Happy New Year Y’all!
As enthusiastic as a reformed smoker to help people quit, here I still am…
Forget dry January, a month of abstinence followed by a binge, don’t set any targets - just take it a day at a time. If a weak willed, never achieved much in my life OAP like me can do it then you high net worth, high achieving STW members should find it easy.
Nothing to lose, better health (both mental and physical) and more money to spend on bike bits/skiing/music lessons!
Good luck and check in here for some mutual support - the best of STW.
I have historically done the dry January thing, but have decided this time to work on more of a long term moist situation. A few drinks most days over the last week or so of festivities has taken a toll on my sleep score, and goodness knows what else. My Withings Scales App numbers have deteriorated a bit too over the period, so bit of a reduction now commencing, starting with a few totally dry days to kick things off.
Day 2 of kicking the booze and the nicotine at the same time.
Done both before for periods of time, but not both at the same time
Grrrr..
Good effort mate, at least The Druids has shut meaning one less mid-ride temptation!
This article and the other in my OP helped me, good luck.
GCN just released this
I briefly experimented with sobriety yesterday, due to an absolutely massive hangover that felt like my head was being kicked in by demons in pointy shoes. I discovered that it is massively overrated and only filled me with existential dread.
Normal service has now been resumed with a couple of post-walk beers in the pub, then a nice bottle of Malbec and a selection of decent cheese to go with it. You can’t have a cheeseboard with a Vimto can you?
Why anyone would stop drinking in January is utterly beyond me. If you’re going to arbitrarily stop drinking for a month, at least have the good sense to do it when it’s not -7 outside and dark for what seems like 22 hours a day. Makes no sense whatsoever
Cheers! And a happy new year! 😃
I did a dry January last year, it was a dreadful experience. Met my mates down the pub the first week and couldn't understand them at all.
As above January is an awful month for this kind of thing.
Is that to help people or dissuade them? I can’t work out whether it’s a positive contribution or an attempt at humour!
Why anyone would stop drinking in January is utterly beyond me. If you’re going to arbitrarily stop drinking for a month, at least have the good sense to do it when it’s not -7 outside and dark for what seems like 22 hours a day. Makes no sense whatsoever
I'll do more than a month. Did 7 months in 2024, got really fit. Then had a TIA for my troubles....
Starting in January for me is good for a couple of reasons.
1) I've kicked the arse out of it for two weeks and my body has been telling me a need a break
2) When the beer garden weather arrives, I'll have done a few months off
I need to curb my drinking (again) and winter is definitely better for me than summer
Good effort mate, at least The Druids has shut meaning one less mid-ride temptation!
Yeah not happy about that even though I'm abstaining at the moment. Don't know the full reasoning from the Stanton Estate yet
I need to reduce again but meantime.
Interesting approach from a couple of you to a thread that is intended to support sobriety or people who would like to drink less alcohol.
Perhaps the alcohol has clouded your judgement?
Nope. Like I said I need to reduce again, had my medical review the other day and I realised just how much I’ve started drinking again. This bottle is for my upcoming birthday as the Mrs is out that night. I have a darts match now but even though it’s my birthday I won’t be drinking, one sip of fizz didn’t cloud my judgement.
decided this time to work on more of a long term moist situation
Same.
Did dry January last year and it taught me a thing or 2 that are good about being sober.
Which I then promptly forgot once I had a beer again.
But, I'm not sure where it really came from, but I've been way more steady on the booze over the past few months, even over Xmas. I've had a drink or 2 don't get me wrong, but in no way have I wanted to get totally smashed (which i definitely used to.do way too much of)
Maybe just the inevitability of age catching up with me and now knowing if I cane it then that's at least 2 days out feeling really really really shit..but I've got so.much other stuff I want to do.
But. I still do appreciate a social and relaxing drink
And yeah,
Dont be a dick stw.
This ain't the thread for glorifying booze is it eh?
Robinsons do a Lime & Mint Cordial, that works really well with Soda or Tonic water and feels like you're having something a bit "fancy"
Thanks for this tip. I got a bottle in (and some fizzy water and tonic) and it’s been going down great with us all.
And yeah,
Dont be a dick stw.
This ain't the thread for glorifying booze is it eh?
It's the STW Sobriety thread, not the STW Alcoholics Anonymous thread. I'm assuming this is the thread where people are finding, as they get older, that the cost benefit ratio of drinking is starting to move in the wrong direction. Not somewhere where people with genuine problems with alcohol dependence come for support.
For me I just found as I've gotten older I've got to be really conscious and consistent in order to maintain a base level of fitness. My days where performance enhancement meant limiting myself to 6 pints the night before a ride are long gone. Now I can find myself going for weeks without having a drink (not the last two weeks where I drank pretty much every day and thoroughly enjoyed it).
I come here to see if anyone has found a non-alcoholic beer that won't just make me ****ing depressed after trying to drink it (so far I've found I can drink Guinness 0.0 without asking myself, 'Why did I just put that crap in my body?). Too many other breweries seem to think cranking up the IBUs is a suitable substitute for alcohol.
I do find comments like, 'There are no benefits to drinking alcohol' and 'There are zero downsides' a bit grating.
For me there are plenty benefits of drinking, both with friends and by myself. It's just that those benefits don't really outweigh the downsides anymore so I generally don't.
Anyway, if this is a thread for newly converted teetotalers only or if those of us who don't drink much anymore but still really appreciate it when we do are also welcome let me know.
Cruising through dry Jan so far. Friday night post 5-a-side will be the hardest test but some AF's should scratch the itch.
Arbor - New Horizons*
Wiper and True - Milk stout AF and Kaleidescope AF* are both good
are two good ones, but a bit expensive and possibly not available in your region.
I like the Lucky saint IPA* as well.
*=May fall foul of IBU crankage, they are all 'craft' style beers.
@BruceWee if you read my original post you can perhaps see where I was coming from, I was an alcoholic, I’m not now. I achieved it by myself without any religion or meetings, in fact I didn’t tell anyone that I had stopped drinking until I was sure it’s what I wanted/needed.
My hope for the thread is that it will encourage others to stop, or at least cut down for the good of their health and pocket, however, I am not the thread police!
As regards low alcohol/0% alcohol beers, we have got a thread on here somewhere but in my experience the IPA style beers are the best and some lager styles -
Erdinger and Bavaria
Athletic brewing company, Northern Monk and Sierra Nevada. Quite often bargains to be had at Home Bargains!
I would see sobriety as a person free of alcohol or drugs?
My hope for the thread is that it will encourage others to stop, or at least cut down for the good of their health and pocket,
I would see sobriety as a person free of alcohol or drugs?
Well, if it's the first then I might have some insight to offer given that I've gone from at least half a bottle of wine and a few beers per night to a few drinks per week (also going weeks without booze if I've been wanting to do a lot of riding during the weekends).
If it's the second then honestly I have no interest in sobriety. Booze is still great sometimes. For socialising, for unlocking old memories and feelings, and yes, sometimes for self-medication.
I'm sure by some people's definition I am an alcoholic but I honestly think it's a term that gets thrown around a bit too easily these days.
After a not-even-heavy Christmas and New Year I've decided to try a social drinking only policy - mainly to aid weight loss.
I'm not a massive drinker but have got into the habit of buying box of beer on a Friday and drinking it over a weekend. I don't need to drink when it's just me as the wife sat watching TV.