pjkong

Tonight I'm going to try and start weening myself. Before, when I would stop drinking cold turkey, I didnt really have withdrawal. Atleast not the dangerous stuff. I would have irritation, high blood pressure, that kind of thing. But I dont want to take the chance so i think this might be the best way to do it. Maybe it will help me deal with it psychologically. I'm finding it very hard to imagine life without alcohol but I try and remind myself of something. I'm 48. I've drank for 7 years and before that I rarely drank. Maybe twice a year. So for 41 years I lived without it. Unfortunately, I have to deal with all of this on my own. I dont know if I'll succeed but OI'm sure as hell gonna try.

ScottFromWI

Welcome back pjkong. I can certainly understand the thinking pattern, but be aware that tapering down is a mighty difficult task because eventually you will have to quit completely. It also sometimes pushes off our decision to quit until another day. I do also understand the fear of withdrawal - which is a valid concern and indeed cold turkey quits can be dangerous in certain situations. Having said that, getting advice from a doctor on whether it may be safe for you to quit outright is also an option. In any case I applaud you for making the choice to quit - you will not regret it no matter how you go about it.

anxiousrock

If you think that the withdrawal will be dangerous for you, please seek medical help! Good luck. You can do it

UNITE4STRENGTH

GO for it! It can be a real psychological battle at the start. I wasn't able to get past a couple of weeks and got fed up with repeated failed attempts so I've handed my bank cards to a friend to help me get enough sober time for my brain to heal. When stuck in the alcohol zone with hijacked brain chemistry and the addictive voice it's so difficult getting to the first 30 days. This is what I think anyhow.. I wish you well and hope you have made a general plan to help you get those all important first sober days under your belt. U4S 🇬🇧

DriGuy

Give it a try, but keep in mind that tapering is not quitting. Every time you taper, you feed your addiction, whether you are down to 4 drinks a night or just one. But some people have done it, or so I hear. I know from my own experience that limiting myself to one drink is worse than not taking that one drink. It sets off cravings worse than the obsessive thoughts that led to it. Being the wimp that I am, I simply don't have the will power to play around with moderation or tapering. Maybe if I was Godzilla, I could do it, but I don't have that kind of mental or physical endurance.

Zebra1275

So let's say that you taper off of alcohol and get a couple of sober weeks under your belt.

So what is your plan to stay sober at that point?

"The rode to hell is paved with good intentions." You need a sobriety plan that will hold up when life throws you a curveball, otherwise you could end up drinking again.

pjkong

Tuesday night was the first day without alcohol in atleast 4 years. And I didnt drink last night either. My sleep hasnt been great but it could be worse. I'm realizing that the nights are gonna be the hardest.

Surrendered19

Nice job PJ. Be patient with the nights. They will not always be the worst. When I was first sober I really tried to take a new look at all of the extra time I had, often including hours in the middle of the night that I couldn't sleep. I got to where I loved that feeling in the middle of the night knowing that, while I might be tired the next day, my head would be right and I wouldn't feel like death warmed over in the morning. Your nights will even out eventually.

Anna

Great job, PJ. I'm glad to hear you're doing well.

least

Glad to hear you're sober and trying to stay that way.

Dee74

welcome to SR

D

Hodd

It’s likely you won’t sleep at all in these early days. I remember someone stopping me to ask if I was OK as it looked like I’d aged ten years in a week! Fortunately, sleep (and the aging 😆 ) goes back to near normal in a week or so. Your first post mentions feeling irrational. That’s totally normal.

Unless your doctor has said otherwise, you’re no different from anyone else who’s quit. It’s an unpleasant few weeks, but it is literally a few weeks only. This talk of tapering, though, will elongate the process massively. Quit 100% and enjoy life. Well done on 4 days

pjkong

3rd night no alcohol. My sleep was better.

Robbie64

Three days / nights is good going pjkong

Mizz

Wonderful. You are doing this. It gets easier and it is worth it.
Good for you!

pjkong

day 4 with no alcohol. I saw my ex today and Im really struggling not to do what I usually do.

Steely

And after the struggle will come the peace.

Try the unusual, you'll begin to like it.

Dee74

Stick around here and post some more.

Drinking over your ex won't change anything - but staying online here a while - reading and posting for yourself, or to others - just might help change things for you

D

pjkong

6 nights no alcohol.

Surrendered19

That is fantastic pjkong. Tough foundational days for you to build on. You should feel proud.