The giving up/cutting down alcohol support thread! Part 5

squizz_2

Just a quick hello for now - I'm cooking and going to do my SOA tonight and start my debt diary.
Welcome Signs and Debt :santa2:

Marru I have now done 6 days AF.... need to find 14 more before the end of December :eek: and considering doing an AF January.....

Bye for now

xx

eselt

Hi all

Hope everyone is OK tonight.

Jo_ your GP sounds rubbish, but I've had really mixed experiences with GP's. Sometimes its almost as if its better to hide your problem drinking and carry on than seek help. When I first sought help and had to say 'hands up I've got a problem here' I didn't get a great response-because I was still working (as a teacher for 16 yrs) my GP said if I was a colleague of his he would report me to the BMA and get me suspended which completely freaked me out, so I phoned my DS's dad and asked him to look after him whilst I went through home detox and I then had a visit from a social worker who wanted to know the exact arrangements- she actually said to me (and I kid you not!!) in front of my ex OH that why didn't I get addicted to something like chocolate (!!!) because she was and she found this managable!!!! My ex OH still tells the story to this day with disbelief she could have been so naive and unaware of what we were going through. On my last (and hopefully, the very last) home detox I had my little DD ill with flu at the same time so was staying at her dads, I phoned school on monday, a parent who knew through gossip at the school gate told the class teacher I was having a home detox and teacher phoned social services, who then phoned my ex OH to see where she was and that I was not looking after her. All of these things made me very wary of seeking help- it seems like the stigma of being a self confessed alcoholic is 10X worse than just covering it up and not seeking the help that is out there.

Lessons learned? Find a confidential service, don't blab about it to too many people (as other peoples misfortunes are always good for gossip) and let anyone that might be interested in a professional capacity know whats happening and be honest even if they are muppets and its clear they don't have a clue about the difficulties you are facing. Jo, take care, and find someone who is not flippant that you can trust. It still seems bizarre to me that when I was a drunk in the pub everyone thought I was the life and soul, when I stuck my hands up and said 'help' I'm an alcoholic, that label changed everything. No wonder alcholism is such a secretive activity for so many of us.

Lurky- pies looked truly scrumptious- might even have a go at making some of my own for the first time this year-yum.

Best of luck over the xmas period to posters old and new- my plan is to offer to drive everywhere- its such a vulnerable time for us all.

Fay- I feel truly upset that you are giving up your studies for the time being, you've done so much work, and it must have been such a difficult decision- nevertheless you know whats best for you and the kids, so onwards and upwards hun.

Catch you all tommorrow.

jeffgeorge

Hi all,

Anybody got any craving busters? The craving and obsession really gets me. I can't get a bottle of wine out my mind. Despite of the fact I know where it has taken me and where it can further take me.

Damn this alcoholisim!!

Well done on 48hours to all the 72 hourers!!

Love and sober hugs to all (If you want it!!)


JG

eselt

Hi JeffGeorge

I've tried loads of stuff in the past to stop cravings, just a summary:

Antabuse- medication from GP which makes you very sick if you drink so you get the mindset that you can't (and believe me you are very ill if you do drink- even mouthwash and certain deoderants off limits-nasty nasty reaction if you drink)

Campral-anti-craving medication- took the edge off for me physically but my head still wanted a drink.

Eating properly- seemed to reduce cravings

Kudzu- seemed to help mental craving

Vitamin B - seemed to help with aggitation, anxiety and nerves. Got mine from the doctor (extra strong) with Thiamin, but you can get this from chemist.

Milk thistle- took this when I had drunk so much I gave myself hepatitis, and it seemed to help with cravings as well as support liver.

Home detox's I've had involved GP chlordiazepoxide hydrochloride which were really doping but I didn't think about alcohol at all, and althought a bit dopey it was quite easy to not drink.

Allan Carr's book is pretty good as a motivator- might be worth a christmas read.

So my friend, there are a lot of treatments and therapies out there, and having tried most of them the only one I can say worked for me was complete avoidance/abstinance and as I recovered and got some energy back, a steely determination not to return to that dark place- or more to the point expect my family to pick me up (again) when I fell. Its a daily battle even after all this time, but its worth it.

69chick

Fallen off the challenge wagon unfortunately been one of them nights and as I have got some champagne in..dh and I decided to share a bottle to see if it was ok anyway luckily I have only had 2 glasses and thats me for the night so not too dissapointed... although challenge failed I am now going to try to remain af till Friday (works do) which will mean I will do the 72 hrs but with a blip

Thanks for your post Eselt lots of information there for peeps and will help those who post and also, I don't doubt there are others who read but don't post....

Hope you're feeling better now jeffgorge, and well done for resisting :T

Thanks to all you lot who make this such a wonderful place to be...

BB hugs to you hun, hope all is well in the budgie house tonight....

Jo, Hope you are back on track hun and feeling better, at least you have your 'working' weekend behind you and can look forward to some hols :cool:

Love to all xxx

yellowmonkey

Hi to everyone

Nice to see the page back to normal after you had eaten all the mince pies They looked lovely by the way Lurks

9 for me please Marru

Off to catch up as I could not read when it was all big. Done my head in :rotfl:

graemecarter

jeffgeorge wrote: »

Hi all,

Anybody got any craving busters? The craving and obsession really gets me. I can't get a bottle of wine out my mind. Despite of the fact I know where it has taken me and where it can further take me.

Damn this alcoholisim!!

Well done on 48hours to all the 72 hourers!!

Love and sober hugs to all (If you want it!!)


JG

Phone another alcoholic.
Hit an AA meeting and tell people
Help others less fortunate than yourself

Do one of those things and I guarantee the cravings will go

shaggydoo

Morning :santa2:

Tired this morning It was after 1 by the time I got to bed last night:rolleyes:. Anyhoo, had 3 glasses of wine - 6 units. Will be AF for at least the next 3 nights.



Have a Happy Day.
Good Luck

Shaggy

shaggydoo

Debt - to the thread.

changing_ways

Flying visit : good morning all, and that's 15 for me now please Marru. Now off to catch up on the work I should have done last night:eek:.