How to drink less for a while.

This entry is not about cutting out booze: beer, wine, spirits etc. No, its about cutting down when you need to.

I have never had a decent job due to the depression, from age 18, and I know its different when you have a family, work and drink so you will have to figure those parts out for yourself.

I drink so much, according to the rule of the body being able to process one drink, defined as 1.5 oz. of 80 proof spirits, per hour that at a quart a day I am never really sober, never legal to drive but I MUST drive to the store every few weeks.

[ Again, the way I drink may be different from you and you have to set your own rules about this. With no job, no family I am pretty much free to do what I want. Its this: I drink about 2 oz. per waking hour and I record this amount. I sleep about 5-6 hours a day. ]

What I do is cut down the hourly drink to half for 3 hours before bedtime then go out to stores when I wake up. At least there is a chance of passing a breath test. I don't drink before shopping.

I shop, come home and drink again as usual.

But what if you have to drive further, maybe to the VA clinic 50 miles away, maybe a 4 hour wait at the clinic, then drive back?

Its VERY TRICKY being away from alcohol that long as all of you know from the temporary withdrawals we can suffer.

What I do is about the same for these longer trips. Make the appointments for soon after waking. Don't drink and drive, just drive BUT take 3 or so oz. of a clear spirit and a bottle of water, just in case. Try NOT to use any of this while out. Grit your teeth, man up, woman up, whatever.

Still...If I know how long I am to be at whatever appointment, I MIGHT if I need to, have an oz. of spirits when I arrive. If I am to be longer than planned I MIGHT go back to the car for another oz.

After the appointment I put the bottle in the trunk and grin and bear it till I am back home, then get I get drunk as usual, but I don't drink and drive, ever.

Its always best not to drink at all when out like this but I take the bottle, JIC.

Well, that is all I can offer on this part of the note.


From time to time, I do cut down for a day or two. I know many of you drink more than I do. My amount of a quart of spirits a day [ I include beer in this. I drink an ice beer, 5.9% alcohol and count that as 2 oz. of spirits ] is very hard on the body. More is harder. Do dah. Being off spirits is also hard on the body.

Maybe I need to be less drunk once a month to balance my checkbook though.

So when I need to be clearer, I don't go cold turkey, I just toss down 1 oz. an hour and if I need to be clearer still, I quit two hours before my task.

I finish the task, return to the normal amount and maybe have an extra snort to reward myself for tending to my life.

Isn't this stupid?

I do the best I can to be a better drunk and that is all I can do most of the time.