The trick that worked for me
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 68
I agree.
I hope I have given a different angle that may help many after all isnt this what part of this forum is about?
I hope some if not all will just give my approach a go and who knows..... as I am talking as someone that has failed lots of times but since following the docs approach and adding to the list, I just feel differently. Like a bag of bricks and been lifted.
They say never make complex decisions in a low mood or even on an empty stomach....so what harm is there in trying a natural method to first get the brain chemistry in a high mood.
Yes, there are pills out there to boost mood but at least give the natural and non side effect approach a go.
YAY!
I hope I have given a different angle that may help many after all isnt this what part of this forum is about?
I hope some if not all will just give my approach a go and who knows..... as I am talking as someone that has failed lots of times but since following the docs approach and adding to the list, I just feel differently. Like a bag of bricks and been lifted.
They say never make complex decisions in a low mood or even on an empty stomach....so what harm is there in trying a natural method to first get the brain chemistry in a high mood.
Yes, there are pills out there to boost mood but at least give the natural and non side effect approach a go.
YAY!
Pressure makes diamonds
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 521
Hi Josafe, congrats on the 3 weeks. I've gone for stretches of sobriety where I had an end date in mind and ended up with worse withdrawals, more depressed and sicker each time I tried to stop. I think knowing that you will drink again is just establishing a pattern that you are comfortable with of trying to convince or prove to yourself that you don't have a problem.
The commitment to real sobriety begins when you accept that you can NEVER do it again.
I wish you well in your journey.
The commitment to real sobriety begins when you accept that you can NEVER do it again.
I wish you well in your journey.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 375
"Maybe I'm one of the lucky ones who is not an alcoholic but used alcohol as a way to give me an alternate universe or escapism where flowers bloom etc. But there was a problem when the alcohol started taking me to a dark cave where all my nightmares lurk!"
You drank to the point you have an inflamed pancreas, you repeatedly attempted to moderate your drinking and found this difficult and you feel you need an end date to your sobriety.
The most worrying thing you have said is that you have "won against alcohol".
Please take care. Feeling happy and positive is one thing, being able to declare victory over alcohol is another. I don't expect to EVER win.
I wish you the very best of luck.
You drank to the point you have an inflamed pancreas, you repeatedly attempted to moderate your drinking and found this difficult and you feel you need an end date to your sobriety.
The most worrying thing you have said is that you have "won against alcohol".
Please take care. Feeling happy and positive is one thing, being able to declare victory over alcohol is another. I don't expect to EVER win.
I wish you the very best of luck.
Sober Alcoholic
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,539
Josafe, I find a lot of merit in the method that you are employing. I too believe that addressing the biochemical needs in early sobriety is quite important. It looks like your method is working quite well to this point.
Having said that, I also believe that the cautions you are getting from people with longer term sobriety are well founded. When you consider the option of resuming your drinking, the fact that you had some medical consequences from your past drinking should be a huge red flag. You should also read about the “kindling” effect and factor this into your considerations. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kindlin...tic_withdrawal.
Be well.
Having said that, I also believe that the cautions you are getting from people with longer term sobriety are well founded. When you consider the option of resuming your drinking, the fact that you had some medical consequences from your past drinking should be a huge red flag. You should also read about the “kindling” effect and factor this into your considerations. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kindlin...tic_withdrawal.
Be well.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,445
^ what he said 
When I first came here I wasn't ready to say forever either - this was despite the fact I'd nearly died on my last detox.
Thankfully a couple of months of sobriety bought me clarity, and I saw how utterly insane a return to drinking would be for me
I wish you well josafe
D
When I first came here I wasn't ready to say forever either - this was despite the fact I'd nearly died on my last detox.
Thankfully a couple of months of sobriety bought me clarity, and I saw how utterly insane a return to drinking would be for me
I wish you well josafe
D
12 Step Recovered Alcoholic
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 6,613
Originally Posted by Josafe 
Hi All
I just wanted to say I am now a firm believer that the way to deal with alcohol:
1) High concentrations of B Vitamins
2) St Johns wort
3) Exercise or take new sports etc
4) Balanced diet
5) Deal with any past baggage or issues. Even write down any shame, guilt etc on paper then burn it. It cant hurt you any more.
6) Taking support from the Doc and even off the record
7) Changing behaviour patterns
8) Change social patterns, yes even closing facebook to shed any old habits!
9) Become spiritual by visiting a church or helping people to gain experience of the real world and how lucky you are
10) Develop a purpose or push yourself to take new challenges.
It is important to remember that we came into this world in a pure form. Alcohol became a coping or learned behaviour. It can mess up the brain chemistry and trick you that you need it. It is difficult to deal with most things when the brain is foggy.
Remember, you did not need alcohol when you were born!
Remember, you have to be OK without any social drug and just like any relationship, dependency or codependency is not healthy.
I have won against alcohol and do not get any pangs or feel the need for it. I really cannot see why I would want to kiss the dragon!
Ps - Disclaimer - I know, not one size fits all but try the above!
I just wanted to say I am now a firm believer that the way to deal with alcohol:
1) High concentrations of B Vitamins
2) St Johns wort
3) Exercise or take new sports etc
4) Balanced diet
5) Deal with any past baggage or issues. Even write down any shame, guilt etc on paper then burn it. It cant hurt you any more.
6) Taking support from the Doc and even off the record
7) Changing behaviour patterns
8) Change social patterns, yes even closing facebook to shed any old habits!
9) Become spiritual by visiting a church or helping people to gain experience of the real world and how lucky you are
10) Develop a purpose or push yourself to take new challenges.
It is important to remember that we came into this world in a pure form. Alcohol became a coping or learned behaviour. It can mess up the brain chemistry and trick you that you need it. It is difficult to deal with most things when the brain is foggy.
Remember, you did not need alcohol when you were born!
Remember, you have to be OK without any social drug and just like any relationship, dependency or codependency is not healthy.
I have won against alcohol and do not get any pangs or feel the need for it. I really cannot see why I would want to kiss the dragon!
Ps - Disclaimer - I know, not one size fits all but try the above!
Rowland spent a year under the care of Jung. In that time he was given the more or less, the psychological and physical components of your program. It proved insufficient, he was drunk in a short time.
Naturally Rowland was rather disappointed about this. He went back to Jung who told him he had never been successful with an alcoholic of Rowlands type, and the Rowland was a hopeless case. Rowland asked if there were any exceptions. Jung said there were, very rare, but once in a while alcoholics had recovered through vital spiritual experiences.
He suggested Rowland's only hope was to get his life on some sort of spiritual path (your step 9). That he did, by working through the Christian Oxford Group, and he never drank again.
Rowland helped a guy called Ebby, who went on to help Bil who later helped found AA.
Your program addresses mental, physical and spiritual aspects of alcoholism. The one element that may be missing is a little around the medical side. The one fact that has been established is there is no cure for alcoholism other than total abstinence. We can never safely go back drinking.
Having said that, it appears your program provides a solution for that through its steps 9 and 10. An alcoholic who leads a happy and purposeful life, has no need to drink.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 68
Hi
Hey Gottalife, WOW without looking at an AA program that's interesting that my solution overlaps the same strategies!
On another note everybody, I just wanted to be clear about the pancreas issue. I did not have true pancreatitis. My tests showed a slight issue that could have been related poor fatty/starch diet and/or a random gallstone that got stuck but then passed.
The doc said I can drink but WE both agreed in the end that I would not. I stopped drinking because of the negative mindset it gave me. But at the same time it will help provide a true base line of my health if I stay at least 5-6 months from any bad food and alcohol.
Yes I am in a positive mindset now but as along as I keep fit and healthy I can keep this up. When I might feel low I can talk to me doc like he said - just in case.
As always, I embrace all the different viewpoints because forewarned is forearmed.
Hey Gottalife, WOW without looking at an AA program that's interesting that my solution overlaps the same strategies!
On another note everybody, I just wanted to be clear about the pancreas issue. I did not have true pancreatitis. My tests showed a slight issue that could have been related poor fatty/starch diet and/or a random gallstone that got stuck but then passed.
The doc said I can drink but WE both agreed in the end that I would not. I stopped drinking because of the negative mindset it gave me. But at the same time it will help provide a true base line of my health if I stay at least 5-6 months from any bad food and alcohol.
Yes I am in a positive mindset now but as along as I keep fit and healthy I can keep this up. When I might feel low I can talk to me doc like he said - just in case.
As always, I embrace all the different viewpoints because forewarned is forearmed.
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