Your experience with Moderation
voices ca**y
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: St. Paul Minnesota
Posts: 4,360
My idea of moderation was to buy a pint of whiskey so that is all I could drink. If I kept it to a pint I still made it to work. I drank at home or would only drink with other heavy drinkers so I wouldn't look so out of control. If I did have occasion to drink socially I would hold it together knowing I had a pint in my trunk for when I got home. I would start drinking at about 7 pm after everyone was off doing their own thing and made sure to keep my yapper shut so it wasn't obvious how intoxicated I was.
The day I quit was the day I realized I had no desire to moderate. I just wanted to get drunk and stay that way.
The day I quit was the day I realized I had no desire to moderate. I just wanted to get drunk and stay that way.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 246
I can moderate and have a beer or two when I play live music.
Other than that, I am a drink to blackout/passout drinker.
I think that in that moment, it is more important to me to play well and be responsible to my bandmates than to get the oblivion buzz.
I think this "ability" has kept me sicker longer as it is a very easy target for my AV to minimize my alcoholism.
Even if you can do it, aren't you better off completely abstinent?
Other than that, I am a drink to blackout/passout drinker.
I think that in that moment, it is more important to me to play well and be responsible to my bandmates than to get the oblivion buzz.
I think this "ability" has kept me sicker longer as it is a very easy target for my AV to minimize my alcoholism.
Even if you can do it, aren't you better off completely abstinent?
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,780
I didn't want to stop drinking. In a desperate attempt to keep on drinking, I tried to moderate. It was a dismal failure. 
Much easier for me to just not drink at all. And I'm much happier sober. 
Much easier for me to just not drink at all. And I'm much happier sober. Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Ireland
Posts: 25,826
The problem is the spiral for me, with a few drinks things would spiral to be as bad as ever, maybe not on the first day but in a matter of weeks.
I tried only beer, only wine, only on weekends, try to have 3 Sober nights a week, 1 Sober night a week, don't drink on work nights, only drink until 11pm, I made deals with myself for a long time and the goal posts kept changing.
Parting ways with alcohol on a permanent basis was the best decision I ever made, and in many ways trying to moderate was soo stressful and time consuming, no alcohol makes life a lot more straight forward!!
I tried only beer, only wine, only on weekends, try to have 3 Sober nights a week, 1 Sober night a week, don't drink on work nights, only drink until 11pm, I made deals with myself for a long time and the goal posts kept changing.
Parting ways with alcohol on a permanent basis was the best decision I ever made, and in many ways trying to moderate was soo stressful and time consuming, no alcohol makes life a lot more straight forward!!
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: canada
Posts: 748
I've weighed it out to the ml using a shot glass on a digital scale.
I've used an erasable marker to mark off drinks on a fridge magnet board.
I've set the kitchen timer to count down the time until I'm allowed the next drink.
I've used online blood alcohol calculators to try to keep my BAC under a certain level.
In one day I've weighed out 750ml of vodka in 40ml portions on the digital scale, made 19 marks on the fridge magnet board, forgot to set the kitchen timer, passed out by 9pm and then used the online calculator to figure out I was still drunk at noon the next day.
Screw moderation.
I've used an erasable marker to mark off drinks on a fridge magnet board.
I've set the kitchen timer to count down the time until I'm allowed the next drink.
I've used online blood alcohol calculators to try to keep my BAC under a certain level.
In one day I've weighed out 750ml of vodka in 40ml portions on the digital scale, made 19 marks on the fridge magnet board, forgot to set the kitchen timer, passed out by 9pm and then used the online calculator to figure out I was still drunk at noon the next day.
Screw moderation.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: West Tn
Posts: 3,043
Ruby said it best by reminding me that today I am free.
My sobriety has been my emancipation proclamation.
Alcohol doesn't rule my life any more.
When I see alcohol these days, on the rare time it looks fleetingly attractive (for a nanosecond) the brief thought always involves a fifth or a liter (of whiskey) or an 18 or 24 pack of beer and not the drink, beer or glass of wine someone has.
And my next thought is always jails, institutions, death, me walking into a treatment center, professional failure, lost relationships, etc.
My sobriety has been my emancipation proclamation.
Alcohol doesn't rule my life any more.
When I see alcohol these days, on the rare time it looks fleetingly attractive (for a nanosecond) the brief thought always involves a fifth or a liter (of whiskey) or an 18 or 24 pack of beer and not the drink, beer or glass of wine someone has.
And my next thought is always jails, institutions, death, me walking into a treatment center, professional failure, lost relationships, etc.
voices ca**y
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: St. Paul Minnesota
Posts: 4,360
Originally Posted by Lance40 
I've weighed it out to the ml using a shot glass on a digital scale.
I've used an erasable marker to mark off drinks on a fridge magnet board.
I've set the kitchen timer to count down the time until I'm allowed the next drink.
I've used online blood alcohol calculators to try to keep my BAC under a certain level.
In one day I've weighed out 750ml of vodka in 40ml portions on the digital scale, made 19 marks on the fridge magnet board, forgot to set the kitchen timer, passed out by 9pm and then used the online calculator to figure out I was still drunk at noon the next day.
Screw moderation.
I've used an erasable marker to mark off drinks on a fridge magnet board.
I've set the kitchen timer to count down the time until I'm allowed the next drink.
I've used online blood alcohol calculators to try to keep my BAC under a certain level.
In one day I've weighed out 750ml of vodka in 40ml portions on the digital scale, made 19 marks on the fridge magnet board, forgot to set the kitchen timer, passed out by 9pm and then used the online calculator to figure out I was still drunk at noon the next day.
Screw moderation.
Trudgin
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 6,348
Originally Posted by Lance40
I've weighed it out to the ml using a shot glass on a digital scale.
I've used an erasable marker to mark off drinks on a fridge magnet board.
I've set the kitchen timer to count down the time until I'm allowed the next drink.
I've used online blood alcohol calculators to try to keep my BAC under a certain level.
In one day I've weighed out 750ml of vodka in 40ml portions on the digital scale, made 19 marks on the fridge magnet board, forgot to set the kitchen timer, passed out by 9pm and then used the online calculator to figure out I was still drunk at noon the next day.
Screw moderation.
I've used an erasable marker to mark off drinks on a fridge magnet board.
I've set the kitchen timer to count down the time until I'm allowed the next drink.
I've used online blood alcohol calculators to try to keep my BAC under a certain level.
In one day I've weighed out 750ml of vodka in 40ml portions on the digital scale, made 19 marks on the fridge magnet board, forgot to set the kitchen timer, passed out by 9pm and then used the online calculator to figure out I was still drunk at noon the next day.
Screw moderation.
We are not a glum lot.......
Since we are civilized and on this polite forum I cannot laugh out loud.....But, Holy crap - THAT'S Funny - cause many of us have done similar things!!!
As an alcoholic I would have felt cheated cause the 19 mark wasn't a full 40ml's
Great post
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: PA
Posts: 12,000
my only real attempt to moderate was when they came out with 10 ounce cans. I figured 10 ounce cans I would drink less. WRONG! 10 oz cans were like drinking shots.
they disappeared much faster.
Other than that, I with the wolfman on this.
they disappeared much faster.
Other than that, I with the wolfman on this.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: PA
Posts: 1,053
Thank you all - for those of us without too much time on this board it was good to see what others have tried (and what I've thought about). I never meant to imply that I thought I could moderate its just seems that this is an AV trick and one I wanted to know others lived though (and failed as well) and thought about also. I'm not special - I'm an alcoholic and the fact that I think about ways to moderate means I can't - for me that's what it means.
I can never have a cigarette again. I had to quit 3 times to figure that out - I'm hoping I get wiser with age and this is my second time quitting drinking. I can' have another drink ever.
Thanks for those that responded with examples - it has helped me see what some of us have been though. Solidifies my commitment.
I can never have a cigarette again. I had to quit 3 times to figure that out - I'm hoping I get wiser with age and this is my second time quitting drinking. I can' have another drink ever.
Thanks for those that responded with examples - it has helped me see what some of us have been though. Solidifies my commitment.
Hears The Voice
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Unshackled
Posts: 7,901
Originally Posted by Teebee
I'm an alcoholic and the fact that I think about ways to moderate means I can't - for me that's what it means.
People who can control their drinking don't have a voice in their head telling them they can.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 251
Originally Posted by Longpasttime
I can moderate and have a beer or two when I play live music. Other than that, I am a drink to blackout/passout drinker. I think that in that moment, it is more important to me to play well and be responsible to my bandmates than to get the oblivion buzz. I think this "ability" has kept me sicker longer as it is a very easy target for my AV to minimize my alcoholism. Even if you can do it, aren't you better off completely abstinent?
Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: California
Posts: 2,693
Moderation to me would've been a six pack of beer every night. But gosh darn those limits set by health professionals say only two or three a night. So a six pack would not be moderating. That would be double or triple the healthy amount!
I tried all the tricks listed by everybody else. My last and final attempt was to not start drinking until 8 PM so that I could drink quickly and by the time I got to six it would be like 10 PM and I'd go to bed. Nope. I'd end up walking to the store and getting six more and going to sleep at some ungodly hour like 2 AM and feel like crap the next day.
Honestly, I never even tried to moderate. Because if I moderated my drinking I couldn't get a buzz. Reaching a buzz took about six drinks and then maintaining it took about six more.
If I was not free to follow the above plan exactly to my liking (dinner at friend's house: two bottles of wine for 8 people, anyone?) I felt more agitated than not drinking at all.
I tried all the tricks listed by everybody else. My last and final attempt was to not start drinking until 8 PM so that I could drink quickly and by the time I got to six it would be like 10 PM and I'd go to bed. Nope. I'd end up walking to the store and getting six more and going to sleep at some ungodly hour like 2 AM and feel like crap the next day.
Honestly, I never even tried to moderate. Because if I moderated my drinking I couldn't get a buzz. Reaching a buzz took about six drinks and then maintaining it took about six more.
If I was not free to follow the above plan exactly to my liking (dinner at friend's house: two bottles of wine for 8 people, anyone?) I felt more agitated than not drinking at all.
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