Al31

9.9.18 will hopefully be my last day of drinking.

I've done all the leg work and research that anyone can do.

If I don't do it alone, I will go get help this time.

Now is the end of my drinking. I'll keep you all updated

Ghostlight1

Best of luck to you, but I did all the reading and don't know what you mean by 'leg work'.
I still got drunk. There is one book I read called Alcoholics Anonymous.
It made sense to me, as I lay in bed recovering from yet another binge.
The book wasn't enough to stop me, though, but it sure did affect me.
I needed help. I finally got up the nerve to go to an AA meeting.
It changed my life.

Here were people with the same problem as me. And they were successfully quitting drinking. It was very powerful.
So, yes, if you find you can't do it alone, help is out there.
I tried for years to go it alone. Read every book I could find on the subject, yet to fail again.
It took the power of a collective group with the same problem as me to finally get a daily reprieve.
This place is very helpful, too. So I hope you use it.
Best to you.

least

Don't just hope it's your last day of drinking, make it so! Hope is powerful, but it's action that makes it work.

entropy1964

How is it going so far? If it's anything like my day 1 its pretty challenging. But it gets easier. Hang in there.

thomas11

how is going today? Still on track?

Al31

Im embarrased to say i'm drinking.

I work split shifts in a restaurant. So i do the first 3 ish hours then have 3 hours off then back for evening service.

Today 2-5 i have off.

1.30pm head ache, small shakes, anxiety, fear?!, such intense feelings. I had to make that stop.

I normally have 4/5 pints on this break and about the same after work. However I've never had the withdrawal feelings after work.

So i'm now thinking:
4 pints at lunch today
3 lunch tuesday
2 lunch wednesday (day off so will be hard)
1 lunch thursday
Stop friday??

I don't know.

I watched more documentaries on drinking last night. I don't want this to kill me

Michael2018

Al,

You know yourself. But for me I know that once I had those four pints I'd re-write the plan to start tomorrow. But I'm not you.

If you start getting any severe physical withdrawal problems then it might be best to check in with your family doctor to make sure you are safe. If it's more that coming off alcohol is just horrid, your mind is racing, and suddenly you have to face everything sober - then I suspect you will need to just bite the bullet and go through it. There's no getting away from it - early sobriety is horrid for a lot of us.

Rar

I agree with Michael. I couldn't have anything to drink either, or I would be re-writing my plan and postponing the quit day. I also agree that if you feel your withdrawal symptoms are severe, it's best to see your doctor. They can help you through the physical symptoms. You're not alone A131. All of here have struggled through Day 1s, whether it be cold turkey or with medical help. Either way, those Day 1s are not fun. You can do this, though. Rooting for you.

Michael2018

P.S.

Just reminding you of your own previous plan

To me that sounded eminently sensible! Perhaps more so than planning your drinking for the next few days.

ScottFromWI

It's pretty amazing how drinking can change our thinking, huh? When you were ready to quit you planned on quitting completely - but now that you are drinking you are thinking about continuing to keep drinking, albeit maybe via a "tapered" schedule. I don't know either - what do you think caused the change? And why do you think a taper is a good idea instead of just quitting?

doggonecarl

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doggonecarl

Well, doing it alone isn't working.

When you fear getting help (AA, detox, rehab, etc.) more than you fear drinking, drinking will almost always win.

NerfThis

Absolutely agree with doggonecarl about fear of help being greater than fear of drinking. You really have to want to be sober more than you want to drink. delaying a quit day is a strong sign of the desire to drink being greater than a desire to quit.

'I watched more documentaries on drinking last night. I don't want this to kill me'

If you don't want drink to kill you, I highly suggest you don't follow through with your plan to have 4 pints, 3 pints, 2 pints then 1 pint. NO pints on any day is the correct way to avoid alcohol killing you.

thomas11

Tomorrow is another day, you can start then if you have the resolve. As others have said, if you are unable to quit on your own, seeking help is a good solution.

August252015

Great comments above. I will just add that I had to decide I wanted to LIVE more than I wanted to drink. At first that was literal. It became truly living quickly down the line and kept - keeps- getting better.

nez

Tapering never worked for me. I also tried having only 3 beers because that seemed to be the magic number were the buzz happened and before things went south. However the time between my 3 beer consumption plan kept getting shorter and shorter. I tried lots of things. My research damned near killed me. Research didn't save me. Action did, and that action was to not pick up a drink. It was a lot more complicated and involved than that, but that is the condensed version.

Dee74

Sorry you drank again Al - I think getting help is the next logical step, however scary taking that next step might be?

D