Day 1

OK, so over the weekend I decided to give up drinking and this blog is partially some self-support for me to write down how I am feeling and partially for others if they wish to read it.

I have known I have had an issue with drinking for maybe 2-3 years. I am 24 years old. I originally started drinking when I was about 19 and my then boyfriend hated the fact that I smoked cannabis. I gave up the cannabis and started drinking instead.

When we broke up about two years later I was drinking a minimum of 1 bottle of wine per night. Nowadays I can easily do two bottles with a couple of cans of beer thrown in for good measure. My weight has increased quite dramatically over the last year. I kept a drink diary for just over a month and was consuming on average over 8000 calories per week just through alcohol.

There are a few reasons why I have decided to give up drinking:-

• I'm scared if I don't stop now it will make me very ill in the future
• I don't want to be known as the "one who always get's smashed" out of all my friends
• Financially my habit costs me about £200- £300 a month (this includes going out with friends or staying in with my wine).
• I want to be healthy and maintain a healthy body weight.

So this is Day 1.

I'd say the hardest part of the day is going to be doing the drive from my office to my house without stopping at my usual off license and picking up some wine. I'm also scared that I am not going to be able to sleep very well as most nights I'll go to bed quite drunk and generally pass out after a couple of minutes.

I have read two books regarding early recovery from alcoholism and one thing I have learnt is that I have to do this one day at a time. I am not going to drink today.

I will probably write on this blog a couple of times a week depending on how I feel. With Christmas coming up and the drinking that comes with it I want to be strong and make this my first "sober" christmas.

Goodbye for today!