The weekend drinker

We regularly receive messages from participants who would like to 'become' a weekend drinker. Because then you don't drink at least during the week. Jan (58) is, if he doesn't take a break, a weekend drinker, but wants to get rid of that.

“There have been times when I drank more. For example in my student days. Once at work, drinking alcohol was limited to the weekend. Before I took a break, I drank two or three bottles of specialty beer on Friday and Saturday evenings. I was shocked that with my alcohol consumption I belonged to the category of heavy drinkers.

It also started to bother me that I started to live more and more towards my weekends. Because then I was 'allowed' again. As a result of my drinking on the weekend, I was able to postpone important things. For a long time I wanted to develop myself personally in the field of programming and making music. This never came to pass, because I was busy with 'not feeling fit.' It looked like flight behavior. I drank so I wouldn't have to work on myself.

The reason why I dislike the 'weekend drinking' even more is that I am allowed to drink quite a bit more during the holidays. Before I know it, I drink quite a bit in a week. And when I think about my retirement, which is still quite a ways away, I don't like the thought of depending on the fact that I have to work the next day for 'moderate drinking'.

Now that I take a break, I notice that I am fitter. I am a runner and my sports performance has improved. I haven't started my other ambitions yet, as I'm still exploring and experiencing what not drinking does to me.

My ideal is that I can enjoy an alcoholic drink every now and then. But that it also stays with one drink. After Dry January I was soon back in my regular drinking rhythm. If I'm not able to enjoy wine or beer responsibly after this break, then maybe I should stop drinking altogether.”

Willy (67) is also a so-called weekend drinker. Before she took a break, she only drank on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. She thinks that's fine, but the amount can be reduced by half.

“Before I started IkPas, I drank two glasses of wine on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 5 pm. My moment is really while cooking. Then I like to drink a glass. What often surprised me was the effect of that one glass. Especially when I was tired. Then I could immediately feel rosy. Not quite clear.

Because I am increasingly aware of the health effects of alcohol, after the break I don't want to drink two glasses a day at the weekend, but one glass a day. And that should be a glass of good wine. I am willing to pay more for a good wine, so that I also consciously and sincerely enjoy that glass.

It may not always be easy in the beginning - after the break - to ignore that little voice in my head. However, I am confident that it will work. Because I'm so conscious of it right now. My husband drinks more than I do and is undergoing treatment for it, and my own mother died of cirrhosis of the liver. I know what alcohol can do to you. I want to handle alcohol responsibly. Thanks to an alcohol break I feel fitter and have more energy. My skin has also improved.

I don't know if I'll drink another glass of wine right after the break. I'll let it depend on the moment. That one glass must in any case be worth drinking.”