Natural6

I'm a binge drinker. I can stop on my own for a few weeks, maybe even a few months and sometimes when I drink I can keep it to 5-6 beers. But most of the time when I do drink, I drink to blackout or close to it.

Anyway, I did a lot of research on binge drinking (supposedly the most dangerous and destructive form of drinking) and decided to give AA a try. I went to about 7 different meetings in different areas. I met some good people (and some bad people). The one thing that struck me about the groups was the extremely liberal use of cake and coffee, provided by the group. I mean people were drinking cups of coffee like it was water. One person when they spoke started freakin out how the addiction is so difficult and how they are so angry - I wanted to yell at her, you just drank 5 cups of coffee. How else do you expect to feel? Many people would also get up and leave and then come back and I finally figured out that these were the smokers. The whole scene really turned me off. It's like they are substituting these other drugs, ie sugar, and caffeine for the alcohol. I liked some parts of AA but I didn't like this aspect at all. I actually left a couple times depressed after having coming in positive and once almost had a coffee which I avoid as I find this sets me up for all kinds of cravings, such as food, more coffee and alcohol.

I wish there were AA meetings that only allowed people to bring in water and frowned upon caffeine use, poor diet etc. I think that would be a great program. Based on what I saw, I think a lot of sharing is artificially stimulated through the other drugs.

Anyway, I have stopped going to meetings which for me was doing more harm then good and am looking at nutritional approaches. There does seem to be a very strong nutritional component to alcoholism. And it's been known about for a long time. A guy named Weston price documented the effects of a whole foods diet switched to one sugar based in the 30's. Native american indians have the highest rates of alcoholism but this is only very recent. They had zero alcoholism until sugar, coffee and refined carbs got in to their diets.

fallingdown

Hi Natural6, I'm a binge drinker too. I have been to AA meetings and I have found the presence of the coffee and cake very comforting myself. I'm not much into cake but I sure love a cup of coffee in my hands especially in the wintertime. I don't think a person ever got put in jail or hit a family of five because they were under the influence of coffee, sugar, or even smoke (that I know of!) so even if they are not totally healthy habits, they are much, much better than the alternative (well the smoking is arguable but a little cake and coffee never hurt anyone!)

However I do think it's cool that you are looking into the nutritional approaches to sobriety as I understand they can be greatly beneficial. I had no idea that Native Americans had no alcohol problems until their diets were introduced to sugar, coffee, and carbs. I'd like to get a lot healther myself but right now I'm just focusing on not picking up that drink, as I suspect a lot of people you encountered in AA are doing as well. I hope you find whatever will work for you.

CarolD

Natural6.....
Welcome to our recovery community

I see many AA members bringing
their own bottled water into meetings
My home group stocks it in our fridge.
The only cake is once a month for
birthday night.

Sooo...I certainly would not let
that keep me away from my meetings..

I do agree... eating sensibly is a plus.




.

tommyk

Welcome Natural6.

When I was newcomer to AA meetings I was told that my 'disease' mind would find all kinds of distractions to keep my 'sane' mind off of the primary topic.

Did you notice anything like that happening to you?

stone

Also, it only happened once their land was invaded, they were subjected to genocide, they lost their old way of living, etc.

Maybe that has something to do with it too?

Ananda

Natural,

any way that you find to find and keep sobriety is great! AA is specifically designed to deal ONLY with drinking problems so it will be tht way. I am trying to abstain from sugar, so i understand the distraction part...but thats just like the rest of the world...didn't stop just cause I did.

Hope you find the nutritianal method works for you and that you will share about how that approach helps you with the rest of us.

Glad your here.

faith08

hey natural.... i think a nutritional approach has some validity.i've been trying to figure some of that into my path.
a couple of books i have that include it are staying sober (not sure about title) by susan powter and my way out by roberta jewell.....both suggest use of supplements.
i think sugar definitely makes alcohol abstinence hard....but it seems really hard for me to get away from it.....so many things contain sugar
i wish you well....if you have any aha! moments or find any good books regarding this please post them
oh and welcome to sr!! --one of the best communities on the web

TTOSBT

Hi Natural,
I can understand your feelings and I agree that the quickest way to feel good is to avoid caffeine and eat sensibly. I am SO in agreement with Tommy. You really can not trust your head too much right now. It got you here, right?
Besides the reasons you listed, there are many more reasons to avoid AA too! I have heard drunk people try to share, crazy people try to share, loud obnoxious guys practically yelling while they share. But ya know what.
It is PRINCIPALS BEFORE PERSONALITIES.
I think you should try one more little experiment at one more meeting,
Bring your own water bottle.
Listen intently to each person and see if you can find one thing that they say that you can relate to or gain something from.
Bring a small veggie tray, bet you are not the only one that wishes that cake was not the only munchie alternative
Try to focus on the message, not the delivery or the messenger.
Or not...but it works for me

nandm

Welcome to our forum and to SR.

What helps me is to remember I can not control what others choose to do but I can control my own choices. I choose to utlize the program of AA including meetings. If I choose to drink coffee I do (personally I prefer decaff as I keep my caffiene intake to a minimum but that is my choice). Many groups in my area also have tea's and hot chocolate available as well as during the summer time iced tea. We have cakes to celebrate birthday's. There are candy bowls on the tables. I personally bring my own sugar free snacks to a meeting so I am not tempted by the sugar. I can not change what others choose to eat but I can provide myself with a healthier alternative. One thing worth noting is many times the recovering alcoholic has sugar cravings in early sobriety. It is just the bodies reaction to no alcohol as alcohol winds up acting similiar to a sugar once ingested so our bodies are used to sugar. This craving does die down in time but it is useful to a newcomer to have sugar avaible to them.

I do hope that you find a way that works for you in recovery.

gravity

Well, I smoke (cutting down), drink coffee in the morning & at meetings, eat cake at birthdays (AA and otherwise). I’m also part Native Canadian (Ojibway).

But I also have a sponsor, worked through the steps, try and integrate the steps in my life, and go to meetings. And I am sober!

I find meetings to be quite representative of society in general. One common problem, one common solution. I really try not to focus on our differences. I do agree that general health can only be a plus but in my case, I can only deal with things in priority.

Best wishes!

nandm

I do have one other opinion to share. AA is a program of recovery from alcoholism. Nowhere does it claim to be a cure all for other addictions or a solution to them. None of us are perfect. Each has their own character defects. It is a lot healthier for someone to drink coffee,eat cake, and smoke cigarettes in meetings than to drink alcohol, drink coffee, eat cake, and smoke cigarettes without AA. At least they are a little healthier without the alcohol. It is difficult to stop an addiction and many people have dual addictions. To try and suddenly stop drinking, smoking, using caffiene, and give up sugar most likely would be overwhelming to anyone. I know many people who after a period of sobriety from alcohol are able to work on their other addictions. I do believe that instead of worrying about what others are doing or not doing one should focus on themselves and what they can change in themselves. Remember we can only change one person, that is ourselves.

Natural6

I think what you are suggesting is completely valid and is the right way to proceed. Maybe I will. I don't know if I have the courage to do that though. I'm terrified of social interactions, I'm a social phobic.

Texasblind

It's funny, I live in the heart of the southwest and have never seen a Native American in a meeting. However, I did a contract show at a casino once and they told me they didn't even let their own people inside. I know the tribes are fighting the disease, but I'm not sure how. Anyway to get sober I guess.

CarolD

In my favorite "handbook" on alcoholism
"Under The Influence"

there is a chapter on nutrition and supplements.
I did follow the eating plan there for
6 or so months when I finally quit drinking.

Many in my 1st home group did
and we all reported it worked well.
I think many of us need to watch for
hypoglycemia

We do have excerpts in a sticky post here
but not on that chapter.

I suggest anyone interested in recovery
order it from Amazon It also has a sequel
"Beyond The Influence"

stone

I live in the UK and we don't really 'do' coffee here, we are tea drinkers, so no-one is all hyped in meetings, lol.

Natural, while you are judging these people for being hyped on sugar and caffeine, don't forget you have an alcohol problem, don't you?
How do you get the right to be so judgemental?

Do you want them all to eat and drink whole foods with you, but binging on alcohol every now and then is OK?

I am not meaning to attack you, but teasing a little.

I am a binger too, I can go weeks without drinking and it can be hard to think of yourself as an alkie when that is the case. Like you said it is sometimes considered the most dangerous form of alcoholism.

Nutrition isn't going to fix this for you. You can't blame carbs.

Natural6

Yes, I think it does. There is a strong self-esteem or "spiritual" aspect to alcoholism I think. I'm not suggesting it is completely nutritional. But if at root you are interfacing negatively with the environment through food that let's say deranges your blood sugar and insulin levels causing anxiety and fatigue, causing hormonal imbalances and nutritional deficiencies, causing your social interactions to suffer and your self esteem to suffer - the i suck and am not as good as other people thinking - then I think this is a very important area to look at. I know with myself that 17 years before alcohol came into my life I was having all the "alcoholic problems".

TTOSBT

Then I would be looking for a reason not to go too!
Seriously though, take it slow but try to go to one more meeting even if you sit in the back!

Natural6

Good points. I guess cause I have what I would call a caffeine problem and when I see people drinking it down I get feelings like wish I could do that or I think don't you know that caffeine causes stress and spikes blood sugar and insulin levels, two things that will drive you to alcohol... I guess I just don't like people doing a drug I'm trying to avoid near me... caffeine is very addictive and when I smell it i want it, but it really messes up my moods and makes me binge on food, and i suspect is a trigger of my binge drinking at times... but I guess I am being judgemental and i feel guilt about that but that's the way it is

Natural6

Also, I don't think the problem is carbs at all. I think refined carbs and sugar do destabalize blood sugar and strongly affect neurotransmitter levels in the brain, especially with those who are especially susceptible and maybe, in the case of wheat, are a little addictive in themselves. But tubers and other natural carbs and vegetables have been staples in our diets forever and I think they are healthy. And I guess there are some people who can probably eat anything and they are fine.

Natural6

maybe I will do that - though the last time I did that a "bum" came in and sat right next to me and he smelled very bad, i was too embarassed to move my seat... but I think that's good advce thanks