The giving up/cutting down alcohol support thread Part 8!

budget_babe

:hello:Hi everyone,

Darling Jo thanks for this shiney new thread matey :T and yes you are so right, we can't change whats been and gone, only what is yet to be? (Goodness I came all over oasis just then).

But Budgie is feeling sad

She has just taken her beloved Ds back to the train station

He has been up for his Grandy's birthday, Dad didn't know so it was a lovely suprise for him. But its funny, I cope very well with not seeing him, but when I do it makes me realise just how much I do miss him.

Sorry for the waffle

But I am now in reflective Budgie mode :eek: Yes thats right step away from the computer I have done my worst month in July by a country mile with a paltry 3 af days Sorry Sparkles but thankyou so much for scoring :T it is very much appreciated hunny :A (()) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

So now what is the way forward??? I enloy a drink of red wine, but it never stops at just the one. I have gained weight and when I do drink, things get left etc.

So I have read our Darling Jo's post and feel that I will try my very best to do the full monty this month please DB sweetheart. Thankyou for scoring and hopefully together we will get to where we want to be?

We need to shine from the inside, in order to do this we must change how we are on the outside....................

Ask yourselves this: if we only had a short time left in our lives, how would we use this time? I for one, would certainly not waste it on a bottle of red wine...........So there is the answer, we need to live our lives in a more fulfilling and rewarding way, it is achievable, I suppose it all comes down as to how much we want something?

But there are many on here who have done this and who are enjoying their lives so much more.

Sorry for the waffle, I am in one of my deep moods, thinking over and searching for that something.

Love n hugs guys and all of you take care and stay safe and well :A
Budgie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Different_Corner

Budgie
Hugs re DS, memories are made of birthdays like that, though.
Is something in the air, been all reflective myself today. I was pathetic throughout July, think I made it to 2, not a clue really.
So here we go...

budget_babe

Different_Corner wrote: »

Budgie
Hugs re DS, memories are made of birthdays like that, though.
Is something in the air, been all reflective myself today. I was pathetic throughout July, think I made it to 2, not a clue really.
So here we go...

Thanks Dc :A

There maybe something in the air, July for me was my worst month since joining on here.

I suppose all we can do is: pick ourselves up, and dust ourselves down and start over with a whole new resolve.

Lets be positive we can do this if we want it enough, its when we let our defences down that the trouble starts.

Budgie is battening down the hatches. Anyone got anymore nails please. This needs to be super secure

Hugs Dc and here's to better days ahead sweetheart.
Budgie (()) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

graemecarter

DecemberBaby wrote: »

Morning all,

All this talk of delicious food is making me hungry.

Everyone sounds so cheerful that I don't want to bring the mood down but feeling bad this morning. Drank too much last night and woke up worrying about the test results I'll get this week. What makes a person (me) drink so much when I know it is so bad for me?

I'm determined to make a real effort this month but the worry is getting me down and when I get down I drink, then I get down etc etc!!

DB x

I had a full range of tests recently. One of them was a serum gamma GT test. I scored 15 - the 'acceptable' range is 12 -64, and active alcoholics commonly have higher scores than that.
That means that my liver is in very good health.
Amazing because I gave it a real pounding for a long time.
However, if I didn't stop when I did, I could have damaged it permanently. I don't think anyone regrets stopping drinking, and wishes they hadn't stopped.

Until I did something very different, I was stuck in that cycle you describe DB.
I hoped things would improve. They didn't. It got worse for me as alcoholism is a progressive illness.
I needed to change myself to get off the merry-go-round.
I had to be willing to go to ANY lengths to stop drinking. It hasn't always been easy, and being sober has its uncomfortable moments, but for today, I don't want to go back to drinking, and those negative feelings you describe so well.

peedie

Hiya
First things first, my target is 31 please

Managed to make my last target of 30 AF days and I must admit to patting myself on the back at midnight, it has been years and years since I've gone so long with out alcohol.
There have been many changes I've noticed over the last month, some were I'm sure were the direct result of not drinking others may will be just the result of being aware enough to notice.
Reading some of the intermediate effects of stopping drinking I've read on this thread and else were, like having disrupted sleep, have happened, but when thinking about it, it might just have been that it has been soo very humid at night, or/and I am getting to a certain age-I know the true meaning of a tropical moment:( but have found not starting the day with a hangover or feeling sluggish have made it feel manageable.

I cant say that it has always been easy cos it ant

Bells have rung, there have been times were life has felt far too much like a soap opera, esp in the last 2 weeks, and previous response would have been to reach for the wine or G&T.

But hay rubbish happens with alcohol or not, don't it.

I know I'm rambling again but I just want to say thank you so much for all your support and encouragement, dont think I could have managed without each and everyone of you.
I know that sounds guffie but its true.

THANK YOU

Peedie

graemecarter

DecemberBaby wrote: »

Thanks Jo. It is a very positive post indeed. I know exactly what you mean about the autopilot turning on. Lets beat it today as you say. We can't change the past but the future can be different can't it? I'm just hoping that if there is any damage that it can be reversed by staying AF.

Hugs (())

DB x

ETA: Thanks SSG - you're doing great. That's what I want to do - stop drinking on my own.

Defo - we can change what we do today. Not tomorrow as we need to get through today first.
That's why not drinking for me is 'a day at a time' - I can not drink for one day. I don't think I can not drink for one year.
I need to keep my head where my feet are, which is right here, right now. Regretting the past and fearing the future is a quick route to unhappiness for me.

I may not be able to reverse ALL the damage I did to myself and others when I drank (be it physical, mental, emotional, financial), however I can ensure I don't do any more damage today by not picking up a drink.

graemecarter

Different_Corner wrote: »

DB
I want off this merry-go-round too.

The example I am setting to my sons as young adults is bad. I don't want them to grow up thinking every night is 'crack open a can' night. So much more to life.

Me too - while my children may become alcoholics, I'd like to think that they will know their dad is one too and doesn't drink.
BUT, that is a long way away, and it does me no good to project that far in the future....
I need to not drink today

fedupandskint

I think if hadn't have been for this thread there is no way I would have reached the point I am at now.

A shiny new thread is the way forward for us - day by day, hour by hour if you find it difficult to get to the point you want to. Break the risky times down to a more manageable level eg 30mins and keep busy, keep hydrated. Often thirst is a trigger for wanting to drink alcohol. Get plenty of AF stuff in you like to drink and it makes a big difference.

I'm at the point now where I have to continue to give it up due to medication I'm on that causes a massive reaction that is very unpleasant.

5 drinking days since March

I feel so different, more positive than ever and even though I didn't drink every day I can now see what an effect alcohol had on my moods and emotions now it is cleared out of my system.

My aim for this year was to start exercising and now I'm at 6weeks into the running programme and enjoy it more than I ever imagined I would. I kept putting off this goal and yet here I am achieving it

Feels nice to tick off some of the aims for the year at this point

Nice to feel positive and to leave the alcohol behind after thinking this for a long time

Only posting this to say you can get there if I did, just let go of alcohol and then it lets go of you and then reap the benefits by the bucket load

AFD 1 for me DB

graemecarter

budget_babe wrote: »

:hello:Hi everyone,

Darling Jo thanks for this shiney new thread matey :T and yes you are so right, we can't change whats been and gone, only what is yet to be? (Goodness I came all over oasis just then).

But Budgie is feeling sad

She has just taken her beloved Ds back to the train station

He has been up for his Grandy's birthday, Dad didn't know so it was a lovely suprise for him. But its funny, I cope very well with not seeing him, but when I do it makes me realise just how much I do miss him.

Sorry for the waffle

But I am now in reflective Budgie mode :eek: Yes thats right step away from the computer I have done my worst month in July by a country mile with a paltry 3 af days Sorry Sparkles but thankyou so much for scoring :T it is very much appreciated hunny :A (()) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

So now what is the way forward??? I enloy a drink of red wine, but it never stops at just the one. I have gained weight and when I do drink, things get left etc.

So I have read our Darling Jo's post and feel that I will try my very best to do the full monty this month please DB sweetheart. Thankyou for scoring and hopefully together we will get to where we want to be?

We need to shine from the inside, in order to do this we must change how we are on the outside....................

Ask yourselves this: if we only had a short time left in our lives, how would we use this time? I for one, would certainly not waste it on a bottle of red wine...........So there is the answer, we need to live our lives in a more fulfilling and rewarding way, it is achievable, I suppose it all comes down as to how much we want something?

But there are many on here who have done this and who are enjoying their lives so much more.

Sorry for the waffle, I am in one of my deep moods, thinking over and searching for that something.

Love n hugs guys and all of you take care and stay safe and well :A
Budgie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Great post BB.

I needed to change how I was internally, and part of the way I did this was changing what I did (outside)

graemecarter

budget_babe wrote: »

Thanks Dc :A

There maybe something in the air, July for me was my worst month since joining on here.

I suppose all we can do is: pick ourselves up, and dust ourselves down and start over with a whole new resolve.

Lets be positive we can do this if we want it enough, its when we let our defences down that the trouble starts.

Budgie is battening down the hatches. Anyone got anymore nails please. This needs to be super secure

Hugs Dc and here's to better days ahead sweetheart.
Budgie (()) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Indeed - this may mean a change of tactics, but if we are open, honest, and willing we will acheive it. Sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, but we'll get there if we keep working for it.