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The Giving Up/ Cutting Down alcohol support thread - number 12
Comments
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Awww I haven't had my skipping sheep and I am 14 AF days and 4 weeks sober now. I know you're busy Shaggy so don't worry. I woke up in the night covered in sweat as I've had a cold, so hopefully I will feel better soon, that only happens once in a blue moon. Hope everyone has a fab red nose day, happy Friday, sorry again Shaggydoo to nag.
Tesco Credit Card £250 £25 DD 0% for next 10 months.
Barclaycard Initial £241.45 0% for next 7 mths.Your parents choose your beginning....
.... you get to choose the ending.0 -
Morning All :hello:
Wooppeee...Friday is here, 4AFD's for me please Shaggy, I was just thinking of when I was drinking a bottle of wine a night, what excuses I made up :-
Monday - First day back at work - very stressful
Tuesday - DH & I watch 'our' programme together
Wednesday - Its nearly the weekend
Thursday - Almost Friday so counts as the weekend
Friday - Definately the weekend
Saturday - ^ditto^
Sunday - End of the weekend and wee bottle to relax before starting back work on Monday.
And so the vicious circle continued. I made a BIG commitment only to drink on a Saturday and I am determined to keep it that way, didn't have a drink last Friday but I was out so think tonight will be hard, especially as DH will be home with me (we don't get to spend a lot of time together because of his shifts)
So it will be hot choc tonight again I guess :rotfl:
Have a good day everyone:TGratitude is the best Attitude :T
Long Term Flylady0 -
Happy Friday everyone
14 AFDs for me please Shaggy.
Had my interview this morning which I *think* went ok - was more nervous than I thought I would be, despite already knowing two of the people on the panel. Stumbled on some questions - typically the ones that asked about my strengths
It was by no means a disaster though, so I should be grateful for that!
There are 12 positions on offer and 19 people are being interviewed so I have a chance I guess :rotfl:
Should know early next week0 -
Quick post 6AF please Shaggy0
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I didn't know whether anyone would be interested, but I am doing a psychology masters and we had a lecture on 'addiction' this week and I thought I would share what we discussed. Feel free to comment, or not, I just wanted to share
We have pleasure/reward mechanisms in the brain, one of those being the dopamine system. Natural drives for dopamine to be released are hunger, thirst, and sex. When we ingest things like food, dopamine is released by the brain to trigger a pleasure sensation, or 'reward'. This is similar when we ingest drugs (alcohol, cigarettes, recreational drugs).
It turns out that dopamine is also released in anticipation of a reward...so merely thinking about having a drink/cigarette/recreational drugs can trigger the pleasure sensation/dopamine release, however, when our drug of choice is not available and we have this dopamine running around, this causes cravings. I can really relate to this - even now, when I think about having a measure of Tia Maria I get this sensation in my body and a 'longing' but I realise that I will never be able to have 'just one' measure. It will be the whole bottle like it always was, which is why I have to steer well clear
So, I guess we then access the drug of choice to satisfy the craving, and trigger another release of dopamine.
But also, in amongst this 'biological' explanation, you have environmental factors and stressors that trigger the need for such things and stressors can be what cause addiction. There is also research that suggests that some people may be more predisposed to addiction because of their genes :think:
Another thing I learnt is, when people say they tend to get more drunk if they have a drink at lunchtime; this is because, if you normally drink in the evening your body prepares itself for that because it has become used to having alcohol at that time of day. When you drink at another time of day, your body has to work harder to process the alcohol because it has not physically prepared itself to receive the alcohol at lunchtime; it is less efficient at processing it and therefore you feel drunk quicker.
Sorry, just a random ramble - we had a choice of essay titles to choose from and I have chosen addiction as I am hoping it will help me understand myself a bit more as well0 -
Lilith1980 wrote: »I didn't know whether anyone would be interested, but I am doing a psychology masters and we had a lecture on 'addiction' this week and I thought I would share what we discussed. Feel free to comment, or not, I just wanted to share
We have pleasure/reward mechanisms in the brain, one of those being the dopamine system. Natural drives for dopamine to be released are hunger, thirst, and sex. When we ingest things like food, dopamine is released by the brain to trigger a pleasure sensation, or 'reward'. This is similar when we ingest drugs (alcohol, cigarettes, recreational drugs).
It turns out that dopamine is also released in anticipation of a reward...so merely thinking about having a drink/cigarette/recreational drugs can trigger the pleasure sensation/dopamine release, however, when our drug of choice is not available and we have this dopamine running around, this causes cravings. I can really relate to this - even now, when I think about having a measure of Tia Maria I get this sensation in my body and a 'longing' but I realise that I will never be able to have 'just one' measure. It will be the whole bottle like it always was, which is why I have to steer well clear
So, I guess we then access the drug of choice to satisfy the craving, and trigger another release of dopamine.
But also, in amongst this 'biological' explanation, you have environmental factors and stressors that trigger the need for such things and stressors can be what cause addiction. There is also research that suggests that some people may be more predisposed to addiction because of their genes :think:
Another thing I learnt is, when people say they tend to get more drunk if they have a drink at lunchtime; this is because, if you normally drink in the evening your body prepares itself for that because it has become used to having alcohol at that time of day. When you drink at another time of day, your body has to work harder to process the alcohol because it has not physically prepared itself to receive the alcohol at lunchtime; it is less efficient at processing it and therefore you feel drunk quicker.
Sorry, just a random ramble - we had a choice of essay titles to choose from and I have chosen addiction as I am hoping it will help me understand myself a bit more as well
Thanks for sharing Lilith, it makes sense to me, if (on the very rare occasion) I didn't have a drink at night, I would feel very very down in the dumps, this week, I have only had a drink on Tuesday so far which is the longest I have ever went without.
I think because I have been telling myself I am having hot chocolate & a treat then it hasn't been too bad. Thing with me is when my wine was finished, I would go look for something else to drink. Both my parents were alcoholics, I am not saying I am, they drunk 24/7 not stop, think I was/am more of a functioning drunk, I still went go bed get up for work etc. A very interesting theory, thanks again.:TGratitude is the best Attitude :T
Long Term Flylady0 -
No problem
I want to find out, however, that even if you've not drunk/had a cigarette for years, why you can still get tempted.
I quit smoking nearly 4 years ago, but the other day I smelt someone's cigarette as they walked past me and it smelt so good! I wonder if it takes a long long time to break the association between drink/drugs and nice feelings...or maybe the link is never broken0 -
Lilith1980 wrote: »No problem
I want to find out, however, that even if you've not drunk/had a cigarette for years, why you can still get tempted.
I quit smoking nearly 4 years ago, but the other day I smelt someone's cigarette as they walked past me and it smelt so good! I wonder if it takes a long long time to break the association between drink/drugs and nice feelings...or maybe the link is never broken
Perhaps you remember the good feeling that the ciggy you had with a cuppa/glass of wine/first thing in morning/last thing at night gave you??
I stopped smoking nearly 9 years ago & could put my hand on heart & say I won't ever go back to it.....but I never smoked in the house or car & never in public :eek:. I was ashamed when I smoked, hated the smell & always washed my hands, sprayed perfume & ate chewing gum after I had one :rotfl:.:TGratitude is the best Attitude :T
Long Term Flylady0 -
I would say I have an addictive personality. I am currently using this site as my alternative to alcohol, and I know that the "reward" of getting a dancing banana, a skipping sheep, a clappy smiley, etc are what releases some dopamine. I have also tried to make myself look forward to my hot chocolate fix most evenings. :coffee: That works for me as a treat at the moment, because I give up chocolate, sweets & crisps for Lent.
I have to say that I now am realising I can go to the gym, or nip to the supermarket, because I haven't had any wine. I'm off to a dance class at 7:30. My DH is happy because he doesn't have to endure Emmerdale or Corrie tonight!
I haven't minded him having beer, which surprises me.
14/31 for me please - I claim my skipping sheepWhat would you get if all you got was what you were thankful for?0 -
Hi everyone, just popped in briefly to say that I have another 4 AF days to add to my total please.
Have a good weekend everyone.
xDebt Free Date: November 20170
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