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

365days

habit


noun: habit; plural noun: habits

1. 1.
   a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up.
   
   addicted
   əˈdɪktɪd/
   adjective
   
   
   adjective: addicted
   1. 1.
      physically and mentally dependent on a particular substance.
      
      It's a VERY fine line.
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
   
   
   
   

AlexLK

Maman: Thanks, I'll start again with my new years resolutions I think, too. :rotfl:

365: Fortunately, it is currently a habit, not an addiction. However, I do recognise should I carry on unconsciously for years it could become the latter.

Green_Karen

Am on 3/25 AF days tonight.
Glad to be back to not having to think about whether I drink or not now all the Xmas/New Year thing is over. Such a relief in a way!

jo1972

AlexLK wrote: »

Maman: Thanks, I'll start again with my new years resolutions I think, too. :rotfl:

365: Fortunately, it is currently a habit, not an addiction. However, I do recognise should I carry on unconsciously for years it could become the latter.

I don't know if you've ever read Allen Carr's book - Easy Way to stop.... He started with the smoking one, then drinking, lose weight etc. In both the smoking and drinking ones he talks about the pitcher plant which is like a Venus fly trap, the fly wants the nectar and doesn't realise he's in trouble till he can't get out. Its a useful analogy for me which I've always ignored on day 2 of sobriety.

I'm quite jealous of those that can just 'leave it', have a cup of tea instead. How did I get here? I never knew. When did i cross the line. If someone said to me when I first took a mouthful of alcohol as a teenager 'don't do this, you won't be able to stop!', I would of laughed. I've lost best part of 20 years (I'm 41).

All the above doesn't make it any easier. I'm scared and really fe**ing p***ed off that it came to this.

Declaring 5/31 Shaggy. Thanks for always being there for us :A

Greytcatlady

Jo1972

Please don't be scared. It hasn't come to anything, this isn't the end, it's the beginning. I'm no expert but I'd say 5/31 was a perfect score thus far.

365days

jo1972 wrote: »

I don't know if you've ever read Allen Carr's book - Easy Way to stop.... He started with the smoking one, then drinking, lose weight etc. In both the smoking and drinking ones he talks about the pitcher plant which is like a Venus fly trap, the fly wants the nectar and doesn't realise he's in trouble till he can't get out. Its a useful analogy for me which I've always ignored on day 2 of sobriety.

I'm quite jealous of those that can just 'leave it', have a cup of tea instead. How did I get here? I never knew. When did i cross the line. If someone said to me when I first took a mouthful of alcohol as a teenager 'don't do this, you won't be able to stop!', I would of laughed. I've lost best part of 20 years (I'm 41).

All the above doesn't make it any easier. I'm scared and really fe**ing p***ed off that it came to this.

Declaring 5/31 Shaggy. Thanks for always being there for us :A

GGrrr Jo you made me log back on when i should be going to sleep!!

The analogy I love is from John Coates book.
He retells the story of King Canute. Who, however much willpower he used, could not stop the tide.

I'm not here to tell anyone that they are addicted or not. All I can say is that I am addicted to alcohol. I know that using willpower alone will not stop the tide of any addiction for anyone. In that respect I am wiser than King Canute.

365days

Greytcatlady wrote: »

Jo1972

Please don't be scared. It hasn't come to anything, this isn't the end, it's the beginning. I'm no expert but I'd say 5/31 was a perfect score thus far.

Personally i think Jo being very scared is a good thing!!

Facing up to a 20 year addiction is about as scary as it gets! Mind you, a cancer diagnosis is kind of up there.

Greytcatlady

I was merely being supportive, but like I said, I'm no expert. My apologies.

365days

Greytcatlady wrote: »

I was merely being supportive, but like I said, I'm no expert. My apologies.

No apology needed! I've 'known' Jo a long time and wasn't going to let her think that she shouldn't be scared. Tough love and all that. Apologies to you if you felt I was having a pop at you. More and more I feel there should be two separate threads a giving up and a cutting down. People who do not want to give up cannot understand why some people have to and vice versa!

jo1972

Thank you to Greycatlady and 365

I am scared, but scared of failure I think, it's happened every time so far... But these pockets of 'scariness' only happen occasionally. It seems with each attempt at quitting I get a bit stronger

Anyway, onwards and upwards! It was at 0630am that my clock started making a horrendous noise, so I guess that means life is back to normal, must stay vigilant on the way home tonight. Better get off to work!

Have a great day