Arbor

Checking in...Day two here once again. Feeling pretty awful right now physically. Maybe it's the pollen and allergies. After what seemed like a month long bender of drinking moderately I'm hoping I can cut my drinking out over time. Christ id be happy if I only drank once a week right now.

least

Why not just give it up entirely? Moderating is damn near impossible for an alcoholic.

Mentium

'A month long bender of drinking moderately'? Sorry but this does not compute!

I don't wish to be anything but sympathetic but alcoholics are great at self deception. I can say it because I am! Why not try a month long bender of quitting?

AlliH

I'm on day 3 of recovery. I know it's hard, but you have to give it up to stay healthy!

Arbor

Perhaps bender isn't the right word. Been drinking almost daily for the last month. 4-6 drinks per day. Sometimes more on weekends. I guess I still don't know if I'm an alcoholic yet. The big book discusses the difference between the heavy drinker and the alcoholic. Feel I've always been more of a heavy drinker. But how is that better? I can give it up for weeks, months even when I put my mind to it. I just always seem to return to the daily habit after some sober time.

Dee74

I had to accept that everytime I drank, regardless of the quantity, it started the bad journey all over again - sooner or later I'd end up at the same dark place.

I didn't want to accept it - but I *needed* to arbor.

D

Arbor

Great point. Thanks Dee.

Also, I think I read something along these lines in another thread. The big book really doesn't do a good job of distinguishing the true alcoholic versus just a heavy drinker. If you were to categorize yourself as a heavy drinker you may never come to terms and continue drinking. Something I'm still dealing with over the past six months.