pointmagnet

Okay, I am back to ask for everyone’s support again. I joined up here a few months ago when I wanted to quit drinking but really desired to cut back moreso than stopping completely.

And I most certainly have been successful in reducing my consumption. I have gone from a 4-drink per day average to less than a 2-drink per day average. Haven’t been close to being drunk since early June.

Well, that’s not good enough for the wife. She wants me to be 100% alcohol free as a condition for reconciling a poor marriage… (amongst other things like also wanting me to cut back on work hours and possibly even quit my existing job)…

I think I can take the additional step to go from 2 drinks down to 0 drinks per day, but I‘ll likely need some support, so I will post here from time to time. Any hints or help from you guys/gals on total abstinence will be more than welcome.

Particularly troublesome for me will be the family and professional events that involve social drinking… I’ve been told by the wife that staying home is not an option. “Just go and don’t have a drink.” Easy, huh?

We'll see how it goes.

CarolD

Welcome back...

AA meetings are vital to my continuing abstinence
Moreover...it's a good place to learn how
to meet the issues that come from life.

Blessings to you and your family

Anna

Hi and Welcome back,

I sense a definite reluctance in your post to stop drinking. It sounds like you're only doing it for your wife and not for yourself. It's really hard to stop drinking and it takes a lot of motivation. I hope you keep posting and you'll find lots of support here.

pointmagnet

That is very correct. I have only 2 drinks per day, never get drunk anymore, and it's not damn good enough for her.

But I need to quit entirely to stay married, so I will.

I'm doing it for my marriage and my relationship with my wife, not for me. So I think the task becomes that much more difficult.

Hope she doesn't decide that she wants me to give up ice cream too...

GlassPrisoner

I think you should do all 12 steps

Not to be critical, but you seem to exhibit a lot of the traits that I used to.

I, too, was the victim of an overbearing, unfair wife. Or so I felt.

Yup. My ex said I wasn't there enough. That I spent too much time doing other things that I had to give up.

But you know what, she was right. That's besides the point, because I don't have to worry about her anymore cuz she left me when my drinking got out of control.

I've only found one way to quit drinking successfully. And that's AA. I did white knuckle it for 5 years once, but I wouldn't suggest that.

pointmagnet

Thanks for the insight... I just may have to go to meetings when I get home from my current business trip. It's easy to not drink now, as my friends here at the worksite don't pressure me to "have a beer with them," or "go drinking after work."

But when I get home, the stress of ongoing reconciliation will undoubtedly make things difficult from time to time, so meetings might be a nice escape and good therapy instead of having a couple to take the edge off....