instant

Michelle glad you came.

The stress of cutting down is early addiction

The stuff is addictive- the more you drink, the more you will develop tolerance and need more to get the same buzz. It is progressive. Fast forward a few years and it gets uglier.

Alcohol is not a recommended treatment for depression, anxiety, stress and difficulty coping. In my experience alcohol caused emotional and psychological difficulties and impaired my performance. it took me years to break free of the stuff.

michelleb1

So I'm going to answer my original question:
"How do you know if you just need to cut back or stop altogether?"

A. Stop for 30 days and listen to what your body is telling you

I'm day 3 today. Yesterday seriously couldn't focus and I was so tired. I had to have a nap in the afternoon and then went to bed at 8pm! In the evening after eating just one piece of pizza I felt sick. Then last night slept terribly. I have woken this morning with a headache.

While my symptoms are mild they are all symptoms of my body detoxing from alchol. So for all these years wondering if I had a problem just going without for 3 days my body is answering that for me.

It's good coming to terms with reality!

phoebe64

Michelle, my habits were pretty much the same as yours. Not crazy, but unhealthy. And I was not doing it until after age 40. That was when it escalated to most evenings. About as much as you describe. But, I have been a drinker to varying degrees all my adult life.

At age 46, I found myself very overweight, diabetic, and with liver fibrosis.

Now 48, while I have cut back, and had stretches of sobriety, it is my last hurdle in regaining my health. Got the weight down, the diabetes controlled, no meds, but have had relapses on the wine. I am currently 22 days sober.

If you stop now, you may prevent serious health consequences, even if most of your life seems otherwise manageable.

Welcome to SR.

2granddaughters

There is a super older lady (70's) in our AA group and she often says that if she chose to pick up another drink it would be like choosing to have sex with a gorilla.

It wouldn't be over until the gorilla said it was over .......

All the best.

Bob R

soberjim

Hi Michelle..Read through your posts. Welcome to SR...Be kind to yourself this week end..

Many folks have shared their story with you..I like your last line..'It is good to come to terms with reality'

Jim

michelleb1

Thanks Rochele! That's a huge reason why I am doing it also. For my health. I know its not good for me. We are not supposed to have more than 2 standard drinks a day and no more than 9 a week (I think!). I tried to limit to those amounts but couldn't. So if I want to be healthy and be a good mother and wife then theres no other choice for me.

There is actually some freedom in admitting that.

phoebe64

Actually, women should have no more than one a day, men, can have two. And that does not mean saving 7 for Saturday night. I also found those limits impossible.

Dejvice

Tiredness, feeling tired, taking naps, going to bed early etc. Even after 3.5months sober I still feel tired.....but not as much as I used to. But then one needs to think of the damage (or the control that alcohol has taken of your body) that one has inflicted on his/her body.....just think about it 5....10.....15.....20 years drinking alcohol 3....4....5....6....7 times a week....progressively getting more and more dependent on it. So feeling tired, naps, headaches is probably your body fighting back and taking control.

I feel a million bucks inside and it just keeps getting better and better......yeah sometimes I take a nap in the afternoon....it beats the hell outta knocking back 8, 9, 10, 11 beers a day.

sugarbear1

Have you tried to cut back recently?

michelleb1

Yeah and didn't work. Tried to just have 2 wines a night and even that would spread to 3 sometimes.

sugarbear1

research: Alcoholics Anonymous (find an online book and read it)
Rational Recovery
AVRT
SMART
PowertoQuit
Women for Sobriety
Life Ring

All have websites!

You can do this!!