How to stop/ slow down?

[dennis123]

That wouldn't count as a slip, would it?

I don't have any intentions to stop drinking so there can be no slipping. I'm just a social drinker really, however sometimes I take it a little too far for too long, eg drinking two weeks non stop in a row.

I do want to limit that a bit, eg more balance in life, till now it was always working (for weeks) or drinking for weeks, there must be some middle road.

[fang37]

I have absolute confidence in you, Dennis.

You are definitely a social drinker. 5555

[dennis123]

I have absolute confidence in you, Dennis.

You are definitely a social drinker. 5555

Lots of social occasions in Pattaya

[fang37]

Dennis, I am curious.

It has been long time since you posted.

As before, a flurry of posts & then silence.

What happens during these silent times?

Pattaya - singing in the church choir?

[dennis123]

Dennis, I am curious.

It has been long time since you posted.

As before, a flurry of posts & then silence.

What happens during these silent times?

Pattaya - singing in the church choir?

Solely work, I got Stablon & Ritalin for two weeks and that highly motivated me to work so that's what I did non stop actually, didn't go out for two weeks.

Only two nights ago I went out and had a few beers, dr changed medication but I don't like it so scheduled a new appointment at 11am today to return the new medicines and get back solely on Stablon (no more Ritalin either), doesn't deal very well with anxiety but it does make me feel fit and motivated and that's what counts most for now as business ain't going so well. Also those new meds make me very tired, near impossible to reach an orgasm and in combination with Ritalin it makes me feel sad and awkward. Also read some stories about heavy withdrawal symptoms, not into that.

I know, not the answer you expected.

[This Thing of Darkness]

Many expats in Thailand are from working class stock and got a decent pension deal , got lucky with house prices and retired relatively early. Their life before was probably full with work and spare time in the Pub and having a few. Problem being hwne you take away Work and all the impositions on drinking in the western world , fellas have nothing to contain the urge to have a beer in Thailand. I knew a few who bough bars who died in their mid 50s, 1 very close friend topped himself. Its just the way we are brought up that has a can in your hand by 10am. You need a plan if you are going to stay longterm, not just rock up with Wedge and spunk it , need a reason to not drink really like work , Money and opening hours used to be

Edited October 20, 2015 by This Thing of Darkness

[dennis123]

Many expats in Thailand are from working class stock and got a decent pension deal , got lucky with house prices and retired relatively early. Their life before was probably full with work and spare time in the Pub and having a few. Problem being hwne you take away Work and all the impositions on drinking in the western world , fellas have nothing to contain the urge to have a beer in Thailand. I knew a few who bough bars who died in their mid 50s, 1 very close friend topped himself. Its just the way we are brought up that has a can in your hand by 10am. You need a plan if you are going to stay longterm, not just rock up with Wedge and spunk it , need a reason to not drink really like work , Money and opening hours used to be

Can't agree more, I would likely be in the same ship if I didn't have work to occupy myself.

[big carl]

Many expats in Thailand are from working class stock and got a decent pension deal , got lucky with house prices and retired relatively early. Their life before was probably full with work and spare time in the Pub and having a few. Problem being hwne you take away Work and all the impositions on drinking in the western world , fellas have nothing to contain the urge to have a beer in Thailand. I knew a few who bough bars who died in their mid 50s, 1 very close friend topped himself. Its just the way we are brought up that has a can in your hand by 10am. You need a plan if you are going to stay longterm, not just rock up with Wedge and spunk it , need a reason to not drink really like work , Money and opening hours used to be

Yes you are correct when you talk about drinking escalating when people retire. There is a certain percentage of drinkers who go from part time to full time drinking due to boredom and on into alcoholism where they no longer have a choice.

I come from a big city and was involved very much in AA. They had a hard time trying to help the elderly. Many of them had them selves in the corner where they could see nothing else in life than drinking. It is some thing hardily any people consider when they retire.

[fekman]

Try naltrexone (or Selincro) if you think you cannot cut down on your own. It does not make you vomit or get you sick. It takes that 6-8 months to work.

AA has been proven to have a success rate less than 10 percent. It is actually quite harmful for those who go back to drinking again and again. Each time they start drinking again after a dry period, they drink even more than before.

Today, there is no one size fits all. Some are blackout drunks, some are social drinkers drinking too much, some are periodical binge drinkers. For most cutting down to zero is just not realistic no matter what the AA guys say. Different treatments for different cases.

I'm sure that in the day when there was no alternative, AA was the only alternative. But as you say, you can't do a 'one size fits all' solution. I have known young alcis that were drinking 6 cans before they went to work (ex employee) and others that drank a pint of whiskey a day. In those days the breweries sent trucks around the building sites, one case of 8 litres per man was not uncommon. One of the healthiest guys I met was a schnapps distiller. He took a glass every morning before getting out of bed, and was tasting his produce several times a day. I'm not saying that this is sensible, but there are so many different kinds of alci, and there are so many different ways of attacking the problem.

I seem to have reached a plateau of 8 beers a day, not all consumed in one three hour evening binge. I'll stay where I am for the time being and see if I can reduce further.

No way will I be trying any chemical solution. This is between me and the demon alhocol.

When you say 8, do you mean big beers, or the 12oz cans? I say this because nearly every person I've met in Thailand, says things like "I just came out last night, had 4 beers and called it a night". When probed further, they all say "yeah, big Leos". Seems like the big beers is the standard size in conversation. BTW, the big beers are almost 2 small ones.

[fekman]

Try naltrexone (or Selincro) if you think you cannot cut down on your own. It does not make you vomit or get you sick. It takes that 6-8 months to work.

AA has been proven to have a success rate less than 10 percent. It is actually quite harmful for those who go back to drinking again and again. Each time they start drinking again after a dry period, they drink even more than before.

Today, there is no one size fits all. Some are blackout drunks, some are social drinkers drinking too much, some are periodical binge drinkers. For most cutting down to zero is just not realistic no matter what the AA guys say. Different treatments for different cases.

I'm sure that in the day when there was no alternative, AA was the only alternative. But as you say, you can't do a 'one size fits all' solution. I have known young alcis that were drinking 6 cans before they went to work (ex employee) and others that drank a pint of whiskey a day. In those days the breweries sent trucks around the building sites, one case of 8 litres per man was not uncommon. One of the healthiest guys I met was a schnapps distiller. He took a glass every morning before getting out of bed, and was tasting his produce several times a day. I'm not saying that this is sensible, but there are so many different kinds of alci, and there are so many different ways of attacking the problem.

I seem to have reached a plateau of 8 beers a day, not all consumed in one three hour evening binge. I'll stay where I am for the time being and see if I can reduce further.

No way will I be trying any chemical solution. This is between me and the demon alhocol.

When you say 8, do you mean big beers, or the 12oz cans? I say this because nearly every person I've met in Thailand, says things like "I just came out last night, had 4 beers and called it a night". When probed further, they all say "yeah, big Leos". Seems like the big beers is the standard size in conversation. BTW, the big beers are almost 2 small ones.

[cooked]

Try naltrexone (or Selincro) if you think you cannot cut down on your own. It does not make you vomit or get you sick. It takes that 6-8 months to work.

AA has been proven to have a success rate less than 10 percent. It is actually quite harmful for those who go back to drinking again and again. Each time they start drinking again after a dry period, they drink even more than before.

Today, there is no one size fits all. Some are blackout drunks, some are social drinkers drinking too much, some are periodical binge drinkers. For most cutting down to zero is just not realistic no matter what the AA guys say. Different treatments for different cases.

I'm sure that in the day when there was no alternative, AA was the only alternative. But as you say, you can't do a 'one size fits all' solution. I have known young alcis that were drinking 6 cans before they went to work (ex employee) and others that drank a pint of whiskey a day. In those days the breweries sent trucks around the building sites, one case of 8 litres per man was not uncommon. One of the healthiest guys I met was a schnapps distiller. He took a glass every morning before getting out of bed, and was tasting his produce several times a day. I'm not saying that this is sensible, but there are so many different kinds of alci, and there are so many different ways of attacking the problem.

I seem to have reached a plateau of 8 beers a day, not all consumed in one three hour evening binge. I'll stay where I am for the time being and see if I can reduce further.

No way will I be trying any chemical solution. This is between me and the demon alhocol.

When you say 8, do you mean big beers, or the 12oz cans? I say this because nearly every person I've met in Thailand, says things like "I just came out last night, had 4 beers and called it a night". When probed further, they all say "yeah, big Leos". Seems like the big beers is the standard size in conversation. BTW, the big beers are almost 2 small ones.

Dunno, just the small cans of 320 ml. Ounces? Didnt they use them in the middle ages?

[fang37]

For the alcoholic, slowing down is not an option.

Total abstinence is the ONLY route.

[fang37]

It is a sad situation when one is unaware or denies the effect that alcohol has on some peoples' lives.

A great remover of people & a slow/lonely death.

[cooked]

It is a sad situation when one is unaware or denies the effect that alcohol has on some peoples' lives.

A great remover of people & a slow/lonely death.

Well what a nice attitude. Since I am the OP you may care to read that there was no denial of what is going on in my life. Go and start a thread just for yourself. I am doing a lot better than I was when I started on my efforts to slow down but not thanks to people like you.

[fang37]

Thank you for your compliment, cooked.

Will we see you in 6 months time (@ the lunatic asylum)?

[cooked]

Thank you for your compliment, cooked.

Will we see you in 6 months time (@ the lunatic asylum)?

...meaning that you will be there before me?

Sorry I hurt your feelings you .sanctimonious >deleted.<

[big carl]

It is a sad situation when one is unaware or denies the effect that alcohol has on some peoples' lives.

A great remover of people & a slow/lonely death.

Well what a nice attitude. Since I am the OP you may care to read that there was no denial of what is going on in my life. Go and start a thread just for yourself. I am doing a lot better than I was when I started on my efforts to slow down but not thanks to people like you.

None of my business. I am glad to hear things are getting better for you. I take that to mean you are feeling better. You defiantly have good sense to want to quit because of the driving with others in the car. Many of us never cared about things like that. There was one item there that I could defiantly relate to. You didn't care about your self just others. I would like to inform you that you to are worth not getting hurt in accidents.

I was just wondering if you have a definite target to hit.

I just reread your OP and was wondering how you feel as compared to when you first posted.

[shaggy851]

Admitting your problem and writing it down, and asking for help good first step. I know there are meth treatment places here surely theres something similar for alcohol. I think you need to go somewhere it sounds as though youre alcohol dependant, not just enjoying beer.

[pedro01]

Here's a simple way to slow down.

1 - Go to the local hospital

2 - Get a full blood test with liver & kidney function

3 - Throw in an EKG

4 - Go sit with the doctor and work through the results with him/her

Should work a treat.

What you are doing is wreaking havoc on your body.

[pedro01]

Admitting your problem and writing it down, and asking for help good first step. I know there are meth treatment places here surely theres something similar for alcohol. I think you need to go somewhere it sounds as though youre alcohol dependant, not just enjoying beer.

Agreed....

He's living his life by the bottle.

Wakes up, checks his watch, keeps checking till 11am.

Then has a beer, once completed - he's watching the clock again till he can have a next one.

He's not drinking the beer - the beer is drinking him.

The crux of it is - whilst he has cut down, he's always got his mind on the next drink. At that point, it's time for a break from the booze.

[pedro01]

I see many supportive comments, some think that cutting down is a good idea ( I'm sure I can do that) and some tell me it won't work, I have to give up completely. The only thing I'm sure of is that what works for one person may not work for another. It's a start anyway.

What I object to: I wrote that one day (as in one) I drank a whole pack of 24 cans. People just jump to that and assume that I am drinking a pack a days since 30 years. I haven't.

Secondly I am told to get a hobby or go to the gym (by two people). Damn it, as I have written before, and obviously these people haven't bothered to read, the nearest gym must be 25 Km away and I don't have time for 'hobbies' as I work around the house, garden and farm at least 6 hours a day. I don't need the stress and strain on joints already attacked by years of hard physical labour by sitting in a stupid rowing machine or something. Work is my hobby,

Anyway, two people suggested I keep a diary, I am doing that and will let you know after a month.

I think you need to take a month off, initially. That or use the Sinclair method that has been mentioned earlier.

The month off will be fairly difficult at first but you will find that at the end of a month your tolerance for alcohol will be reduced. You will also find that at the end of the month, you have much less desire for alcohol.

You do currently have a physical addiction to alcohol. Like all addictions, it takes a different amount of time to break the habit depending on the person and the substance. With coffee - it takes 4-5 days. With smoking it can take 6 months+ - but you do currently have a physical addiction to alcohol.

Right now you have a little monkey on your back that is whispering in your ear saying "you want a drink". There's no real difference between the "want a drink" feeling and the "hungry" feeling. Both come from the "limbic system" or the unconscious part of your brain that deals with things like hungry, scared, intuition and addiction....

I gave up drinking for a year - but I did go back to social drinking. My issue was after work drinking. Every day at 4pm, the idea of a drink would pop into my head. I would not think of it before 4PM, it would pop into my head than and I would usually polish off 4.5 liters of Heineken every weekday night and more at weekends.

it takes time to get that monkey to &lt;deleted&gt;. It's your fault you got to this point and you really do have to just take it on the chin and do what it takes. To reset your drinking habits, you need to deal with both the unconscious mind and the conscious you that wrote the initial post.

[pedro01]

Maybe you should try to find out if you are an alcoholic stop drink 1 week. if you are there are no way of slowing down.if at the other hand you are ready to admit to yourself you are an alcoholic..

go to an AA meeting... I have been sober now for 24 years.. and sobriety deliver all alkohol promise you.;o) for me it was my best friend until it became my worst enemy... but alcoholism

is on the other hand the only disease where your brain tells you .. there is nothing wrong with me...My Dad died at the age of 46, i have lost a lot of friends in my 24 years of recovery

and as they say in Thailand.. its up to you....i smoke cigarettes and there is no slow down for me there either... its all or nothing... i quit 4 month.. came to Thailand in 2010 to stay,, just needed

a drag of a cigarette, and was back at 40 a day in a matter of no time.. the same will happens if i pick up a drink... one is too many 1000 to little.... good luck

Alcoholism is NOT a disease.

Nicotinism is NOT a disease.

Heroinism is NOT a disease.

Overeatingism is NOT a disease.

It's an addiction. It is the substance that creates the addiction. Alcohol is no different from any other addiction. You can get to the other side of it, be cured. It is not a disease despite what 2 guys in 1933 made up when they founded AA.

[Sawan Chan 7]

Maybe you should try to find out if you are an alcoholic stop drink 1 week. if you are there are no way of slowing down.if at the other hand you are ready to admit to yourself you are an alcoholic..

go to an AA meeting... I have been sober now for 24 years.. and sobriety deliver all alkohol promise you.;o) for me it was my best friend until it became my worst enemy... but alcoholism

is on the other hand the only disease where your brain tells you .. there is nothing wrong with me...My Dad died at the age of 46, i have lost a lot of friends in my 24 years of recovery

and as they say in Thailand.. its up to you....i smoke cigarettes and there is no slow down for me there either... its all or nothing... i quit 4 month.. came to Thailand in 2010 to stay,, just needed

a drag of a cigarette, and was back at 40 a day in a matter of no time.. the same will happens if i pick up a drink... one is too many 1000 to little.... good luck

Alcoholism is NOT a disease.

It's an addiction. It is the substance that creates the addiction. Alcohol is no different from any other addiction. You can get to the other side of it, be cured. It is not a disease despite what 2 guys in 1933 made up when they founded AA.

I don't know your sick motives but it is highly inappropriate to say "Alcoholism is NOT a disease." when it is.

Just to name a few professionals that say it is a disease - The American Medical Association, The World Health Organization, American Psychiatric Association, the American Hospital Association, the American Public Health Association, the National Association of Social Workers, the American College of Physicians , Joint Committee of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

Now most of these are doctors specializing in alcoholism/alcohol abuse. Are you a doctor? If not please keep your stupid ideas to yourself.

[Johnniey]

Maybe you should try to find out if you are an alcoholic stop drink 1 week. if you are there are no way of slowing down.if at the other hand you are ready to admit to yourself you are an alcoholic..

go to an AA meeting... I have been sober now for 24 years.. and sobriety deliver all alkohol promise you.;o) for me it was my best friend until it became my worst enemy... but alcoholism

is on the other hand the only disease where your brain tells you .. there is nothing wrong with me...My Dad died at the age of 46, i have lost a lot of friends in my 24 years of recovery

and as they say in Thailand.. its up to you....i smoke cigarettes and there is no slow down for me there either... its all or nothing... i quit 4 month.. came to Thailand in 2010 to stay,, just needed

a drag of a cigarette, and was back at 40 a day in a matter of no time.. the same will happens if i pick up a drink... one is too many 1000 to little.... good luck

Alcoholism is NOT a disease.

It's an addiction. It is the substance that creates the addiction. Alcohol is no different from any other addiction. You can get to the other side of it, be cured. It is not a disease despite what 2 guys in 1933 made up when they founded AA.

I don't know your sick motives but it is highly inappropriate to say "Alcoholism is NOT a disease." when it is.

Just to name a few professionals that say it is a disease - The American Medical Association, The World Health Organization, American Psychiatric Association, the American Hospital Association, the American Public Health Association, the National Association of Social Workers, the American College of Physicians , Joint Committee of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

Now most of these are doctors specializing in alcoholism/alcohol abuse. Are you a doctor? If not please keep your stupid ideas to yourself.

I'd love to hear his reply to this!

[big carl]

It is a sad situation when one is unaware or denies the effect that alcohol has on some peoples' lives.

A great remover of people & a slow/lonely death.

I had a friend who was sober for 27 years he picked up a drink and worked his way intothe hospital wearing diapers when he died. It is not a pretty thing.

[big carl]

Maybe you should try to find out if you are an alcoholic stop drink 1 week. if you are there are no way of slowing down.if at the other hand you are ready to admit to yourself you are an alcoholic..

go to an AA meeting... I have been sober now for 24 years.. and sobriety deliver all alkohol promise you.;o) for me it was my best friend until it became my worst enemy... but alcoholism

is on the other hand the only disease where your brain tells you .. there is nothing wrong with me...My Dad died at the age of 46, i have lost a lot of friends in my 24 years of recovery

and as they say in Thailand.. its up to you....i smoke cigarettes and there is no slow down for me there either... its all or nothing... i quit 4 month.. came to Thailand in 2010 to stay,, just needed

a drag of a cigarette, and was back at 40 a day in a matter of no time.. the same will happens if i pick up a drink... one is too many 1000 to little.... good luck

Alcoholism is NOT a disease.

It's an addiction. It is the substance that creates the addiction. Alcohol is no different from any other addiction. You can get to the other side of it, be cured. It is not a disease despite what 2 guys in 1933 made up when they founded AA.

I don't know your sick motives but it is highly inappropriate to say "Alcoholism is NOT a disease." when it is.

Just to name a few professionals that say it is a disease - The American Medical Association, The World Health Organization, American Psychiatric Association, the American Hospital Association, the American Public Health Association, the National Association of Social Workers, the American College of Physicians , Joint Committee of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

Now most of these are doctors specializing in alcoholism/alcohol abuse. Are you a doctor? If not please keep your stupid ideas to yourself.

I'd love to hear his reply to this!

He has none. He knows it is not a disease because his bartender told him.

Alcoholism is also a disease of denial. Some go to great lengths even die to prove it isn't.

[pedro01]

Maybe you should try to find out if you are an alcoholic stop drink 1 week. if you are there are no way of slowing down.if at the other hand you are ready to admit to yourself you are an alcoholic..

go to an AA meeting... I have been sober now for 24 years.. and sobriety deliver all alkohol promise you.;o) for me it was my best friend until it became my worst enemy... but alcoholism

is on the other hand the only disease where your brain tells you .. there is nothing wrong with me...My Dad died at the age of 46, i have lost a lot of friends in my 24 years of recovery

and as they say in Thailand.. its up to you....i smoke cigarettes and there is no slow down for me there either... its all or nothing... i quit 4 month.. came to Thailand in 2010 to stay,, just needed

a drag of a cigarette, and was back at 40 a day in a matter of no time.. the same will happens if i pick up a drink... one is too many 1000 to little.... good luck

Alcoholism is NOT a disease.

It's an addiction. It is the substance that creates the addiction. Alcohol is no different from any other addiction. You can get to the other side of it, be cured. It is not a disease despite what 2 guys in 1933 made up when they founded AA.

I don't know your sick motives but it is highly inappropriate to say "Alcoholism is NOT a disease." when it is.

Just to name a few professionals that say it is a disease - The American Medical Association, The World Health Organization, American Psychiatric Association, the American Hospital Association, the American Public Health Association, the National Association of Social Workers, the American College of Physicians , Joint Committee of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

Now most of these are doctors specializing in alcoholism/alcohol abuse. Are you a doctor? If not please keep your stupid ideas to yourself.

There is nothing different about alcoholics and 'normal drinkers'.

Anyone can become physically addicted to alcohol, absolutely anybody. Of course, it is a fatal addiction - but it is just that, a physc

First source I looked at - World Health Organization does NOT define alcoholism as a disease.

http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/39461/1/9241544686_eng.pdf

So - I think the onus is on Sawan to prove it is a disease as he has already mis-quoted the WHO.

As for my 'sick motives' - I am actually looking out for the 95% of people that don't make it past 3 months of AA. I can assure you, telling an addict it's not their fault is not in the least helpful.

[big carl]

Maybe you should try to find out if you are an alcoholic stop drink 1 week. if you are there are no way of slowing down.if at the other hand you are ready to admit to yourself you are an alcoholic..

go to an AA meeting... I have been sober now for 24 years.. and sobriety deliver all alkohol promise you.;o) for me it was my best friend until it became my worst enemy... but alcoholism

is on the other hand the only disease where your brain tells you .. there is nothing wrong with me...My Dad died at the age of 46, i have lost a lot of friends in my 24 years of recovery

and as they say in Thailand.. its up to you....i smoke cigarettes and there is no slow down for me there either... its all or nothing... i quit 4 month.. came to Thailand in 2010 to stay,, just needed

a drag of a cigarette, and was back at 40 a day in a matter of no time.. the same will happens if i pick up a drink... one is too many 1000 to little.... good luck

Alcoholism is NOT a disease.

It's an addiction. It is the substance that creates the addiction. Alcohol is no different from any other addiction. You can get to the other side of it, be cured. It is not a disease despite what 2 guys in 1933 made up when they founded AA.

I don't know your sick motives but it is highly inappropriate to say "Alcoholism is NOT a disease." when it is.

Just to name a few professionals that say it is a disease - The American Medical Association, The World Health Organization, American Psychiatric Association, the American Hospital Association, the American Public Health Association, the National Association of Social Workers, the American College of Physicians , Joint Committee of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

Now most of these are doctors specializing in alcoholism/alcohol abuse. Are you a doctor? If not please keep your stupid ideas to yourself.

There is nothing different about alcoholics and 'normal drinkers'.

Anyone can become physically addicted to alcohol, absolutely anybody. Of course, it is a fatal addiction - but it is just that, a physc

First source I looked at - World Health Organization does NOT define alcoholism as a disease.

http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/39461/1/9241544686_eng.pdf

So - I think the onus is on Sawan to prove it is a disease as he has already mis-quoted the WHO.

As for my 'sick motives' - I am actually looking out for the 95% of people that don't make it past 3 months of AA. I can assure you, telling an addict it's not their fault is not in the least helpful.

As we say some of us are born with addictive personalities. Some of us pursued them some didn't and some were not born with them. You were.

Try reading the posts that don't agree with your wannabe reality. One of them named a whole list of organizations that say it is a disease.

Like I say we may not be responsible for having it but we are responsible for stopping the using part of it.

I would guess rather than do some thing about it in the three months you were there you chose to try to get out of being an alcoholic with predictable results you fell flat on your face.

No problem many of us have done the same thing I knew people back home who had done it for over ten years before they finally threw the towel in and did some thing about it. They were the lucky ones. Most of therm that tried to last that long wound up dead before they got there.

[Caprelo]

For anyway who is battling with their drinking I will be happy to let you know exactly how I stopped. LINE ID: aa.bangkok

is the drink costing you more then money?

[Loeilad]

A huge percentage of the farang I know in Thailand are alcoholics........one way or another their life is dominated by booze.

It seems to me their problem is a result of their lie history.

until moving to Thailand, most of these people has jobs that kept them pout of circulation for long periods of time and then allowed then a long break.

e.g. oil worker, construction civil engineering, the military etc.

They worked hard for long periods and then played hard - sadly playing hard usually just consisted of bing drinking and the associated "partying".

when they settle in Thailand they don't work or work less and their leisure time increases exponentially.....so they just do what they used to do...only now it's full-time. Within months they are drinking too much.

So the crux is really boredom and looking for something to do - alcohol passes the time.

The solution is they need something to do....i.e. an interest or a project that doesn't involve alcohol - you need to know yourself and really think about your true motives.

I'd suggest that once you have a point to your life, you will lose interest in Drink. I f you give up COMPLETELY for a couple of months you will also begin to realise how much drinking has dominated your life also what prats your drinking "mates" are.

To carry this out you have to reconsider what you do in the evenings etc - you don't plan your schedule around bars or events that require/include alcohol......avoid events and people that expect alcohol.....find yourself and learn a new lifestyle.