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

piggles1

debjay that's good to know it's slow to have much effect. I'm at using a stick level at the moment and a bit wobbly with my balance.

alex thanks, is your sleeping better now?

maman I did indeed get back to the job in hand and reached my target with distraction tactics (and then had another AF day to boot!)

Honey Bear well put and I agree. It's like taking control of a part of your life and that has a knock-on effect on everything else.

shaggy thank you. It does odd things that affect the nerves for mobility/functioning a bit, but they can slow it down with medication.

I'm not too stressed today, got some things done and bought some flowers, emptied the walking stick vase temporarily and put the flowers in it! I thought they'd look cheerful.

December already soon! I think I'll go for 17 AFD days in December.

16/15 AFD for november please shaggy

piggles1

maman wrote: »

I know a number of you listen to talk/music radio at night. I need a new clock radio but I want one that can be set to, say, one hour and turn itself off. I used to have one that could be permanently set to go off after an hour (or whatever) but the latest one had to be reset every time I turned it on which was fiddly, especially in the dark in the middle of the night. If anyone can follow my explanation are there any recommendations?

That's a bit annoying maman. I used to have a stereo that would turn off after an hour but I think it was the same and had to be reset every time. It must be some sort of programme you can leave it on? Good luck getting one, they're a bit more complicated nowadays than I'm used to.

debjay

18/22 for tonight please.

Barny1979

18/20 AFDs today

avogeek

Hello everyone, I was wondering whether it might be ok for me to join in here? Sorry for a long post!!

I have a terrible relationship with alcohol and have been searching the web for some online support for some time. I think this may be just what I need.

I love a drink - I really do! But it's stopped being so pleasurable and is becoming a real nuisance. It's a bad habit that I desperately want to break. A vicious circle. I'm stressed and anxious and over time discovered that a couple of drinks in the evening really help me to relax. Sometimes I'm so agitated over work, kids, money that I can't even concentrate on Corra! So that little bit of help to relax has become far too welcome and is now having an adverse effect.

If I really really try and have a big enough battle with myself in my head then I can leave it, no side effects or withdrawal and I do manage to relax a little and once I get to sleep I sleep beautifully and decide yes, this is the way, I'll not drink again today, but then I fancy one, and one won't hurt, I didn't have any yesterday, and that becomes 5 or 6. So I fall asleep early, wake up at 3am thirsty and then stay wide awake worrying for the rest of the night. Feeling bad for giving in to the booze, for not stopping at 1, for spending on alcohol what could have been paid off the debt, terrified it's going to become a real big problem, that my bad habit will become an addiction and I'll turn in to some lonely old alcoholic that nobody wants to be around . . . . . . and on we go.

I really hope the alcohol free days challenge on here and the amazing support I see between you all will be just what I need to crack it.

robotrobo

avogeek wrote: »

Hello everyone, I was wondering whether it might be ok for me to join in here? Sorry for a long post!!

I have a terrible relationship with alcohol and have been searching the web for some online support for some time. I think this may be just what I need.

I love a drink - I really do! But it's stopped being so pleasurable and is becoming a real nuisance. It's a bad habit that I desperately want to break. A vicious circle. I'm stressed and anxious and over time discovered that a couple of drinks in the evening really help me to relax. Sometimes I'm so agitated over work, kids, money that I can't even concentrate on Corra! So that little bit of help to relax has become far too welcome and is now having an adverse effect.

If I really really try and have a big enough battle with myself in my head then I can leave it, no side effects or withdrawal and I do manage to relax a little and once I get to sleep I sleep beautifully and decide yes, this is the way, I'll not drink again today, but then I fancy one, and one won't hurt, I didn't have any yesterday, and that becomes 5 or 6. So I fall asleep early, wake up at 3am thirsty and then stay wide awake worrying for the rest of the night. Feeling bad for giving in to the booze, for not stopping at 1, for spending on alcohol what could have been paid off the debt, terrified it's going to become a real big problem, that my bad habit will become an addiction and I'll turn in to some lonely old alcoholic that nobody wants to be around . . . . . . and on we go.

I really hope the alcohol free days challenge on here and the amazing support I see between you all will be just what I need to crack it.

Can i join as well?, please , i have had 52 AF DAYS so far & i feel its getting easier most of the time.

Dizzy_Imp

*Bounces in waving like a mad thing* :wave::hello::wave:

Back on the wagon (again) and have had 3 AFDs since the port incident...now on 15/23 please Shaggy. I'm in for December, but have 4 birthdays, two "work" socials, Christmas and New Year to celebrate, so setting a more realistic target of 19/31 for December.

Maman - I used to have a radio clock that you could set to shut off after any amount of time, but I threw it away when we moved as it was on it's last legs. I'd had it years though, so not sure if it would still be available. Pretty sure it was a Phillips...

Everyone's doing well - welcome to avogeek and robotrobo x

satchmo1

Welcome avogeek and robotrobo you'll get loads of support on here.


Calling in early with 17/20 AFDs for me today. I find it helps to declare that "today" will be AFD.

maman

satchmo1 wrote: »

Welcome avogeek and robotrobo you'll get loads of support on here.

Yes, what she said. Welcome to you both:). Just announce a target and Shaggy will add you to the list. There's potentially 7 days left for November if you're interested or set a target for December if you'd prefer.


robotrobo, it sound like you may be going for giving up but what about you avogeek? Do you want to give up or just cut down? I'm a cutter down and my plan is just to drink at weekends and other social occasions so no drinking at home on 'normal' days if that makes sense. It's also meant that on my planned drinking days I drink less and no embarrassing incidents or losing control. That's what it's all about for me: being in control of the alcohol rather than the other way round.


No drinking planned for today.


12 AFDs please Shaggy.


I'll have my usual target for December please and try to get in as many days early in the month as I can.

avogeek

Thanks everyone! I'm going for cutting down, absolutely no midweek drinking eventually and maybe, hopefully, just a reasonable couple on a Saturday night rather than waking up on the settee with a sore neck wondering how it happened! It might not be that simple but I'm feeling optimistic.


Right now I'm fine, I am every day up until about 4pm and then my mental battling starts - will I go to the shop, no I'm not drinking today, but maybe just one . . . . . . . . . and most days I give in. But not today!!

I'm going to aim for 5 AFDs for the remainder of November and 15 for AFDs in December.

I'm feeling much more positive today just for having shared how I feel. I've been for a run, cooked a big brunch for myself and will even go to the gym later I think.