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

satchmo1

3/20 AFDs with help from DH who said a firm NO when I mooted the idea of Wine Wednesday.

Barny1979

3/20 AFDs today

maman

satchmo1 wrote: »

3/20 AFDs with help from DH who said a firm NO when I mooted the idea of Wine Wednesday.

Great that you have his support. My DH helps a bit in that he offers me wine and congratulates me for my willpower when I say no;).


2 AFDs please Shaggy.

graemecarter

shaggydoo wrote: »

When I quit smoking about 20 odd years ago, I remember reading the late great Allen Carr's quit smoking book - in it he said that smokers get better and better at quitting smoking every time they try - until eventually it just sticks. Rang true for me - I lost count of the number of times I tried to quit smoking. The first time I was 20 and lasted about 2 hours!!!! I knew then I was in trouble - took me aother 10 years to finally quit.

Do you think the same theory applies to alcohol?
It may do, but we have seen many on this thread stop drinking for weeks/months only for them to come back having 'started' again.
That may be the same with smoking, but I believe if someone has stopped smoking for a few months, they are likely to continue to stay stopped.
I believe alcohol to be a different proposition.

graemecarter

piggles1 wrote: »

2/15 AFD please shaggy

I'm starting to get used to this. Last night I completely forgot alcohol existed despite having a cupboard full untouched in the kitchen, and found myself thinking oh it's time for my cranberry juice.

My sleep is okayish. I still wake several times a night and then again too early in the morning. But my checking thing is really bad late at night pre-sleep, keep checking everything's off over and over I used to drink to not be so scared and without it I'm all nervous. But that's a separate issue I s'pose and I'm not sure the checking was actually any better before, I just wasn't so scared after a fair bit of wine.

But on the plus side I'm sure my sleep is better quality now and hope my vital organs are thanking me

It's common for us to have bad sleep initially.
We can use alcohol as a drug to knock us out, but without it, can have problems sleeping.
That will hopefully get better.

Doshwaster

graemecarter wrote: »

It's common for us to have bad sleep initially.
We can use alcohol as a drug to knock us out, but without it, can have problems sleeping.
That will hopefully get better.

Yes, I always find this when I come off a long period of drinking. Your body is so used to being knocked out by alcohol that it can't remember how to get to sleep naturally.

However, within a few days you will find your sleep to be much better.

Honey_Bear

I'm with you on this one, Shaggy. I think we get better and better at breaking bad habits if we 'Never Give Up Giving Up' - one of the mantras I heard a few years ago. It helped me enormously knowing that any control, any control at all no matter how short-lived, is a great building block for the final successful attempt. Each time we don't have a drink or a cigarette we're breaking bad habits and creating new good ones. It worked for me with smoking and drinking and that's good enough for me.

piggles1 wrote: »

My sleep is okayish. I still wake several times a night and then again too early in the morning. But my checking thing is really bad late at night pre-sleep, keep checking everything's off over and over I used to drink to not be so scared and without it I'm all nervous. But that's a separate issue I s'pose and I'm not sure the checking was actually any better before, I just wasn't so scared after a fair bit of wine.

But on the plus side I'm sure my sleep is better quality now and hope my vital organs are thanking me

It's normal, Piggles, to find sleeping a bit difficult when you stop drinking but it settles down relatively quickly. As to anxiety, that's not unusual, either, and it's worth having a chat with your GP to see what the options are to ease you into your new life. (I take a bit of herbal help for anti-anxiety and I know it helps me but there are a lot of other options available and the GP will be really pleased to hear anyone is cutting down or giving up on booze.)

satchmo1 wrote: »

3/20 AFDs with help from DH who said a firm NO when I mooted the idea of Wine Wednesday.

Good on your OH, Satchmo, and well done to you for listening!

maman wrote: »

Great that you have his support. My DH helps a bit in that he offers me wine and congratulates me for my willpower when I say no;).

My lovely OH didn't know what to do in the early days to help, but now remembers before I do that the AF beers in the fridge need to be presented in a glass by the time we sit down to eat. I forget!

5/31 please, Shaggy.

Sandypan

Just caught up with everybodies threads after being on holiday for a week!

Only managed 20/21 AF days in October but did try to make the others AL, which I did achieve to a certain extent!!

Started again when got back off holiday so had a drink on 1st November but been AF since. Could i set target of 28 days in November please which makes today 4/28?

Last night was 3rd night in a row AF and slept like a log, 8 hours in total and only got up to go to the loo once!! I find that once that alcohol is out of my system I sleep really well and wake up in the morning refreshed and ready to go. I have posted before that when I do have a drink and have a restless night I am fuming with myself the next day because of this and it is one of my main motivations for stopping, as well as the bad hangovers and the lack of self control!!

BTW - Asda are currently doing a 'alcohol free wine type' found in the cordial aisle that is delicious and only a £1. I drink this in a nice wine glass and feel the pleasure of drinking without the after affects. It's like a Scloer but I think nicer and available in 3 flavours.

shaggydoo

Afternoon :hello:

1 more ALD for yesterday.



Shaggyx

shaggydoo

October:

= 7 Days AF

= 14 days AF

= 21 days AF


= 28 days AF

= 31 days AF

= target achieved


Alcohol Free Days
Alex 23/TF
Barny1979 27/25
Chardonnay 8/21
Charmed 30/31
Cuppatea 12/21
DebJay 15/13

Desperado 4/21
Gien 9/10

Lincs1205 /31
Honey Bear 31/31
Maman 10/10

Milky 4/15
Pricey 17/20
Satchmo 14/14
SandyPan 20/21
SmallHoldingSister 14/21
WBF 7/21

Alcohol Low Days
DizzyImp 24/22
Piggles 14/8
Shaggy 21/25




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