I have an anonyquestion for everyone reading this:

How much is too much drinking?

Have you ever worried about your own bouze habits? What did you do?

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How long is a piece of string? I think, personally, that it's not the amount or frequency but how it is affecting your life. Does you lie to cover up the fact you've been drinking or hungover and not able to work / function? Does drinking make you happy? It's all relative and I think those 'tick these boxes to find out if you have a problem' are tricky.

Ultimately, if you think you have a problem, there are places to get help. I may 'go public' and offer my advice with the support I've received.

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ack not only did I post too early but I didn't anonymise. Meep. well, there I go, it was probably a Freudian slip. Anonymous, if you know me, send me an email if you want to chat more.

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man, I just cant' stop now! Anon - if you don't know me, ask Steve for my email.

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(sorry, attempted to delete yr non-anon at the same time you were posting. can either remove both or leave as you wish dearest :))

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I think...I shall keep it. Why not. Maybe I can help someone? I do have lots of practical advice on what is available to help people.

(mind, I'm still a wee bit eek!)

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i worry about mine a bit, especially recently when i've been thinking not right things after 5 or 6 pints, but beer is so lovely.

also i will rarely have more than two glasses of wine at home, it's always social for me.

i reckon i drink more than the guidelines every week, probably about 40-50 "units" a week at a guess...

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What do you mean by 'not right things'?

I used to be able to drink 5 or 6 pints when I was out and feel pretty normal (at the time and afterwards). These days if I have 3 I feel pretty sick the next day. I think it's my body's way of telling me to calm down.

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well beer is a depressant innit.

not AWFUL things, just things that perhaps i don't normally want to think about, relationship stuff.

i usually feel ok after 5-6 which is half the problem i think...

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I get that. I get really happy and then I pass some invisible line and suddenly feel really sad and lonely and awful. It drowns out all the fun beforehand.

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it's not quite that with me. i can still appreciate the fun bits but i kind of know when i have to leave too.

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yeah - the confusing thing about alcohol is that it IS a depressant, but quite often the first few perk you up a CHARM and help with The Social and general Feel Good-ness.

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If it's affecting your health, your relationships or your work, it's probably a good sign that it's time to cut down. If it's stopped being fun, yet you still do it, it's definitely time to stop.

When I was worried about it, I went to the doctor. She told me I wasn't going to die just yet, but that things were likely to keep getting worse if I didn't cut down. So I did. And, well, I'm lot healthier now. Not sure if I'm happier, exactly, but I'm happier than I would have been if I'd carried on at the rate I was going.

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