DoneStumblin

Have any of you had success with moderation? Such as, quitting for a period of time completely and then being able to control how much you drink? Thinking of my own situation, I don't see how that would be possible. Quitting forever seems the only doable scenario. Just wondering if moderation ever worked for any of you. If so, how were you able to not over indulge and become the addict you once were?

FreeOwl

it worked as a means of fooling myself for many years.

I am pretty good at stringing together periods of apparent "moderation" so that my Alcoholic Voice has lots of ammunition to say "See!!! it's FINE. You can TOTALLY control it...."

Then sooner or later I pop out of a blackout wondering what the hell happened.

Nope. "moderation" is an illusion, for this guy.

Nonsensical

Read my signature line. It took me 25 years to figure that out.

Zeepa

My tolerance became so high that moderation had no effect on me. It was either everything or nothing. I tried moderation loads of times. It always starts off ok for me, then after about a week or two of "moderation" I go back to my old ways of being ********* all the time. Also, every time I found myself asking this question recently I realised its the alcoholic me trying to get a drink, painting this picture of a nice evening...when in reality im peeing all the time, puking in my sleep, moody and angry/crying when I drink.

Mentium

It seems to be rare. In fact I think I know one person in my life - and I am knocking on a bit - who fits that bill. For the vast majority of people who develop alcoholic type drinking there isn't a moderate way. When I have drunk after my numerous former attempts to stop I drank in exactly the same pattern and volume as previously within a few days at most.

I'd rather be free of the stinking stuff anyway!

Nonsensical

BOOM!


That voice in my head telling me "next time will be different" is the voice of my addiction.

It isn't misinformed when it tells me moderation is possible, IT LIES. Sweet, seductive, it'll be OK this time, lies.

I have too much to do to take any more advice about my life from a known liar.

ArcticSA

Never worked for me. I don't drink for the taste. One glass of wine is pointless, one glass of beer doesn't make sense as I drink solely for the pleasure of a buzz/drunk.

FreeOwl

I really like this....

In any other aspect of life, we would doubtless rid ourselves of a person who consistently lied to us in ways that damaged us....

Yet we have allowed the lies inside our own head to be trusted, time and again, despite clear and consistent results to our detriment.

ScottFromWI

Part of the very definition of alcoholism is that you cannot control ( AKA moderate ) your drinking. If you aren't an alcoholic then you might be able to, but that is a decision you'll meed to make for yourself.

DoneStumblin

Yes, I know moderation would not work for me. Never has. Just wondered if it ever worked for anyone else, and it sounds like nope. Nonsensical, your signature line says it so perfectly.

ScottFromWI

It's your addiction talking, plain and simple. Look at the redundancy of the statement you just wrote.

Think of it this way if it helps: If someone has a severe peanut allergy, they don't wonder if others with the same allergy can eat peanuts. They know and accept that they cannot and never will be able to, and that others with their same affliction can't either.

The difference with alcohol is that the addiction tries to convince you that you are not an alcoholic.

Tang

People who moderate probably aren't on these boards, so your sample pool is biased. The fact you are here should therefore answer your original question.

EndGameNYC

I've only seen one person on SR who claimed to have success in moderating his drinking, but he has since been struggling all over again.

Moderating is like being on death row and getting a stay of execution. The suffering continues and the result is inevitable.

ClearLight

Nope - never worked in decades of trying.

It's the Holy Grail we can never catch.

hypochondriac

I don't think it is common for people who have had alcohol issues. I have one friend who is able to just drink one pint, no more, but I suspect that person's problem wasn't with control. I do know that he seems a bit scared of drinking more than that though. Another friend can not drink during the week etc but when he does all bets are off, no control... It all reminds me of my own efforts of control. A bit of a joke really. Having had a taste of sobriety I don't know why anyone would bother with those efforts of control. It seems a bit pointless really x

Zeepa

Thats a really good point!

EndGameNYC

Moderation is an illusion that quickly becomes a delusion. It's either a solution for a problem that doesn't exist, or it's a problem for which the only solution is to drink more.

Ethos23

Love the signature! Read it yesterday and thought about it a lot yesterday and today . . . 100% true. Thanks for pointing out what should have been blatently obvious!!!

ClearMind

I just don't see the point in trying to drink in moderation. If alcohol is a problem, then it's better to just cut it off completely. To me, it would be the same thing as a heroin addict telling someone it's alright, because he only shoots heroin on Tuesday nights and Sunday afternoons. That being said, I've had so many failed attempts to moderate that I realize I will never be able to, and that's fine. I understand that I get no benefits whatsoever to drinking alcohol, so moderating my drinking isn't really an option for me because there is no benefit.

PurpleKnight

Been down that road, and had to put up a permanent road block, traffic cones, flashing lights and police cordon tape saying "keep out" across it!!

It works for a week or so (or it seems to), and then I just spiral as bad as ever with my drinking!!

Sobriety is the only answer!!