seven nights*. ....... hooray!
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2009
Location: hilton head island sc
Posts: 32
seven nights*. ....... hooray!
Just put a big X on the calendar for seven days. Notice the asterik though as on night 4 we met friends and I had three beers and night five a different set of friends, two beers. Nights one, two, three, six and seven, nothing. Self-De-tox was a breeze!
Now I know what youre thinking, and there is an argument there but vodka was/is my problem and we have beer/wine all over the house and there is no temptation at all and it simply doesnt make sense to drink it anyway as it would take soo much to get me buzzed (i was drinking like 16 oz of vodka a night) At any rate, we see friends rarely once a week, twice a week would be highly unusual and quite honestly i am not ready to "come out of the closet" and admit to others that I have a problem. So I will sip slowly and limit it to no more than three beers and avoid dangerous situations like superbowl parties, long cook outs, etc.
Anyway, I failed before after 14 days and the reason I failed is I thought stopping was so easy I thought I would "test" my willpower (bad mistake) by buying some vodka........ heres the conversation:
"Gosh, 14 days now, feelin good no withdrawl symptoms, didnt even need that AA, can still drink 2 beers a night and STOP on a dime" Lets test Drive that willpower on a higher level, big boy! Pull in to that liquor store and buy you some vodka"
So bought a liter bottle, drank half with the intention of what? Pouring out the rest and not drinking again? Didnt work out that way! Drank the 2nd half the next day then back in the cycle.
Anyway thanks for listening and this forum is great...... i have learned a great deal and I really want to make it work this time.....i feel much better, have lost 3 lbs already, am goiung to the gym much more and look forward to each evening when I can take my big magic marker and put a big Xthrough the day!
Now I know what youre thinking, and there is an argument there but vodka was/is my problem and we have beer/wine all over the house and there is no temptation at all and it simply doesnt make sense to drink it anyway as it would take soo much to get me buzzed (i was drinking like 16 oz of vodka a night) At any rate, we see friends rarely once a week, twice a week would be highly unusual and quite honestly i am not ready to "come out of the closet" and admit to others that I have a problem. So I will sip slowly and limit it to no more than three beers and avoid dangerous situations like superbowl parties, long cook outs, etc.
Anyway, I failed before after 14 days and the reason I failed is I thought stopping was so easy I thought I would "test" my willpower (bad mistake) by buying some vodka........ heres the conversation:
"Gosh, 14 days now, feelin good no withdrawl symptoms, didnt even need that AA, can still drink 2 beers a night and STOP on a dime" Lets test Drive that willpower on a higher level, big boy! Pull in to that liquor store and buy you some vodka"
So bought a liter bottle, drank half with the intention of what? Pouring out the rest and not drinking again? Didnt work out that way! Drank the 2nd half the next day then back in the cycle.
Anyway thanks for listening and this forum is great...... i have learned a great deal and I really want to make it work this time.....i feel much better, have lost 3 lbs already, am goiung to the gym much more and look forward to each evening when I can take my big magic marker and put a big Xthrough the day!
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,438
Congratulations on your progress - any move forward is a move forward 
.
& I don't want to rain on your parade but I wouldn't be doing you any favours not saying this...
I think many of us have said 'I have trouble with one kind of alcohol, so I'll just drink this kind...' or 'I really hate X so I'll just drink X'
In my experience that doesn't work, I'm afraid. I learned to love X...
Alcohol is alcohol...and if you're like me SK, it will get you in the same old way eventually, no matter what kind of alcohol you're consuming.
I'd be careful.
D
.& I don't want to rain on your parade but I wouldn't be doing you any favours not saying this...
I think many of us have said 'I have trouble with one kind of alcohol, so I'll just drink this kind...' or 'I really hate X so I'll just drink X'
In my experience that doesn't work, I'm afraid. I learned to love X...
Alcohol is alcohol...and if you're like me SK, it will get you in the same old way eventually, no matter what kind of alcohol you're consuming.
I'd be careful.
D
Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 31,179
(((straykatz))) - congratulations on the progress! I have to agree with ((Dee)) - the biggest struggle I've had in addiction was with something I didn't like, and was scared of (crack) for a long time. Just something to keep in mind.
Hugs and prayers,
Amy
Hugs and prayers,
Amy
Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 9
For me it comes down to one simple question...can i have 2-3 drinks and be satisfied or comfortable? The truth is i can't. Drinking leads to more drinking for me. If i had three beers like you did i would be thinking about stopping off at the store for more and how good it will feel to just "sip" on something all night...of course im drunk by the end of the night.
Like you i don't have any physical withdrawls when i quit. I even sleep like a baby immediately.
Upshot is....i know i can't have the first one because it means more is coming. If you know in your heart this isnt the case for you...your a lucky person.
Good luck
Like you i don't have any physical withdrawls when i quit. I even sleep like a baby immediately.
Upshot is....i know i can't have the first one because it means more is coming. If you know in your heart this isnt the case for you...your a lucky person.
Good luck
Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 34
Congratulations on starting your long journey. If you fall down, get up right away and keep on track.
If you had a problem, and you are sticking on track and not drinking (Any Alcohol) your body will probably give you a wake up call in short order.
If you still plan on drinking some try googling "Hams Alcohol" They center on switching to beer and cutting back. It helps for some but it didn't for me.
I'd just have 2 beers a night and a little more on the weekends. A month or so later I'd be emptying out the trash can full of beer cans every day.
Good Luck but if you find yourself slipping again consider giving it up all together.
If you had a problem, and you are sticking on track and not drinking (Any Alcohol) your body will probably give you a wake up call in short order.
If you still plan on drinking some try googling "Hams Alcohol" They center on switching to beer and cutting back. It helps for some but it didn't for me.
I'd just have 2 beers a night and a little more on the weekends. A month or so later I'd be emptying out the trash can full of beer cans every day.
Good Luck but if you find yourself slipping again consider giving it up all together.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Midwest
Posts: 450
I guess I'll throw in my experience. I am(was?) a vodka drinker - my hobby was straight shots all day. My first attempt at quitting was more than a year ago; I would have 2-3 beers a night and call it sobriety. The funny thing (not haha funny) is, I was up to 12-18 a night within a few days and still pat myself on the back for not drinking and staying "sober"! I look back at that now and wonder if I was right in the head back then.
"Heaven knows, we have tried hard enough and long enough to drink like other people. Here are some of the methods we have tried: Drinking beer only, limiting the number of drinks, never drinking alone, never drinking in the morning, drinking only at home, never having it in the house, never drinking during business hours, drinking only at parties, switching from scotch to brandy, drinking only natural wines, agreeing to resign if ever drunk on the job, taking a trip, not taking a trip, swearing off forever (with and without a solemn oath), taking more physical exercise, reading inspirational books, going to health farms and sanitariums, accepting voluntary commitment to asylums--we could increase the list ad infinitum." -AA BB
"Heaven knows, we have tried hard enough and long enough to drink like other people. Here are some of the methods we have tried: Drinking beer only, limiting the number of drinks, never drinking alone, never drinking in the morning, drinking only at home, never having it in the house, never drinking during business hours, drinking only at parties, switching from scotch to brandy, drinking only natural wines, agreeing to resign if ever drunk on the job, taking a trip, not taking a trip, swearing off forever (with and without a solemn oath), taking more physical exercise, reading inspirational books, going to health farms and sanitariums, accepting voluntary commitment to asylums--we could increase the list ad infinitum." -AA BB
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2009
Location: hilton head island sc
Posts: 32
Thanks all; I feel like a little league pitcher in the yankees dugout. I agree drinking anything is a slippery slope but really, three beers bores me, doesnt make me want beer four.......So we are talking about a maximum of three beers sometimes once a week sometimes once every two weeks sometimes twice a week.
But if "three beers" becomes "five beers" and "five beers" becomes "chugging two beers before going out and then having five beers" then I am pursuing a buzz/drunk and the house of cards is indeed falling down....... a scenario that i dont want to see happen!
Perhaps its a placebo effect but i have been drinking two Becks N/A beers a night (i know they have .05 alch, big whoop), gettin them really cold and boy are they good, as good as any regular beer if not better, and certainly 100% better than something like O'douls
But if "three beers" becomes "five beers" and "five beers" becomes "chugging two beers before going out and then having five beers" then I am pursuing a buzz/drunk and the house of cards is indeed falling down....... a scenario that i dont want to see happen!
Perhaps its a placebo effect but i have been drinking two Becks N/A beers a night (i know they have .05 alch, big whoop), gettin them really cold and boy are they good, as good as any regular beer if not better, and certainly 100% better than something like O'douls
~sb
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: MD
Posts: 15,967
You aren't clear to me as detox is when we stop drinking all alcohol, not na beers that are still providing your body with some amount. Are you trying to stop? I gather you just want to drink in moderation?
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2009
Location: hilton head island sc
Posts: 32
Sugarbear, I went from 16-20 ounces of vodka almost every day to two .05% beers per day............ Most folks would consider "drinking in moderation" being two regular beers a day, a glass of wine with dinner , etc....
Perhaps I should give up cologne, Scope, rum raisen ice cream.......?
Perhaps I should give up cologne, Scope, rum raisen ice cream.......?
Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Vashon WA
Posts: 1,035
I'm still a bright green newbie, 77 days sober, but I'm already thinking about drinking less than during any "moderation" or "tapering" I tried when I was a drinker. I found that drinking is a boring topic of conversation to have with myself. I just want to get f*cking hammered and if I can't then, well, I don't want to think about it. I'm not even jealous of normal drinkers anymore. It just doesn't matter what other people do. I'm keeping it simple, "DON'T DRINK EVER".
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