The Giving Up/ Cutting Down alcohol support thread - number 12

shaggydoo

I heard from an old school friend on FB that her cousin had died of liver failure due to alcohol abuse - he was 40 How sad is that.

shaggydoo

November :-

= 7 Days AF

= 14 days AF

= 21 days AF

= 28 days AF

= 30 days AF

= target achieved


AlexLK 12/18

AuntyCat 2/15
Barny1979 17/23
Fruball 10/17

Gien 2/25
Green Karen 21/30
Jess The Cat 15/20

Joanne109 /15

Katzen /25
Maman 9/10
Mummyto3boys 17/27
Munchin 10/20
MrsDee 16/TF

NewStart 1/10

Pippi 2/25

Pozza 6/25
PriceySOS 15/24

RosePetal 3/21
Satchmo 8/20
Shaggy 21/17

SkintDad 15/30
Stupotstu 16/25
Sukeyboo 10/12

Tracy /10


Everyone Welcome! It's never too late to join....

Please highlight your AFDs in Red

Don't hesitate to let me know if I've made a mistake!

Baileysonice

satchmo1 wrote: »

She looked so peaceful afterwards, just like she was asleep. I'm very sad that there's a huge Snowy-shaped hole in my life and in my home.

God bless her, and thank-you Snowy for so many wonderful memories.

I'm so sorry satchmo1 you did the right thing for her but it will be very hard without her. Take care of yourself

shaggydoo wrote: »

Do you want to join the November challenge? No pressure.

No thanks shaggydoo although I am happy to be added to the list with no target if thats OK.
At the moment I am taking it one day at a time and this seems to be working well for me. I am really enjoying my AF free days and my body is certainly thanking for me for it. I have loads more energy and focus and even when I have some wine I seem to be controlling it. Last night I had a couple of glasses and stopped.
If I set a target I may do less than by not setting one if you see what I mean (twisted logic I know but I will also be planning to drink some nights which I am not doing right now)
Anyway today will be off the wagon for a couple of wines with dinner later but tomorrow is another day

Have a lovely weekend everyone

mrsdee

Thank you!!

Green_Karen

shaggydoo wrote: »

I used to worry about this. Now I know that when I have a drink I will stop and that when I have a drinking night I will then get back on the wagon. I know this because whilst I like having a drink now and again I also like not drinking a lot.

Thanks Shaggy, while I like not drinking also, if I gave up alcohol altogether, more than anything I would miss having the choice. Such as when it's not drinking for the sake of drinking alcohol but for the flavour, like a nice mulled wine, glass of champage etc when it's more to do with the celebration.

Barny1979

18AFDs tonight out of 23!

ManPants

Satchmo - must be a horrible time for you. X X X

satchmo1

Thank you all for your lovely messages. It was hard coming back to an empty house yesterday. It was just as hard to come into the house today even though DH was back from an overnight trip (so I was on my own when Snowy passed).

Yes, I'm heading northwards - we've had an offer accepted on a beautiful apartment in Ainsdale. So, from 1st February 2014, I'll be back in my home county, and within walking distance of the coast.

graemecarter

Green_Karen wrote: »

I didn't see all of the TV program last night 'Britains secret drinkers' but the bit I saw was pretty 'sobering'.

They showed a woman what she drank in a week and I was on a par with her consumption. The Doctor told her to give up drinking for 6 months, no 'why' or 'how'.

To sit and think I will never drink again (which for many of us would be the thinking with a target of 6 months), seems too much. That's why being on here works for me as every AF day for everyone is a success and there is so much success here.

I am now in a quandary as I don't think I have the self restraint of most people here who seem to be able to drink on certain nights. I worry that when I have a drink again that will be it and I will be back to every night. How does everyone else manage this?

I think it a Doctor advised me to give something up for 6 months, I would have a good go at it.
If I was unable to give something up (despite medical advice) that would point towards addiction.

I have a cup of tea EVERY morning. I would hate to stop drinking tea. That's a habit. If I was unable to stop drinking tea, even though I knew it was bad for my health, I would think that would be me addicted to tea.

For me, habits can be stopped (with a lot of will power in some cases), but addictions are a different ball game altogether.

The thought of not drinking for 1 month, let alone 6 months was horrific to me. I thought it would be dull, boring and impossible.
However, it was doable for me as I changed myself.

White-knuckling it and just denying myself a drink would have been impossible. However, I had to change myself so I no longer had the desire to drink. That's the only way it works for me. Thus for me (and I only talk for me), distraction, going to bed early, going for a walk, etc wouldn't work.
I needed to change myself (and continue to stay changed) so I no longer have the desire to drink.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do. Changing myself and not drinking has been the best thing I have ever done. Better than be a father, better than achieving all the things I have done, etc

graemecarter

Baileysonice wrote: »

Agree Im afraid my tally would have been covering at least another kitchen surface Made me smile when she said she took wine in small bottles to take on the train (been there done that)

I am due to go for a blood test next week for another issue but I notice that all the liver boxes are ticked so I will be finding out some hard truths I suspect.

When I consider how many years I have regularly drunk every night and quite a lot at that then I know there will be some tell tale signs I just hope it is not too late to do something about.

6 months off for me would be unreasonable too what a lack of understanding regarding giving up that doctor had for me its the habit I need to break as well as the addiction and that is the hardest part.

Saying that though I am now on 5 days which I am pleased about as I only started mid month. One step at a time works best in my view.

I think that the doctor was seeing if someone's drinking was 'habit', or there was a degree of alcohol dependency there.
I imagine with a habit you would be able to stop for months on doctor's orders, but not dependency/addiction.

I hope the liver function tests come back clear. Please don't wait until you have damaged your liver before cutting down.