281recovery

Here goes the first day. Any recommendations for nutrition, etc. to ease the first few days in terms of body reaction?

I'm unfortunately pretty functional and I usually drink beer slowly all day, so I never really have severe detox issues. My system is pretty acidic. I'm thinking of things like B1 vitams, etc. and other things for my poor depleted system. I have no business having built up the tolerance I have. I need to rebuild my immune system and I'm starting to have memory issues. As a 40 year old woman, I have no business having to write down that I've been drinking for 20 years without ever really putting effort into quitting.

I've never REALLY tried to stop because it's so hard to admit it's a problem, but my health is taking a toll and it's finally just dragging me down. And, I never really make it past day two because I always feel so much better. Trying to diet for better nutrition is killing me because I'm wrecking my diet.

I think just writing these things down is going to help so much. I going to make a bulleted list of the problems that are in my life right now that I'm so used to, but that don't seem to be so bad until you add them all together and it's more than health. I have a very stable loving family, marriage, and wonderful professional career, but it's easy to be blind to how much better it could be if I could get this leash of drinking from holding me back.

Received

Understandably, we are not allowed to give medical advice. When I quit I made an appointment with my doctor.

Universally speaking, drinking plenty of water to rehydrate and flush your system is important. I myself started taking a multi-vitamin as well as additional supplements as suggested by my doctor.

I also was a beer drinker and was drinking around a 12 pack a day.

Aside from the bullet list, what other plans do you have to stop drinking?

RDBplus3

HOUSTON, We have a Problem...sorry but I just couldn't resist that line when I saw you are from Houston.

First Day?...A Journey of a Thousand Miles Starts with the First Step...sorry but I just couldn't resist that cliché.

Keep coming back to Sober Recovery...every day BEFORE you take a drink...and then every time during the day when you get the urge to drink...BEFORE you open that Beer.

Also try the Chat Room...

See Ya...I'll try to drop the one-liners and the cliché's...but I just couldn't resist this morning.

coming_clean

sleep helps.
water helps.
fruit helps.
excercise helps.

281recovery

The problem my type of drinking is it not to get drunk because I don't drink for effect. To me it's a blood sugar stabilization if it makes any sense, it's almost like an overeaters problem. Somewhat like an OCD. I'm definitely looking for something to calm my body down and go to when I want to reach for a beer. Sweet tea would probably be an option or sunflower seeds, but I'm trying to think of heathly substitutes for handling the cravings that aren't damaging like the sugar or salt. I need to get it through my head that it's even worse than drinking sugary sodas all day long which I would never do.

And no, I haven't even started to think of other plans yet since I need to really get it through my head that I have a problem. Writing things down work a lot for me. Hmmm.... I don't want to go to meetings. I did go to one once. That's a really good point that I need a plan.

Received

You lost me at "To me it's a blood sugar stabilization if it makes any sense, it's almost like an overeaters problem".

What did alcohol (beer) do for you that made you keep drinking?

Frankly, I'm sitting here drinking a Pepsi and it's not even 10:00 am in my part of the world. Although I know it's not great for me it sure is a heck of a lot better then drinking alcohol. I drank to numb myself, for the buzz and to sleep (pass out). So basically, I drank to get drunk. It may have taken me hours to consume a 12 pack but the end result was the same. And, I only drank when I was home and alone which was most of the time.

281recovery

I don't actually know many of the onliners. It would be great to have a tread of one liners up at the top like the do with recommended reading. Or maybe they do somewhere already and I need to go find it.

visch1

Hi. One I liked when I first heard it = JDFD. Just don't fu..en drink. BE WELL

281recovery

You are right. I am numbing myself. It's hard to describe why the cravings are so strong. And, there is only one brand of beer that I crave. I have no calling toward liquor or wine, or really anything other than natural light. It never makes me "feel" drunk, but calm. It actually keeps me from being OCD so I can focus on one task at a time. I may try Zoloft again just to knock the edge off while I tackle this. I know there is are a lot of vitamin deficiency that cause this.

I'm not a type A personality at all, but I am an overachiever and that could be why I'm using the crutch to give me a reason to blame for not overachieving. And, the funny thing is that I am by nature a really calm person, but overacheiver.

I have a treadmill in my home office and I'm going to plan to hit it for 5 minutes every time when the cravings get out of control.

And, I'm realizing just how much of the internal dialog I have doesn't make sense as I'm trying to share my thoughts.

Received

I didn't drink liquor or wine either, 281. I tried it once or twice but it just didn't take my "beast" where it wanted to go. Only beer. I also preferred one brand of beer.

Another thing we have in common, I am definitely not a type A person. Not quite sure if I'd define myself as an overachiever either though. I definitely was a person who enjoyed juggling many balls at the same time and used to enjoy a bit of chaos.

I've quit drinking twice. The first time I quit I stayed quit for 13 years. Of course I was much younger then, had children, a demanding career and was a single parent. I was always on the go.

I started drinking again after the children grew up and left home. Drank for 5 years before finding this site. I quit drinking the night I joined here and am now permanently abstinent.

It was here, at SR, I learned about Rational Recovery/AVRT and everything fell into place for me. Even though I had acquired 13 years without drinking I always felt this niggling feeling of something is just not right. Through Rational Recovery/AVRT everything fell into place. I will never drink again and I will never change my mind. I know that as well as I know the sun will rise tomorrow.

None of that means I still don't have to work on me. I do. But it is not contingent on me drinking again. I see a therapist for life stuff and I come here to SR. This combination puts me in perfect balance right now.

In time, things may change but what won't change is my permanent abstinence from alcohol. Ever.

lastchance24

There you go! I can say that's what has helped me tremendously. When first coming "clean" it took me a whole week of drinking a ton of water for (the lack of a better term) my urine to stop wreaking like i had just drank for a whole day. A multi-vitamin helped me to get my immune system back in check and to start to feel better! A lot of people crave carbs for some reason after getting sober, however I turned to fruit and vegetables with a lot of protein and it helped a lot for me. I've been having problems eating in the morning so I like to buy bulk protein powder and fruit which helps to get my body ready for the day. Here's a good recipe for a modest calorie smoothie for the morning if you're into that kind of thing:

1 cup milk (chocolate or white)
5-6 frozen strawberries
1 scoop protein powder of your choice ( do some experimenting here)
1 teaspoon peanut butter (adds protein, omega's, and good calories to keep you feeling full for a few hours)
1 cup plain yogurt (this helps the texture of the smoothie and adds good calories)
5-6 ice cubes (you will need to experiment with these as well depending on the size of ice cubes)

-Blend all together!

This really helps to get me going in the morning, or after a good workout. Finally, a good workout really helps me as well. It gives me that "high" that I need, and it also helps to keep you sober. Once you go to the gym you will find that the urge to drink may go away a little because you don't want to ruin your progress at the gym. For the first few weeks I got tired VERY fast, but my body bounced back pretty quickly...just like sobriety, take it SLOW.

Welcome to SR and keep coming back for support. I am still very early in my recovery and I look forward to coming here about as much as I look forward going to AA.

Kathleen41

Not allowed to give medical advice; so speak to your doctor.

I can share my experience. I took B vitamins. My research let me to believe people who chronically abuse alcohol are usually Niacin deficient. I also did a colon cleaning regimen, ate yogurt and took acidophilus. The intestinal flora of most alcoholics is deranged. But by far, the thing that helped me most is complete abstinence from alcohol.

Hope my experience benefits you.

mfanch

I avoided HALT...hungry, angry, lonely, tired. It helped me.

I also wrote out a PLAN and followed the PLAN. I still follow it today (sober 4 years in June). I posted it on SR around here somewhere. (I'm a 42yo female, married, kids so I can relate).

281recovery

Can I get more info on the basics of getting "a plan" other than meetings? I'm having a hard time envisioning what's working for people.

Received

Here is a list of just some of the methods or programs you may want to look into:


Rational Recovery/AVRT
SMART
AA
SOS
Life Ring
Women for Sobriety
Power to Quit

You can find information about these by googling or click on this link:

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...formation.html

Information on Rational Recovery/AVRT can be found by Googling or visit our secular forum/Secular Connections at this link:

Secular Connections - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information

Coldfusion

Hi, 281!

I recommend looking at AVRT, which you can Google but it's commercial so I can't provide a link. There is a crash-course with 28 "flash cards" that, for some folks, is all that is needed to quit drinking. The forum for discussion of AVRT is Secular Connections - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information

I personally believe that some type of face-to-face contact is important, and in many places that means AA.

Received

I especially like this thread as explained and/or experienced by our member "freshstart" regarding AVRT.


http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ined-long.html

281recovery

Great articles. Thanks guys! That's exactly how I quit smoking and I really have no urge for it at all. I usually make it 2 days before giving into the urges. It's litterly like a hunger. Sucks