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

40somethingmum

Graeme,

I have just noticed from your signature that you are now 1 yr nicotine free.

Well done on that.:T:T. You are an inspiration.


Love
40SMx

40somethingmum

:kisses3: Jo,

Sending you big (((hugs)) my lovely. I am struggling big time this month. I am feeling really down at the moment . I think it is partly due to the fact that I was looking forward to getting back to normal after the Christmas holiday however kids only back at school for 2 days ( Mon& Tues) and have been closed since then due to the weather.

Also, like Mollypolly January is a very busy month for me . I am snowed under in more ways than one.:rotfl:. I brought some work with me on Tuesday night to do at home . I am nearly finished it and really need to go to office to pick up more work but don't think it will be possible in the next couple of days and as more snow is predicted for Sunday. I only get paid for the work I produce ... so it is a bit of a worry financially. January is normally my biggest earning month by a long chalk.

Anyway enough waffling from me ... got work to do:o

Catch you all later.

40SMx;)

graemecarter

shaggydoo wrote: »

I agree with a lot of what you say, however, I have to disagree with you about AA. AA fails many people and there are a lot of researchers who say it doesn't work at all and is in fact very damaging to people's self esteem, as they are continually made to feel like a failure.

You often emphasize that posters should try different approaches and I agree with that. AA works for a small minority but since its inception in the 1930s has failed many. Maybe some posters should try AA but for the majority it won't be the solution.

Not that I know what the solution is of course but I feel it's only fair to point out the limitations of AA.

Anyone, interested in the AA should google "Does AA work?" so they can go into it fully informed.

I'm not trying to pick an argument with you by the way.

AA will not work for everyone, I agree. You must have been to meetings to be so informed about it yourself. It's just that Steph went to meetings and stayed off the drink, so it's a good insurance against drinking.
AA is not handed to you on a plate - you have to work at it. Just turning up is not enough - there has to be the desire to stop drinking too.
I see many people that is has worked for, and there are many who go to a meeting and never return, and drink again. So you could say it doesn't work for those people, but you could say they need to give it a chance.

There are of course limitations to AA, but if it is the least worst option, then surely it's worth a shot for many. However, there is no point going unless you are totally, 100% committed. So googling "Does AA work" will not be a true reflection as a) it is the internet and I can find people who believe Elvis lives on the Moon on the internet and b) you need to try it for yourself to really know

One thing is for sure though, left untreated, alcoholism may not kill you, but it will make you miserable.

Good post shaggydoo - thx

graemecarter

40somethingmum wrote: »

Graeme,

I have just noticed from your signature that you are now 1 yr nicotine free.

Well done on that.:T:T. You are an inspiration.


Love
40SMx

Thanks - just like drinking, I tell myself every day I can get through this day (and this day alone) without a cigarette

Miss_Piggy_2

Jo - ((hugs)). Perhaps , as Graeme says, its time to try something else? In my experience, Doctors aren't the best help with anything other than purely physical medical problems. If it can't be treated with a pill they are a bit stumped (Not dissing doctors - just saying what my experience has been....I currently have a lovely doctor who is fantastic). I can't say as I see the point of doing detoxes if they aren't tackling the initial desire you have to drink? Perhaps try AA? Or are there other organisations similar?

Miss P
xx

Lurkio

shaggydoo wrote: »

I agree with a lot of what you say, however, I have to disagree with you about AA. AA fails many people and there are a lot of researchers who say it doesn't work at all and is in fact very damaging to people's self esteem, as they are continually made to feel like a failure.

You often emphasize that posters should try different approaches and I agree with that. AA works for a small minority but since its inception in the 1930s has failed many. Maybe some posters should try AA but for the majority it won't be the solution.

Not that I know what the solution is of course but I feel it's only fair to point out the limitations of AA.

Anyone, interested in the AA should google "Does the AA work?" so they can go into it fully informed.

I'm not trying to pick an argument with you by the way.

Well said! :T :T

I think, as with smoking, that people need to try different methods until they find the one that works FOR THEM. It is different for different people, who drink for different reasons. The addiction is for the most part (if not completely) psychological and therefore unique to the sufferer. So whilst I know that AA have helped a great many people to stop and stay stopped, it isn't the only way.

Right - that's my serious post for the year over and done with.......


ETA - well done Graeme on being 1 yr + nicotine free :T :T

Miss_Piggy_2

Lurkio wrote: »

Well said! :T :T

I think, as with smoking, that people need to try different methods until they find the one that works FOR THEM. It is different for different people, who drink for different reasons. The addiction is for the most part (if not completely) psychological and therefore unique to the sufferer. So whilst I know that AA have helped a great many people to stop and stay stopped, it isn't the only way.

Right - that's my serious post for the year over and done with.......


ETA - well done Graeme on being 1 yr + nicotine free :T :T

I'm surprised though that theres such a LACK of help for people. All you see in the news is things about youngsters binge drinking, the dangers of alcohol etc. All the drink adverts advise you to drink sensibly. Yet, when Jo goes to her Doctor he can do practically nothing to help! I suppose the organisation people automatically think of is AA but I'm sure there must be other groups / methods out there, they just aren't publicised very well

Miss P
xx

winebox

Morning!

Many thanks for the welcome backs....awwww shucks!

Just read back 6 pages about food & had to eat my lunch at 11.25 thanks guys!

HB thanks for adding me to the list pls can I be down as 3/28 as I only started on the 4th, ta.

And I am still on 3 as dropped off last night - very stupid - was due to be going out & was looking forward to a few "planned" beers but it was cancelled cos of the weather so I felt hard done by & had a few UNplanned glasses of wine at home which is exactly what I'm not supposed to be doing! At least I didn't finish of 2 bottles (fell asleep :rolleyes:) but today have a headache, very unusual for me. As long as I stay af tonight I won't be too despondent as I will have had 4 afds in week 1 but you know how it is......once I've broken the resolution the o soddit mood sets in.

As Jo said, same old same old. Jo sorry about your news, you seemed to be breezing it but apparently not if it's been so hard. But never give in - as you say your recent track record is good - more afds than not? Fantastic. Focus on that.

Shoppy hi! Sorry about the circs but nice to hear from you anyway.

Am in work today - couldn't get in yesterday so went sledging. I thought it would involve standing around insulting one another but unfortunately it involved physical exercise.

I hope you follow cricket or you'll think I'm completely barking. Speaking of which, my little dog is 13 now but like a puppy in the snow!! He loves it! Better get off & do a spot of work.

winebox

Lurkio wrote: »

Right - that's my serious post for the year over and done with.......

Thank God for that

shaggydoo

graemecarter wrote: »

AA will not work for everyone, I agree. You must have been to meetings to be so informed about it yourself. It's just that Steph went to meetings and stayed off the drink, so it's a good insurance against drinking.
AA is not handed to you on a plate - you have to work at it. Just turning up is not enough - there has to be the desire to stop drinking too.
I see many people that is has worked for, and there are many who go to a meeting and never return, and drink again. So you could say it doesn't work for those people, but you could say they need to give it a chance.

There are of course limitations to AA, but if it is the least worst option, then surely it's worth a shot for many. However, there is no point going unless you are totally, 100% committed. So googling "Does AA work" will not be a true reflection as a) it is the internet and I can find people who believe Elvis lives on the Moon on the internet and b) you need to try it for yourself to really know

One thing is for sure though, left untreated, alcoholism may not kill you, but it will make you miserable.

Good post shaggydoo - thx

No I've never been to AA. It's just that a friend mentioned to me recently that AA doesn't "work" and following that conversation I googled it and was surprised at what I found.

Personally, I dislike labeling people - "alcoholic", "failure", "success" etc - I'm not sure that is helpful. Also, the negative effects of AA on people's self-esteem would be what gives me cause for concern. If you already have low self-seteem, the risk of lowering your self-esteem even further by being labeled a failure, can't be a good solution. But AA does work for some.