Serious subject - How to cut your alcohol consumption? (page 3)

LisaRose

Determine ahead of time how much you want to drink. Measure out that amount and put the rest away so you don't see it, a half empty bottle of wine is a visual clue that your mind will consider an invitation, out of sight, out of mind.

Make sure that before you take your first sip you are not thirsty, hungry or emotional. Have some water and eat a small amount of food. If you are stressed, take a walk or at least a few calming breaths. A quickie calming trick: close your eyes, slightly open your mouth, then breath in slowly for a count of eight seconds, hold the breath for eight seconds, breath out slowly for eight seconds. Repeat until you feel calm.

Slowly sip your wine, appreciate the taste, and express gratitude in your heart for the wine, and being healthy enough to enjoy it, not everyone can say the same.

JWdaughter

Don't give the org. that kind of power over you. I would stop just for that reason alone! Don't blame, don't excuse. Decide what you want for yourself. Then do it for yourself.

Band on the Run

I developed a taste for decent wine. Also, expensive cocktails around $25. a drink. I can't drink jug wine anymore. It is also a sign of being older. I would rather savor fine wine a little bit than cheapo wine by glasses. I am also conscious that many people have problems with alcohol and I could join them.

We tried to rehabilitate housing in Harlem. The conditions were dreadful. B/c the tenants received welfare, we could not do anything. That night I found out never to drink wine when I am bummed out.

jgnat

Tackle the source of your misery, using new strategies. It's not about the wine, it's about the pain. Like blondie, I didn't dare start drinking.

Laika

I use alcohol as a crutch to alleviate my social anxiety, I don't keep any around the house to prevent this from becoming an even unhealthier problem...

leaving_quietly

I've recently cut right down. If I want a drink, I set myself a limit and stick to it. I am in control of the alcohol not the other way around.

@PamsGirl

Oubliette

Set a limit BEFORE you pour your first glass and stick to it.

Then congratulate yourself when your successful, ... just not with another glass of wine!

LisaRose

I know I am a broken record with this, but meditation is very helpful in dealing with stress, zero calories, free, and no hangover.

breakfast of champions

Good topic, something I need to get a better handle on myself.

I know it's possible, because for the first half of my adult life, I had no problem with alcohol. An opened bottle of wine would go bad before I drank whole thing.

Then I became an elder.

Pretty quickly, my opened bottles of wine would never go bad - gone in a couple of days. Then it was a bottle a night. Then I bought bigger bottles!

After my breakdown and "stepping down", the pattern persisted. My nerves were shot and it was the only thing that helped at all. All the meds pretty much sucked.

Now I'm in a FAAAR better place: I know TTATT; I'm fading; saw a psychologist for almost 2 years; my wife supports me and is seeing TTATT for herself; I'm going to school. This is all great stuff! But I still know I still drink way more than I ought.

It isn't easy to slow down once you're in the habit, but all of the above suggestions seem reasonable.

LV101

Right on Jgnat. I understand why people imbibe but always enjoyed good food too much to waste a calorie/sugar on alcohol. It's easy for some to become excessive with wine - at least a few of my old-time friends (non JWs) who seem to crave it. The moderation word is hard in everything.

I'm not surprized at the alcohol/psychotropic drugs, whatever numbing agents, among the JWs but feel bad for them. People will do anything to avoid facing reality and going thru the pain.

Blondie - that's a good test.

Serious subject - How to cut your alcohol consumption?

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