I am asking this as a serious question...

My doctor says I drink too much. I already knew this, but it's come down to my health now, so I'm trying to quit. I told him I refused to go to AA or AADAC or counselling or anything. My plan is to quit cold turkey. He said with the amount I drink, I'd die if I gave up drinking completely.

Anybody have ideas on how to taper off? I'm mostly a beer drinker, and I drink some wine, very little hard liquor. I have been drinking minimum 6-8 beer per night for the past 15+ years. Right now I've been doing OK, drinking a beer or 2 per night for the past week. No withdrawals yet, but I'm worried about quitting and honestly not sure if I want to.

Anybody else experience withdrawals or know how to taper off properly???

My dad has been drinking beer every day for 40 years and lemme tell ya, he is a mess now.  He's to the point of falling down after only a few beers, hallucinating, shaking uncontrollably, and he goes into DT's when he doesn't drink.  So I will say that the sooner you get a handle on it, the better.

I was drinking a bottle of liquor a day for a long time.  Then I started drinking beer like you every day.  I tried to stop drinking every day but couldn't even go 2 in a row.  The trick for me was to find something else to do that would take it's place.  Otherwise, I just sit there dying for a beer all the time.  About 6 months ago I started lifting weights and I feel so good that I rarely even feel like drinking.  Don't get me wrong, I still get shitty on weekends but Mon -  Fri Im all business.  I work, I lift weights, I eat right and I go to sleep.  On weekends I eat what I want and I drink my ass off.  It's pretty cool really cause it gives me something to look forward too.  

Since you allready drunk way to much, what makes you think you can stop this time, an a cold turkey style ?

To be honestly i think you're the kind of person who does need encouregement and not by some kind of web forum, but by some professionals. Because if you didnt needed it, you would have stopped allready al long while ago!
I'm 100% sure you dont share my viewpoint, because you dont even listen to your doctor. And I think thats the main problem with addicts they dont recognize theý lost control. Those groups will learn you to control yourself, i think you realy need it.

Dont endup walking in dirty clouds around the street shaking all over, you can still make something from life. I have just seen to many bad examples of people who lost everything friends family work house etc. Dont go down that road. Just recognize you need help, its no shame at all.

I had an old friend with the same problem. He drank about 6 tallboys every night, but they were really high gravity for cheap beers.. about 8.5% abv. so he started drinking lighter beers with much less alcohol and trying to cut back quantity. he eventually got over it and now he doesn't drink. which sucks, but is best for him. He almost died a couple times in the hospital because of alcohol poisoning, so I think that scared him. good luck man.

I started this group as a joke , to bring some goofiness to the game of chess, I have cut back my drinking a lot this year, I did it by signing up and participating in a marathon. I barely drink at all anymore. I agree , you need to find something to replace it, but first you need to realize why you drink. Deal with that issue first. You did the rigt thing by posting here I think as well, most of us don't know each other personally, we hide behind our keyboards, so it may be easier to give you honest feedback. Good Luck and I will keep you in my prayers!

Me too.  I always drank the strong rank shit.  Natty or stronger.  Then I started drinking Miller Low Life which helped.  I hadn't ever realized it before but I was drinking so much bc I wasn't ever happy really.  I didn't really do anything productive.  Once I started lifting weights I felt good naturally so I didn't have the desire to drink.  During the week at least.  I still do drink and have fun on weekends but the difference is I'm drinking to have fun, not because I am unhappy.  Good luck.

I know this is a serious subject but did anyone else laugh their asses off at the fact that Barney is giving sobriety advice?!! lol.

That is funny

Thanks for the advice. I'm on my 3rd week now of semi-sobriety and the most beer I've had in one night is 3 and usually only 1 or 2. I haven't had any wine or hard liquor at all.

Keep in mind that I want to stay healthy, but so far my drinking has never affected me too much. I don't drive after drinking 2+ beer, and I never get abusive or act stupid like some drunks do. People can't even tell when I've been drinking.

My story is that I drink to relax. I get home from work and have a beer. If I have nowhere to go that evening, I continue drinking until bedtime. The beer helps me relax throughout the evening. I like the buzz, the taste, the whole works. Then I get a good sleep.

Cutting back now, I don't have a beer when I get home. I wait until after supper, then have one. If I feel the need to have another, I first drink a fake beer, the 0.5% kind. It tastes OK, basically like watered-down beer, except I don't get the buzz. If I still feel the need for a beer, I have a second one, and a couple of times I've had a third.

So far I've had no withdrawals, but some nights I have trouble sleeping, which I've never had before. I can't say the urge isn't still there, but I definitely feel better now cutting back.

I am avoiding going to AA and detox, as my doctor suggested for now. If I can't taper off, and/or if my health gets worse, then I'll consider other options. For now, right or wrong, I am trying to do this on my own. Pure will power first, and if that doesn't work, I'll try the doc's way.

Good to hear!Good luck!

I hear stories all the time of people cutting back for 2 days or a week or a month. But then one bad day and they are back to their old ways and drinking every day. I'm REALLY trying to avoid that same fate!

As the beer or 2 per day becomes part of my regular routine, I think I'll be fine. The operative words being "I think." I'm curious to know how many alcoholics cut down and become social drinkers again. I'm betting well under 50% success rate.

Have you considered exercising to occupy your time after work?  I used to hate it but after like a week you get addicted to the endorphins.

Right now I go for short walks in the evening -- that seems to help. I'm worried about spending money on a gym membership and then not using it. But exercise of some sort is definitely a good idea.

After Christmas I might get one of those vibration trainers. They help with blood flow and circulation, and I could go on it while watching TV. I have a friend who sells them, so I can get a big discount on one.

Excuse me, please, Shouldn’t there be a "recovering" chess group somewhere? You guys are seriously killing my buzz. J

If it helps any I was taking shots of nasty vodka last night and I HATE vodka worst of all.  I drank it bc it was the only thing in the house.  That's dedication!

You are my hero!

How could anyone hate vodka??? Other than scotch, it's the only hard liquor I use as a sipping drink. Others I can only drink with mix or as a shot.

Vodka is also the "no-tell" alcohol. In other words, you can drink it at work and your co-workers can't smell it on your breath. As long as you're not falling down drunk or the boss finds it in your desk, you can get away with drinking at work. I don't recommend it, but I'm sure some people will think about trying it now

On an episode of Seinfeld Kramer was telling Jerry about his idea for a scotch commercial... "Nervous about a work presentation?  Weell...just knock back a couple of these and you'll be loose as a goose in no time!  And since it doesn't smell it'll be our little secret.  Hennigens.  No smell, No tell, Scotch!"