I was following that same playbook as @Englishd too, of course the obvious one when I was a teenager; no drinking and driving, but then i learned that one eye trick too and by 20 it was pretty much no holds barred. “Rules? We dont need no stinkin rules!”
One rule: don’t drive.
My only one that actually worked for me (I live very close from the places I drank) All the other rules went to trash after a couple of doubles.
Lol I couldn’t crossfade.
But I’d always forget once I was drunk.
Oops.
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Ah man, reading these really hits home. Someone said it above, people who don’t have a problem with drink don’t need rules. I never really understood this until recently. I’ve fooled myself so many times with the belief I can control my drinking.
Don’t mix drinks as it makes the hangover worse, just stick to gin or vodka because it’s clear it’s healthier for you.
Only start drinking after 4pm
Only drink on a Saturday if I have nothing to do on a Sunday.
Drink good gin or red wine because I’m a sophisticated mother fucker and don’t have a problem.
Go to bed no later than 12am if drinking as I can sleep it off and not feel bad the next day
NO MATTER WHAT, don’t drink the next day, I ain’t no alcoholic you know 
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That’s so true.
Mine.
Don’t drink alone (so I found anyone I remotely knew in the bar to sit with or attended friends gigs, quizes anything)
Stop at 3 (never bothered once started)
Only drink cider (that was easy as cider as my drink of choice and I could keep drinking that)
Don’t come home to my family drunk (tried to cover it up, I realised that wasn’t working id say oh im just a bit giddy )
Eat before I drink (never incase i felt bloated and it spoilt my drinking/ night so maybe had some crisps UK/ chips)
Don’t get drunk if I have plans the next day (just write off plans with a hangover)
Go out for 1 (Never ever happened)
I did however go into the city with my partner last night I was very scared I’d relapse. I had 2 x cola and 1 x lime and soda. Very proud. He’s not a massive drinker, hardly drinks. He had 3 pints. Was tipsy. Came home he went straight to sleep.
I was actually quite irritated as I wanted a romantic night also Looking at drunk people while out half of me thinks they look like they are having fun. Half thinks thats gonna hurt in the morning.
Also 1 new bar I went to dudnt do soda so I had to have 2 x small airplane cans of diet coke in a glass. Mmm hardly catering for non drinkers
I’ve really liked this thread. Especially the "people who don’t have a drink problem don’t need rules " that puts it so plainly and true. But we can do this.
Proud of me and you all too.
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That is absolutely hilarious 
. Terrifying, but the reasoning is comical!
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Your first rule became the opposite of mine in my later drinking stage. “Don’t drink alone”. I figured I preferred drinking alone because I couldn’t get arrested, get into a fight or do anything horrible that I’d regret if I was alone.
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Argh yes that makes sense. I just figured women who sit alone in bars always have a sadness about them. Then the final straw was when I realised I was becoming one of them so had to stop.
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I never realised I had any rules, but reading this thread I definitely did. Not drinking alone at home… I stopped sticking to that in the last 6 months or so. I always thought I didn’t drink alone but generally stayed out after my friends had gone home. Don’t drink more than 3 (or 4, or 5) drinks on a work night. No drinking before xx pm on the weekend (completely movable depending on what my plans were). Try and make sure there is time for 5 hours sleep if something on the next day. I didn’t drink and drive but never went anywhere where I needed to drive, as that would get in the way of my drinking, even if “I don’t really want to get drunk I just want to be able to have one drink and not worry about it”.
I genuinely thought my drunk self was better than my sober self, although as the blackouts/hangovers got worse that got harder to justify. But once all the shame etc drifted to the back of my mind and I started missing my drunk self again. Then, repeat.
Just over a month in and I’m still working out how to like my true self. It’s a journey but the thought of an alcohol free future is as liberating as it is terrifying. I realise that I prioritised generic social situations (same night different bar) over spending time with people I really care about and doing more interesting things. Having lots of people in a bar think I’m fun really isn’t important.
Now am off out to do a 7 hour walk through the Cheshire countryside in the sunshine which I definitely would not be doing if I was drinking last night!
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It’s pretty shit the way the media portrays certain things, it reinforces these behaviours in society. It’s almost glamorous being a man with a bit of an alcohol problem, sitting in a bar alone ordering a straight whiskey on the rocks because he’s macho with deep problems. He can pick up attractive women and sleep about. Look at James Bond, numerous cowboys…
As a woman it just means you’re easy.
What a sad indictment of our times hey 
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Recognising my behaviour as insane was a big step for me on my path to recovery. When sober we are free from the insanity and it is a wonderful feeling.
For me my black out behaviour and even a lot of my non black out behaviour was not the behaviour of a sane minded person.
There’s a stigma around the word insane. It’s an ugly word as people associate it with asylums etc, but if we let that behaviour continue that’s where we’d all end up, or prison at least.
I’m happy to have made this self discovery. I am not insane, but in my past, my behaviour has been insane therefore I am aware of that potential energy and therefore I don’t feed then release that energy.
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I will drink socially only…in groups of one or more!
Becoming intoxicated alone on a regular basis, became a symptom of my alcoholism.
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I only had one main rule, don’t get drunk. Failed every time.
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Only drink on weekends (did not work often)
Only drink alone (bc I didn’t want anyone to see me drunk)
Start drinking on friday and stop it at saturday so that I get one day rest before work starts (hahaha … sure)
When out with friends don’t drink or only have one or they could think I have an alcohol problem
Never drive while drunk (didn’t work well)
Cycle through stores bc some of the staff could think that I’m an alcoholic (how stupid was I? )
Don’t drink the whole bottle of wine (in the end I had 2 and was throwing it all up across my apartment 
)
When having Wodka (1 liter bottle) only have half of it or you’ll possibly die (only rule I never broke)
Don’t eat before you drink bc then booze works faster
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- Dont drink around my family
- Only 2 drinks when around friends
- Only 3 drinks at my favorite restaurant
- never go out with the intention of getting drunk, but if you are having fun then it’s ok.
WTF, it is almost embarrassing typing these out…how in the hell did I ever convince my self for decades I didn’t have a problem…hindsight is 20/20 I guess
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This made me laugh because it’s so true for me!!
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Craft beer…had the same rule…craft beer only…i am litterally rolling my eyes at myself
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- Don’t drink wine (massive hangovers)
- Only drink beer (bad hangover)
- Only drink when not at home (ha then I shall go out to eat with somone every time I want to drink)
- Drinking was OK at home if I started drinking elsewhere (wth??)
- Don’t drink on Sundays (not a problem I was way to hungover from drinking on the weekend)
- Don’t drink and drive (also not a problem husband always drove and doesn’t drink, or let friend drive drunk. That’s better)
Omg I’m sure there are many more but I was drunk when I made them up.
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There’s a meme somewhere saying, thanks craft beer for making my alcoholism seem like a neat little hobby.
I always thought about how true it was for me, while i was still drinking.
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