BoSox1

What's everyone's take on drinking only on weekends? Once I start drinking, I tend to get carried away, so it really has to be a "drinking night" or non drinking night. I know it's a problem that I can't really have one or two. I can if it's a social situation that would only call for 1 or 2 but I always crave more.
After many "experiments", I have learned that I have no problem not drinking mon-Friday and then drinking whatever I want on the weekend. Sometimes if I overdo it, I can be a little groggy and tired on Monday.
The reason I ask is because I do notice how towards the end of the week, on day 4 and 5, my mind is much clearer and I have a lot more energy. I guess I how through a mini-withdrawal on Sun and Mon? I would love that energy and positivity on the weekend too so it would make good sense to stop entirely, I just wonder if it would be better to keep it to those two days and still get to enjoy drinking. I know this is a decision that only I can make but I'd love everyone's opinion.

PurpleKnight

For me I got to the stage that I needed to accept that the 1st drink would always lead to a binge, so I needed to cut out the 1st drink, in other words Sobriety!!

I also needed to accept that a period of abstinence doesn't in some way cure or fix me, I will still drink until I am drunk.

Since cutting out that 1st drink, life has been looking up!!

LadyinBC

Yeah this wouldn't work for me. The more I tried to moderate when I drank, the more I did drink.

I am either all in or all out. There is no inbetween for me. Like PurpleKnight, I drink to get drunk and then stay drunk.

trachemys

Binge drinking is the worst kind of drinking. It's where most people start an all-week problem. It's already affecting you days into the week. That means you have two out of seven days when you aren't under the influence of alcohol. And I'd wager you're thinking about drinking then. Responsible, moderate drinkers that have no alcohol problems have none, one, or two and that's it.

Kevin78

I try weekend drinking every other weekend. It leads to 4 or 5 days, then about 1 week to recover from withdrawing. I need to cut out that 1st drink altogether, Doesn't work for me.

Anna

If, as you said, once you start drinking, you get carried away, that's a big red flag. I hope you decide to stop drinking and get the positive energy you are looking for all the time.

Pondlady

It would feel good to have that energy and positivity all week long....and the good news is, you can

melki

Very recently I went through the stage of accepting that when I drink I binge and even scheduled times for it. Very quickly turned problematic too and I found it EXHAUSTING. For years I've tried ways to keep alcohol in my life and was very jealous of people who can drink in moderation. I was trying to have it all - after all, I have a good grasp on exercise, nutrition, and other areas of my life. I refused to accept that alcohol would be different. I am finally at the point of accepting full sobriety and pray I never change my mind again.

Best wishes on your journey, BoSox1. This forum is here for you when you need it; it's a wonderful source of information, support, and inspiration.

BoSox1

Thanks Everyone..some really good points..
Anna's post really makes it seem like such an easy decision. I feel like hearing that put so plainly really helps me realize the problem, and the simple solution.

melki

It really is that plain and simple. Then it's on to making the decision and working out how you'll deal with your triggers. I found the H.A.L.T. (hungry, angry, lonely, tired) concept helpful.

Waterfalls2014

That's how my drinking started and now 30 years later I'm a full blown alcoholic who lives day by day trying to get my life back. I hope you recognize the signs and do greater things with your time. Best wishes!

BoSox1

Thanks Melki...I need to read about Halt..I guess those are triggers to avoid? I think one of mine is Boredom.

melki

Here's one thread about HALT for you, but I'm sure there are many more...
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...7417-halt.html

melki

Not so much to avoid, but to have a plan how you're going to deal with them when they strike. When you have a craving, stop to think if you're either one of those and then deal with it according to your plan and what works for you, besides drinking.

Hevyn

Hi BoSox.

I once drank like that - just Fri. & Sat. I always had difficulty knowing when I'd had enough. Over time, the weekend drinks began to include Sunday. Waking up Monday all foggy led to a few on Monday night (hair of the dog). Fast forward a few years and I was drinking every day. If we have little or no control when it gets in our system, bad things will happen.

I'm glad you wanted to discuss this & I'm happy you're here.

Eddiebuckle

If only our tolerance for alcohol were static and never got higher. It wasn't that way for me, and though it took years, eventually I was drinking a fifth of vodka every night, 7 days a week.

DJSobriety

I echo what others have already said here: weekend binges were the first stage of my descent into alcoholism. It doesn't necessarily lead to that for everyone, but it's something to think about.

I posted in another thread that my doctor lectured me for bingeing and I pretty much blew him off. Eight years down the road, I was sitting in AA.

Good for you for coming to SR and recognizing a potential problem!

SoberHoopsFan

Binging can be a vicious cycle. I couldn't control it. My entire life became either binging or recovering from binges, it was an obsession. I never felt normal. I would swear off drinking every other binge, then 2-3 days later, be craving that drink like nothing had happened. Blackouts, ruined relationships, legal problems, mysterious bruises and injuries.... binge drinking continually led me there and I kept at it again and again and again (the definition of insanity). Did it for over a decade and the binges got longer and longer, and required more alcohol for me to even get "drunk" which really didn't even feel good any more. I was chasing a high that no longer even existed. I'm not saying you're there or that's where you are headed, but that's where it can lead for some. It's good you are taking a hard look at it now, hopefully you can avoid problems down the road that I didn't.