I was a pretty big drinker all through my life and the kind of work I did had a culture of drinking, so that didn't help at all! I'm 62, but around 6 years ago I re-assessed my relationship with alcohol purely for health reasons and quality of life. I didn't want to give it up completely, because in moderation it can be a pleasant experience when you are in control. So myself and my wife (she has never been much of a drinker) decided we would enjoy sharing a bottle of red wine together every two weeks only. It totally changed my life, I felt so much better, so in control, the weight came off and my head was so much more clear. Now we sometimes forget it's been two weeks and find it's three or four weeks since the last glass.
What a great story and I completely agree on the way you feel when it’s not a daily habit. Mentally I feel completely rewired. Sounds like you have mastered it 🙏👍
I am currently in week 1 of Whole 30. Wanted to try this to get relief from digestive issues, and it has certainly done that!! It seems restrictive (it is an elimination diet) and alcohol is one of the *no’s*. I have been a social drinker for all my life, but now “not drinking” is really working! I think feeling healthy becomes more of a priority as we get older 👍🏻 Best to you!!
That’s great news, and good on you for stopping. We definitely think more about health as we get older don’t we? Not just physical but mental aswell. Glad this change is working for you 🙏
Used to have a couple of bottles of wine a week and during the pandemic would have a g and t every day. Stopped drinking alcohol two years ago, and I don't miss it. It is better health wise. It doesn't make you happier, as you say.
Yes during the pandemic the alcohol levels went bonkers in our house. The whole thing does feel like a lie to make you spend more money. It’s like a consistent good mood when you don’t drink rather than ups and downs
Oh wow this is very similar to my recent stories.. I also got made redundant around the start of the year and couldn't figure out why every single day I felt like crap and wondering where the anxiety was coming from.. Having to be somewhere early in the morning after drinks before just made me panic. I knocked it on the head for 6 months before I had some beers on my birthday and have slowly been drinking more since, I think I may join you on the wagon again.
Wow! Really similar, I wonder though, can it be balanced, maybe designated evenings for example. I’m not convinced. But might be worth a mindful trial. It’s a tough one
brilliant...i stopped drinking alcohol 10 years ago when i was same age as you ......life is so much better and depression symptoms lessened ......i'm really happy for you to have got to your decision
@@graemesgreatescape moderation kind of keeps you hovering in the same place so my thinking was to completely stop and in doing so makes it more life changing and more permanent .....no looking back just go for it
Self control and respect for others around me is my limiter. I enjoy drinking but limit myself to Saturday night only. I would love to drink more but I reckon I would end up like you have. Non drinking nights are fine but boring, I reckon your health will thank the new you. Edit: The benefit for drinking: it makes me feel normal, my anxieties dull, I relax for a couple hours then fall asleep. The rest of the time I worry and fret, so I feel its different for each individual. In short only when I have had a few drinks does the stress recede and I stop worrying, and that is a benefit for drinking for me and I treasure the one night a week I allow myself.
Yep you're onto something with this. I'm 47 as well, I'm lucky I never actually liked the taste but the lad culture and my own social anxiety fed a habit when I was younger. The habit disappeared as I went out less and less due to family commitments. It would still take the edge off social anxiety for me but i rarely have the opportunity to use it. I feel anxiety is inversely proportional to feelings of self esteem and so it's important for sufferers to push themselves to achieve things e.g. through hobbies both physical and mental/skills based.
I gave up 3 years ago and have never looked back. I used to bing drink and at the age of 54 I’m like a spring chicken. Work is great and so are my 3 Allotments.
Yes Birmingham in the 90s was just one big boozy party 🎉 and it was great but luckily I get such bad hangovers that I couldn't drink every day even if I wanted to 😅 I limit myself to 2 glasses when I drink now 🤪
Used to be in the pub every night for 16 years had kids and stopped I go out for work Xmas party and have a nice bottle of red on Christmas day that was twenty years ago don't miss it at all.
I knocked it on the head years ago and would rather have a cuppa now. Not that I am a boring, miserable old fart now though lol. Get stuck in to that grot spot Graeme and keep smiling 🤗
I gave up alcohol to save money about 6 or 7 years ago. I had been used to having a drink of something every day but it was easy to stop and I don’t miss it. Since then I’ve changed to the carnivore diet and only drink water. It’s a much nicer way to live and I feel totally rejuvenated. I realised that all these different foods and drinks are just corporations trying to sell us stuff we don’t need. It seems really odd now to go into a supermarket and watch people fill trolleys full of sugar, carbs and alcohol costing hundreds of pounds. I wonder if it will turn into a different lifestyle for you too?
This sounds amazing, not sure I’m quite ready to go to that far yet, but i completely agree with you, we are simply being ripped off by things we are told we need. As I’ve got older I’ve started to see this quite a bit in my life. Never noticed before…
The benefits of alchole are a myth, I did a 30 day challenge over 3 years ago and haven't had a drop since, best thing I ever did, a great book is Alchole. Explained ....if you haven't read it already 😊
@graemeslosttheplot cheers but tbh once armed with the facts and knowledge stopping was a joy not a sacrifice, and i used to drink every weekend without fail!
I was a pretty big drinker all through my life and the kind of work I did had a culture of drinking, so that didn't help at all! I'm 62, but around 6 years ago I re-assessed my relationship with alcohol purely for health reasons and quality of life. I didn't want to give it up completely, because in moderation it can be a pleasant experience when you are in control. So myself and my wife (she has never been much of a drinker) decided we would enjoy sharing a bottle of red wine together every two weeks only. It totally changed my life, I felt so much better, so in control, the weight came off and my head was so much more clear. Now we sometimes forget it's been two weeks and find it's three or four weeks since the last glass.
What a great story and I completely agree on the way you feel when it’s not a daily habit. Mentally I feel completely rewired. Sounds like you have mastered it 🙏👍
I am currently in week 1 of Whole 30. Wanted to try this to get relief from digestive issues, and it has certainly done that!! It seems restrictive (it is an elimination diet) and alcohol is one of the *no’s*. I have been a social drinker for all my life, but now “not drinking” is really working! I think feeling healthy becomes more of a priority as we get older 👍🏻 Best to you!!
That’s great news, and good on you for stopping. We definitely think more about health as we get older don’t we? Not just physical but mental aswell. Glad this change is working for you 🙏
Used to have a couple of bottles of wine a week and during the pandemic would have a g and t every day. Stopped drinking alcohol two years ago, and I don't miss it. It is better health wise. It doesn't make you happier, as you say.
Yes during the pandemic the alcohol levels went bonkers in our house. The whole thing does feel like a lie to make you spend more money. It’s like a consistent good mood when you don’t drink rather than ups and downs
Oh wow this is very similar to my recent stories.. I also got made redundant around the start of the year and couldn't figure out why every single day I felt like crap and wondering where the anxiety was coming from.. Having to be somewhere early in the morning after drinks before just made me panic. I knocked it on the head for 6 months before I had some beers on my birthday and have slowly been drinking more since, I think I may join you on the wagon again.
Wow! Really similar, I wonder though, can it be balanced, maybe designated evenings for example. I’m not convinced. But might be worth a mindful trial. It’s a tough one
brilliant...i stopped drinking alcohol 10 years ago when i was same age as you ......life is so much better and depression symptoms lessened ......i'm really happy for you to have got to your decision
Hey thank you! I’m still wondering if moderation is the key or just not even worth it. Full stop.
@@graemesgreatescape moderation kind of keeps you hovering in the same place so my thinking was to completely stop and in doing so makes it more life changing and more permanent .....no looking back just go for it
That is true you feel in limbo land
@@graemesgreatescape yes its all or nothing really .......just have to be brave
Self control and respect for others around me is my limiter. I enjoy drinking but limit myself to Saturday night only. I would love to drink more but I reckon I would end up like you have. Non drinking nights are fine but boring, I reckon your health will thank the new you. Edit: The benefit for drinking: it makes me feel normal, my anxieties dull, I relax for a couple hours then fall asleep. The rest of the time I worry and fret, so I feel its different for each individual. In short only when I have had a few drinks does the stress recede and I stop worrying, and that is a benefit for drinking for me and I treasure the one night a week I allow myself.
Yep you're onto something with this. I'm 47 as well, I'm lucky I never actually liked the taste but the lad culture and my own social anxiety fed a habit when I was younger. The habit disappeared as I went out less and less due to family commitments. It would still take the edge off social anxiety for me but i rarely have the opportunity to use it. I feel anxiety is inversely proportional to feelings of self esteem and so it's important for sufferers to push themselves to achieve things e.g. through hobbies both physical and mental/skills based.
100% spot on. You nailed it.
I gave up 3 years ago and have never looked back. I used to bing drink and at the age of 54 I’m like a spring chicken. Work is great and so are my 3 Allotments.
Absolutely!! the returning energy is amazing. Well done!!
Yes Birmingham in the 90s was just one big boozy party 🎉 and it was great but luckily I get such bad hangovers that I couldn't drink every day even if I wanted to 😅 I limit myself to 2 glasses when I drink now 🤪
Yep brum was nuts! I didn’t even mention the club scene 😅 that’s for another video 🤣 I like your moderation limit.
Used to be in the pub every night for 16 years had kids and stopped I go out for work Xmas party and have a nice bottle of red on Christmas day that was twenty years ago don't miss it at all.
Amazing story! Do you ever think you could bring it back into your life in a measured way?
No really doesn't bother me in the slightest
I knocked it on the head years ago and would rather have a cuppa now. Not that I am a boring, miserable old fart now though lol. Get stuck in to that grot spot Graeme and keep smiling 🤗
Happy days !! And good for you 👍 I can’t bring myself to start that job just yet 😂😂
I gave up alcohol to save money about 6 or 7 years ago. I had been used to having a drink of something every day but it was easy to stop and I don’t miss it. Since then I’ve changed to the carnivore diet and only drink water. It’s a much nicer way to live and I feel totally rejuvenated. I realised that all these different foods and drinks are just corporations trying to sell us stuff we don’t need. It seems really odd now to go into a supermarket and watch people fill trolleys full of sugar, carbs and alcohol costing hundreds of pounds. I wonder if it will turn into a different lifestyle for you too?
This sounds amazing, not sure I’m quite ready to go to that far yet, but i completely agree with you, we are simply being ripped off by things we are told we need. As I’ve got older I’ve started to see this quite a bit in my life. Never noticed before…
The benefits of alchole are a myth, I did a 30 day challenge over 3 years ago and haven't had a drop since, best thing I ever did, a great book is Alchole. Explained ....if you haven't read it already 😊
Ohhh I like a good book on this topic I’ll check it out , thanks for the tip 👍 and well done making the change. It’s a hard thing to do this world
@graemeslosttheplot cheers but tbh once armed with the facts and knowledge stopping was a joy not a sacrifice, and i used to drink every weekend without fail!