alcoholics - the type that needed in-patient treatment and counselling to get to a point where they were no longer out of control - and it doesn't sound like you're there. It does sound to me though like you're drinking more than is making you comfortable and you're not quite sure how to take a hold, and that can cause a spiral effect.
I'm a heavy drinker, and sometimes I worry about this too, principally for long-term health reasons more than say, because I think I have become dependent on alcohol.
Can you imagine going for the next year without any alcohol at all? I'm not sure I can. And for me, a lot of that is social: I'd miss out on a lot of friendships established through drinking.
However, the question for me is whether you have conscious control over the cue/reward part of the habit.
Habits are very simple: you get a cue ("I want a drink"), supported by an underlying belief system ("Drinking makes me relaxed and I want to be relaxed right now"), that you respond to instinctively ("I'll have a drink"), in order to get the reward ("I'm now relaxed").
Changing a habit only requires conscious effort in the response part of that step. When you feel the urge, think it through, don't go for the instinct.
It helps if you spend some time to try and address the underlying belief system to consciously fall back on. You've started that: not drinking helps you feel better and run better. Next time you want a drink remind yourself "I don't want to drink because I want to feel better and run better tomorrow and next week".
Those who know me (and many people who work with me know my HN account name), will be surprised I'm giving this advice: I helped found a whisky club in the office, and on Thursday helped demolish a bottle of Johnnie Walker with a couple of colleagues whilst at our desks.
I sometimes stray from the response system, and sometimes I let the belief system get warped, but I know it's there, and I know how to use it, and I hope it works for you.
I've used this method to give up smoking, and to reduce the amount of shitty food I've been eating. I've not tried it for alcohol, but perhaps I might now.
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As someone who drank a bottle of wine every night for 2 years flat, I totally agree. There is a world of difference between having a drink habit and being alcoholic. Now I can go for months at a time without touching it. The trick for me is not having it in the house. Getting plenty of exercise helps a lot, if for no other reason than it gets me outdoors and breaks up the routine.
If you need a 'trick' you are at least a bit dependent.. I don't think people realize how easy it is to become dependent.
Not having alcohol in the house isn't much of a barrier to overcome for someone with a real drink problem.
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Four to five bottles of wine a week isn't a non-problem. We know it it's a problem because OP is asking for help.
Not sure where you are getting "four to five bottles." He said half a bottle to a bottle, so he's likely drinking around 3.5 to 4 bottles per week.
It's unlikely OP is drinking 8% ABV wine.
3 bottles of 14% ABV would be 31 units a week - well over the recommended maximum.
5 nights a week half a bottle of wine isn't an alcoholic. It's drinking too much. If you're at a bottle of wine s night that's certainly too much. You've got a poor habit that's all. Just put a system in of deferring first drink, going to bed s bit earlier i.e. Before the last drink, and ensure you have a glass of water and a cup of tea between each glass. That'll reduce the amount you drink by s glass or two. You're…
Hopefully the central part of your comment isn't lost amidst the rest of the discussion as I think it's realistic and practical advice: "Just put a system in of deferring first drink, going to bed s bit earlier i.e. Before the last drink, and ensure you have a glass of water and a cup of tea between each glass. That'll reduce the amount you drink by s glass or two." Have less wine/alcohol easily accessible in the hou…
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Hang on, I recall reading somewhere that the national guidelines for "acceptable" alcohol consumption are mostly made up and arbitrary? Or have they suddenly found a more scientific basis for them within the last few years? Don't they vary widely for nations with similar demographics? I should say that I obviously agree that drinking alcohol is probably never the solution to any problems and may cause further (health…
It's public health, so they're talking about an entire population. If a million people drink no more than 14 units per week we see this much cancer, fatty liver disease, cirrhosis, etc. If a million people drink no more than 28 units a week we see this much more cancer, etc. Translating these population level risks back to an individual is hard. This doesn't mean the numbers are pulled out of thin air. Don't forget t…
Alcohol is an effective helpful drug and when used in moderation can help relieve stress, reduce headaches, induce euphoria, cause calming, and in some studies is good for your heart. Some chemo patents say it helps too.
Don’t drink to get drunk. Don’t drink every day.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/antidepressant-use-soars-65-per...
https://healthimpactnews.com/2013/tylenol-is-killing-america...
Edit: also I have yet to see anyone mention weight to alcohol consumption. If we are going to quantify safe conconsistant levels body weight should be a factor. It’s revealing that so many are doling out medical advice and judgement on on what is too much and no one has bothered to ask how much the OP weighs.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Not sure where you are getting "four to five bottles." He said half a bottle to a bottle, so he's likely drinking around 3.5 to 4 bottles per week.
3 bottles of 8% ABV wine would be 18 units a week - already more than the recommended 14. It's unlikely OP is drinking 8% ABV wine. 3 bottles of 14% ABV would be 31 units a week - well over the recommended maximum.
I'll try to make it quick for you: I've been through most of what you've described and my best advice is that you put an end to it. Right away. We're about the same age, work in the same industry and it seems we share the drive to drink. I was in it for more than five years. Always high functioning... Until I couldn't, any longer. The truth is you start getting sloppy with your life. And yes, you lose control of everything. Little by little. Every bit you trust about yourself.
I'm from Portugal. I was the first tech guy in my company, the consitions were harsh when I started there. I already drank quite a lot, at the time. I was single again so I would work like a retard during the day and then drink till I passed out.
I looked at it like some kind of special condition. I left everyone out of it. I was being successful, after all.
Well... Lately, things started to get out of control. I first sought medical help this year, in January. I tried to quit with pills. First with a private Doctor, then with the National Health Service. I went even farther out of control. I went for a 2-week medically assisted detox. The month before was the closest to hell I've ever been. Taking meds and alcohol at the same time destroys you. I was miserable, deeply depressed and unable to do anything. Truly left for dead. Beyond words...
Well... Those 2 weeks changed my life. It's tough, you have to go at it with everything you've got. But after that, everything changes. I've only asked for a drink once, since, but didn't touch it. I'll probably never raise a glass again. But believe me, it's worth it. Everything is 10x more challenging now, in my life, and I love it this way. No longer having to plan my professional, family and love life based on alcohol consumption :)
Seriously, please quit it before you turn to a werewolf. You'll be a lot more immersed in life as an experience.
Best of wishes!
P.S.: I still take two pills a day. And some light weed for relaxing at night, sometimes.