Need a fucking drink... I won't, but just fuck you know?

I was just about to bump this thread. Really.
Be strong, Griff.

Don't say 'need', say 'want'.

I bet there are a lot of things you want.

How are we all going? How do we get through the "festive" season?

I'm getting more comfortable with not drinking at social gatherings. My real issue is avoiding booze when I'm stressed out. In an odd flip, my avoidance of religion has made it much easier to remain sober. I don't have some organization's concept of God judging my actions and beliefs. Life is a lot easier when you are not trying to force your mind to believe things which are obvious bullshit left-over from medieval control freaks derived from desert dwelling insanity. ymmv but mine is pretty good.

"Medieval control freaks" is a pretty good description.

I go to AA about once a week. It's all I can handle. If I go too much I just get pissed off and I'm pretty sure that's not the intent of the meetings.

I try to remember that "some are sicker than others" and to shut my ears to some of the nonsense. Just b/c it works for one person doesn't mean it will work for another.

I am taking steps to reduce my time with my mother. For some reason her anxiety triggers my anxiety and she is a Very Anxious Person.

Wow! ding ding ding. We're in the same boat on this one. I'll row over here, you take that side.

Anytime I want a drink, I just remind myself of what the hangovers felt like. So far, so good.

9 years, 2 months, and 19 days.

Still, after a round like I just had with my D16, I think of de-stressing with alcohol. Grrr.

34 days.

Good for you BB... has it helped with the vision at all?

I didn't realise there were so many wagoners here. Hmmmm...

It is remarkable unless its different in the general population than we're assuming.

Yeah maybe. I don't know if it's much of a thing over here though, or maybe not as much as it is in the US and maybe UK.

People sometimes 'go easy' for a while, meaning they're planning on not drinking too much for a while, or they might give up completely, but I don't think there's as many AA meetings here. Particularly not in Qld.

I dunno. Maybe it's different down south. We're a bit less organised about stuff like that up here maybe. I actually don't think I know a single person IRL who's been to an AA meeting. I know plenty who probably should, or might benefit from it though.

I used to "go easy" on the booze to "prove" it wasn't a problem, but I finally decided to stop. I'm not in AA, I don't think it would be helpful for me as a recovering Catholic. I'm better with taking control rather than giving up control. Being out of control was the issue as I see it.

Yeah, I see what you mean.

Sometimes I wonder if I should give up booze, but I don't drink all the time and I don't use it as a crutch, although there have been times in my life that I have. I guess I just wonder when you know you need to give up, and what's the difference between that and thinking it'd be better for your health (useless calories etc) to do so, and if you do give up then, is there some kind of mind set you need to stop yourself from boozing again, or is it even necessary?

How do you know when it's a problem and when you're mostly just a social drinker?