Limit My Drinking

[malcoml]

Well I have been living in Thailand for a few years now and initially I didn't even touch a drink.

Back in my home country it was easy. I would occasionally go out for a big one on a Saturday with friends so it never really affected me.

Moved to Pattaya and progressively things have gotten worse.

I still want to drink but I need to be able to do it in moderation. Even to have ten beers at the local two times a week would be ok for me. I would be happy to spend 10,000 a month on booze.

Instead what is happening now is that I would be spending 120,000 plus in bars each month. Being drunk like this also leads me to doing other antisocial behaviour such as spending nights with bar girls, unprotected sex, crashing the motorcycle, and on the odd occasion fighting.

My only saving grace is that I work away so for instance now I'm away for a month and will not touch a drop. But sure as anything on my first night back I will be off may face with a girl under my arm helping me spend my money.

It is realistic to say I ahve spent 1,000,000 million baht on booze and other antisocial activities this year.

It would be nice to bring that figure down to 100,000.

Any ideas?

[StreetCowboy]

Stop drinking sensibly - that's a lot easier than stopping the benders.

Find something else to do; you'll get nowhere sitting around "not drinking" - that lasts until about 11 pm, and then its off to the races, if my experience is anything to go by.

Don't drink from January to November, and you might make the 100,000 target...

Arrange the girls in advance and miss out the drinking. At least that way you know who you're going to wake up with and there are fewer nasty surprises in the morning. Do something different with the girls (No! I mean like go to the pictures, or something, instead of getting drunk in the pub).

SC

[needforspeed]

I had some problems myself few months ago.

I am in the same position, 1 month no alcohol but wen going back home together with some relational problems i went mental.

And started severe alcohol abuse.

First of all Pattaya is a very difficult place to stop/ reduce alcohol consumption.

I strongly suggest to contact AA, and just attend their meeting.

All the best,

[Beechboy]

So many of us have been there that there are a multitude of answers.

I realised to my self that the cost of it all wasn't just down to the cost of the drink I was consuming, but more the cost of the consequences of being pissed.

I spend it, give it away, lose it and get into money-eating situations without fail.

I make costly decisions in my life, including once driving whilst full of the stuff and getting caught (in UK.) Boy did that cost!

I have also come to the decision that I do not want to exist without booze, so my compromise is enforced lay-offs for the occasional month. I then start again reasonably slowly, but inevitably build up.

Just stopping is not easy for me. I have severe withdrawal symtoms (panic, nervousness, insomnia) and need librium to help.

I also take antabuse (disulferam,) to assist my resolve because the reaction of this to alcohol is so horrendous that a drink is out of the question. Google it.

Sad, but true.

http://alcoholism.ab.../a/antabuse.htm

Edited November 19, 2011 by Beechboy

[Johnny99]

Here is some meeting info for AA in Pattaya and a couple of phone numbers. http://www.aathailand.org/schedpatybreakfast.html

AA has helped many to get their lives together. Good Luck.

[ydraw]

Find a hobby that doesn't involve drinking.

Boredom is your greatest enemy.

[Sheryl]

Several unconstructive replies have been deleted.

This is forum to support people with drinking problems. If you don't have anything helpful to say, please don't post.

[ding]

Your tale is a very familiar one. You're not alone at all.

I had a different pattern - there are many. I once white knuckled it for 1 1/2 months and claimed it was 2 months... which "proved" I didn't have a problem.

Doesn't matter much if we are maintenance drinkers, binge drinkers, drunk all day, or on the lips at night - a problem drinker is a problem drinker.

I'm an alcoholic and go to AA. It works for me when nothing else I tried ever did. You're fortunate that you're able to be this self-honest and identify very risky behaviors. It's not too late and it seems to me that you are definitely worth a salvage operation!

[StreetCowboy]

How's it going, Malcolm?

I hope all is well

SC

[metisdead]

A post with formatting issues as well as use of profanity has been removed.

[malcoml]

Starting to get on top of it.

I was away for a month but as expected was off my face within hours of arriving back. Sucking down about 12 beers on th eplane ride home then a six pack of Chang in the taxi from BKK to Pattaya. Woke up in a cheap hotel room near Walking Street.

Since then I seem to be hitting it extremely hard once or twice a week but funny enough I have managed to curb my nights down a bit and even have been coming home to my wife and child.

I'm finding four things are helping:

1) I look at the money in my wallet before I go out to spend it. Then buy something I like with it as the reward for not spending it on booze. The other day I felt like a drink but rather bought myself a Black Berry phone

2) I spend a lot more time with my son. I wont drink full stop when I'm with him so this has helped me.

3) I avoid people who I know are drinkers or make a point of visiting them in the morning rather than late in the afternoon as I have only even been a afternoo/night drinker.

4) I try to be in bed by 8:30 pm. This ensures that I wake up full of energy and keeps me away from bars when the most drinking is going on.

The body does feel a lot better when you wake up wothout booze in your system

[StreetCowboy]

Starting to get on top of it.

I was away for a month but as expected was off my face within hours of arriving back. Sucking down about 12 beers on th eplane ride home then a six pack of Chang in the taxi from BKK to Pattaya. Woke up in a cheap hotel room near Walking Street.

Since then I seem to be hitting it extremely hard once or twice a week but funny enough I have managed to curb my nights down a bit and even have been coming home to my wife and child.

I'm finding four things are helping:

1) I look at the money in my wallet before I go out to spend it. Then buy something I like with it as the reward for not spending it on booze. The other day I felt like a drink but rather bought myself a Black Berry phone

2) I spend a lot more time with my son. I wont drink full stop when I'm with him so this has helped me.

3) I avoid people who I know are drinkers or make a point of visiting them in the morning rather than late in the afternoon as I have only even been a afternoo/night drinker.

4) I try to be in bed by 8:30 pm. This ensures that I wake up full of energy and keeps me away from bars when the most drinking is going on.

The body does feel a lot better when you wake up wothout booze in your system

Glad to see you back.

Four good guidelines!

We are unfortunate that we are so well paid we can finance the 'big nights out' for so long...

The challenge for me is to remember when I have a thirst for the first pint that sensible drinking leads directly to insane drinking.

SC

[StreetCowboy]

Starting to get on top of it.

I was away for a month but as expected was off my face within hours of arriving back. Sucking down about 12 beers on th eplane ride home then a six pack of Chang in the taxi from BKK to Pattaya. Woke up in a cheap hotel room near Walking Street.

Since then I seem to be hitting it extremely hard once or twice a week but funny enough I have managed to curb my nights down a bit and even have been coming home to my wife and child.

I'm finding four things are helping:

1) I look at the money in my wallet before I go out to spend it. Then buy something I like with it as the reward for not spending it on booze. The other day I felt like a drink but rather bought myself a Black Berry phone

2) I spend a lot more time with my son. I wont drink full stop when I'm with him so this has helped me.

3) I avoid people who I know are drinkers or make a point of visiting them in the morning rather than late in the afternoon as I have only even been a afternoo/night drinker.

4) I try to be in bed by 8:30 pm. This ensures that I wake up full of energy and keeps me away from bars when the most drinking is going on.

The body does feel a lot better when you wake up wothout booze in your system

Glad to see you back.

Four good guidelines!

We are unfortunate that we are so well paid we can finance the 'big nights out' for so long...

The challenge for me is to remember when I have a thirst for the first pint that sensible drinking leads directly to insane drinking.

SC

[rucus7]

It sounds as if you no longer enjoy drinking. Because of lack of control complete abstinence works for me. I hope you get a handle on your drinking in the near future. Best of luck and Happy Holidays.

[StreetCowboy]

It sounds as if you no longer enjoy drinking. Because of lack of control complete abstinence works for me. I hope you get a handle on your drinking in the near future. Best of luck and Happy Holidays.

I agree - abstinence works fine for me, when I remember to abstain...

SC

[ding]

Starting to get on top of it.

I was away for a month but as expected was off my face within hours of arriving back. Sucking down about 12 beers on th eplane ride home then a six pack of Chang in the taxi from BKK to Pattaya. Woke up in a cheap hotel room near Walking Street.

Since then I seem to be hitting it extremely hard once or twice a week but funny enough I have managed to curb my nights down a bit and even have been coming home to my wife and child.

I'm finding four things are helping:

1) I look at the money in my wallet before I go out to spend it. Then buy something I like with it as the reward for not spending it on booze. The other day I felt like a drink but rather bought myself a Black Berry phone

2) I spend a lot more time with my son. I wont drink full stop when I'm with him so this has helped me.

3) I avoid people who I know are drinkers or make a point of visiting them in the morning rather than late in the afternoon as I have only even been a afternoo/night drinker.

4) I try to be in bed by 8:30 pm. This ensures that I wake up full of energy and keeps me away from bars when the most drinking is going on.

The body does feel a lot better when you wake up wothout booze in your system

As long as you didn't come-to with a Mike Tyson tattoo on your face, all systems are go. Glad you're alright.

[bangkokburning]

Move out of Pattaya, nearer your job. Guarantee if you leave Pattaya, most problems will follow.

Learn some Thai and try to start mixing with better wo/men (get an HIV test!)

Take trips to places like national parks and such where you might meet people not consumed with drink -but fun and nature.

Take holidays and go somewhere and do something constructive

Get cable/sat TV to kill some evening time

Take up an active hobby - I bet you have no activities in your life.

Read

Podcasts

Meet a nice companion.

[GrahamF]

Hey Malcom, how are you doing these days? Hope things are going well!

[chops]

I'd imagine you aren't the fittest guy in town either.

I worry too much about getting fat so that limits my intake.

[malcoml]

Hello I hope everyone is well.

Yeah after staying off it for a while and cutting the intake down it is funny how your body starts to reject alcohol. I guess like an ex smoker hates the smell of smoke.

I have a strict rule now on only drinking beer and it is funny after four beers my body tells me no more. If I'm drinkng spirits that will be a different story.

You start to understand that your friends at the bar are not real friends, bar owners are not as quick to chat to you, people there quickly forget your name, and bar girls stop greeting you when you arrive.

I have also now introduced a plan that allows me to go away on a holiday 3 times a year only on the condition I have saved this money from money that would normally be used on alcohol. I can drink on this holiday so it is sort of like a treat but as I have not been drinking for so long my body is totalled for two days and then I just need to stay off it. Alcohol is such a waste of money!

I'm fast approaching a holiday season so keen to get some activities in order and set some goals.

I'm cycling quite a bit now and going to the gym. I'm also going to enrol into a Thai Language course and have set the target of being able to write their alphabet by end of 10 week holiday. I would be happy if anyone can recomment a Tae Kwon Do school in Pattaya as I was right into this 15-20 years ago and would be interested if anyone knows of a Kendo (Japanese sword fighting school). That should keep me going over my break period.

Mal

[GrahamF]

Malcolm, it's good to hear that you're doing well. Sounds like as you've cut back on the booze that you're enjoying life more. Funny how that works. Good for you and please keep us updated on how things are going.

[scorpio]

Hi malcolm,

im the same mate, in uk i drank only weekends with the lafs, in pattaya i drink every day all day and all night, boredom and the temptatipn of seeing bars and girls is my biggest enemie, im in uk at moment working offshore and that saves me from drinking for avfew weeks on end. I am just out of the gym and feel great this morning.

im planning on going to live on pattaya in the next year or so as ive a house there and im hoping to get into muay thai boxing now in uk then chase it up in pattaya to keep my mind off booze.

its hard.

good luck chum.

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[malcoml]

Yeah try to avoid Pattaya as I have had a real bad week this week.

[malcoml]

Another bad night 15 thousand baht and unprotected sex in a cheap hotel off Walking Street

[GrahamF]

Another bad night 15 thousand baht and unprotected sex in a cheap hotel off Walking Street

Maybe it might be time to have a go at stopping completely? It sounds like moderation isn't working that well, once you start it sounds like you don't stop. There are alot of options out there to help you.

Best of luck!

[StreetCowboy]

Another bad night 15 thousand baht and unprotected sex in a cheap hotel off Walking Street

Maybe it might be time to have a go at stopping completely? It sounds like moderation isn't working that well, once you start it sounds like you don't stop. There are alot of options out there to help you.

Best of luck!

Maybe soon, anyway...