# Anyone else gave up Alcohol?



## papervalue (21 May 2009)

On 21/05/09 I will be alcohol free for 5 years. 

Never made the decision to give it up, just happened. At time I don't think i even had a drink problem, I would have considered myself a social drinker. Also gave up the fags and coke(mineral) which i drank a lot of, before this.

I do miss it, nothing stopping me from having a drink in due course. Now if I started drinking again i would be afraid to be pulled for drink driving the morning after being out the night before.(no real idea how long it takes to fully leave your body, everyone is different)

What is the hardest thing to give up? Could other social drinkers on the site go on the dry for the next six months just for the challenge and money saving from it?


----------



## ninsaga (21 May 2009)

I usually give it up for about 6-7 months of each year yeah! ie. Mon-Thur I'm off it & back on it at the weekends..... does that count?


----------



## Caveat (21 May 2009)

papervalue said:


> Could other social drinker's on the site go on the dry for the next six months just for the challenge and money saving from it?


 
I could, but I don't want to.

Fags on the other hand - I know I could give them up and should give them up, and I will. Quite soon I'd say - at this stage I don't even really enjoy them any more except when I'm having a drink.


----------



## Graham_07 (21 May 2009)

I gave up alcohol once, was the worst hour of my life . No seriously, I was on medication last year for about 3 months while going through a back problem and the stuff I was on meant drink was out. After it was all over, one weekend I had a couple glasses of wine and was like I'd consumed Chateau Lafitte's entire cellar.  The system obviously adjusts to it when you're drinking and then when off it, the system can't take it again until presumably it gets used to it. I would never drink during the week and weekends are some vino with a nice meal @ home. I suppose over a year you'd save a bit by stopping, but don't smoke, gamble, or run a Ferrari so I count it as one of "life's little pleasures" after a week at t'mill. I reckon it would be harder to give up AAM for 6 months than booze


----------



## QED (21 May 2009)

papervalue said:


> What is the hardest thing to give up? Could other social drinker's on the site go on the dry for the next six months just for the challenge and money saving from it?


 
I'm in my very late twenties and have a night or two out every weekend. I wouldn't give up drinking because I enjoy it and I think that in later life, I would regret not going out when I was able to (no kids etc.).


I know that in theory you can go out and have fun without drinking - but I really don't think it is as much fun!!


----------



## Feardorcha (21 May 2009)

Probably very few people give up drinking to save money,more for health reasons i'd think. I tend to drink more at home than out socially,mainly because not near a pub,gave up the smokes 3 months ago and piling on the weight,specially the belly,that will be the reason i give it up very soon(hopefully)


----------



## Lex Foutish (22 May 2009)

Feardorcha said:


> Probably very few people give up drinking to save money,more for health reasons i'd think. I tend to drink more at home than out socially,mainly because not near a pub,gave up the smokes 3 months ago and piling on the weight,specially the belly,that will be the reason i give it up very soon(hopefully)


 
Giving up the smokes was one of the best things I ever did. 30 Rothmans a day was the job! It was probably my 4th or 5th serious attempt but I was at the stage that I wasn't enjoying them as much as I used to and I was playing soccer at a fairly serious level and that made it easier that final time. 

Saying goodbye to the Beamish would probably be a bigger challenge though.


----------



## The_Banker (22 May 2009)

I was always a social drinker but never a heavy drinker. I suffered badly from hang overs no matter how little I drank. I have noticed over the last few years that my appetite for alcohol has waned completely. I have absolutely no interest in going out and drinking, either socially or to get drunk.
In fact, whenever there are work night outs (that sometimes have a free bar) I find I make excuses not to go. I would never say I would never drink again but right now I just have no interest.
Thankfully I never smoked but I do (did) drink a lot of coke. I have make a concious effort to stop and I have really cut down lately. In fact I don't think I have had one for about a month but to be brutally honest I miss it every day and I find myself craving it. When I see advertisments on TV I can practically taste the stuff. Hopefully I can stay away from it.


----------



## Caveat (22 May 2009)

Wow - that's two former coke addicts! 

Seriously though, never would have thought the stuff could have so much appeal.

Is it not easy enough to replace though with something very sweet (but reasonably healthy) mixed with fizzy water maybe?


----------



## TheBlock (22 May 2009)

I'm off the Cigs since Mid January this year. First time I really tried it. I done it cold turkey and if you get through the first two weeks or so the hard work is done. I had great motivation though as my second child is due in the next two weeks and my first really wanted me to stop smoking.

I don't think I'd give up the drink I enjoy a pint. I never drink at home though and I don't really drink in other peoples houses at parties. I don't know why that is but I kinda only enjoy a drink in a pub.


----------



## Caveat (22 May 2009)

Lex Foutish said:


> Giving up the smokes was one of the best things I ever did. 30 Rothmans a day was the job! It was probably my 4th or 5th serious attempt...


 


TheBlock said:


> I'm off the Cigs since Mid January this year. First time I really tried it. I done it cold turkey and if you get through the first two weeks or so the hard work is done.


 
Well done guys.  I think I'll set a date for stopping.


----------



## TheBlock (22 May 2009)

Caveat said:


> Well done guys. I think I'll set a date for stopping.


 
Thanks Caveat, it's worth it I can't believe how good some of my wifes cooking actually tastes . I would have saved a few quid too but for the emergency budget.


----------



## baldyman27 (22 May 2009)

Heavy smoker and drinker here, last year of my twenties. I've kind of set my 30th birthday as the 'cop-on' day. I live in the sticks with a great little local (no TV in the bar, which leads to great debates and conversations), I'm single as are my friends and there is very little to do in the evenings so we often end up going for a few. I'll find it hard to cut down on my attendance there but I will do it. Was never addicted to coke or any other fizzy drink, I don't have a sweet tooth. Fair play to anyone who has given up the fags.


----------



## Staples (22 May 2009)

Feardorcha said:


> I tend to drink more at home than out socially,


 
Same here. I dislike the social aspect of drink.  I prefer to sit alone in a darkened room shouting at the telly.

Seriously though, I wouldn't give up drink for the sake of it.  I enjoy a drink in company and find it helps me to unwind.  I think most people though have an uncomfortable relationship with alcohol in that they're not sure who's in charge in the relationship.  I'm not convinced, however, that giving it up for any set period of time would necessarily settle the issue.


----------



## Caveat (22 May 2009)

Staples said:


> I think most people though have an uncomfortable relationship with alcohol in that they're not sure who's in charge in the relationship. I'm not convinced, however, that giving it up for any set period of time would necessarily settle the issue.


 
 I like your logic!

I drink at home 90% of the time too.  

Pubs are too expensive, have too many annoying people in them, shut too early, don't play the right music and have a poorer choice than the offie.

My nearest pub is 4-5 miles away anyway so for me it's inconvenient on top of everything else.


----------



## Feardorcha (22 May 2009)

It's not that I prefer drinking at home,I work in a golf club bar so it can sometimes feel like a busmans holiday when it comes to going out. As for the smokes the main reason I gave them up was that I wasn't enjoying them as much,seemed to be doing it just for the sake of it.


----------



## Abbica (22 May 2009)

I gave up the fags (20 silk cut purple a day) on January 26th 2009 at 12.50pm, cold turkey. Had a little help from Allan Carr (but it is all pure willpower really). I gave up because I couldn't afford them, plain and simple. I have had 2 drags in total since I quit, one each at house parties. My husband, who gave up the same time as me, never really quit, I found this out a month ago. He is smoking but not in front of me. I would be lying if I said I didn't miss them, I think for most, you probably will, it is after all a drug addiction. But, I will never smoke again and that is great, the best part about not smoking is I can go on a plane or a cinema, meeting in work and not worry about when I can get my next fag and also knowing, if I have €40 left until pay day which is 10 days away, I can survive, I don't break out in a cold sweat because I have to buy fags. 

It's Friday and I can't wait to get home tonight and pop open the nice bottle of white I have in the fridge. You have to have some badness in life, some treat to look forward to. It's deserved after all!


----------



## Graham_07 (22 May 2009)

I can see the headlines now.

Do you want to quit smoking, drinking, coke....join AAM  .


----------



## callybags (22 May 2009)

> I drink at home 90% of the time too.


Where do you get time for housework?


----------



## Caveat (22 May 2009)

callybags said:


> Where do you get time for housework?


 


You should see the 'beer back pack' with tube going to my mouth that I use - it's brilliant. 

BTW, unless I had a serious health scare, I can safely say I will never give up alcohol - I just wouldn't want to. I enjoy it too much.


----------



## Abbica (22 May 2009)

What I don't get is the coke addiction, really, it is only a mineral at the end of the day, I know it has caffeine but still...


----------



## Graham_07 (22 May 2009)

So, who's for a BBQ at my place tonight, bring a few cans & discuss our addictions.


----------



## Caveat (22 May 2009)

Abbica said:


> What I don't get is the coke addiction, really, it is only a mineral at the end of the day, I know it has caffeine but still...


 
Yes, my thoughts exactly too. 



Graham_07 said:


> So, who's for a BBQ at my place tonight, bring a few cans & discuss our addictions.


 
Well I'm on if you're getting any better weather than we are - I'll even bring the food because I actually *am* having a BBQ tonight. Supposedly.


----------



## Graham_07 (22 May 2009)

Caveat said:


> Well I'm on if you're getting any better weather than we are - I'll even bring the food because I actually *am* having a BBQ tonight. Supposedly.


 
Weather doesn't matter , I've one really really big umbrella 'specially for barbies


----------



## Feardorcha (22 May 2009)

Graham_07 said:


> So, who's for a BBQ at my place tonight, bring a few cans & discuss our addictions.


Must be the season,meant to be going to outlaws tonight for bbq so def not quitting tonight


----------



## JP1234 (22 May 2009)

Gave it up around 2 years ago. The Other Half has a health issue so he stopped  and I found that it is just no fun drinking on my own! Plus as I got older the hangovers were getting worse.  I was never one for pubs and clubs and almost all our drinking was at home, probably a bottle a couple of weeknights plus a couple each night at the weekend. We generally went for  €8 -10 a bottle choices so were spending around €50 a week minimum on wine. I haven't missed it, I did have a glass poured for me at a function last year and could barely touch it.

I don't mind being around people drinking, it can be quite amusing but it can be a bit annoying that most people assume everyone drinks, for instance at work we have a employee of the month and the prize is a bottle of champagne, at Christmas our boss bought us all a bottle of wine ( even though she knows I don't drink), and the OH gets given a few bottles from customers each Christmas too but hey, it's the thought that counts and I usually just pass them on to people I know will appreciate them.


----------



## Chocks away (22 May 2009)

Abbica said:


> What I don't get is the coke addiction, really, it is only a mineral at the end of the day, I know it has caffeine but still...


Eamonn Dunphy reckons that there is no good coke in Ireland. He obviously hasn't tried Pepsi or Coca Cola


----------



## Vanilla (22 May 2009)

Graham_07 said:


> So, who's for a BBQ at my place tonight, bring a few cans & discuss our addictions.


 
Damn and drat, why didn't I see this earlier. I'd def be on for it ( can I have wine instead of beer- I'll bring my own)!

Graham you and I are kindred spirits , and I think I too am fading away for lack of sun.

I gave up smoking for the millenium and had only one relapse a few months later at a seriously smoky party in Kerry when I cadged numerous cigarettes from my old master. Ah the memories. No gimmicks, just cold turkey. Not as bad as you'd expect since I really wanted to do it. Was thinking of going down the 'having kids' route and smoking wasn't going to cut it.

But I don't think I could give up my wine at weekends ( and now and then, after a particularly heavy day, during the week).

I don't really 'go out' any more, social occasions revolve around family get-togethers and friends coming for dinner and vice=versa. If I do go out, I drive and do not drink.


----------



## Graham_07 (22 May 2009)

No problem Vanilla although TBH I prefer the vino myself too at the weekend.  Nothing better than a nice summer's evening, barbie glowing, some marinaded chicken at the ready and a Catalunyan rosé at hand.  Now all we needs is the summer . Have the fading sorted tho'. Just got a pressie of 5 days to Portugal on the b/holiday weekend so factor 15 where are ya . Now, where did I put that corkscrew!


----------



## MrMan (22 May 2009)

Abbica said:


> What I don't get is the coke addiction, really, it is only a mineral at the end of the day, I know it has caffeine but still...


 

I thought that you, but if you start drinking it fairly regularly you do develop a longing for it. I worked with a girl before who would drink 4 litres a day!


----------



## Vanilla (22 May 2009)

Graham_07 said:


> No problem Vanilla although TBH I prefer the vino myself too at the weekend. Nothing better than a nice summer's evening, barbie glowing, some marinaded chicken at the ready and a Catalunyan rosé at hand.  Now all we needs is the summer . Have the fading sorted tho'. Just got a pressie of 5 days to Portugal on the b/holiday weekend so factor 15 where are ya . Now, where did I put that corkscrew!


 
Wine has to be french, otherwise Mr.V will adopt an air of Gallic superiority for the evening and take every opportunity to comment unfavourably on the choice. Actually it also has to be white or red, rose apparently is also not acceptable for God only knows what reason.  However I am very nice and will make up for the French attitude.


----------



## Chocks away (22 May 2009)

Vanilla said:


> Wine has to be french, otherwise Mr.V will adopt an air of Gallic superiority for the evening and take every opportunity to comment unfavourably on the choice. Actually it also has to be white or red, rose apparently is also not acceptable for God only knows what reason.  However I am very nice and will make up for the French attitude.


Ditto! Rose for me is only acceptable with a salad. Or, if drinking outside, in very warm weather.


----------



## Vanilla (22 May 2009)

Chocks away said:


> Ditto! Rose for me is only acceptable with a salad. Or, if drinking outside, in very warm weather.


 

Great, you can come too and discuss wines with Mr.V. I will discuss chicken with Graham.


----------



## Chocks away (22 May 2009)

http://www.zuidwijk.nl/fun/funky/
Have a go at this first - while Mr V is setting up the barbie.


----------



## Graham_07 (22 May 2009)

Who ever thought that Rosé would brew up such an international storm. FWIW Torres de Casta Rosado knocks the socks of any Gallic pretender. €10-11 in Dunnes etc. or €2.50 in Lanzarote. My idea is get a cheap AL flight to Lanzy and drink the profits. Yippee. Vanilla, maybe tell Mr V that Rosé is the new red or white ( either will do, the're both  Cork Colours  ) Nite now.


----------



## Lex Foutish (22 May 2009)

I have a friend who suffers from alcoholic constipation.........he can't pass a pub!


----------



## Bubbly Scot (23 May 2009)

Alchohol - I would go from one year to the next without touching a drop. It just wasn't my thing.......then I moved to Ireland  Seriously, I could give it up and never look back. I do enjoy a night out on the Guiness or Coors Light but it wouldn't bother me.....which leads me to the next point!

Coke (mineral) - I find this harder to give up than cigarettes. I stopped buying it to save a few cents and ended up begging Mr Bubbly to go and buy some. Has to be a tin though.

The smokes. Gave up for a couple of years, smoke at the moment but not enjoying it and thinking to stop. I believe I will very soon. Believe it or not the one thing stopping me is my health gets worse when I'm off them, athsma and sinus problems mostly


----------



## Lex Foutish (23 May 2009)

Bubbly Scot said:


> Alchohol - I would go from one year to the next without touching a drop. It just wasn't my thing.......then I moved to Ireland  Seriously, I could give it up and never look back. I do enjoy a night out on the Guiness or Coors Light but it wouldn't bother me.....which leads me to the next point!
> 
> Coke (mineral) - I find this harder to give up than cigarettes. I stopped buying it to save a few cents and ended up begging Mr Bubbly to go and buy some. Has to be a tin though.
> 
> The smokes. Gave up for a couple of years, smoke at the moment but not enjoying it and thinking to stop. I believe I will very soon. Believe it or not the one thing stopping me is my health gets worse when I'm off them, athsma and sinus problems mostly


 
A woman i know is addicted to Diet Coke. She drinks 2 litres of it per day-and that's just at work!

For what it's worth, every time I gave up the smokes, I had the sinus/heavy cold thing as well also. However, it disappeared completely after a week or so.

When I smoked, I got a lot of colds etc. Again, when I packed up, it all more or less disappeared. 

I love my few pints of porter but, if I could turn back the clock, I'd never have touched a cigarette.


----------



## mathepac (23 May 2009)

Well done folks.

I quit the fags in February just gone (40 Major / day from the age of 16).  Even when I lived in England I had a standing order with pals & family going over and back and non-smoking pals in Aer Lingus.

Not a bad record - I quit "other" substances in the 80's, booze in the 90's, fags in the 00's. 

I reckon I'll stop chasing women in the 10's - when I catch up  lately, I can't seem to remember the reason for all the running around.


----------



## woodbine (24 May 2009)

i gave up alcohol several years ago. i didn't make a conscious decision or anything. i just kind of stopped drinking.

to be honest i think i only enjoyed drinking when i was single. These days i prefer to stay home with a dvd or a book. i don't particularly want to have to talk to or see other people. i see enough of them at work!

as for the fags.. i smoke 25 a day but recently have had a horrible cough and sometimes find it hard to catch my breath from coughing. I decided that it's time to stop.

 i took my first champix today and intend to finish smoking in week two of the medication. i think i'll do it. everything crossed as i've never tried to stop before.


----------



## Abbica (25 May 2009)

Seriously woodbine, you will probably bang the head off the wall and say, "no, I am a real smoker as opposed to those other smokers who quit (we all think that), I can't quit, it's too hard". Its bullsh*t, you can, it is mind over body. I don't want to sound like a counsellor,I just want you to succeed but as Lex said, we all wish we never touched a cigeratte, there is always that little niggle... but you can't smoke forever, you have to do it some day and to be honest, I was so sick of thinking about quitting the cigerattes that it consummed my thoughts everytime I had one, even when I wasn't, that is why I quit so abruptly, just said to myself, 'I am sick of thinking about it, lets just get this over with'. I did it, got it over with, will never smoke again, and do think about them less and less every day. Good luck, it need not be as hard as you think, every person is different, but if you really want to quit, you can and it can be done quite easily. That is the big secret of stopping!


----------



## Chocks away (25 May 2009)

I quit New Year's Eve 1999. Almost three packs a day. Gave myself eight months to read up, sign up for government leaflets and get my head together. Stopped thinking/obsessing about nicotine within two weeks. I used have my own personal astral display (sparks, stars comets and just plain thingies) as I tried to clear my lungs in the bathroom each morning.  All that is now a distant memory. So, woodbine, GO BABY GO!


----------



## Bubbly Scot (25 May 2009)

Lex Foutish said:


> I love my few pints of porter but, if I could turn back the clock, I'd never have touched a cigarette.



I remember my first like it was yesterday and I so wish I'd never met that lad I was trying to impress 

Even now, thinking to give up again I find myself wondering how I'll cope on work breaks or the coffee (and smoke) I sometimes have with the boss after work..and what about band practise, everyone smokes and it forms a huge part of our break...........

Then again, everyone would be supportive and I can give up easily enough so long as I have my "stick".


----------



## truthseeker (25 May 2009)

I gave up the drink for a year a few years back and then when the year was up I never went back to it the same way again (as in binge drinking mid-20s weekend drinker plus a few scoops some weeknights if there was something on).
I found when I stopped drinking for a year that I had a friendship shake up where some previous 'friends' hated me not drinking and disappeared off my radar - interesting how my not drinking affected other people so much. I see now that it was because I was just someone for them to go boozing with.

Now I hardly ever drink, never at home, and find myself avoiding social occasions that revolve around the pub. I probably drink a bottle of wine a month now. And Id pass on that no problem.

The fags are a different matter. Have cut back to less than 10 a day since xmas but still havent managed to cut them right out.

Never had a coke addiction, hate all fizzy drinks


----------



## casiopea (25 May 2009)

I do love wine.  Ill own up.  At weekends we have no real interest in going out clubbing etc. and we found the arrival of a baby didnt curb our social life as we always much preferred sharing a nice bottle of red (doesnt have to be French a la Mr. Vanilla  ) at home with friends rather than being in a pub or club.  We love learning about wines and seeing if we can recognise grapes etc (other half can, I cant really - unless its pinot noir which tastes like an ash tray to me). 

I was surprised though how easy and enjoyable the none drinking life was when I was pregnant.


----------



## ninsaga (25 May 2009)

At least I'm now down to [broken link removed] thankfully


----------



## Graham_07 (25 May 2009)

ninsaga said:


> At least I'm now down to [broken link removed] thankfully


 

I find this device very handy, especially when on the move.


----------



## Caveat (26 May 2009)

Well in view of the latest weather forecast, I'm definitely going for the 'oul barbie this weekend anyway.

Plus of course some cold ones. Might try that new pear _Bulmers_ in a chilled glass, crammed with ice. 

So, no - no plans to give up alcohol yet anyway.


----------



## Cahir (26 May 2009)

Caveat said:


> Plus of course some cold ones.  Might try that new pear _Bulmers_ in a chilled glass, crammed with ice.



It's good but not as good as Swedish pear cider.  It gives me a rotten headache though, even after one or two small bottles.


----------



## Caveat (26 May 2009)

Cahir said:


> Swedish pear cider.


 
Koppaberg? No, no no...can't be doing with that stuff at all.

Please tell me the Bulmers one isn't as sweet?!


----------



## Cahir (27 May 2009)

God no, not Kopperburg - that's rank.  I mean the stuff you get in Sweden but I just can't remember the brand name.  The bulmers one isn't as sweet as Kopperburg but it's still fairly sweet.


----------



## Chocks away (27 May 2009)

I thought all men liked a nice Swedish pair


----------



## Pique318 (28 May 2009)

Caveat said:


> So, no - no plans to give up alcohol yet anyway.


Me neither...I'm no quitter !!


----------



## paddyjnr (8 Jun 2009)

I gave up alcohol 4 years ago and lost nearly all my so called friends but now I've made new ones and much happier.. Now I have more interesting chats instead of hanging over the bar giving out about nagging wives (which strangely enough doesn't happen anymore).Don't get me wrong I do still socialise and do have friends that drink still but not to the amount that I used to and my old "friends" did.
After I gave up the alcohol I doubled up on the cigs (about 40 a day) so 24 days ago I gave them up as well. The benefits already from giving them up are incredible, I'm no longer breathless, I have more money, I can taste better, my clothes and house smell great, more money in my pocket and so on... I am finding it tough and using patches but I'm determined to succeed..


----------



## woodbine (8 Jun 2009)

well done Paddy. 24 days is a great acheivement. I'm only on day 3 off the fags and i'm finding it tough. 

i'm using the champix tablets cos i'm allergic to patches. I definitely think i need to get my head around the whole idea properly though. I find it's less physical cravings, than psychological. I have this feeling that there's something i should be doing all the time. Like something really important that i've forgotten to do. I'm going to try listening to the Paul McKenna cd, and some classical music just to relax me when it gets really bad.


----------



## Feardorcha (10 Jun 2009)

Off the smokes nearly 3 months and really surprising myself that i'm sticking to it,went cold turkey,but think about them very little now and feel 100% better,only problem i have is my appetite is gone crazy,eating twice as much as i used to,still glad i gave them up though


----------



## liaconn (10 Jun 2009)

I love wine but have little or no interest in other alcoholic drinks. I have cut back seriously, since Christmas, on the amount of wine I've been consuming but would hate to cut it out altogether. I just enjoy it too much.


----------

