Thinking of giving up drink for a while

Blondie86Star

I'm thinking of giving up alcohol until christmas.
Anyone done this? How hard is it?
I'd probably drink 3 times a week.

cormie

I don't drink at all, it's easy peasy:) Good luck!

aidan_walsh

These guys are supposed to be a pretty good support group for this kinda thing.

Blondie86Star

aidan_walsh wrote:

These guys are supposed to be a pretty good support group for this kinda thing.

Oh thanks that really helps!

How hard is it on a night out not to drink, especially when every1 around you is p***ed

Royale with Cheese

Ah we've all been there. I managed to give up drinking for 2 or 3 months once. It wasn't hard for me as I decided to give the drinking a rest because I kept acting the idiot when drunk and pissing people off, then I had to deal with them when I was sober and they were still pissed off with me. So I had fairly good motivation to dry out for a while. When I got back on the drink I managed to curb my behaviour and I think it did help me to be more mature in my alcohol consumption. Giving up drinking all together, now there would be a challenge.

I didn't find it that hard on a night out not to drink but I don't dance unless I'm totally wasted so there were a few boring patches during the night when everyone was on the dance floor.

cormie

Depends on the individual I suppose, I've grown quite sick of that scene by now, it's very false and not really worth devoting much time to. Try some new social experiences rather than depending on drink to entertain you and your friends.

MrJoeSoap

Blondie86Star wrote:

Oh thanks that really helps!

How hard is it on a night out not to drink, especially when every1 around you is p***ed

Quite easy, just try and act drunk and nobody will care!

ubu

Apparenty if you give up drink for 3 weeks its gives your liver time to completely re-generate and you'll feel a lot better for it. i haven't quite got around to trying it myself yet tho!

Blondie86Star

MrJoeSoap wrote:

Quite easy, just try and act drunk and nobody will care!

yeah and the water is infact a gin and tonic!

MrJoeSoap

Blondie86Star wrote:

yeah and the water is infact a gin and tonic!

Now you're getting it!

Blondie86Star

Well i've been overdrinkin the past few months, not getting pissed, but its a stupid thing like going for 2/3 after a lecture. I wanna do a detox, my ski hasnt been that good lately...so wanna do a bit of a detox!

Rb

I'll be giving up drinking probably after Christmas/New Year for around 6 months. Just to get fit/healthy/get some cash together for the summer etc.
I've done it before and lasted three weeks.I found on nights out I just got so bored with everyone else around me slaughtered and me there sober, but when it comes to new years or whatever I'll just give up and learn to deal with it(the boredom).

Blondie86Star

Plus I'm spending too much money...

The Fool

Think you have to give up for a couple of months before you feel fully comfortable around people drinking. But after that it's great fun, laughing at the drunkin idiots

you can have two drunks having a conversation but talking about completly different subjects, can be very funny:D

Blondie86Star

I'm looking forward to the challenge...plus i think my toned abs r turning into a beer belly!

Rb

ew!

Interceptor

Its easy to give up drink, its not easy to sit in a pub all night and drink orange juice. Go out a bit later and plan to go home earlier - you will be bored in the company of drunks.

I quit nearly three years ago and had stopped for two and three month periods before that to see what it was like - I probably won't ever drink again as I prefer the sober me to the drunk one. Good luck with it - not everyone has the conviction to stick with it but I highly recommend it.

'cptr

monkeyfudge

Giving up drink is easy... I do it every day....


Actually I did give it up for a month once just to make sure I could control it as there is a history of alcoholism in my family... but it wasn't that difficult for me and I made it through okay.

jimmycrackcorm

Giving up drink just as xmas party season is about to begin - that's asing for trouble!.

Wouldit not be easier to do in the new year....

jesus_thats_gre

Just give it up.. Its not bloody hard.. Why do you need techniques or tips to stop drinking.. Just stop..

besty

It is very hard from my past experience. I might try and cut back on the run up to xmas though.

the_syco

Meh. Drink orange juice. Or something. Mate gave up the drink for a bit, and drank orange juice if he was out with the girlfriend. Also, if anyone asks, tell them your saving for xmas. Give people a reasonable answer, and they're less likely to harass you about it.

Mossy Monk

not drinking isnt exactly an impossible challenge

unless you are an alcoholic of course

Rhyme

A definite plus in my books... gave it up myself for a year and a half (when i was 18) and it didnt bother me one bit, thinking of a repeat performance before/after Christmas.

dundalk cailin

yea im considerin givin up drink again for a while, i dont drink an awful lot, cos i dont have a high toleance, maybe cos i didn drink til i was 18. ive given it up before, it can be boring on a night out, but u feel a whole lot better in the morning!

Prior Of Taize

Blondie86Star wrote:

I'm thinking of giving up alcohol until christmas.
Anyone done this? How hard is it?
I'd probably drink 3 times a week.

Last time i drank was christmas day. Its not hard unless your a pisshead.

:v:

smurfbaby

I think that the hardest part of cutting out alcohol is if you are still going to base your entire social life around the pub/club scene. The easiest thing to do is to try and find other activities to do in your spare time-go see a film, go bowling, go out for a meal, go to a gig, watch a comedian. If you spend your weekends sitting in the pub with friends who are drinking, you will probably be bored and find it really difficult not to drink. I dont drink as much as I used to, and to be honest I dont really miss it.

Nimrod's Son

Being sober in the company of drunks is very testing I find. In that situation, the phrase "If you can't beat 'em..." keeps springing to mind.

shakaman

Tried giving up the booz for November, and lasted a whole 6 days.

Depends how much you like it in the first place, I find it great to relieve the stresses of a tough week at work so i would find it very hard to give up, hence my lasting till Saturday!

Did it in college for a while (about a month) and remember it being very testing but not impossible.

The Bollox

shakaman wrote:

Tried giving up the booz for November, and lasted a whole 6 days.

Depends how much you like it in the first place, I find it great to relieve the stresses of a tough week at work so i would find it very hard to give up, hence my lasting till Saturday!

Did it in college for a while (about a month) and remember it being very testing but not impossible.

that's what happened to my uncle, but my da's 50th happened, lol

Naos

Its not that hard..

Ive gone out a few times and not drunk. You save a lot of money, drink a few energy drinks for good aul placebic energy Also, you will be surprised at how some people act.. terrible hehe. Make sure a few of the lads are drinking to provide a bit of entertainment though..

Red Alert

yeah i don't drink some nights 'cos i don't feel like it. i'm quite strange anyway so entertainment is usually provided.

Ag marbh

I'm not someone who can go out without drinking but I did manage to stop drinking for a few months last year. First thing is to not make a big deal out of it and just do it....I mean don't make a point of announcing it to all your friends and stuff because you will have people annoying you. In order for me to stop drinking it means avoiding some people and changing my habits.

I found my life went fairly boring when everyone was goin out on weekends.

Pighead

Blondie have you told your buddies that you're giving up the drink yet?You have?They ridiculed you and treated you with contempt didnt they.Pigheads been down this road before.Unfortunately I caved in to the pressure and kept on drinking.But there is a way out.And Pigheads gonna tell you what it is in 2 seconds time.......................
The only way around it is to learn to drive so that you can say 'mmmmm that smells lovely,i'd love a nice creamy pint right now, but alas i'm driving and i shan't be able to partake in the drunken shenanigans', this is the only socially acceptable reason not to drink.Alternatively be prepared for some dirty looks and smear campaigns

Steveire

Don't listen to Pighead, he's wrong.

There's plenty of socially acceptable reasons to stop drinking. "I've been drinking too much lately" is just fine, as is "I want to see if i can enjoy myself without alcohol on a night out".

I still drink, but rarely, and not very much. It's just as much fun as drinking. When you're out for a night though, there will come a time when you'll get bored while everyone else is still pissed. This will happen at about 2 am. You can then choose to go home, or stay with everyone else. I generally go out for fresh air while out when i get bored. As far as i can see, this is the only disadvantage to stopping drinking. You'll still have a great time, particularly when your friends get used to having a sober you around and accept it as the way things are.

Supercell

Quitting drink is harder for some than even quitting smoking, try to get involved in something in the evenings that interests you..dancing, motor maintanance or whatever rocks your boat..something to fill the time void that drink normally fills instead.

dundalk cailin

i think i will stick with this givin up drink lark, it has so much pro's!!

mysterious

Its funny seeing yourself sober when everyone is drunk, lol, Its a totally different night out. It can be amusing seeing everyone falling over themselves saying stupid things. When you're drunk you don't see all this carry as on much

I gave up drink for the past two months and feel great. more money too:) ,

gerTheGreat

I have a friend who gave up booze between mid-September and the end of October. Apparently, you feel really poorly for a few days while everthing clears the system, but after that he really started to look better. REALLY got the pangs towards the end, though.