The Giving Up/ Cutting Down alcohol support thread - number 13

Honey_Bear

Well done for resisting it, Satchmo. That takes strength when you are an occasional drinker. Strangely, it's got progressively easier for me which I wasn't expecting this soon.


14/31 please, Shaggy.

graemecarter

Chardonnay wrote: »

I still have the odd dream in which I'm smoking HB, after giving up 16 years ago! The dreams are like nightmares really, the taste is disgusting and I'm really angry with myself for doing it. I always wake up so relieved that it was just a dream. I had several attempts before giving up (as I think a lot of people do) but can honestly say I have never missed it, apart from the odd pang, usually when I catch a whiff of someone smoking outside (never inside!) and that goes away within seconds.

I wish I could be the same with drink, but I think that is more deep-rooted with me. Saying that, I used to happily go all week without a fag, then come the weekend I would go out, smoke 20 in a night and feel like !!!! the next day! I'm much the same with drinking, I guess thats something I need to think about.

12/31 please Shaggy

Me too. I gave up smoking nearly 6 yrs ago, and while it wasn't easy, I don't have to keep working on myself to stay stopped.

It was the sober me that picked up the first drink all the time, so it's my head which is the main problem with my alcoholism.

With alcohol, I find I need constant vigilance to stay off it. However, that vigilance is the price of freedom. Freedom from drinking and freedom from fear. It's I price I am happy to pay.

graemecarter

mobo1980 wrote: »

Hello !

I hope you don't mind if I rejoin you guys ? I was here a while ago and fell off the wagon , after drinking 2 and a half bottles of wine to myself Saturday night (poured other half down sink sunday morning) it's about time I got myself back on this challenge .

I am bad for using alcohol to relax , especially over work issues , I worry about everything and I mean everything (i'm driving to my sisters later and have been worried for past 2 days if i'll get parked ok )
Soo... bought myself some Kalms to try and deal with that and see how I go !
Hope everyone is having a good day

Mobo xx

I know exactly what you mean. I had free floating anxiety. Would worry about everything all the time. Even totally inconsequential things.
I think part of the reason I drank like I did was to turn off that worry in my head. It was loud and alcohol helped me turn down the volume, and made me feel 'normal'.
Today I have to manage the fear and do what I can so I am not fearful. Since I have been doing that, I have managed to stay sober, and life has got so much better.
I still get fearful, but far less than I previously did , and it often doesn't stop me doing the thing I need to do.

graemecarter

Honey_Bear wrote: »

Hi Mobo! :wave: The more the merrier as far as I'm concerned.



It's Day 80. I managed to pass the Day 75 milestone without noticing it. I think that means something rather positive. OH had a comparatively heavy drinking weekend for him, three pints on both Saturday and Sunday plus vino (it used to be five plus vino on both days). He's feeling a bit tired this morning, and unusually for me, I'm not. He was also just a tad tedious on Saturday after the booze but I suppose I shouldn't be saying that.

Chardonnay, for years after I finally stopped smoking, I'd find myself missing something that I used to do that I looked forward to, and then enjoyed. It took me a while to realise that I'd been regarding having a cigarette as part of my motivation for doing things I didn't want to do and then marking having done them. I'd love to say I'd found something to replace that ritual, but I haven't and the point came when I decided to just suck it up. I know people say 'Chocolate!' but I don't want to pile on the pounds. I'm having serious problems stopping after one Twinks , Hobnob at the moment with my afternoon fruit tea so I'm going to knock that on the head soon ... or tomorrow ... or sometime .... It's Monday - I should have weighed myself first thing - not happening. creeps away ....

My wife can be a little annoying when tipsy/drunk, but I need to be tolerant. It's not often she gets like this and the number of times I have been obnoxiously drunk means I don't have a say on anyone else s drinking.

antonic

Today is the 3rd Anniversary of me deciding to be AF.

Its a state I am still in, and I will now be AF to the day I die OR something really bad happens to me in RL ( saying that death is something really bad isnt it ?).

I like to read the thread, and my thoughts go out to all of you who have realised that something needs to be done and are dealing with alcohol.

Congratulations and stay strong !.

PennySaving

Morning,

Huge Congratulations antonic on your 3rd Anniversary - thats just amazing!

Graeme, I am the same as you, I have to keep schtum when hubby is tipsy (he gets louder & louder and always right!) as I've been a horrendous drunk in the past.

14/31 please

Enjoy your day everyone!

Chardonnay

mobo1980 wrote: »

Hello !

wow everyone is lovely here !
Thanks for all the welcomes
Chardonnay (sp)? It's nice to know i'm not the only worrier here
Definately feel like the Kalms are kicking in now ! How is the meditation working for you ?
Thankyou for adding me Shaggydoo

Today is 2/19af days

Mobo xx

Pleased the Kalms are kicking in Mobo! I am just reading the meditation book at the moment. You need to read it through a couple of times before starting. Probably the wrong time for me to start really, as we are moving house in a couple of weeks so life is really hectic at the mo! The book has great reviews though as it is short and very easy to follow. I've tried reading books on meditation before but they are so long winded I've given up! I'll let you know if it's any good

graemecarter wrote: »

Me too. I gave up smoking nearly 6 yrs ago, and while it wasn't easy, I don't have to keep working on myself to stay stopped.

It was the sober me that picked up the first drink all the time, so it's my head which is the main problem with my alcoholism.

With alcohol, I find I need constant vigilance to stay off it. However, that vigilance is the price of freedom. Freedom from drinking and freedom from fear. It's I price I am happy to pay.

Thanks Graeme, love hearing from you as your comments are so insightful. You've done so well and are a real inspiration to us all!

14/31 please Shaggy!

BlueDaisy

6/19 for me please

Honey_Bear

graemecarter wrote: »

... and the number of times I have been obnoxiously drunk means I don't have a say on anyone else s drinking.

Oh I so recognise that feeling! Great to see you posting again Graeme.

antonic wrote: »

Today is the 3rd Anniversary of me deciding to be AF.

Fabulous! It's really heartening to hear a real success story.

PennySaving wrote: »

I have to keep schtum when hubby is tipsy (he gets louder & louder and always right!) as I've been a horrendous drunk in the past.

Thanks for posting as well, Penny. I find it salutary - backing off - knowing I've been much, much more badly behaved just 'a tad tedious' in the past. And he never complained.


Also, I wanted to thank you Shaggy, Alex and Jake for the comments about what might be causing the horrendous headaches. I cut the caffeine consumption by half and they've gone completely.


Jake, you're absolutely right about the sugar cravings, and four Twinks's are doing the work where one used to and very, very surprisingly, my weight is not going up. Mind you, when I have extra energy, I'm doing more and that might be helping. Chardonnay, thank you for reminding me that Belle said she started worrying too early about her weight. That was helpful.

shaggydoo

Morning :hello:

1 more AFD.

Finalllllly got a good reading from the weighing scales - lost 2 and half pounds of the 5 and a bit I've been trying to lose.:T Haps.



Shaggyx