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

penelopedee_2

Morning all, aiming for AF today.

Taking DS into town to the cinema in a minute

Marru

Hello and welcome treepotato. One of us is keeping scores for the month and then everyone who wants to sets up target for themselves of AF (alcohol free) days they are aiming to achieve in that month. Some people just want to see how they do without set target so go TF (target free). Just mention here in colour and bold your target and Miss P will add you to the list.

There are lots of other acronyms like DD (dear daughter) OH (other half) DH (dear husband) etc etc so just ask when you go along.

Oh and best one: not drinking WOMO (when on my own)

jo1972

Hi TP1 and welcome

Miss P is the scorer this month, you pledge how many alcohol free days (AFD) you would like to do in June and she will add you to the list.

Welcome to the friendliest most non-judgmental thread on the board!

xx

graemecarter

yellowmonkey wrote: »

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.:)

Ha, that made me laugh. No offence taken in the slightest YM.

I post my opinion only, and it could well be totally wrong. :rotfl:

jo1972

Marru beat me to it!!

I think I've worked a way round my work IT system so spent the last hour catching up with Waterloo Road on bbc player! Not brave enough to log on here though...just in case!

brokepaolo

Morning !

Been away for a few days at my dad's house, looking after him, or rather, trying to look after him. It's very difficult because every time you think you've made progress and he's starting to act as though he's feeling better, he'll find something new to worry about and then he goes back down again.

This time, as has been the case many many times before, he was worried about the amount of money he keeps having to spend on accidents he's had with the car. He drives a hideously large Saab convertible which is clearly too much for him to handle, especially when he's feeling down because he gets distracted and loses focus on driving, it's truly quite alarming. He managed to smash half the front garden wall by reversing into it just the other day and on monday when he suggested we go for a day out by the sea in the car, he reversed straight into his neighbour's parked car at sufficient speed to pretty much write off it's passenger door and cause considerable damage to the bodywork too.

Fortunately his neighbour wasn't angry about it and tried to calm my dad down by saying he would find the cheapest repair quote possible so as to avoid going through his insurance company because my dad's premium is already sky high from all the other prangs he's had.

My sister and I really tried hard to ease his worries by emphasising how it was good that his neighbour wasn't angry and that the whole matter would be reolved amicably and hopefully quite cheaply too. We even spoke to a builder at my dad's local pub who came down to the house and fixed the wall for him for a measly £80 when my dad was expecting it would cost upwards of £1000.

It looked as though it had sunk in and my dad had accepted that the worst was over and that he'd got a good deal in the end but then, yesterday as my sister and I left, he wrote out to cheques to us and upon handing them to us he said 'I've left them blank because I want you to have everything I've got left. I'm useless and will only ruin everything I've got so I might as well give it away and die, there's no point me carrying on.'

What on earth can you say to that? We put down our bags, sat him down and started all over again but even when he came round and said that he knew he didn't mean what he said and that he just didn't want to see us go, we both knew full well that despite having been there for him in his time of need, by leaving we'd be sending him spiralling back down again.

It's a thankless task looking after someone with depression and I suppose I just need to develop the thick skin required to accept that for each step forward you take, taking two steps back is often a natural consequence because people with depression often actually feel 'guilty' if they forget their perceived troubles for a little while. Their worries control them and they feel insecure when they aren't worrying about something.

oh well, we'll carry on visiting and doing our best, there's not much else we can do but I wish that for once, our presence would have a lasting effect rather than a fleeting one.

nevertheless, one good thing my dad did was admit that he was drinking too much and that he felt noticeably worse mood wise if he'd had a drink, so he gave me and my sister all the wine he'd recently ordered. Not sure if that's any good for me, but it is really good wine so I shall do my best to keep it for special occasions as a reward. It will also serve as a reminder to me of what my dad is actually doing to feel better himself so will be further motivation for me to show solidarity by abstaining and resisting temptation.

Miss_Piggy_2

Welcome Treepotato! As Jo says, we are a very friendly, non-judgmental bunch. We are all in the same boat, wanting to cut down or give up alcohol.

Would you like me to put you down for a target amount of alcohol free days?

Miss P
xx

Miss_Piggy_2

treepotato1 wrote: »

Yes you could put me down for 29 AF days, please Miss P. Thanks.

Will do. Were you AF last night?

Miss P
xx

115K

Today will be my 1st day AF of the month.:j

eselt wrote: »

115k- group work sounds good, just remember how apprehensive you feel and recognise that everyone brave enough to enter that room feels the same way as you do so you've already got something in common.

I am going to go for it. I have to sign a contract to say I will be in it for a year to make sure I stick to it. It's not dealing with my alcohol problems specifically but it is supposed to work on my triggers so it's for the underlying issues really. Bit nervous but quite excited too.:)

DEBTMONKEY1A wrote: »

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!

I have most of these supplements in my house. I will take them today now you have reminded me!:T

Marru wrote: »

Oh and best one: not drinking WOMO (when on my own)

I didn't know what that meant!:rotfl:

Miss_Piggy_2

115k you are sounding really positive!!:T:T

Miss P
xx