The giving up/cutting down alcohol support thread! Part 2

graemecarter

jo1972 wrote: »

GC, I forgot to say, was thinking about this last night. I posted you a message a week or so ago, don't know if you saw it but I wanted to ask you...

How did you manage to change yourself so that you no longer need to drink? You said it is your approach, you no longer need it in your life and you are happy with that, what changes did you put into place?

xx

I have found that AA works for me. Basically, it encourages the transformation of this alcoholic's moral character. If I lose my self-centeredness, I lose my desire to drink.

Doing the 12 Steps helps greatly.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve-step_program#The_Twelve_Steps

But I think the main thing is being around other people who suffer like I do. My main thing is fear, I find it overwhelming a lot of the time. I talk to similar people, realise I am not alone in feeling like this, and then don't feel the need to run away and escape it with booze.

AA has to be experienced, with an open mind. Just reading about it on the website, or going to just one hour of a meeting, is not doing it justice. A little bit more effort and you can really understand it better.

If you go to the priory or most other rehab centres, they do the 12 steps, just like in AA.
It works for me, but then I needed it to work. If you haven't hit your bottom yet, you won't want it enough.
Some people never hit a bottom and die, other people lose jobs, families, houses, etc and then find AA

yellowmonkey

Quiet on here today. You must be watching my second favorite website

http://www.masters.com/en_US/index.html:D:D:D

Just to let you know that I will popping back on the 14th and I hope you are all enjoying the Golf

ym

barshamhillbilly

jo1972 wrote: »

BHB, sorry hun, forgot that us admin'ers walk out of the building and don't think about it again till we have to return!! Glad to hear you've got some tea and coffee in, I literally wouldn't get out of bed if I had no coffee!! Has Mrs BHB quit the booze too? You be careful giving everything up at the sametime xx

Mrs BHB has cut down a lot, but has a bottle tonight.
I have just found Eisburg Rose and Chardonnay AF wines in the supermarket.
Haven't tried the chardonnay yet but the I wouldn't know the difference from the real thing with the Rose. The very strange thing is that it seems to make me want another glass like it does with real wine ??? Must be just habit?
Anyway, the main thing is that Mrs BHB has some 'proper' stuff and I'm not the slightest bit interested at the moment and have no 'desire' at all tonight ..... for the wine I mean ....... and tonight I have some money to go and buy some - but don't want or feel the need to ....... Blimey wish it was like this all the time!

BHB

Bismarck

40somethingmum wrote: »

When does the wine stop waving at you in the supermarket ?

40SM

it doesn't...you just learn to ignore it.

Bismarck

graemecarter wrote: »

I have found that AA works for me. Basically, it encourages the transformation of this alcoholic's moral character. If I lose my self-centeredness, I lose my desire to drink.

Doing the 12 Steps helps greatly.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve-step_program#The_Twelve_Steps

But I think the main thing is being around other people who suffer like I do. My main thing is fear, I find it overwhelming a lot of the time. I talk to similar people, realise I am not alone in feeling like this, and then don't feel the need to run away and escape it with booze.

AA has to be experienced, with an open mind. Just reading about it on the website, or going to just one hour of a meeting, is not doing it justice. A little bit more effort and you can really understand it better.

If you go to the priory or most other rehab centres, they do the 12 steps, just like in AA.
It works for me, but then I needed it to work. If you haven't hit your bottom yet, you won't want it enough.
Some people never hit a bottom and die, other people lose jobs, families, houses, etc and then find AA

I didn't do the twelve steps...just went along and sat there and took a lot in, stripped a lot out and came up with a plan of what I REALLY HAD TO DO to fix things. There were no guarantees apart from that continuing was not an option.

The meetings were crucial in that I found I was not the only one who had done this, there were people who'd gone too far but still come back above all, they gave me hope.

take care everyone.

mollypolly

Bismarck wrote: »

........... in that I found I was not the only one who had done this, there were people who'd gone too far but still come back above all, they gave me hope.

take care everyone.

I found that on Here.

MPXx

eselt

Hi all- Bis, I think you and GC have hit the nail on the head (again)- you need hope, I lost hope in ever being able to be a non-drinker at my lowest point because so often I thought I was the only berk who'd got into such a state, I didn't think anyone else was out of control, when I looked around everyone else seemed to be so confident and able to function- but I know different now, theres a thundering silence about alcoholism, particularly in women, and there is still stigma and shame, and this stops people from getting the help thats out there. I still have curious people sidling up to me and lamenting that they have a problem 'but theres no help out there'- well I always dispute that, it is out there, regardless of whether you have the money for fancy rehab or go to your GP, or join a group, or join a forum like this, or do it on your own- but at the end of the day you have to access that help and not let pride or shame stop you from getting it because your family, job, health, relationships..well everything really, could depend on it and losing a bit of pride is not a high price to pay for gaining your life back in my book.

Hope everyone has a great weekend- Cornwall is under siege, particularly in my village which is 1/2 mile from the Eden Project- hope the weather holds for our visitors.

RecoveringAlcoholic

Many belated congratulations Molly Polly on your first AF birthday.
For some of us posting on this thread this is so true:

ONE IS TOO MANY...A THOUSAND NEVER ENOUGH!

graemecarter

Bismarck wrote: »

it doesn't...you just learn to ignore it.

I feel totally different - this sums it up perfectly:

If tempted, we recoil from it as from a hot flame. We react sanely and normally, and we will find that this has happened automatically. We will see that our new attitude toward liquor has been given us without any thought or effort on our part. It just comes! That is the miracle of it. We are not fighting it, neither are we avoiding temptation. We feel as though we had been placed in a position of neutrality safe and protected We have not even sworn off. Instead, the problem has been removed. It does not exist for us. We are neither cocky nor are we afraid. That is our experience.

I would hate those bells going off all the time. The debating society can get into ones head and bore one into submission, and that's when sometimes people pick up

40somethingmum

Hi all

Twice today I have typed 2 long heartfelt messages to everyone and both times when I have pressed submit I have lost he e-mail !"!


Amyway - try and keep it short.

Driving home from work - radio saying holiday, holiday ,holiday.

Got home , husband went to Sains , bought wine, I drank wine, now sozzled.

Hang my head in shame!! . Never mind tomorrows another day !!

Also noticed that i am really ugly when I am drunk. Ok when I am sober ( probably think she was probalbly quite pretty when she was younger. Iwas just did not realise at the time !!. You don't realise what you have got until its gone)

Sorry for ramblings . Will be embarrased tomorrow but I am sure you have all been there.

Speak to you all tomorrow.

HS - its a 0 for me today ( still 6 in total)

40sm