Hi John,
I am back into using this website recently. I used it very successfully in quitting for about 3 years. I went away for awhile, but now I'm back.
You sound just like me - like you need a break. Posting here can help. I post here, and I can then go back and read my post later - sometimes weeks and months later. Its like I'm coaching myself, in a way.
I also listened to Allan Carr, Easy Way to Control Alcohol. It costs about $10 to download onto you phone. I listen to it when I go for walks, or even sometimes when I'm going to bed. This book helps you breakdown all the fallacies surrounding the benefits of drinking.
I also listen to Michael Sealey. He has a Youtube hypnosis video on overcoming problem drinking.
For me, deciding to have a break has made the biggest difference for me. Its taken all the pressure off. Its like the weight of the world is lifted off my shoulders. When I do drink, I'm always worried about it. How much will I drink? What time will I start? What pace will I go with? Will I go overboard again? What will I say or do? How will it look to my family? How hungover will I be? How depressed will I feel the next day? Who will I have to apologize to? All those problems magically disappear when I give myself a break. And my body and mind feel so much better, now that I crossed that line in the sand.
I hope you can figure out what works for you too. Im sure you can if you keep searching.
Take care
Gerard
Hey John,
If I have a thought on thinking about drinking, I now want to go immediately to thinking about the bad things that have occurred when I drink. My friend who is quit now 2 years uses this as a strategy, and it works very well for him. The Michael Sealey Youtube video called Overcoming Problem Drinking uses this strategy as well. Maybe this strategy could be one of the tools you use? We need to have 2 or 3 tools in our "toolbox" to use when we start having those thoughts.
Hey John,
Regarding friends; you don't owe everyone you know an explanation on why you don't drink. When I stopped drinking the first time, I always made sure I was DD if we went to an event. if someone offered, I could easily say "No thanks, Im driving." I also said "No thanks, Im on a diet." "No thanks, I have an early day tomorrow." "No thanks, Im watching my blood sugar levels." Whatever worked. I think we need to have responses ready when offered a drink. Don't get caught off guard by not have a response prepared. Thats my opinion anyway.
A week into my first time quitting, I had to attend a birthday party with alot of my friends, and they were all drinking. I told everyone I was DD. I was worried about how it would go. Honestly, I had a great time. Shortly after that, I had to attend a big family wedding. Everyone was drinking. I was DD and drop home a bunch of drunks at 4AM. And I had a great time. Those two events gave me a big boost of confidence.
The longer I got away from it, the better I felt. Our confidence slow builds, the longer we move away from the last drink.
Have a great weekend!
Gus
Hey everyone,
I am two weeks into my 26 week break today. I feel better physically, and so much better mentally. For me, once I crossed the line in the sand that I was taking a break from drinking, all the pressure went away. Its like a load lifted off my shoulders. I don't have to worry about drinking and all the bad things that occur when I drink.
Have a great day!
Gus
Hey John,
6 days in is fantastic! Every day we don't drink is a day we aren't hungover and miserable, having to deal with the fallout of drinking.
For the MS youtube videos, they are working on our subconscious. The more we listen to these, the more they work. I try and listen at least 3 times a week when Im going to sleep. It seems like they have helped me with cravings and how to react to them.
I'm in my comfort zone now, and I want to stay like this for AT LEAST 6 months, maybe longer? Who knows? Maybe this will be longer? Maybe it will be permanent? Ill deal with that when the 6 months start to draw near. Im just happy I didn't drink last night and that Im not dealing with the fallout today.
Have a great week John and everyone. I'm looking forward to hearing more updates as we go along.
Gus
Hey John,
The AA meetings for me are good because they are a reminder for me of how things can go wrong, and how bad they can get.
I too have alot of things I have done while drinking that I'm not proud of - things I would never dream of doing if I were sober. I think everyone who has had a problem with drinking has done things like that in their past.
When I have a challenge of any kind, I try to remind myself of this: "This issue would be way worse if I were drinking."
Thanks. Your posts are keeping me on track as well!
Have a good day. Talk later
Gus
Hey everyone,
Had a good St Paddy's. Attended an online "party" with some friends. Had a great time. Not drinking. Just played a few Irish tunes and laughed. I felt no urge or pressure to drink at all.
Ashley, I have a question for you, as the professional on here. Is there any supporting evidence that Niacin helps when people are trying to stay away from alcohol? I have read lots of supportive material. However, on the internet you can search anything and find that it helps something. hard to judge the accuracy of some of he materials.
John, I hope your having a good week too.
Gus
Hey everyone,
I am almost finished week 3, and a month is on the horizon. Im feeling really good physically and mentally.
I attend AA meetings online periodically. I find they are good for reminding me on how bad this can get. The long term AA members tell the new people to "play the tape forward" all the time. In other words, picture what happens after the drinking goes bad before you ever take that drink. That solid advice. I have another friend who does not attend AA. he quit two years ago, and thats what he does. Every time he has a thought to drink, he jumps right over to how bad it got for him in the past.
I had little or no urge to drink. I thought about it once, but it was just a thought. It was not an urge. I don't know if they are different or not? The thought floated through my mind, and I said to myself, ' Yea its a thought. Only a thought.'
Also, I had my first drinking dream. I dreamt I was at a liquor store, agonizing over how much to buy, how would I hide it, how much would I dink, and all the other crap that goes along with problem drinking. What a relief to wake up from that! It seems like when I stop drinking, I periodically get those dreams.
Does anyone else experience these dreams? Are they common?
Thanks
Gus
Hey Foxman,
Thanks for the input. I am not bought in 100 percent on all of AA. But I do find parts of it helpful for me.
The internal thinking (or lack of thinking) is what I have to focus on and make sure I manage properly. If I manage my thinking correctly, I wont drink. I know this to be true, as it worked for me for almost 3 years in the past.
I don't know if all people who have problems with drinking can focus on this as a solution, but this is what I need to pay attention to. This works for me.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Gus
Week 4 starting today. Have to say I’m feeling great physically and mentally. So is everyone around me. The way I drank was not good. For anyone.
John, hope you have a good week!
Foxman, and anyone else who wants to comment: I was away from Drinking for 3 years. There were two high end Vodkas in my cupboard for about 6 months during that time (I won them at a conference). I gave them to two friends of mine about 6 months after I won them. The thought of drinking them never occurred to me once (that’s one of the drinks I liked when I drank).
I don’t know what changed in my mindset that made me go back drinking? I really don’t. I wish I had recorded how my thinking changed.
