Drinking problem - individual perceptions

[Big Bryza]

Recently went ten weeks without drinking. It was great. Highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't done it for an extended period of time.

Weight lost, money saved, time gained.

The hardest part was not drinking at the footy (love having a beer or two after halftime) but it got easier the more I said no. The willpower muscle can definitely be worked. An added bonus is all the extra time you save when you are able to get up early on a Saturday and Sunday morning and actually enjoy your weekend rather than simply struggling through it.

How good is it?! Waking up on a Sunday morning hangover free is amazing. You're spot on about the time saved. Instead of being a lazy campaigner after a night out and not functioning properly I found my energy levels increased dramatically. Heading to the gym or for a run combined with my exercise during the week meant that health and fitness wise I was feeling a million bucks. It'll be tough for most during summer to do it, which is one of the reasons I did it over winter. Staying in on those cold nights to watch the footy was pure bliss. I'd recommend anyone wanting to layoff the turps for a while to do it. Set yourself a timeframe and stick to your guns. You'll thank yourself later.

 

[The Passenger]

About to cop a $500-$600 bill for wisdom tooth extraction so after my best mates birthday this wknd I'll be having an enforced lay off the booze. Was planning on not drinking from post Melbourne Cup to end of November. This will just bring that forward a bit and give me real financial encouragement to stick to it.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

As others have said, if you find you can't stop when you want to (or know you have to) then its a problem. Whether you drink every night or once a year, if you find you can't stop once started its an issue.
Different people, different goals, different make-ups. You might learn to control it or you might have to stop entirely to get it under control.

Out of interest, what happens if you have a drink with people other than your usual Saturday night crowd? It might be peer pressure rather than a genuine alcohol issue. But be honest with yourself before deciding that is the case.

Not that I can talk. I was never a very regular drinker. But I did get written off most times I drank. Until I spent $200 on alcohol alone a couple of nights (nothing op shelf or anywhere near it) in quick succession and reaslied I hadn't enjoyed it at all. These days I rarely drink, and it is even rarer that it is more than 3 drinks. But I'm also way too old for the whole "going out" culture that I was never into anyway.

 

[radiojake]

I'm another who has cut down on alcohol over the past two months -

Have never thought I have an 'issue' with booze, and always thought if I wanted to go dry for a while, that I could. (unlike pot, which is another issue) - but when I first decided to cut booze, the first two or three weekends out I ended up drinking because ... well... habit? social pressure? I don't know.. but it was hard and I kept 'breaking..'

Anyway, in the past 8 weeks have only drank on one occasion (footy team's end of season drinks, which was after 6 weeks no booze... it was good because it was cheap as ! got drunk pretty quick)

First two weeks was difficult, especially going out with mates to the pub or for a meal and everyone else getting themselves a drink, but after the first two weeks it became really easy just to say 'no' so that has been good.... Have now had a few nights where I've been out late til 2 or 3 at pubs or parties/clubs dancing and shit but being completely sober... never thought that would happen but it's good, gives everything a differenet perspective.. plus it's so good to come home and realise that you had spent hardly any money at all...

 

[Gough]

Both sides of my family are good drinkers, too good at times. I've had stages when I've drunk too much, but if you're self aware enough you can see when it's starting to happen. OP, I wouldn't be too worried about getting on the slops once a week really.

 

[Damon_3388]

I think why people get into the cycle of not being able to resist a big binge is that post-binge, when they regret it, they get into the whole "never going to drink again" mode, which is the wrong way to go about it. Just ease off a bit, you don't need to go the whole way to doing nothing.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Doesn't everyone want to have another beer as soon as they've had one or two? I have no trouble turning down a beer but I feel like a single one is just a waste of time and money

 

[craigos]

How is a single beer a waste of time and money? I often catch up with friends after work and have a pint then retreat home. My social life revolves around pubs and bars, luckily I live in a good area where sitting outside and enjoying a few beers is relatively easy. If I was frequenting keno/pokies style pubs then I'd probably have to drink myself into a coma.

 

[The Passenger]

Doesn't everyone want to have another beer as soon as they've had one or two? I have no trouble turning down a beer but I feel like a single one is just a waste of time and money

there is a famous old saying "one beer is too many, and a hundred's not enough"

it does often hold true. everyone has fallen victim of a 3-4 beer drink with mates turning into an all night session. it was a pretty regular occurrence when i was in my early 20's. now into my 30's, it still happens but maybe once a month which i don't think is too much of a bother. it's not ideal when it happens on a weeknight before work, but you just battle through the next day.

 

[I bleed Blue]

I can go weeks without drinking, but when I do go out for a drink with the boys it turns into a massive night.

Just so happens the last month and the upcoming month have been full of social events. Bucks party, footy presentation night, a wedding, footy trip.

Can stop at a few drinks if it's just a casual thing like footy presentation, but for example at the bucks last week it was 15 hours of solid drinking. Somehow spent almost 700 on the night out. It's nights like those that hammer the bank account and the body.

 

[CLUBMEDhurst]

I drink once a week, every time with the intention of just a few and call it a night. Without fail, that few can turn into 8-12 or more but can't remember how many. Empty wallet, days to recover.

It's taking a toll on me as the recoveries take longer and the bank is hurting more it seems.

Friends think since it's only once a week then it's not a problem, I'm disagreeing with that and want to see other peoples perceptions on it.

I have the intention of being a non drinker again, hopefully for the rest of my life.

I'd take a leaf outta your username. Worked well for me

 

[clogged]

Doesn't everyone want to have another beer as soon as they've had one or two? I have no trouble turning down a beer but I feel like a single one is just a waste of time and money

Yeah this. I'm pretty strict about when I drink, so if I have one beer I'm basically planning on having a few, and enjoy it for that reason.

 

[Black Diamond]

I had a gin and tonic on Saturday night. It was my first drink in 110 days. I know this because I realised after a couple of months that it had been a long time and then did the maths. It isn't a will power thing for me; I had another stint of two months no drinking earlier in the year. I only drink socially so it means I haven't been getting out much.

I'm not a good drinker but I do enjoy a big Saturday night out every once and a while just completely writing off Sunday.

 

[BACCS]

How good is it?! Waking up on a Sunday morning hangover free is amazing. You're spot on about the time saved. Instead of being a lazy campaigner after a night out and not functioning properly I found my energy levels increased dramatically. Heading to the gym or for a run combined with my exercise during the week meant that health and fitness wise I was feeling a million bucks. It'll be tough for most during summer to do it, which is one of the reasons I did it over winter. Staying in on those cold nights to watch the footy was pure bliss. I'd recommend anyone wanting to layoff the turps for a while to do it. Set yourself a timeframe and stick to your guns. You'll thank yourself later.

I have no problem getting up after a few drinks the night before and exercising, normally cures any possibility of a hangover for me.

 

[The_Reaper]

Drinking is a problem when it starts affecting other shit and you find that you don't have money or have to stop a commitment because of drinking.

 

[blunt_tiger]

I have no problem getting up after a few drinks the night before and exercising, normally cures any possibility of a hangover for me.

You have the hangover before the exercise. Don't just drink a few, triple it at minimum and tell me how that exercise goes.

 

[pantskyle]

Easily solved.

No deer for a month.

 

[the fly]

Easily solved.

No deer for a month.

Did you say beer, or deer?

 

[Northworth]

I stopped four years ago

was finding it was affecting skin/sleep/clear-headedness… just decided to go for a week without a drink… that became a month… and just never went back

don't think i had a problem but it was becoming just a habit - the money issue is what you immediately notice… and he lack of hang-over.


OP - good luck.

 

[pantskyle]

I haven't had an alcoholic drink since Sunday. That's fairly good for me.

 

[_Christoh_]

Drinking is a problem when it starts affecting other shit and you find that you don't have money or have to stop a commitment because of drinking.

Yeah totally agree.

I think there is a sliding scale on how much of a problem someones drinking is.

Alcohol User - Has the odd drink, gets drunk sometimes and can go for weeks without a drink.
Drinker - Drinks every weekend, and the odd drink during the week.
Abuser - Drinks regularly, have some type of dependence and or drinks to excess.
Drinking Problem - Full blown dependence, changes in behaviour, affects other aspects of life like job, relationships, finances and health.

 

[The Passenger]

Yeah totally agree.

I think there is a sliding scale on how much of a problem someones drinking is.

Alcohol User - Has the odd drink, gets drunk sometimes and can go for weeks without a drink.
Drinker - Drinks every weekend, and the odd drink during the week.
Abuser - Drinks regularly, have some type of dependence and or drinks to excess.
Drinking Problem - Full blown dependence, changes in behaviour, affects other aspects of life like job, relationships, finances and health.

Probably about right. I would fit right in the drinker category. I don't drink every weekend as such, but it's somewhat rare not too - in a year maybe half a dozen or so weekends of no booze at all and probably another dozen weekends of less than ~10 drinks.

If I was being honest probably slipped into the abuser stage at times in the past, particularly in my early 20's. Probably not so much in terms of dependence but definitely in terms of consumption. I don't have an addictive personality which is good. Even at my heaviest periods of consumption if I needed a couple of weeks off for some reason (usually cause money got a bit tight) it was never a problem to lay off it for a bit.

 

[_Christoh_]

Probably about right. I would fit right in the drinker category. I don't drink every weekend as such, but it's somewhat rare not too - in a year maybe half a dozen or so weekends of no booze at all and probably another dozen weekends of less than ~10 drinks.

If I was being honest probably slipped into the abuser stage at times in the past, particularly in my early 20's. Probably not so much in terms of dependence but definitely in terms of consumption. I don't have an addictive personality which is good. Even at my heaviest periods of consumption if I needed a couple of weeks off for some reason (usually cause money got a bit tight) it was never a problem to lay off it for a bit.

I should have said most weekends instead of every weekend. Same level either way.

 

[_Christoh_]

I drink nearly every Friday night. Very rarely on a Saturday but if I do it is usually because I am at the footy watching Port. I dont ever get a taste for a drink during the week. I used to be able to go months without a drink but I have locked in with a drink every Friday night at my local pub for most weeks for the past year. I still like getting drunk, talking shit, making a fool of myself singing karaoke and having friendly chats with the ladies. But only on Friday nights and I'm comfortable with that.

 

[blunt_tiger]

Broke through the Friday urge after work. Know I wont be drinking tonight. 1st week succeeded, going for at least 4 weeks until I have another drinking session. Feeling good.