The giving up/cutting down alcohol support thread!

Pip26

..... but it is a selfishness you can't help or recognise at the time, its a symtomatic, part & parcel of the the whole thing.

One thing it shows is the strength & love of families & friends who stick by you in spite of this. Recognising the effect on others, possibly children, can be the start of a bit of a turning point.

Having read the last batch of posts just want to say hello & good luck to everyone & well done Nick51 - you've taken the first brave step by admitting things & posting on here.

I only disvovered this thread through looking for Jack and don't post v. often but have been reading it and us usual am overwhelmed by the amount of support, advice, and feelings of frienship & warmth on here.

polaroid

hi guys, obviously i cant speak for everyone but i really was in denial, i didnt think there was a problem. i justified it by focusing on others "oh so and so drinks all the time and their fine, and blah blah is always at the pub and eastenders is on + its lunch time and they are drinking vodka tonics". no one really likes to admit that they are wrong. but i did a lot of my drinking on my own so i really could convince myself it was fine. to be honest in hindsight i cant believe no one really said that much. on the rare times i did go out i got in such an embarrassing state - but ironically people thought i got that wasted b'cos i didnt really drink! i would forget to mention the secret bottle of rose i had drank for confidence before even meeting them.

jpmummy, been thinking about your situation loads. i wish i could give you the magic wand, it must be devastating for you. getting in touch with AA would be something i would highly recommend, they have loads of experience of helping family and loved ones of alcoholics.

hope every one is ok and jack comes back again xxx

polaroid

just read my post back and i dont mean to sound patronising. i only confronted my battle in august and it has been an uphill struggle all the way. i am by no means "cured" or over it. i battle every single day. i have had many relapses and i am still having the major cravings and had the odd glass when i have been out for dinner (twice). i suppose i justify it because i havnt been "drunk" since august. my major major turning point was getting rid of everything in the house. it made me feel back in control. and now when i crave it helps that no matter how much i want to give in to it, i cant.simply because i cant.

Bismarck

hi all...

just a quickie....

was thinking on on Friday that I really don't miss it at all...don't know if it's that things are generally slowly falling back into place or that my understanding is growing on a daily basis but it's true...it really is getting much easier.

My other thought that best explains it is that's it's a bit like getting over an ex. If you treat the relationship you have/ had with alcohol in the same light it somehow can be easier to explain/ understand - at least that's how I would choose to explain it now to someone.

There are parallels there if you think of them, whether it's the splitting up and getting back together again or the "knowing it will never work out" that is the way it really is for so many people.

And after the separation you can get on with your life, once you've done any necessary greiving for the "relationship"...the only thing is it's like admitting havign a relationship with a part of yourself and that bit can get complicated!!!

sorry if this sounds like gibberish, just a new way of looking at it !

take care everyone.

shopaholictiedtheknot

Hi all

AFD 2 for me (again!) Had a drink on Thurs, Fri and Saturday but managed to abstain yesterday and feel so much better for it today!

JPmummy - have you tried speaking to your OH about his drinking when he is sober? I know it hits home much more to me when OH confronts me about mine in the cold light of day - good luck ((hugs))

Jo - where are you???

Hi to everyone else and hang on in there!

Nick51

Evening All,

Well done on your AFD shopaholictiedtheknot. It's true, you do feel so much better even after one AFD. I got up to 6 about six weeks ago and felt absolutely brilliant, but then I fell into the trap of, well tonight won't hurt and then it's back to the same old routine. Managed to stick to just 3 beers on Saturday night when the wife was out but made up for it last night and spent the day at work a bit hazy. Like for a lot of people at the moment my job does not look to stable so it's quite a stressful time. It doesn't seem as bad after a couple of drinks but I know the next day it will be head in the oven job. The annoying thing with drink is that you know it's bad but still can't seem to stop the cycle.

Bismark, you seem to be winning from your post. Good luck too you, I really want to experience the same sense that it is becoming a bit easier.

Regards

Nick

Pippilongstocking

HI all
Had a bit of a crap time, been away kidded myself into thinking that half a bottle wine at dinner with chum was ok (it should be occasionally), have drunk quite alot since last wed - was doing ok, (ish) and now feel like am back to square one. Few drinks wed, few more thurs, more on Friday, out on Sat and drank a bottle wine last night - argh.

Trying for an AF day today will see how I get on, seems like a constant struggle.

Read a catch up of the thread, seems like lots going on. Hi to everyone on -

Different_Corner

Fell off the wagon and tumbled down the hill on Saturday night. I seem to have an association with trash Saturday night TV and Stella Artois.
But that was last week, today will be AF day 3, as shoppy says I feel so much better after one day.

Wanna_Bee_Free

Right, time I won this struggle for a change. So am going for AFD today. Which would be my first in about a fortnight. Every morning I plan to go for it and every evening my resolve weakens at the tiniest excuse. But determined today will go differently. AFD on 11/11...?

winebox

Wanna_Bee_Free wrote: »

Right, time I won this struggle for a change. So am going for AFD today. Which would be my first in about a fortnight. Every morning I plan to go for it and every evening my resolve weakens at the tiniest excuse. But determined today will go differently. AFD on 11/11...?

Me too WBF. I've been reading not posting for the last few days for the usual feeble reason, only managed 2 AFDs last week & they were the first in weeks. My recycling box was emptied on friday & there are already :eek: bottles in there - and I was away at the weekend! I am exactly the same as you - start every day with good intentions but then...hey, I drove through a puddle on the way home from work, better have some wine. The shop sold out of my favourite newspaper, better buy a couple of bottles instead. No doubt there'll be some overwhelming "reason" later today but....I'll think of you trying too.