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

eselt

ad1jnl wrote: »

Eselt,

I'm wondering how long it takes for the alcohol to truly leave my system.

Jon

Hi Jon- although we all process alcohol differently, apparently the average person processes about 1 Unit an hour, so it all depends on how much you've drunk really. 48-72 hours and most people have no alcohol left in their system, but physical withdrawal symptoms can go on for a couple of weeks, particularly DT's and seizures if you've really been rattling. Take a really strong Vit B supplement as drinkers tend to be deficient and it helps shure up your nervous system, and eat even if you don't feel like it. If you are still feeling scared and panicky I'd suggest getting some CBT therapy to help manage your symptoms, challenge your negative thoughts and improve your outlook. I used to use alcohol to deal with social anxiety too- I couldn't even walk into my local pub without having a drink first. I had a stressful job so I gave that up and took a long break, went bankrupt and wiped the slate clean in terms of my money worries and now do a new job for half the salary but none of the stress and I can't get into debt as I can't get credit and can only spend what I have. I feel like a completely new person, happy, sober, not stressed, not tired. It was this combination of things which helped me sober up and stay sober. It is just such a relief to know that alcohol is no longer a choice for me- I don't spend hours having 'shall I or shant I' conversations with myself, its just not an option open to me anymore- I don't drink, period.

BHB- life sounds less stressful today, keep up the goodlife, its worth it and your children will have a childhood to remember rather than growing up with a stressed out tired dad- must be worth the sacrifice.

Jo- hope the teeth are holding up and you are not in any pain.

Everyone else who I've forgotton, keep going, you are all doing great.

GC- I'm not so sure you have to change yourself really, just your relationship with drink. When I sobered up I realised that I quite liked the real me, far more than the wreck I'd become, and the longer I spend with the real me the more I don't want to change myself, just that self destructive selfish behaviour I'd displayed for so long- underneath I've realised theres always been a nice person underneath but drinking turned me into a monster and suppressed that. What I have found is that my self confidence and self esteem has really risen- its been the toughest thing I've ever had to do and as time goes on I am feeling very proud of myself!!!

dotstar24

well its 9.30. i'm in bed (with laptop), and no beer....i haven't two beans to rub together let alone money to buy beer.....but its a start. i hope i start feeling and looking better soon.

so....14/04/09 1st AFD & C(affeine )FD!

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Pippilongstocking

Hey Dotstar - well done - my OH can't have caffine at all it makes him all panicy - I do get like that too so shoud really avoid it.

Jo hope dentist was OK

BHB - glad you had fun I have pool envy - slopes off to find the paddling pool

Hi FB and others - hope you are good and fine.

Eselt - big shop its supposed to last for 6 months - well if we run out of something I hope we will have to add to the next list for August and do without (I hope) - I liked your post - you always seem so open (as do many others) but yours strikes a chord somehow. I wish I were as strong as you sound if that doesnt sound trite. x

Scores on the doors AF tongiht so 9 for me so far this month - thought it was more but alas my mainland exploits all (mostly) contained alcohol in the main.

graemecarter

eselt wrote: »

GC- I'm not so sure you have to change yourself really, just your relationship with drink. When I sobered up I realised that I quite liked the real me, far more than the wreck I'd become, and the longer I spend with the real me the more I don't want to change myself, just that self destructive selfish behaviour I'd displayed for so long- underneath I've realised theres always been a nice person underneath but drinking turned me into a monster and suppressed that. What I have found is that my self confidence and self esteem has really risen- its been the toughest thing I've ever had to do and as time goes on I am feeling very proud of myself!!!

Maybe,I should have said that what works for me and it may not be true for anyone else.
By changing that that self destructive selfish behaviour you had displayed for so long, meant that you ARE changing yourself.

Self esteem took me a while to get back, and it has a long way to go.
Doing esteemable things works for me. If I know I am doing good things, then it comes from within. If I base my esteem on getting praise from others, that is likely to come unstuck.

mollypolly

[QUOTE=barshamhillbilly;206542


Molly :hello: ..... Day 9 for me? I think - Blimey I'm loosing count already. Gonna do it I think !!

Andy[/QUOTE]

You sure are pardner.So glad to have you back on this wagon...really missed you;)

Well done dotstar,Fay, Winebox and fluffy...looks like lots of positive vibes floating around tonight.

Jo...Hope the dentist went ok....where are you?

Budget Babe..Are you ok....I have missed you today...let us know you are alright ,soon.
Take care everyone.
Love Mollypollyxxxx

eselt

Self esteem took me a while to get back, and it has a long way to go.
Doing esteemable things works for me. If I know I am doing good things, then it comes from within. If I base my esteem on getting praise from others, that is likely to come unstuck.[/QUOTE]

I always keep thinking back to a comment you and Bis have both made, you have to forgive yourself, it serves no purpose to beat yourself up about impossible problems, things that can't be changed. But I can shape now and the future, I can throw all my energy into my children who had been neglected for so long, I can turn up to work, basically I can live my life. Like you say GC take each day as it comes, and at the moment the best I can do is say, 'I used to be a terrible alcoholic and a bad mother, but things have changed'- but that doesn't make me, or any of us bad people- no one ever gets up in the morning and consciously says, 'right, I'm gonna make myself really ill, become an alcoholic, screw up my family, relationships, children, finances and career- yep thats the way to go'-noone does that, but it creeps and before you know it you're in it and the brain fog decends and you're in the twilight zone, hating it, hating yourself and the way you are. Most of us on here are so lucky, we've still got hope, and motivation and people who motivate us to want to change.

I don't think I've changed, just grasped the enormity of my responsibilities, grown up, stopped behaving like a petulant child who 'deserves' a drink when things go wrong, and learnt to cope with difficult things instead of sobbing into my pint. I have to cope with difficult things in the cold light of day now...and guess what? When things I worry about actually happen, to date, my world hasn't stopped.

Take care everyone- catch you tommorrow.

RecoveringAlcoholic

Eselt.

TBH, I went to the alcohol counsellor and didn't get any more advice than I've found here, but they did do a home detox for me and got me meds to help with cravings and aversion.CBT was OK as long as I stayed sober, it was easy to forget all the strategies when I'd had a few, and the therapist never made the link between alcohol withdrawal and anxiety/depression/panic even though alcoholic must be written all over my medical records!

Snap!


God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

maman

:hello: Hi Everyone, got back yesterday but it's taken this long to catch up with posts. So sorry to hear that some of you have been having a tough time especially BHB, Jon and jo and BB hope you've been to see about that low blood pressure.

No AF days while I was away although cut down a lot, just one glass on two of the days. NYC didn't seem to have the same drinking culture as when I go to France or Italy so that made it easier. No wine in supermarket, needed to go to specialist shop and pay megabucks for fairly ordinary Gallo. Lots of Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts.

Had a bit of a sod it feeling tonight but I was determined. Agree jo that it's the miserable anticipation of being AF that's worse than the reality. I'm off out for the day tomorrow and have planned to have a drink but I knew this month would be like this. It would be so easy to just relax back into my bad old ways but I'm hanging on in there. 'night all.

3AF, please, HS.

pariskate

Morning all,

Another AFD yesterday so I feel super this morning!

Eselt and GC, your posts are really interesting as usual and I do think that we have to be kind to ourselves. Accepting that we do make mistakes but that we can learn from them is really important. it's equally important to take on the responsibility to change and not just say, 'well, that's just the way I am', which is certainly something I've said to myself in the past, in relation to a whole load of different behaviours.

BHB, i like the idea of having a swimming pool in the garden, you must have so much fun in the summer.

fedupandskint

Still on 8 I'm afraid after I drank a glass of white wine last night. It was the open bottle that tempted me again. No more open wine and no more drinking days planned until Sat as I want to get a few more AFD under my belt.

True what Jo and Maman say about the thoughts of being AF. In anticipation of being AF I don't look forward to it sometimes, in reality I enjoy being AF and don't miss alcohol at all. The old thought patterns kick in quicker about drinking, eg last night, the justifications get louder for me and the thoughts of enjoying being AF disappear

Hope everyone else is ok