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2 weeks sober

Old 03-02-2010, 01:31 AM
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2 weeks sober

Hi everyone, I'm a newbie from England.
2 weeks ago I decided I had an addiction to booze and I really needed to do something about it. I wasn't knocking back a whiskey before work or nipping out for a 'quick one' at lunch. But I couldn't go a night without at least a bottle of wine, or a couple 'or 4' of strong ciders. Oh and Brandy, oh dear! I started thinking during the day if I had enough booze to get through the evening. This was not good, it had to stop.

So I've tackled this like I tackle my running hobby, I've just gritted my teeth and done it, stopped drinking that is. 2 weeks in I can say that I've had a drink twice in that time. 1 pint of cider at home and 1 pint of beer down the pub with my mates. The first 5 days were worst, very bad cravings. But I'm getting out of the habit slowly I think and although I still crave a drink at 7.00pm ish, if I have a non-alcoholic beer I get through the craving.

Do I want to go teetotal or just moderate my drinking? I honestly don't know yet. I can't see myself completely giving up the booze, but I'm pretty sure drinking makes me more prone to panic attacks so atm I'm just trying to cut it out completely and take one day at a time. 2 pints in 2 weeks though is a good start. I just so glad there are places like this where you know that you're not alone.
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Old 03-02-2010, 02:30 AM
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Welcome to SR medals
This place helped me change my life - I hope it can do the same for you as well.

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Old 03-02-2010, 02:36 AM
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Hi medals..

..no,your not alone..believe me..
..welcome to SR..please post some more..
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Old 03-02-2010, 04:18 AM
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Medals, congrats on this slow-down. Not everybody is the same, for some people there is no such thing as moderation management, and drinking and normality don't go hand in hand anymore. That's why a lot of people who quit and see it as a recovery will say that one is too much and 10,000 not enough. And some of those people will say that it turned into either an everyday ordeal all over again or an ordeal with different timing.

I remember the concern inside about whether there was enough to get through the night. I also remember a temporary satisfaction in having to replenish only every 2 or 3 days, saving myself from having to face somebody who would recognize me in the store. A couple of times, my ingenious idea of rotating to different stores to avoid embarrassment didn't work out for me (the employees knew how to rotate stores too, ha ha). One of the thoughts in the car on the way home was whether I needed to stop and get some more, but it would also come up during the day. And if someone wanted to have a drink and chat with me after work, I would decline so that I could go home and safely experience drunkenness. When I did go out, I would have either 1 or 0 drinks, so that nothing would get in my way of reaching the destination (drinking at home, and getting back into my cocoon). I wouldn't have been able to moderate the drinking. What I see in me is that I suffer from an addiction, and that it is with me for life, so I cannot drink.

Whichever way it pans out for you (a slow-down with normality back in the picture OR out-and-out quitting), I hope it works out for you. The slow-down did not work for me.

I have not been away from drinking for a long time (just over 100 days, which is similar to 3 years in the brain I had when my drinking problem was younger, ha ha), and I have only been coming to this site for close to a month. What I find myself telling people that think they want to quit (and yet still have doubts) is that they will know better than I will if/when to stop. For one thing it sounds presumptuous to claim I would know the answer (even if I have decent insight), but for another that is exactly how it was for me; I just reached that point without drastic events going on around me. I also echo what other people say, and that is to give yourself a block of time with no drinking (no drinking at all) and see what comparisons you can make between the two; how you're feeling physically and emotionally between the two contexts. Hopefully you will give that a try and give yourself enough time to see what is best.
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Old 03-04-2010, 03:05 AM
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Thanks for the welcome and the kind words. Alcoholism, drink dependency, whatever you want to call it, is such a lonely illness to have. It still has the taboos, like depression, of an outdated society. But hopefully as we as a society become more enlightened, it will be seen as the illness it actually is.
So many hundreds of thousands, probably millions, of people suffering and thinking that they are alone with their torment. That's the wonderful thing about the internet, all of us can speak to each other about our issues freely.
I'm still managing to be booze free. Just over 2 weeks now. I'm still getting the cravings early evening but I'm dousing them with alcohol free Becks Blue and keeping myself busy in the evening, doing chores, or watching a DVD, something to keep my mind occupied. Bl**dy hell, it's not easy though! Onwards and upwards!
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Old 03-04-2010, 03:12 AM
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sounds like you are making a lot of progress....keep it up!!!
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Old 03-04-2010, 03:51 AM
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Hi Medals and welcome to SR.

Well done on making the decision to change.

Every alcoholic tries to moderate their drinking. If you are an alcoholic you will not be able to drink moderately or control it over a period of time. There will come a time where you drink more than you intented to and obsess about it.

Only you can determine if you can control your drinking or you are an alcoholic. We are here with you every step of the way at SR.
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Old 03-04-2010, 08:16 AM
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Welcome to SR! Glad you joined the family!
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Old 03-04-2010, 09:34 AM
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Welcome and Good Luck you're in the right place!!!
Someone once said to me about my drinking:
"If you're trying to control your drinking then you've already lost control of it"
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Old 03-07-2010, 10:16 AM
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I'm entering my third week.
I thought a few days ago that because I wasn't getting cravings I'd cracked this addiction thing and that was it. Well, I had cravings last night, quite bad ones. I didn't give in though. Tried a mindfulness technique, in your mind you just step aside from the thought of wanting a drink, observe the thought and see it for what it is, just a cognitive occurance in your head. I know I'm not out of the woods yet. Who knows, I may never be.
Anxiety comes and goes I've been diagnosed with GAD anyway and I thought drying out would ease it, but for me it doesn't seem to. I get paraniod about certain things atm it's the neighbours, they're ok but their daughter is horrible, she's moved out but I'm afraid she'll move back in again. there's no reason to suggest she will, but well I'm convinced life will get at me by making that fear come true. Quite honestly if it wasn't that it'd be something else. I AM NOT GOING TO DRINK THOUGH!
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Old 02-21-2012, 05:51 AM
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Two years in and still dry!

A lot of water(and tea) has passed under the bridge so to speak. It's been hard. Especially the first six months where I had about 6 pints of beer in that time. From then on though I decided total abstinence had to be the way for me.

Suicidal tendencies appeared in the July of 2010 but antidepressants saved me. I don't seem to have the knife edge anxiety that tormented me now and I am convinced it's due to my brain being alcohol free. Never mind the liver, I'm convinced alcohol was screwing my brain up to the point where killing myself seemed the natural thing to do.

I notice in my first post I said that I didn't know if I would ever give up the booze completely. Well, I do now. Where ever my life takes me in the future, it won't involve alcohol. But I also know that I'll never be cured and I need the constant inspiration of people like you guys out there and indeed well known ex-drinkers to whom I can look to.
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Old 02-21-2012, 05:56 AM
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Congrats on the two years...Just curious how you did it...What program if any?
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Old 02-21-2012, 07:09 AM
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How am I doing it? Well, mindfulness techniques have helped. Inspiration from celebrities, that sounds daft, but it works for me. I have an addictive personality, so I've swopped to other addictions like running and well, caffeine and chocolate. I've developed a very sweet tooth since giving up. But I've still lost around 20 pound in weight too!

I think I'm addicted to not drinking now!
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Old 02-21-2012, 07:11 AM
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Welcome medals! You'll find tons of support and wisdom here, wishing you all the best!
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Old 02-21-2012, 07:16 AM
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Originally Posted by medals View Post
How am I doing it? Well, mindfulness techniques have helped. Inspiration from celebrities, that sounds daft, but it works for me. I have an addictive personality, so I've swopped to other addictions like running and well, caffeine and chocolate. I've developed a very sweet tooth since giving up. But I've still lost around 20 pound in weight too!

I think I'm addicted to not drinking now!
well known ex-drinkers...I was curious about that. Hey...It doesn't sound daft to me...Whatever can stop you from drinking for two years works for me. I think the chocolate thing goes along with whatever program or plan you work...I never even liked chocolate until I stopped. Good for you...I'm happy for you.

P.S. I think I'm addicted to not drinking now!

I couldn't agree with you more.
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Old 02-21-2012, 03:14 PM
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I'm really glad to read the update medals - awesome

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Old 02-21-2012, 06:52 PM
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Welcome to our humble sober community, and thank you for your post. You sound just like me when I came here! I do hope you'll stay!
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Old 02-21-2012, 07:18 PM
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Congratulations on 2 years - LOVE to hear updates like yours!

Hugs and prayers,

Amy
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