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

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  • Muser1
    Muser1 Posts: 795 Forumite
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    Desperado_2015 wrote: »
    Hello

    I'm very new to this myself. On day 4 AF. If your husband is a reader, he might find a book helpful...as I am. Craig Beck, Alcohol Lied to Me. It is on Amazon, Kindle...you can even download the PDF free on some sites. It changes the way you we feel about alcohol.

    No harm in trying.

    Best of luck

    Thanks he used to be! I'll download it for him thankyou.
    Mortgage Jan 13 99260.00 87253 April 2017
    Emergency fund 700.00
  • piggles1
    piggles1 Posts: 161 Forumite
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    Hi all, can I join you for a bit of encouragement? At the moment I'm going for days when I have 4 units or less.

    The difficulty I have is I haven't had any AFDs for a very long time. But I have cut down from 10-12 units a day :eek: to 5 or less which was an enormous hurdle and took a couple of years (slow progress). I remember when I cut down to a unit less than a bottle of wine I felt really pleased with myself, and although that was still a huge amount it was an achievement for me and marked some kind of change. I wanted to be under the level where you need medical assistance to stop.

    Recently I suddenly cut down to just over half a bottle, prompted by passing middle age and worrying about my liver which was always 'good' but is now 'satisfactory'. I just want to stop all the faff and measuring and the expense of it.

    I've been surrounded by people who say 'you don't drink much' or 'you never seem drunk' 'I know someone who drinks a bottle of wine a day'. None of that is really helpful when I'm dealing with a daily habit and have done since I was much too young to drink.

    I did give up once before for a year but I was exactly the same person, as well as miserable and I was no fun at all and that puts me off a bit from giving up completely. I don't do it to get drunk, more to slow my brain down and sleep.

    I'm finding it hard some days and other days I stop before the 'just one more' and go to bed instead and find I've cut down again.

    Someone a few posts back said you eat more as you cut down and I've been eating lunch which I never did before. I have a new doctor and I want to be able to honestly say 3 units a day with some AFDs. Some days that's a long way off, other days it seems achievable.

    Sorry for the ramble. Can I join you and try and write just one AFD sometime? :o or at least start with some low alcohol days. This month I've had four days of 4 units or less just last/this week.
  • Desperado_2015
    Desperado_2015 Posts: 22 Forumite
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    Muser....here is another link (am I allowed? ) that may be helpful. It's American, and a free resource. It has apparently helped thousands to make sense of their relationship with alcohol.

    https://rational.org/index.php?id=36
  • Wanna_Bee_Free
    Wanna_Bee_Free Posts: 2,134 Forumite
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    Another one for me last night - please can you put me down for 4/21.
    Thanks!
  • gien
    gien Posts: 1,649 Forumite
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    3/10 for me please shaggy
    Trying to keep in budget.

    2270
  • Dizzy_Imp
    Dizzy_Imp Posts: 2,755 Forumite
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    13/21 for me please Shaggy x
  • graemecarter
    graemecarter Posts: 1,204 Forumite
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    piggles1 wrote: »


    I did give up once before for a year but I was exactly the same person, as well as miserable and I was no fun at all and that puts me off a bit from giving up completely. I don't do it to get drunk, more to slow my brain down and sleep.

    This really resonated with me.
    The noise in my head was frequently loud (fears, regrets, negative thoughts about myself) and it was drink that turned down the volume, until the next morning.
    I was a fearful alcoholic. Removing the alcohol just made me fearful.

    I needed to change myself sufficiently so the noise in my head turned quiet. There was no point for me just to remove alcohol.
    I needed to change my thinking. And I still need to make it stays changed.

    Good luck.
  • Barny1979
    Barny1979 Posts: 7,921 Forumite
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    Dizzy_Imp wrote: »
    Well done Barny! Warfarin free tomorrow?

    Yep! :-) 15 AFDs today and 186 days in a row
  • satchmo1
    satchmo1 Posts: 2,750 Forumite
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    10/14 AFDs for me for yesterday and today. For a change, I might even do better than targeted this month!


    Graeme & Piggy, I'm an obstinate drinker ("I WILL have more if I want to and don't try to tell me"... no-one's telling me, that's my inner argument with my sensible self).
    What would you get if all you got was what you were thankful for?
  • shaggydoo
    shaggydoo Posts: 8,406 Forumite
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    piggles1 wrote: »
    Can I join you and try and write just one AFD sometime? :o or at least start with some low alcohol days. This month I've had four days of 4 units or less just last/this week.

    welcomewagon.gif Why not do a target with ALDs - alcohol low days - with a target of a low day of 4 or 3 units or less (whatever helps you achieve your goal). You could have an AFD (alcohol free day) target too if you wish. Whatever helps you. You could go target free (TF) for the rest of October so then you would be on 4/TF for October.
    What do we do when we fall? We get up, dust ourselves off and start walking in the right direction again. Perhaps when we fall, it is easy to forget there are people along the way who help us stand and walk with us as we get back on track.
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