The Giving Up/ Cutting Down alcohol support thread - number 11

*Mari*

:A School Night Challenge :A

Mari

41_and_i_know_it

shaggydoo wrote: »

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Here we are again, time for a new thread, new starts, new challenges, NEW POSTERS PLEASE (not that there's anything wrong with the old ones, so please stick around ).

Let's take a trip down memory lane and remind ourselves of In Search Of Me's (ISOM) original post in Part 1:

"There are a few of us who want to give up/cut down & I thought it would be good to widen the net to support each other along the way!
For me alch & feeling good for the time I'm drinking & then rubbish after go hand in hand. A bit like drinking & smoking & drinking & getting the munchies! Last year I gave up alch & fags for 10 months & then "slipped" towards Christmas until by Jan I was doing both with alarming regularity. I dread to think how much both cost me financially and I know physically that I've felt rubbish. My lungs hurt, have put on weight & literally none of my clothes fit so I will have to buy more - which means a dent in my budget that I can ill afford. My skin is also yukky & much nicer when I dont drink/smoke!
I had my last ciggies the night before last & last wine on Tues. I know I will feel 100% better when I crack it but also know it will be hard. One disadvantage here is that all too often DFW "parties" tend to involve alcohol so I'm also hoping that this can possibly be a safe haven for those of us who want, or need, to abstain, for now at least!
Anway - I hope that this can be a place of real support for people who are sturggling. I do wonder whether there is a link between debt & drinking as from the Jan thread it was obvious that so many struggle to give up! Plus I know for me that I feel much hapier and in control when I dont drink (or drink in moderation) - which of course begs the question "why do I do it?"! Anyway, I do but will now try not t ad hope some of you wil join in. Some days I know I wil fail, just as I do with my debt free journey and I am more than happy to be given a swift (but nice!) kicking when I do! Hugs all and dare I say...:beer: but this time with water!!

PS have amended this slightly as I have decided that I will try for the moderation way! That means for me not drinking over the recc limits (bottle & a half of wine for me!) but I know at times this will be a struggle plus I'm aware that others want to do the same."

And here's what she started!!! :

Part 10 is HERE

Part 9 is HERE

Part 8 is HERE

Part 7 is HERE

Part 6 is HERE

Part 5 is HERE

Part 4 is HERE

Part 3 is HERE

Part 2 is HERE

and the original starting thread is HERE

Here is a post from back on thread 1 or 2 (can't remember, but a long time ago), a post which means a lot to us on here....from Springwatch Girl. Don't know where SWG is as she hasn't posted since back then, but I am hoping that the sun is still shining in her life

"Well, week 5 of no alcohol and I see a different person in the mirror. My eyes no longer look dull and vacant, they actually have a little sparkle and my skin doesn't look like uncooked pastry anymore. I feel that I have won a battle but not yet the war. Hope everyone else is at the point they want to be, I never want to be that person I was, I have been tempted but I just think back to what I had become. The sun is shining at the moment and I feel good and want to continue to have the sun in my life"

Let us, once again, begin......


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I went out four weeks ago last night and it scared me. I haven't touched alcohol since then, I have been really tempted but since waking up with a black eye and not sure where it came from I have tried to be strong. I can only say that I agree my skin eyes and face look I am sleeping better and I am trying to lose weight and while reading stuff came across the fact that alcohol and dieting don't mix. Not smug or patronising, know I will probably be writing the opposite next week, need to tell someone cos noone knows im trying to abstain or they will sabotage it in the nicest way.

tracy_36

41_and_i_know_it wrote: »

I went out four weeks ago last night and it scared me. I haven't touched alcohol since then, I have been really tempted but since waking up with a black eye and not sure where it came from I have tried to be strong. I can only say that I agree my skin eyes and face look I am sleeping better and I am trying to lose weight and while reading stuff came across the fact that alcohol and dieting don't mix. Not smug or patronising, know I will probably be writing the opposite next week, need to tell someone cos noone knows im trying to abstain or they will sabotage it in the nicest way.

My, you sound just like I was when I stopped for 3 months - was definitely the shock I needed to stop - and so far I haven't got into that state again.
And completely agree with the sabotage thing - I went the other way and told everyone I was giving up for a while - got called boring etc etc, just made me more determined to do it - Good Luck

Anyhoo, I got to 10AF, yahhhhh
I didn't drink Fri, so finally got to 10 days!!!
I took the kids dog racing last night, so drove, but had 3 glasses of wine when I got home

Best of luck for tomorrow Shaggy, do you get the results there and then?

Tracy xx

maman

ChocolateCupcake wrote: »

No more AFD's to report for me.
I'm definitely not going to make my target AGAIN!!!
Tell me...........do you think it is better to over estimate with your target and be disappointed that you don't ever make it, or under estimate your target so you always do better than expected?
I haven't managed to get it right yet!!!!

antonic wrote: »

I would say to underestimate and so you get a positive feeling when you exceed, than overestimate and get a negative feeling when you dont meet your target.

I'm in the aiming low camp.

Taking into account where 1st of month falls, what I would like to acheive on a 'good' month would be AFness Monday to Thursday and moderate drinking at weekends. I do admire those who are AF on Sundays but I really enjoy a drink with my Sunday roast so provided I'm sensible (i.e. never hungover [STRIKE]on Monday morning[/STRIKE]) then I live with that. That should equate to a minimm of 16 AF days a month but I target 10 and almost every month I exceed it. As I allow myself drinks on meals out I rarely make the 16.

However I know that while counting AF days is a good measure of sensible drinking, the fact that I now know (thanks to this thread:A) where my stop button is and so many 'drinking' days are one glass only I'm pretty pleased.

I suppose mine is a tale of a typical 'cutter-down' others may have different goals.

Please put me down for 3 for the SNC, mari.

I have to acheive this to get my 10 this month as September's been one long round of birthday celebrations for family and friends.

missmucksmum

Havent been on for nearly a month but would like to report that my husband (alcohol dependant for 20 years) has now done his home detox on the 10th of september 2012 it was over 8 days and I am proud to say he hasnt touched a drop of alcohol for 2 whole weeks his last drink was september 9th at 6pm still waiting for his place at rehab but he goes for his assessment there on 3rd of october it has been a long process we originally asked for help on the 1st of june this year its a long process but hopefully not much longer now xxxxxxxxx

missrlr

Wow missmickmum that is great news. So pleased for you hope it continues in a positive vein!
I hear bells, loud ones probably as I am dreading work.

missmucksmum

missrlr wrote: »

Wow missmickmum that is great news. So pleased for you hope it continues in a positive vein!
I hear bells, loud ones probably as I am dreading work.

Me too!

*Mari*

:A School Night Challenge :A

4 Nights

Mari

3 Nights

maman

missrlr

Well the bells were chiming really loudly tonight, managed to fend them off by calling people and making sure they knew I was trying to not to drink. Now past 9pm so psychologically danger time over. Feel like I wasted a night by fighting demons rather than productive and relaxing stuff.

mrsrainman

missmucksmum wrote: »

Havent been on for nearly a month but would like to report that my husband (alcohol dependant for 20 years) has now done his home detox on the 10th of september 2012 it was over 8 days and I am proud to say he hasnt touched a drop of alcohol for 2 whole weeks his last drink was september 9th at 6pm still waiting for his place at rehab but he goes for his assessment there on 3rd of october it has been a long process we originally asked for help on the 1st of june this year its a long process but hopefully not much longer now xxxxxxxxx

That is brilliant news :T
MrsR xx