Sometimes when someone announces they are stopping drinking, it creates fear in others.
They might fear things will change for the worst.
They might fear they will loose their drinking buddy.
It might also lad them to question there own drinking habits or draw attention to how much they consume.
I know when I stopped drinking, friends and family would say 'what about my 40th birthday?', what about when we go holiday there?' or 'what about christmas?'
It used to bother me thinking up an excuse.
Then I got used to saying that I would cross that bridge when I came to it and I would wait and see.
That was usually enough to stop further questions.
I also saw it as my own private battle.
It was my own business and I would share it with who I wanted to.
I made no sweeping statements about never drinking again. No big announcements about having a drink problem. I just worked at it using my own way. That way was here and a bit of AA.
I made lots of observations when I stopped.
At parties not everyone drank like me. Some people had 1 or 2 drinks, then stopped. Some people actually left a bit of drink, that I could not believe.
I also realised that after the crowd you are with were 2 or 3 drinks in, no-one cares if your not drinking.
No-one really see's if you creep off to bed either as drunk people when you are sober can be the most irritating company ever.
For me, I didn't like the labels and the definitions.
Did it matter if I was an alcoholic, a binge drinker, a blackout drinker or an abuser of alcohol?
At the end of the day, drink made me unhappy and that was reason enough for me to stop.
I hope you stick around here.
I wish you the best xx