The cutting out/cutting down alcohol thread (part 7)

Miss_Piggy_2

Morning everyone,

Phew...some in-depth posts last night.

Sim - Now, please don't take this the wrong way. This is MY take on things and certainly no judgement on you. You say you are scared to face a life without booze. Well, I think that when you're mindset is like that (and mine was at one point) then you will continually put obstacles in the way of having to give up that booze. E.g AA just not right for me, Counsellors all useless etc etc. Sound familiar? Until YOU want to give up then these people can only do so much. Why not try AA again, you may find a different group is better? And yes, you have to sort out the undelying issues too. Mine, I think, was anger. I've been trying to calm myself down and take things in my stride more than I used to (see my signature!) and it seems to be working. I don't automatically think after a bad day "MUST have a drink". Yes, I still drink but I'm learning to limit the control it has over me and to enjoy it when I DO have a drink, not just use it as a means to get blotto. Early days for me, as it is for you. Good luck.

Miss P
xx

DEBTMONKEY1A

Morning all! Well last night AF-& sleep was pretty damn good (say 80% of full deep sleep-not 100% yet!)...night before last had some vodka after 5 days AF....that would normally start a bit of a cycle (if u know what I mean!) but absolutely no anxiousness/cravings at all...sleep usually a bit crap to say the least after boozing night before with tenseness/anxiety, etc...but all fine yesterday.

Am really getting a handle on me & my relationship with drink. I'm not powerless around alcohol because I've now learned i can stop & I can buy less if needed. Early days but feel more confident than ever before.

Sim-rather than being terrified of 'never drinking again' best mindset (in my opinion-not preeching at all) is to think 'ok....none today' or 'ok-none this week' & take each day/week as it comes..I would say if your relationship with booze is a bit 'raw/fragile' at the mo probably best not to say 'ok I'll have the next 14 days AF' as that's a bit too much pressure! on here it's quite nice to sort of say 'ok I'll have 10 AF days free this month' for example...takes the pressure off. Graeme speaks loads of good sense & whilst for me personally the AA concept don't 'float my boat' I'm absolutely sure ofr some it works great. I think for me (& possibly for you sim-seems we do have some similarities..!) it's working out the relationship with booze-trigger points/times you drink & WHY....etc...rather than saying 'I'll never drink again/alcohol is evit..etc'...

On another note Sim...why not try KUDZU tablets? Take them say 1 1/2-2hours before the normal booze time-it does take a big edge off major cravings. Also-a supplement called -L-Glutamine has been shown to curb/stop cravings (apparently one of the main reasons for cravings is lack of unrefined carbs-booze is pure carb!)...check it out on google. All available from health rack/holland & barrett. Also I take a slow release vita min b supplement (people who booze are deffo lacking in this)...omega 3 supplements (good for the mental health) a good multivitamin (cheap boots will do!) & most importantly MILK THISTLE 3 times a day. This has been shown to help rebuild & protect the liver. In Germany its prescribed on their national health service! Whilst all these supplements won't cure peoples problems overnight they A)-Are good for the body (!) & -MAKE YOU FEEL YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING!

Ok thats me done this am...forcing myself to gym (still ache from Monday as I put my weights up!) ...good luck all today!

Miss_Piggy_2

June Challenge

40somethingmum 0/25
115k 0/10
BudgetBabe 1/no target
Debtmonkey1a 1/20
Decemberbaby 0/15
Different corner 1/no target
Fayjmck 1/30
Fedupandskint 1/no target
Foreverhopeful 1/no target
Happyshopper 0/20
Honeybear 0/14
Jo1972 1/no target
Lurkio 0/no target
Maman 1/10
Marru 1/30
Miss Piggy 1/20
Penelopedee 0/16
Pharmarep 1/no target
Shaggydoo 1/17
Skintscottishgirl 0/25
Treepotato1 0/29
Yellowmonkey 0/no target


Nice long list for this month! Good luck to everyone and well done all those that intended staying AF last night and did it. Remember, today, is a whole new day. Good luck everyone!

Miss P
xx

P.s if I've missed anyone off or mucked up anyones targets please let me know...Piglet keeps interrupting me this morning so if I've got it right it will be a miracle!!!

Pippilongstocking

One for me mrs don't panic you're doing great!

Morning all.

Marru

Being AF does not magically make you life like dancing on roses but it helps dealing with those twists and turns that are thrown to us. That is me trying to convince myself not to panic. DD had diarrohea this morning which means that she can't go to the nursery today or tomorrow which means that I have to work from home which means that I don't get much done and it is busiest week of the month and which also means that I won't get much revising done and my first exam is only a week away :eek: PANIC!!!!!!

About running re solving problems. When running one is very much alone with one's thoughts and doesn't matter how fast one goes it is never fast enough for those thoughts to catch up. It is so much better to run towards something than run away from something.

Pippilongstocking

honeybear wrote: »

Hi all

Not got time to say much but justwanted to record the fact that I only had 2 glasses of wine last night; a small one then a large one, which I poured about half or so away. It's not AF but it's the least I've drunk in a long time

muchos bearhugs

xx

Well done your bearness - great stuff! Its not all about being AF anyway

graemecarter

DEBTMONKEY1A wrote: »

Morning all! Well last night AF-& sleep was pretty damn good (say 80% of full deep sleep-not 100% yet!)...night before last had some vodka after 5 days AF....that would normally start a bit of a cycle (if u know what I mean!) but absolutely no anxiousness/cravings at all...sleep usually a bit crap to say the least after boozing night before with tenseness/anxiety, etc...but all fine yesterday.

Am really getting a handle on me & my relationship with drink. I'm not powerless around alcohol because I've now learned i can stop & I can buy less if needed. Early days but feel more confident than ever before.

Sim-rather than being terrified of 'never drinking again' best mindset (in my opinion-not preeching at all) is to think 'ok....none today' or 'ok-none this week' & take each day/week as it comes..I would say if your relationship with booze is a bit 'raw/fragile' at the mo probably best not to say 'ok I'll have the next 14 days AF' as that's a bit too much pressure! on here it's quite nice to sort of say 'ok I'll have 10 AF days free this month' for example...takes the pressure off. Graeme speaks loads of good sense & whilst for me personally the AA concept don't 'float my boat' I'm absolutely sure ofr some it works great. I think for me (& possibly for you sim-seems we do have some similarities..!) it's working out the relationship with booze-trigger points/times you drink & WHY....etc...rather than saying 'I'll never drink again/alcohol is evit..etc'...

On another note Sim...why not try KUDZU tablets? Take them say 1 1/2-2hours before the normal booze time-it does take a big edge off major cravings. Also-a supplement called -L-Glutamine has been shown to curb/stop cravings (apparently one of the main reasons for cravings is lack of unrefined carbs-booze is pure carb!)...check it out on google. All available from health rack/holland & barrett. Also I take a slow release vita min b supplement (people who booze are deffo lacking in this)...omega 3 supplements (good for the mental health) a good multivitamin (cheap boots will do!) & most importantly MILK THISTLE 3 times a day. This has been shown to help rebuild & protect the liver. In Germany its prescribed on their national health service! Whilst all these supplements won't cure peoples problems overnight they A)-Are good for the body (!) & -MAKE YOU FEEL YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING!

Ok thats me done this am...forcing myself to gym (still ache from Monday as I put my weights up!) ...good luck all today!

I used to think I could stop, and I could.
My problem was I couldn't stay stopped
If I had no cravings, I don't think I would have drunk the way I did.

Agree about the day at a time - that's how I take it now. All I need to do is get though today without a drink

Miss_Piggy_2

honeybear wrote: »

Hi all

Not got time to say much but justwanted to record the fact that I only had 2 glasses of wine last night; a small one then a large one, which I poured about half or so away. It's not AF but it's the least I've drunk in a long time

muchos bearhugs

xx

Well done HB!:T

yellowmonkey

Morning all

Off to the beach near me today with kids. Has to accessed by a path down the cliffs so I may be on later might not :eek:

Golf this afternoon so wont get in until about 19:30 so will catch up then.

Great posts last night by the way Guys. Food for thought there certainly for me.

Graeme. Dont take offence but I always feel like I am seeing the headmaster when you reply to my posts . I mean that in a nice way.:)

honeybear_2

Marru wrote: »

It is so much better to run towards something than run away from something.

OMG! Marru, I love that so much I might use it as my sig! :T