The Giving up/ Cutting down Alcohol support thread- number 10

shaggydoo

maman wrote: »

Have a great weekend everyone. I'm away until Tuesday.

Have a great time

shaggydoo

rustybucket wrote: »

And I've lost half a stone this month already.

well done - sooooo jealous (that's me - green with jealousy!)

Chloris

Morning Everyone! I more for the school night and 1 more for the challenge, please!

shaggydoo

April :-

= 7 days AF

= 14 days AF

= 21 days AF

= 28 days AF

= 30 days AF

Pregnant Posters = :A

:j = target achieved
Bearacus 11/14
Beckseven 9/21
Chloris 13/20
Darwin's Mum 9/15
eca00 16/20
Fed Up 17/TF
Gien 15/20
Happyshopper 17/20
Lala 15/20

Lottie /10
Mackeroo 15/25
Maggie 7/12
Maman 11/10 :j

Mari 3/10
Miss P 15/18
Phoenix D 20/30
Rachelww 15/21

RossieCheecks 4/16
Rustybucket 14/TF

ScotDebs /9
Shaggy 13/17
SOS 14/23
Toomany 7/15
Trasij 20/30

Will /7

Yorkshiremanc 1/20



PLEASE PUT YOUR TARGET AFDs IN A BOLD RED FONT and good luck!

rachelww1

Decided to have a drink last night (well quite a few actually). It was such a nice evening, loads of us decided to go out to sit outside our local social club. Had a lovely time, and don't feel bad about doing it as I am on holiday. Shame I couldn't complete the school night challenge, but I will next week. Off out to a bbq tonight, not decided wether or not to have a drink yet.

graemecarter

darwins_mum wrote: »

Morning all, happy sunny Thursday.
Every day is AF now, not sure what number that make me now Shaggy?
I won a bottle of wine in our local raffle last night, there wasn't an alternative prize, I gave it to my niece. I tried AF free wine at my friends, which was vile. Not sure what was going on, I think it was the combination of a nice summers evening plus a little pressure from a friend who had gone to the trouble of buying it in the first place. I think it has highlighted the need to change my associates, or at least limit the time that I spend with them to places when the opportunity to drink alcohol is dimminished.
An old colleague is having a leaving do this evening. The team were renowned drinkers, I initially said that I would go, but don't relish being around some leary drunks. I had agreed to give another friend a lift, so feel as thought I am letting him down somewhat, but I have to be responsible for my own recovery.

Mrsrainman, take extra special care of yourself.
Lets all keep up with our challenges - we know we are worth it.
I am off to spend the day in the library, I only have 5k words to go and am determined to break the back of it.
DM

To stop drinking I had to change. Alcohol is not the problem for me, it is the manifestation of the problem. I am the problem as I was always sober when I had that first drink, so that tells me the alcoholism is a condition centred in the mind.
If I can prevent myself drinking it, then I prevent that reaction where I want more. One drink was never enough for me, I wanted the 2nd more than the first, I wanted the 7th more than the 6th etc.

Most of my friends through my drinking are still my friends, but a few of them are no longer on the radar. I am no fun to them any more. I changed, they haven't, so what we had in common has gone.
There is no point me trying to be friends with people who don't want me around that much. It is what it is.

As you say, only I can take responsibility for my recovery.

However, I don't think not drinking is recovery. That is just not drinking. If the condition is centred in the mind, then recovery will involve something that looks at my mind
I believe not drinking is relief from alcoholism, not recovery.
However, one has to start somewhere, and I couldn't get sober when drinking.....

graemecarter

lala1974 wrote: »

Miss P, you can do this, I know. I have read Allen Carr's "No more hangovers" and have to say that it really opened my eyes! It has made me look at alcohol so differently. I wonder if you could google some of his quotes - I've not tried it but there may be something on there.

Its still early days for me but I don't really have a choice - I can't risk seizures - my DH and kids are more important than drink to me and I couldn't bear putting them through that knowing that my actions may be partly the cause. There is, of course, the chance that my seizure has nothing to do with alcohol and that it may be a warning that I'm becoming tolerant of my anti-epileptic drugs but only time will tell this. Either way, I know it is a risk regardless of my medication control and I can't deny how well I feel. I feel like I've set free of something.

I've been honest with close friends and my family and will tell others that I've had a change in meds that mean I can't drink.

You can achieve anything Miss P. The only thing stopping us from achieving any goals is ourselves, don't fear change - embrace it as an exciting adventure :A

Lala x

Great advice. I needed to change to stop my unhealthy relationship with alcohol. Part of that change is not fearing everything, which I used to.
I'd fear the future, regret the past, etc and always feel uneasy or anxious (which a drink used to take away)
Change is hard - my alcoholism was desperate for me not to change.
I cannot change my thinking, I can change what I do. Good actions lead to good thinking for me, not the other way around

graemecarter

Chloris wrote: »

This is so interesting to me. I am considering stopping completely. Freeing up the mental energy would be fantastic. The internal debate acts like psychic vampirism, draining resources. I too am tormented with feeling I am missing out, why can't a just enjoy an occasional drink like other people? I don't even drink too much! I think I just need to make peace with the fact it doesn't suit me, I am not other people and just step past it.


*Mari* Good luck. Be stubborn and prove them wrong!:rotfl:

Totally agree - me and alcohol has never been a good combo. I am better off if I don't put it in my body in ANY quantity.
The trick is not having that first drink.....

graemecarter

Trasijocha wrote: »

Another thing I`ve realised since giving up is that I`m not a party type person at all (I`ve got friends who are and probably always will be) I`ve always coped with partys by getting absolutely hammered but as you say I`ve come to realise that that kind of lifestyle just doesnt suit me and I`m happier to be at home leading a peaceful life rather than out partying and to be honest drinking at home just gets in the way as I`ve got so much I want to do.

Snap - I could have written this

maggiesoop

Not a good morning for me, slipped back into old habits last night and paying the price. OH treated me to a night at the theatre for a wee change, I took the car to ensure wouldnt drink, however had a glass of wine at the break, got the taste, then couldn't wait for the show to finish so that I drop him at his flat, go back home to mine's then have another... and another.... using the excuse that I wasn't working today so could "treat" myself. I'm now quite depressed. Feel rough, have a headache, blotchy skin and no wish to do anything. I'm also worried that there are so few days left in the month and I have another 5 AF days to reach my target. On top of everything, the sun seems to be shining everywhere in Britain and we're shrouded in grey mist in Edinburgh If the sun comes out it may lift my spirits (maybe not the best word to use under the circumstances) Maggie