[Closed] Problem with Binge drinking #2

I've been watching 'People just do nothing' recently and watched the last episode last night, the last 5 minutes of that really hit home and was one of the sadest things I've seen in a comedy program, really woke me up those last scenes as those lads are about the same age as me.

Drink less app is really simple but quite good as a motivator. Good luck.

Used to be similar to yourself. Ein Bier ist kein Bier, as they say in Germany.

Wasn't getting totalled, but was always one of the last to leave.

Quite happy now to just get up and leave. I've nothing to prove and if someone is going to get upset about me leaving early it's not my problem.

Remember at one party last year we carried on till six ING the morning. This year I left my third beer half empty and left.

Which episode are you referring to?

I’m posting this to offload a bit, but to also place a marker down, Ive had a 20 year relationship with Alcohol, I think that’s now coming to an end, I’ve decided to have a dry xmas and 2019. I just wish I’d realised sooner.

Good luck, and I apologise in advance for dicks like younger me who would nag people to more drink 🙁

That's the other thing, no one was really nagging me to stay and drink, we all spoke about not getting wasted on the way there, if anything they were probably telling me to stop. We kept the water flowing until 9 to keep sensible, then I just got tanked...

Which episode are you referring to?

The Valentimes one, I think it's the last one of the third series and last altogether? I don't generally watch TV so never knew it existed until last week, it's hilarious in places, but also really sad that there so stuck in there past, the last bit when he takes that pill to fall asleep on Steves dead nans sofa is at the end is horrific.

I have always been a bit like that. 3 drinks makes me very thirsty. So the answer is escape after 2.

icks like younger me who would nag people to more drink

Part of the CBT I had for my Flyting issues was learning to cope with inference on the basis YOU feel like YOUR the bad one for being pointed out as a "weak" person for not drinking.

I bought a round the other day with which my drink was a bottle of water. When met with derision, the thought in my head no is "the fact that you feel it necessary to insult people who don't follow your suggestions is very much your problem, not mine"

I wish you luck ..I loved drink and the way it made me feel compared to sober ( not so good )
Beware though it's not easy to control as many have found out, myself included. An emergency admission to hospital (for detoxing) finished my drinking 2 years ago . I was in a real mess after 30 yrs of heavy regular binges. Up to 25 pint cans of stella + whisky ( a day) at the end ( my wife kept a record ) . Would have died if my brother hadn't stepped in ( he's a local Doc) and as a favour the hospital admitted me despite refusal for 2 previous weeks and several paramedic visits. Apparently the services are not set up to deal with cases like mine and I was initially told to keep drinking despite blood coming from both ends.
I preferred life under the influence of alcohol and if it wasn't dangerous or harmful would probably be on it 24/7 ..I can actually think better and be more creative etc. Probably because it's very effective at removing the anxiety and depression I have experienced since a child which stops me from ever being able to relax.

Thanks for the encouragement, I've found myself in a weird place where life hasn't worked out the way I feel it might have, at this age I don't have a partner, or children or anything to worry about really, apart from the odd stressy day at work, everything's good, I've just found myself re-living my early twenties since my early twenties, it's weird, it's like I should have grown up a bit by now but haven't really had to, I don't think this has helped.

Plus a lot of my binges are solo trips into town, all my friends have children to rarely go out anymore, I get sick of staring at 4 walls every Saturday night so the now regular trip into town to see what ever band is on, plus getting hammered along the way, then waking up and only realising I'd had chips on the way home as there's an empty box in the kitchen, a pretty sad existence all in all!

I'll wake up in the morning, check twitter and be really envious of people riding in great places, or racing 'cross or whatever, that's were I need to focus my energy, doing that stuff!

You were lucky. Heavy drinking with work colleagues is a definite no-no in my book. I went to my work's xmas do, had a couple of small glasses of white wine, and left. I heard the next day a couple of people got blind drunk and had to be carried out by colleagues (another benefit to leaving early).
Another good friend was a chronic binge drinker who had no off-switch. I get to a point where I know I've had enough and jump in a taxi. This guy would just keep on drinking and end up in A and E at least once a year.
Is there not a local mountain bike club you can join? I used to hang around with a small group but changed groups after I realised they were more interested in session drinking in the pub afterwards then the riding.

I too have been there..... couldn't have a couple of pints without it becoming a few more, and also had some nights where you just don't know how you got home, wake up in a bed full of vomit, or one night I slept rough in London and woke up to find I'd been robbed.

I wasn't alcoholic because I could easily go without, for days or weeks at a time but couldn't cut down either because it was the 'that's enough' switch that didn't work.

In the end I stopped completely for about 9 months as it turned out. I was initially very nervous about re-introducing but touch wood it went well and now I can have a social drink without it being a session.

The thing I don't like about your situation though is the fact it's just you some nights. Please try and find whatever help you need because the drink aside, using the drink as the social crutch isn't healthy either. Even if it is only a couple of times a month. And find a (healthy) club or group you can join so you have some friends to do other stuff outside the pub.

Thanks, seeing it all written down like this is a real eye opener.

I'd never drink in the week, plus I'm pretty much captain sensible as things go, but I'd always have the habitual couple of small beers plus a bottle of wine every Friday and Saturday evening to de-stress a bit from the week, these were often followed by going out on the Saturday, it's not been all year but definitely through the Autumn as I split up with a partner of a year or so in Sept (nothing to do with drinking) I realise I did go out rather heavily following the break up though as it seemed like a needed to use it as a clensing/new start....go out get hammered, start a fresh...

- I'd always get up for a ride on both weekend mornings fine as well, just sometimes feel more groggy some days rather than others.

I've done stints of up to 3 months before without touching a drop, I like a challenge so I should be able to stick to it.

The thing is, you need to find something you enjoy - build a life you want to live - if you want to cut down the binge drinking. This is true of all forms of binging - people deep down aren't very happy with their life, and hence compensate through binge drink/food/tv/work, whatever.
This is easier said than done of course!

can you link to the woodlikesbikes post you mentioned please. Had no luck with the search facility.
thanks

https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/problem-with-binge-drinking/

Yeah good point handybar, things are OK, but life can get pretty lonely at times.

I am similar, tea total during the week, then when I have a drink its not 1 or 2 I dont seem to be able to stop till I feel like I have had enough. Being a lightweight thats usually 5-6 pints / bottles. I also live alone , but at 49 I have had alot more practice at it than you
Had to knock red wine on the head , 1 bottle always led to 2 and an almighty hangover.
Free bars and I go into memory loss levels of drunk, I have woken up covered in my own vomit a few times as well
But then I can go for a few months with no booze at all, but I know if I have 1 more will always follow.

Thanks, it's kind of good to know it's not just me who suffers from it, I have known mates say about the no off switch mentality,I known at least 2 or 3 people say they're similar.

I've just added up how much I spend on booze a year, way over a grand if your totaling all those bottles of red up, plus the extras, that's next years CX bike pretty much paid for...

I'm hoping this change will have a good knock on to other areas of my life, fingers crossed.

I suppose I'm lucky, I very much enjoy a drink and my local aside from cycling and MX is the hub of my social life. But even though I drink on a regular basis I can't get anything like "of my face". My body just says stop and I can't force another drink down even if I wanted to. At this point I'm a bit wobbly but can walk and talk, get myself home safely, never have any memory loss and just a bit wooly headed in the morning.
The thing with alchol is, if you think there's a problem there is, at least for you anyway, so good luck OP.

Work nights out and binge drinking don’t work, ive been there done it, many times.

Friday night instead of a bottle of wine get out on your bike do a 15 miler it always destresses me, whatever the weather, winter it can be an ordeal, summer can have a beer or two and you’ll have a clean head Saturday morning.

I’ve binge drunk for years like you say no off switch, although I can happily go weeks without a drink. I’ve realised I just don’t enjoy it like I used to and for that reason I’ve cut going out as often and drinking ..

Moderation is the key to everything in life , hope you figure it out.

I drank hard for years. Nearly died from pancreatitis. Quit for 4 years after that. Then we went on holiday.... That started me drinking again. I have NO off switch. I was necking a bottle of vodka,then walking to the 24 hours garage & getting a half bottle. I've been booze free for 15 weeks tomorrow. It's hellish. Especially at Xmas. All the TV shows shoe people having a great time drinking,all the adverts are for booze :/ . But I'll keep at it . Good luck 😊. I know I'll need it 🙄

Thanks, that's key, alternative interests for Fridays and Saturdays, I've not long got Netflix which will help, currently going through Ozark in the evenings, a new turbo and a bit of Zwift is also an option.

Blimey nofx, heavy...good luck to you to, Don't call me white / Punk in Drublic was a fave in my teens! 🙂

Blimey nofx, heavy…good luck to you to, Don’t call me white / Punk in Drublic was a fave in my teens! 🙂

I was initially going to write a message of congrats for deciding to make a change... now I gotta thank you for reminding me of the great album I'm currently listening to. Savage stuff.
Side note: Fair play for asking for help and advice and looking to change. It's a vitally important step.