Let me just say how happy I am to have found this thread. I have been drinking almost every night for close to 20 years.
For the last year, I have realized that this is not healthy, and will not lead to the sort of future I want for myself and my family. I have been casually investigating ways to get rid of the desire or need to drink. Among many other negative side-effects, it is keeping me from enjoying social events because I get irritated when it is only appropriate to drink a glass of wine or two. I can't wait to get through, so I can head back back home where the amount I choose to drink isn't contrary to the protocol of the situation. It distracts me from being able to enjoy interesting conversations, and truly connecting with others. There have been more serious consequences caused by drinking, but they have luckily been few and far between. i.e. arrested for DUI, making an ass of myself in public, loss of peak job performance.
My wife is a light drinker, and thinks I drink too much, but I haven't let her influence the amount I choose to drink, because I want to be the one to make that determination.
I am stubborn. With the "beast" technique, it was easy for me to not pour a drink last night. First time that has happened in over a year. By simply imagining that some external force was making me do it, I was able to be more stubborn than it was, and was very satisfied when I went to bed that the beast didn't win.
I haven't read the RR book, but plan to order it. I just read this very thread from the beginning, and was well enough equipped to not drink for one night. I plan to do the same thing tonight.
Thanks for all of your participation on the thread, because through this dialouge I learned enough to do something that I thought nearly impossible just days ago.