Moderated consumption is a valid goal that many aim for- it’s the 12-step programs that make this taboo, but their success rate isn’t stellar.

I’ve been dialing back as I approach forty. I was in a band during my late 20s through mid 30s, and was drinking 2-5 beers a night (25 a week) pretty easy. That’s not heavy alcoholic level, but even at the time I knew that was more than was healthy. Now I’m aiming for 5 drinks a week, and have been hitting that goal half the time. When I miss that goal, it’s only by a few, so that is still a drastic improvement over where I was.

The things I try to keep in mind are impact and enjoyment. How am I affected by my level of consumption? (Heartburn, cost, grumpy when I can’t have it.) Am I enjoying myself when I do drink? At my height, no, I just wanted something carbonated and malty. Now I do enjoy the drinks I have- and put a lot of intentionality and anticipation into what I select.

It sounds like you’re well on the way to a healthier relationship with alcohol, keep it up! Stressing about the missed goals isn’t as helpful as focusing the next one, so don’t beat yourself up. You’re already doing better than you have, and know how to get where you want.

ex-alchoholic with three suicide attempts (all in my teenage years, im in my 30s now, dont worry about me) giving my perspective as someone who now is not one and can drink 1-2 times a month without it being an issue, il give you what helped me;

1 - weed and psychedelics helped slow my drinking the hell down and gave me a different crutch that reframed my perspective and put me onto a path of recovery, not for everyone granted

2- positive reinforcement - anytime id think about booze, feel like drinking or did drink when I was trying not too, I made sure to be nice to myself internally and frame it as just another step toward my end goal; if you neg yourself it just leads to a shame/guilt spiral and can lead to binging.

3- ditch the problem friends - if you have friends who you associate with heavy drinking, its time to let them go; environment is often the biggest factor in quitting, if your social life is hinged on enabling other addicts you will always fail.

4- targeted therapy - self explanatory, work out what brain worms you got

gym/working out is good, keep on it; from experience though its not enough.

good luck comrade, I hope you can look back on this in a year and see how far you’ve come.

you wont ‘fail’ if you drink again, the fact that you get to the point where you hold out for as long as you can without drinking isnt a failure, you wouldnt call yourself not hitting a time goal in a sprint a failure, just another day where you came closer to the end goal you get me? failing is giving up entirely.

I don’t have any relevant advice for you other than to make sure your general health is in tip-top shape to keep your mood up as you are quitting. Also keep yourself occupied in a public space. Due to the ongoing respiratory disease crisis this can be a tall order, but find somewhere to study. Just study anything you remember grabbing you.

Get some potassium powder and take it every morning. It can come in a salty form that’s nice for eggs (oof just remembered nevermind about those right now) or oatmeal. Focus your whole diet on protein, fiber, and omega-3s. Vitamins actually really really work. Specifically B12, C, magnesium, zinc, and potassium are noticeable the first day. The FDA restricts potassium supplements to a pathetic, tiny amount for some reason. You need literally 10-40 times the amount in a “potassium supplement” - dietary sources are best but I love money too much.

I’ve never been a drinker, but I know this is what makes being sober feel like shit as a baseline for most people even in the absence of stressors. There is no amount of money I would take to go back to how I felt before I got this nailed down. It’s a completely different way of being, it just takes a week to really kick in.

I hope you can succeed and remember that punishing yourself does nothing and is easy. A bold but methodical approach will change your life.

I am with you comrade, drink has been a problem for me too, last year I went to a comedy gig to later snort coke with stranger then drink with the local homeless in a sketchy park. Woke up in my bed covered in leafs and twigs. Then new years, celebrating at a friends can’t remember the count down, woke up in my bed with my heart beating like a fucked clock and a head full of bricks and like many times before I have decided I will quite drinking , this time I feel I really will.

If you ever need someone to talk to I am always happy to chat.

Good luck, ive never been a solo drinker so i can’t really relate but i did use to drink very heavily in social events due to anxiety. Working out definitely helps, hope it works out for you.

Not sure what you have tried so far but it certainly helps to have a group of friends that could help you get into any sports. Using sports as an excuse to stop you from mentally conceding to drinking works for a ton of people.

Example: I have friends who used to jog with a group or go cycling in the morning. If they ever go out, they will use sports as a reason to say no and leave early. Some others just go to boxing classes or the gym in the afternoons.

What really will work for you is to replace drinking with something else as an escape for stress. Having ways to relief stress is important.

Fair enough. I have been sober for half a year now and it can be a hard thing to do. I had several attempts in the past.

Recreational usage should be fine as a goal. Not everyone wants to stop forever and if they can control their drinking why should they?

Best of luck.

I am no big fan of beer, even my classmates asked to drink one shot of popular Philippine lager.

I don’t smoke. I asked my classmate how he successfully quit during his high school.

I haven’t been a solo drinker for a long time. You need someone to enjoy drinking.

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