I like SR and am new to the site!
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Midwest
Posts: 8,335
I like SR and am new to the site!
My name is Kim and I'm 54 years old. My father ( living) and his father
(deceased) were both alcoholic. Dad quit drinking cold turkey when I was 16 years old. My sister , 11 months younger than me, also drank too much and quit. I rarely drank. I went through a divorce when I was 44. I began drinking wine socially after my divorce - chardonnay. About five years ago, I began drinking more and the last two years, began drinking daily. Last summer I began to attend AA meetings and decided to reevaluate the role alcohol played in my life. I decided to not drink while I was undergoing this evaluation. I met the greatest folks in AA! In the fall I decided to resume drinking wine...I enjoy cooking and most of our friends drink wine.
After the holidays, with an unexpected death in the family and a loved one experiencing a health problem, I began drinking to numb myself at the end of the day. I began to get worried, as I was starting to think about where to buy my wine and didn't want to go out in the evenings, because I'd rather stay home and drink wine. I also felt unproductive, because once I started drinking, I stopped doing the things on my "to do" list. I began to feel unwell - trouble sleeping, headaches, upset stomach...in short wine was making me sick....plus I felt disappointment and guilt.
I've followed Paul's thread with interest, because I believe I attempted "controlled drinking " a year ago...and I really feel for him. Something clicked with me this summer and I decided I was FINISHED with all alcohol forever. I asked my husband to refrain from drinking beer for awhile, as I would use that as an excuse to have a glass of wine. He asked me if that was what I thought it would take for me to be successful and I said yes - at least at first. I also warned him I believed I would be agitated and needed to "reset" my clock to be out of the house at 4 o clock - wine time! We began taking daily walks instead of drinking.
I was agitated and cranky for a few days. After the first week it got much better, although good sleep is intermittent. It is much easier for me to not drink AT ALL, rather than try and "control" it.
I believe I need to go through the experience of "controlled drinking" last summer, to arrive at where I am now. There are many people who don't drink and are interested in a healthy life style....and now my husband and I have joined their ranks.
I use a variety of tools to remain sober. I love this site, I read, I also read the BB and will probably drop in on an AA meeting to see all the great people I met last summer.
Thanks for listening - I really, really like this site. Kim
(deceased) were both alcoholic. Dad quit drinking cold turkey when I was 16 years old. My sister , 11 months younger than me, also drank too much and quit. I rarely drank. I went through a divorce when I was 44. I began drinking wine socially after my divorce - chardonnay. About five years ago, I began drinking more and the last two years, began drinking daily. Last summer I began to attend AA meetings and decided to reevaluate the role alcohol played in my life. I decided to not drink while I was undergoing this evaluation. I met the greatest folks in AA! In the fall I decided to resume drinking wine...I enjoy cooking and most of our friends drink wine.
After the holidays, with an unexpected death in the family and a loved one experiencing a health problem, I began drinking to numb myself at the end of the day. I began to get worried, as I was starting to think about where to buy my wine and didn't want to go out in the evenings, because I'd rather stay home and drink wine. I also felt unproductive, because once I started drinking, I stopped doing the things on my "to do" list. I began to feel unwell - trouble sleeping, headaches, upset stomach...in short wine was making me sick....plus I felt disappointment and guilt.
I've followed Paul's thread with interest, because I believe I attempted "controlled drinking " a year ago...and I really feel for him. Something clicked with me this summer and I decided I was FINISHED with all alcohol forever. I asked my husband to refrain from drinking beer for awhile, as I would use that as an excuse to have a glass of wine. He asked me if that was what I thought it would take for me to be successful and I said yes - at least at first. I also warned him I believed I would be agitated and needed to "reset" my clock to be out of the house at 4 o clock - wine time! We began taking daily walks instead of drinking.
I was agitated and cranky for a few days. After the first week it got much better, although good sleep is intermittent. It is much easier for me to not drink AT ALL, rather than try and "control" it.
I believe I need to go through the experience of "controlled drinking" last summer, to arrive at where I am now. There are many people who don't drink and are interested in a healthy life style....and now my husband and I have joined their ranks.
I use a variety of tools to remain sober. I love this site, I read, I also read the BB and will probably drop in on an AA meeting to see all the great people I met last summer.
Thanks for listening - I really, really like this site. Kim
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Midwest
Posts: 8,335
Thank you for the warm welcome!
I'm settling in for an evening of reading and browsing this site. I find I respond to positive incentives vs. negative, and try to find a new one each day.
One of the positive thoughts I picked up here:
No one wakes up in the morning regretting that they did NOT drink.
One of the positive thoughts I picked up here:
No one wakes up in the morning regretting that they did NOT drink.
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Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,510
Great post and welcome!
I did the 'walking' thing with my husband, that you talk about. I expected it would help me to stay away from drinking, but the benefits were more far-reaching. For one thing, it give my husband and I time to really talk (away from phones, tv, etc), and for another it helped me to reconnect to my neighborhood, which has helped my sense of well-being.
I did the 'walking' thing with my husband, that you talk about. I expected it would help me to stay away from drinking, but the benefits were more far-reaching. For one thing, it give my husband and I time to really talk (away from phones, tv, etc), and for another it helped me to reconnect to my neighborhood, which has helped my sense of well-being.
In Progress
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: PT Pleasant, NJ
Posts: 30
Hi, Kim and welcome as well. I see you and Hexipuff are newcomers much like myself. I've also just thrown in the towel with the drinking, I am currently in withdrawal but this site has been so helpful to me so far in not getting discouraged or beating myself up too badly during these next few rough days.
We can do this!
We can do this!
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Midwest
Posts: 8,335
Morning Coffee
Sure tastes good without a hang over and after an early am walk to beat the heat!
My parents are arriving today for a visit. I mentioned in my first post that my Dad is an alcoholic and quit drinking in 1974. He told me on a previous visit that he was concerned about my wine consumption. He said in his experience, by the time he thought he had a drinking problem....he'd already had it for five years! I have not told him that I quit alcohol, but I'm sure he'll notice and be proud.
My mother and I have always enjoyed a glass of wine together, she does NOT have a drinking problem. I called her and told her I'd quit drinking and wasn't comfortable opening and serving wine, as of yet, in my home. She said that was absolutely NO problem and she is proud of me
I feel blessed to have my parents (ages 76 and 77) in my life and am looking forward to a fun visit!
My parents are arriving today for a visit. I mentioned in my first post that my Dad is an alcoholic and quit drinking in 1974. He told me on a previous visit that he was concerned about my wine consumption. He said in his experience, by the time he thought he had a drinking problem....he'd already had it for five years! I have not told him that I quit alcohol, but I'm sure he'll notice and be proud.
My mother and I have always enjoyed a glass of wine together, she does NOT have a drinking problem. I called her and told her I'd quit drinking and wasn't comfortable opening and serving wine, as of yet, in my home. She said that was absolutely NO problem and she is proud of me
I feel blessed to have my parents (ages 76 and 77) in my life and am looking forward to a fun visit!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Midwest
Posts: 8,335
Aa
Sapling,
My Dad attended AA over many years with his father, who sadly, never recovered from his alcoholism. Dad quit cold turkey, w/o attending AA, but is familiar with it and thinks it's a great program. He has an impressive record of sobriety and has helped others quit drinking. What a great Dad I have
My Dad attended AA over many years with his father, who sadly, never recovered from his alcoholism. Dad quit cold turkey, w/o attending AA, but is familiar with it and thinks it's a great program. He has an impressive record of sobriety and has helped others quit drinking. What a great Dad I have
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