ask: I want to stop drinking red wine...Every morning I say that is it...until around 3:00 then something triggers in my mind?

Has this 3:00 cocktail become an issue in your life? Do you start drinking the wine and do not stop until you are drunk? Do you think you may have an alcohol abuse problem?
Another question would be what happens at 3:00? Would this be the end of your day at work?
If you believe you may have an alcohol abuse problem, there is always Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Here is there website www.aa.org.
Ask yourself, what is the reason I am drinking?Write it down so you can find the underlying reason why you want to pick up the wine at 3:00.
After you have figured out the reasoning, make a plan. Set a date that you will no longer have the 3:00 cocktail.
Find someone to talk to. If you don't want to attend AA meetings, find another person to talk to, preferably someone who doesn't know you and can an outside source of help such as a psychologist.
Change your behavior. Whatever the reasoning behind the 3:00 trigger, try something new. Workout, take a walk down the street, try anything else besides the cup of wine to keep your mind and body at ease.
Please let us know know more information so we can try and help you.

I'd recommend substituting that 3:00 cocktail for a new, healthier habit. For example, every day at 2:50, go for a nature walk.

Breathe deeply and each day walk a little faster or a little farther.

The more I exercise the less likely I am to want to put anything unhealthy in my body.

Healthy habits bring contagious health decisions.

I hope this helps.

-Todd

Before we can provide any more information, the two most important questions you can answer for us:

1. Why do you want to stop drinking red wine?

2. When you drink, how much and how often do you drink?

I look forward to talking with you soon!
Alison

Hi, Anon.

Just to add to the very good points up above -- it seems that you, yourself, believe that you need to stop drinking. What that tells me is that whether it's one glass or a whole bottle, you've decided that it doesn't work for you -- but then the afternoon rolls around and you can't resist.

I'm suspecting that if that's the case, you also find difficulty stopping after a glass or two. A glass of red wine every afternoon or evening wouldn't bother most people. It's when you HAVE to have it that there's a sign that something's wrong.

Are you worried that you might be an alcoholic? If so, please realize that you are AWESOME to be examining your behavior in this way and that if you do believe you have a problem, you've already taken the most important step -- you've told someone. You've told us. And you're asking yourself. And you're looking for some help. I think that's smart, and strong, and worthwhile.

There is a self-assesment quiz you can take online that will help you decide if you have a problem with alcohol. It is 20 questions that give you some direction as to whether your drinking habits are safe, risky or harmful. Here's a link to the quiz:

http://alcoholism.about.com/od/tests/a/quiz_alcoholic.htm

Depending on the results, if you think that you indeed do have a problem, the best place to start might be your doctor's office. She or he can help assess the situation:

http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/alcohol-abuse/how-to-stop-drinking-al...

Take care, and please write back to update us.

i do the same thing!! how do you stop... its just wine, not beer or any other drink!

thank you for the info and comments. I do the same thing.. only red wine, drink throughout the day, by evening I've consumed a bottle. have been wanting to stop for a while. I'm hoping that being a part of this blog will help give me the support to go and do something 'healthy' instead of turning to the wine and giving myself false relaxation/calm. not to mention that it is an expensive habit... one I'd like to enjoy only while out for dinner. becomes difficult to enjoy a glass of wine when you drink a bottle daily. I've noticed my breath is smelling a lot like acetone too - my tongue gets real tingly now. and, I am starting to worry about diabetes.

You should try the Habit Busting program by Lee Milteer.
She's great. She will teach you how to understand the way your mind works and to reprogram your subconsious. You simply have a bad habit.
Hope this is of some help!

It has been interesting reading everyones comments. I know I'm an alcholic, it made me very poorly, has wrecked my liver and nearly killed me. Thanks to an amazing consultant and dietician I feel well now, but there is the danger, this week I have started drinking, the dreaded red wine. I have been looking to see if there anything to help me, after reading comments I plan to start at my GP who will not be well pleased with me, but I know my body cant take it. It sounds stupid but it is very hard.