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

debjay

9/22 for tonight please.

piggles1

Wanna_Bee_Free wrote: »

Piggles I hope you are off in the land of nod by now and have a good night tonight.
It was a day I was quite tempted to drink, the bells were medium tonight. I wanted to blot out the tired feeling and the disappointment I was feeling about some changes at work. I think one of the things I have to watch out for is alcohol as anasthaesia.

Sadly I wasn't in the land of nod, and still laying awake at 1am It might not be the no alcohol thing and just that I've gone to bed at 1am for years and years. Now trying to force 10/11pm on myself.

I know it well, drinking to blot out or dampen outside things going on. I've had it recently, but I feel a bit tougher minded if I don't give in and drink. Not drinking, for me, is a separate thing away from bothers and anything else. I suppose it's compartmentalising and maybe that's a good thing.

I still have my friend who said I didn't need to cut down. He's now talking about being drunk and that he must stop this. He's making it into a competition whether we can both drink non alcoholic drinks. I've already done that thanks to this thread, and because I had a problem with alcohol. He didn't have a problem and doesn't seem to be taking it seriously. I find it a bit odd really. Perhaps he thinks my cutting down was empty words and I'm still fighting with a bottle a night.

I did another AFD yesterday so my number of days in between a small amount are increasing. I'm almost nervous of drinking now, but perhaps that's normal. Scared of overdoing it on a day I have some maybe.

7/15 AFD please shaggy

Wanna_Bee_Free

maman wrote: »

I knew as I was typing that it was ridiculous to imply that I couldn't be AF and go out to lunch. It's just that my own reasoning is that I don't drink on ordinary nights in so when I go out I enjoy a drink..

Hi Maman, I was trying to bring some humour in re the coffee and soft drink crack I made, trying to gently mock myself and just wanted to say I totally got what you meant. Sorry if my little joke didn't come across as funny in writing.


Doshwaster keep posting about the saving money and weight loss, very motivating!


I managed another one so up to the princely total of 3/10 for me please Shaggy. Tonight included a trip to a pub so I feel it should count more. I had sparkling water and actually didn't miss the drinking I would usually have done. I'm still waking up at 4 or 5 but my sleep has been heavier/sounder the rest of the night.


Good wishes for a good night's sleep to everyone, especially Piggles.

AlexLK

11 including tonight.

Dizzy_Imp

piggles1 wrote: »

I did another AFD yesterday so my number of days in between a small amount are increasing. I'm almost nervous of drinking now, but perhaps that's normal. Scared of overdoing it on a day I have some maybe.

I feel very much like this. The occasions I have had a drink in the last couple of months, I've woken up in the night, sweating out the alcohol and felt really pants the next day. This isn't because I've over-indulged (in the past I would've sunk 5-6 times the quantity I have on an ALD now) but my body seems to be adjusting down the amount of alcohol it's prepared to process. I don't think I'll ever be teatotal, but I fully expect to be a light social drinker by the year end. I might even ask to rejoin the AFD section rather than count ALDs next month :eek:

To that end, another AFD for this evening as I've been out at my evening class just now and despite Small and Tiny being little gits this afternoon, I've held out rather well...

maman

piggles1 wrote: »

but I feel a bit tougher minded if I don't give in and drink.



I still have my friend who said I didn't need to cut down. He's now talking about being drunk and that he must stop this. He's making it into a competition whether we can both drink non alcoholic drinks. I've already done that thanks to this thread, and because I had a problem with alcohol. He didn't have a problem and doesn't seem to be taking it seriously. I find it a bit odd really. Perhaps he thinks my cutting down was empty words and I'm still fighting with a bottle a night.

I did another AFD yesterday so my number of days in between a small amount are increasing. I'm almost nervous of drinking now, but perhaps that's normal. Scared of overdoing it on a day I have some maybe.

I like that feeling of control and achievement too.


It's quite common to have friends who find it hard to cope when you stop/cut down drinking. Generally, it's just a case of toughing it out and they get used to it in the end.


I wouldn't say I was ever scared but I did think that on the days I choose to drink I might have more so just have the same spread over fewer days. Fortunately that didn't happen, I think like dizzy, my tolerance got less so the days I do drink are fairly moderate by my previous standards.

Wanna_Bee_Free wrote: »

Hi Maman, I was trying to bring some humour in re the coffee and soft drink crack I made, trying to gently mock myself and just wanted to say I totally got what you meant. Sorry if my little joke didn't come across as funny in writing.

I'm still waking up at 4 or 5 but my sleep has been heavier/sounder the rest of the night.

Good wishes for a good night's sleep to everyone, especially Piggles.

Don't worry, I saw the joke wbf I just thought what an idiot I am to be stressing about ruining my SNC when the solution was in my own hands. Occasionally, I have been known to offer to drive and I know I can stick to fizzy water if I choose too.


I still don't sleep well but, like you, it's more restful sleep on the nights I don't drink although it does take me longer to nod off. I'm a 1 a.m. person too piggles. I think most of my problems come from drinking gallons of tea during the evening.:rotfl:

graemecarter

piggles1 wrote: »

I went to bed at 11pm but was still awake at 1am. So I'm not really getting enough sleep. Now I know why I used to drink, my brain just won't shut up. I could never even concentrate through my relaxation tape

Snap.
Drinking for me was partly a method to escape the noise in my head.
It was constant and usually negative (you're not good enough, you should be dong this, you've let yourself down, etc etc)

My alcoholism is centered in my mind, not my body.
When it's being treated, it means I have calm, peace and quiet in my head, and not this constant noise.

shaggydoo

Morning :hello:

2 more ALDs for Monday & Tuesday



Shaggyx

shaggydoo

November:

= 7 Days AF

= 14 days AF

= 21 days AF
= 28 days AF

= 30 days AF

= target achieved


Alcohol Free Days

Alex 11/28
Barny1979 8/20

Chardonnay 1/17

Charmed 2/22

Dansmam 2/30
DebJay 9/22
Doshwaster 10/24

Gien 5/15
Honey Bear 11/30

Maman 6/10

Milky 4/10

MissingMum /10
Piggles 7/15

Pricey 6/20

RolandTheRoadie /27
Satchmo 9/20
SandyPan 8/28
SmallHoldingSister 11/29

Tee /15

WBF 3/10

Alcohol Low Days

DizzyImp 6/23
Shaggy 10/22




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!

Doshwaster

maman wrote: »

Great news doshwaster, especially the weightloss. I found that cutting back on alcohol alone wasn't enough for me to lose weight but it certainly helped.

Yes, it certainly helps. Cutting back on the drinking just gives you the time to do other things such being active (I used to kid myself that walking 10 mins to the pub was "exercise") and cooking properly rather than relying on ready meals.

Last night, I went on a 5 mile walk around town. I even passed a few pubs on the way but wasn't tempted to pop in for some refreshments.