halfvictory

traindrinker:

I am like you, a beer drinker, although I am less than you. My nightly average is ~4 beers. Usually, I can go 1, maybe 2 nights without beer, and 2 nights with around 3-4 beers; and then weekend nights were a blowout. My beer choice are 7%+ alcohol IPA's. What turned me wasn't that I was losing control so much (except on occasional weekends) but the fact that I couldn't NOT have 1 - that started weighing down on me. Doesn't sound that serious in comparison to some but I hated that I had to have 1. Although, it was usually more than 1 I hated not having the control to not have any.

I am only on day 2 so i am no expert, just giving you my similar story somewhat. I am an athlete and I realized my beers were affecting my exercise but when I tried to quit i couldn't. But I always justified my intake as me being an athlete - hey, I'm a runner so it doesn't matter how much i drink, so I thought...running was my means to have drinks in a sense.

I've come to realize that one doesn't need to hit that ultimate bottom to be an alcoholic. You don't have to have a divorce, losing jobs, being late, etc. etc. to be an alcoholic. If you think you have a problem, then you probably do.

traindrinker

Hi all.

Thanks for posting.

I have been cutting back from 8 beers a day to about half, 4 beers a day.

Still didn't have one full day of not touching any alcohol.

Haven't been to the doctor and I doubt I will do that anytime soon. But I don't think I will die if I skip those beers.

I guess it's a matter of will power, which I don't have. But atleast I cut back!

HereIAm321

traindrinker, on the contrary, I think you DO have will power. You've been able to cut the amount you drink in half in less than a week. Keep it up and soon you'll be at 2, then 1, then none.

I know it's said that tapering off isn't a good idea. I tried it many times, and I only succeeded this past time because I FINALLY admitted to myself that I *do* have a problem, and that I was sick of it, and that I wanted to have my old life back. I also decided i needed will power or Id never truly succeed. i wasnt being honest with myself.

I am 29 years old and have been heavily drinking for about 2 or 3 years.

When I finally got down to 2 a night, I started to not even want to finish that 2nd beer. Then it got down to 1. Then the next night, I didn't even want to finish that first beer. The last night, I only had 3 sips and I was done, and poured the rest out. While I did have a small relapse after 4 days (I thought I was high and mighty), I have now been sober for a week. And I've never felt better.

Lykke til!!!

traindrinker

How much did you drink?

LatteLady

"Documented alcoholic". Each country has different laws, and what is legal in one country is not in another.
Is Dr/patient confidentiality the same in Germany as we understand it to be in the USA. Or is the documentation as result of traffic/public nuisance issues?
That said, this old Norwegian lady is NOT a legal expert, nor affiliated with the medical field in any way.
Go see your doctor and ask. Or call the local AA office.
I know when I saw my doctor the first time it was to discuss my problem. Next visit, as the nurse fired up the computer in the exam room, I saw the "Alcohol Abuse" box checkmarked.

HereIAm321

traindrinker, I drank anywhere from 4-12 beers a day, depending. Usually a 6pack a day.

traindrinker

Thanks for all posts!

I am quitting ... again :P ... this week. Have just had 2 beers since Monday. I also changed my diet and started exercising again.

Feel great. But maybe like 1 beer every other night is good to cut back on withdrawal symptoms?

doggonecarl

Welcome back.

If you could have drank one beer every other night you would not be here on SR trying to quit again. Just quit. One beer is just going to tease you into drinking more. Ride out that anxiety that comes with quitting.

Good luck.

anewpage

I thought I could do that too. But I was kidding myself. I can't stop at just one. Every time I thought I was having "just one to help with the withdrawal symptoms" I ended up having 6 or 8 or 10. Because with that one drink, your drug is working for you and you just want more of it. At least that's how it is with me. Good luck!

PaperDolls

Did you visit your doctor TD?

I'm glad you're back by the way.

traindrinker

Hi! Thanks for postings! You are right, this 1 beer philosophy is not any good at all.

After I posted 22.05.2013 I didn't drink for like 1 day. Then I went back to old habits.

Great news now, however. My mom came visiting me and my girlfriend on Monday. The same evening I had 2 beers and 3 shots of vodka. BUT however after tuesday I haven't touched alcohol. I had some non alcoholic beers after my workouts though. I know many if you don't like them, but I really like the taste of a cold non alcoholic beer after working out or in the sun...

If I manage to stay sober could it be okay with some non alcoholic beers, or should I skip them aswell? I really don't think it reminds me that much of beer as the taste is very different. I drink "Erdinger Alkoholfreies Weizenbier". You can google it as I cannot post links just yet.

So I haven't been drinking for almost 6 days now.. I averaged about 4-8 beers a day before quitting, plus beeing wasted on weekends. Let me just list my experiences so far in a list format:

• I do feel the urge to drink every day. I make my girlfriend crazy by asking if we should have a drink or beer the whole time.
• We went to the Christoper Street Day and to a birthday party this weekend. Typical occasions where I would be totally wasted. In the beginning of the events I felt like I was missing out on my good old friend alcohol. Felt kind of akward. But when we went back home I felt great! So nice not to be drunk and be able to go out for a run or watch a good movie without beeing stupid and drunk.
• Although the urge to drink is there, and that I feel irritated and have some nightmares kind of, it feels way more great not to have hangovers in the mornings! So great to just enjoy good coffee, have a clear head and feel more energized!
• Workouts are WAY better without beeing hungover - plus I worked out in the evening where I normally wouldn't because I don't workout after having a drink or a beer.
• I do enjoy 1-2 non alcoholic beers tho. Probably as a substitute to old habits - but nevertheless it's not containing alcohol! Wo be glad to have your thoughs on non alcohol beer.
• Don't see myself never having a real beer again. But again only like a couple of times a year perhaps? Certainly not every day and week like before!

Thanks again for your support!

traindrinker

And yeah I didn't go to the doctor because I cannot due to my work position and gun liscence ...

whipster

Great news! Keep those urges at bay and get through the detox, the first days are the hardest. I don't have an opinion on the NA beer, I suppose it is as good as any other liquid. Make sure it is truly NA though, some of them have a small amount of alcohol, but not enough to call it and alcoholic drink.

Keep up the good work.

MIRecovery

If you really want to quit AA has a solution

traindrinker

9th day without alcohol now. Still drinking 1-2 NA beers per day tho.

traindrinker

How many days does it take for a 130kg/190cm man to detox?

traindrinker

Going strong 10 days off!

ippochick

10 days is fantastic - keep up the good work.

traindrinker

It has been 15 days since my last drink and I love it!

Cravings just get less and less each day!

traindrinker

21 days since my last drink! Do want do drink a beer or two sometimes, but I am just glad I am out of the habit!