MiddleKey

Well, I'm 3/4 through the book ( pg 122) there's only 179 total and it's taken me a full two weeks to get that far. Throughout the first 89 pages or so I drank and drank a lot. Guess that's why it's taking so long. Your not supposed to be drunk or even drining while reading for obvious reasons! As I said I'm on page 122. At around page 89 ( which was this past Monday) "something' flipped a switch in my brain. I am now on my 5th day without a drink! The best part is, I haven't missed it, craved it, thought about it, NOTHING! I have an open 12 pack in my fridge and it hasn't tempted me in the least. I have walked down the wine isle at the grocery and not a twitch of picking up a bottle. ( I used to make near daily runs for a bottle of wine) I have been unusally tired and been sleeping like a baby this week, which feels great. I don't miss the 2:00-5:00 insomnia alchohol caused me. Well just wanted to post an update for those that were interested. Hope this upward spiral continues. Hope all of you are doing as well with what is working for you!

Dee

Dan

That new found sleep sure is sweet isn't it!
Good on ya.

Kathi

CONGRATULATIONS

Janet L

Thank, Dee. And do yourself a favor, wouldja? Throw away the beer?

1Marty

Dee, glad to hear of your success!

Chy

ohhhhhh wweeeeee!! Seems like your switch flipped right around the point of reading "the promises" Miracles happen around here all the time.. keep reading.

fuster

Don't leave before the miracle happens. You are living the miracle of AA, Halleluja! Have you tried any meetings?

Lose the beer, honey, you are playing with fire. :banghead:

Mogqua

What book are you reading?

:scratchch

MiddleKey

Thanks all for the congrats and words of encouragement. As far as the beer goes I don't think I'm going to get rid of it. My husband likes to have a beer every now and then (maybe 2 month)! The way I feel is that I am learning how to controll and overcome temptation. Just like when a good looking guy flirts with me.....I look, but don't touch becasue I know it would destroy my marraige. I am looking at any alcohol the same way! I know some of you won't agree with that but for me it makes sense. (and I've never really cared much for beer anyway)!

Fuster: I am not going to AA meetings or anything like that. It's just not for me. That's why I am reading the book I am.

Mogqua: I am reading a book called The Easyway to Control Alcohol by: Allen Carr ( British) and so far so good!

Mogqua

Thanks for letting me know.
If it works, it works.

MiddleKey

Taken from my Jouranl:

As you can see I am bad, bad, bad at jouranl keeping. Great news
though I finished the book!!! I don't even remember the day but I
SURE DO remember the moment and the very last step that the book
tells you to do! OMG, I DID NOT WANT TO DO IT! I felt like I was
drinking cyanide and purposely killing myself. In all reality that is
very close to the truth, that is what we do everytime we take
alcohol, slowly kill ourselves. But I am So glad I did it. It really
made a huge impact on me. So huge, I haven't had a drink in a long
time now. I am not one for making it an "anniversary" or anything so
I don't even know how long it's been. The book tells you to not think
of yourself as a "forever addict" once you've quit, but to move
forward as a non drinker. And that is what I am a Non Drinker. I am
finding so much new joy in my life that was always there just hidden
beneath all the hangover effects of my life. I have gained at least a
full 6 hours of my life to each and everyday. I have accomplished so
many things I haven't had time for in the past. I know fully realize
how badly my memory has been damaged by alcohol and this is really
bothering me. I feel very old becasue of this. I am researching
nutritional supplements to assist me along with reasearching diet
plans. My body and especially my liver needs a good flushing out and
nutrients that I have robbed it from for so long. I have a lot of
fatigue still and am getting a lot of rest to compinsate for that. I
didn't expect to just stop drinking one day after 20 years and think
I'd feel great. I abused my body for a very long time. I suspect that
it will take a long time, maybe the rest of my life to aid in it's
physical recovery. Looking back, I wish that I had written here
everyday like I had intended. It's always good to reflect now and
then. I just got so busy getting on with my life (which is a good
thing)that I forgot!! I plan on re-reading the book in the near
future. Not becasuse it didn't work,, becasue it did. But for
additional subliminal reinforcement. My husband has an occasional beer
(1 a week) it almost makes me sick just to watch him drink it.It
feels so wonderful to finally be FREE of the controll that alcohol
over me.

Don S

Thanks for the update, Middlekey, this sounds like an interesting approach. It's great to know there's yet another approach available out there for folks who are looking for options. I haven't seen this book, so I don't know what the 'technique' is--can you give us a rough idea?
Don S

msnbuffalo

Hi Middlekey...

Congratulations on your success. I am following a path similar to yours as I am now moving on with my life as a non-drinker. To repair the physical damage I am also taking a lot of nutritional supplements. I can't say it strongly enough that we all should be doing that. The physical damage caused a lot of pain and anxiety which I alleviated by drinking. I am now feeling better than I have since I was a teenager. The physical self has to be well, to allow us to work on our emotional and psychological self.

I have just finished reading "Sober for Good" by Anne Fletcher. A very good book which explains the many ways that there are available for people to recover from alcohol addiction. It has helped me a lot.

good luck!

Mike

Rotten

With aplogies to Middlekey, It's basically rubbish. If you can allow yourself to be programmed by repetion, that alcohol is a poison (which anybody with a modicum of brainpower knows) then you can possibly be persuaded that you are poisoning yourself. Doh, that's why I feel poisoned after a heavy night, wow!
It works with an analogy of you being a fly being tempted down a pitcher plant to its doom. You are the fly and the pitcher plant is alcohol and your doom... challanges the 'norms' that alcohol gives you courage etc... compares it to a made up drug called devastation And er,that's it really. Sorry, forgot the evil goblin that lives in your head, saying "have a drink".
According to Carr, we are all (even those who take a single sherry at Xmas) are on our way down the slippery slope to our doom and the only way to arrest that slide is to stop drinking. Well thank you Mr Carr, your book should be prosecuted for mis-selling as it is titled: Easy way to CONTROL alcohol, yet promotes absolute abstinence...
It is a a load of bollocks inmhop, as does nothing to tackle the underlying reasons of WHY you drink or modifying your behaviours to tackle urges and triggers unlike AA or SR.
Dangerous.

Dan

...In your humble opinion?
I'd hate to see your biased opinion

Rotten

To be fair, I think I am just a little pissed that I paid seven quid for it, in the hope that I could drink 'normally'... Always looking for the angle..

Dan

Seven quid... That's a lot of dollars!

Rotten

It's all relative,7 quid for something that is worthless to me is a lot of money. seven grand for something that delivered would be worth every penny (or cent).

fuster

For real. Shortcuts don't work. For those who take them, get back to me in ten or twenty years. Let me know how you are doing.

Don S

"....rubbish....bollocks....""...shortcuts don't work....get back to me in ten or twenty years...."
Is there something I'm missing here? It's working for this person. What's up with you guys?
Don S