Drinking every day...

Hello. I've just signed up here because I thought it might help to acknowledge somewhere, in some small way, that I have a problem with alcohol. And maybe compare notes with other people and their experiences. I'm not ready to tell friends and family yet. I'm in my late 30s and for a long time (4 years) I have been drinking something every day (with very occasional alcohol free spells) - it varies between 2-6 cans each night. Always just in the evening. The daily amount I consume isn't enormous - but over time it's become a seemingly unbreakable habit, and of course I worry about the long term health effects. I've got used to waking up with a woolly head or a hangover. My mind has an incredible duality - every morning I resolve to stop but by the evening I crave it all over again. I get so frustrated with my lack of self control. It's not social drinking - I live alone and most of my drinking is done alone. Often I'll even find myself turning down social invitations because drinking alone in my flat seems so much more pleasurable (I'm a shy and very socially anxious chap). On my own there's no-one to raise an eyebrow, or suggest that I've had enough. It's like the ultimate love/hate thing. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can de-stress me quite like alcohol - but I also know this effect is temporary and that my stress will often come back worse in the morning. I'm concerned about quitting altogether because then my friends will want to know why - and I'll have to admit that there was a problem. It feels shameful somehow. I feel my relationship with alcohol is very different to that of other people; for example I'm always amazed when I see people with half drunk bottles of wine in the fridge. If I ever have any alcohol in the house with me it gets drunk that same day! Anyway, I'm going to try and quit, starting today. I'll let you know how I get on : )

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