The giving up/cutting down alcohol thread part VI

graemecarter

MountainOfDebt wrote: »

Sorry, but I thougth I'd ask about this. I guess this is parrt of dealing with this as an illness. But is it really incurable? Isn't that a really, really bleak way of having to deal with it? Sorry if I am being too 'pink and fluffy' about it, I know it's a bad thing to deal with, but is that the eway it's treated?

I believe if you have crossed the line into alcoholism, there is no going back. So it is incurable.
Some people are heavy drinkers so they can cut back to moderation successfully. I am not one of those people

I don't know what's bleak about dealing with it? Most people posting here are much happier when they are not drinking, and rather miserable when they are drinking.
I believe it is a progressive illness that gets worse if untreated - I bet 10 years ago you wouldn't imagine you were drinking as much as you are now (and you may not be alcoholic). It creeps up slowly in most people.
I am sure most alcoholic park bench drinkers didn't think they would be sleeping rough a decade or two ago.

People try and treat it in different ways - and no one way is better than another. You just stick on what works for you.

Misery is wanting something and not being able to have it - if you always want to drink but deny yourself, that to me is a miserable existence. Recovery means not even WANTING to drink (it means loads more too)

Lurkio

Thanks graeme

I try and relate it to smoking, as I have been there and done it and successfully stopped, AND I see an awful lot of parallels between the two.

So if I read you right, if there was an 'ism' word for nicotine addiction (call it smokaholism), I would still have that, even though I have stopped smoking and know that I won't light up another cigarette? Because I can't have a casual relationship with cigarettes, means I'm still a smokaholic, but I have just chosen not to smoke today?

I'm just trying to get my head round it, tbh. I can't see why people still have to be labelled, or label themselves, even if they have successfully stopped..... maybe I'm just over-simplifying it

Lurkio

graemecarter wrote: »

CAVEAT - THIS IS WHAT I BELIEVE. IT APPLIES TO NO-ONE IN PARTICULAR APART FROM MYSELF. I COULD BE WRONG ON ALL OF THIS

And well done on that bit ^^^^^^

should save a few rows

graemecarter

Lurkio wrote: »

So if I read you right, if there was an 'ism' word for nicotine addiction (call it smokaholism), I would still have that, even though I have stopped smoking and know that I won't light up another cigarette? Because I can't have a casual relationship with cigarettes, means I'm still a smokaholic, but I have just chosen not to smoke today?

Exactly - however if you had a puff or two, I imagine the craving would kick back in and you'd be wanting a packet of 20.
The causal relationship part is right regarding my relationship with drink (and smoking)

I'm just trying to get my head round it, tbh. I can't see why people still have to be labelled, or label themselves, even if they have successfully stopped..... maybe I'm just over-simplifying it

I find it important for myself to know and admit I am an alcoholic. I found when I was drinking I would forget the bad stuff and drink again. I now know for me that if I admit and accept my alcoholism, then I remind myself I have an illness that I need to treat to stay well.
I have no stigma with being an alcoholic. That doesn't mean everyone knows, but it is important that I admit to myself that I have this illness.

My advice is to do what works for you - if people don't want a label and they are successful in cutting down or being AF then great.

graemecarter

Lurkio wrote: »

And well done on that bit ^^^^^^

should save a few rows

I have learnt from experience....

Perhaps I should make that my signature

Marru

Hello,

Very deep today. Welcome to newbies!!!

I consider myself ex smoker as couldn't imagine having one now and lighting up is not one of my coping mechanisms anymore. However I know that I could get very close to the line of being alcoholic if I didn't have one simple rule: I do not under any circumstances drink home alone!!! Because of this one simple rule I can have a glass of wine when having meal at friends.

Now need to dash to the parents evening to meet the teacher - why do I feel so nervous?

Pippilongstocking

graemecarter wrote: »

I have learnt from experience....

Perhaps I should make that my signature

:T This did make me laugh - we have been known to like a healthy debate on this page :T

Well done chaps - I think that's been a great bit of bantered debate.

Still pretty down in the dumps here - (slight change of topic) - so off to beach with dog, DS and fish and chips.

Lurks - you have my permission to kick me up the bottom if I'm not wearing my stripey's by the weekend.

ETA - Marru I'm always the same about meeting the teacher - I know I'm a parent but I'm sure she sees right through me and I feel about 6 - I tend to dress up, do my hair etc and feel a bit more of a 'growd-up' - goodluck

I have the same drinking rule as you BTW

gien

evening.

Graeme, you say some very wise and sensible things -your posts always make me think.

I drank champagne last night (ooooohhh) so still on 6 AF days but I am AF tonight and will be tomorrow also.
I am feeling soooo tired at the moment it is difficult to stay awake. I think that as soon as I have dropped the boys at scouts I shall go to bed and let their Dad pick them up!

Have a good evening all.

honeybear_2

Evening all

I was nearly mugged by a glass of champagne today! :eek: Thankfully I managed to fend it off & have juice instead :rotfl:

Hi to Mountain of Debt (does this mean we've got a MoD amongst us? :rotfl:)

In other news, I am the tiredest of the bears. No bear in the history of the world has ever been as tired as me...

fedupandskint

Blimey you look tired HB!

Well I have done some sorting and cleaning tonight and no worries remaining AF tonight for the last portion of the 72 hr challenge (only 3hrs 40mins to go!)

Another AF night for me making me a MAD 10 AFD