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Posts created by GusA

6 years ago 0 +0 / -0 115

remember me?

Welcome back Flipflopmom! I'm glad your back. It's ok to slip up. No one here will condemn you for that. I can write the book on slipping up!

I had a very similar experience to yours, back in 2014. I thought I was stopped drinking ( in reality I only quit two weeks the first time) then went off the rails harder than ever. I had been on this site when I stopped, then I left and came back after about a year. I tried quitting for about a year. It didn't work first. And then I finally got it right. I'm sure your doing what works for you. AA has worked great for a lot of friends of mine.

I look forward to your updates. Take care of yourself.

Gus

6 years ago 0 +0 / -0 115

Have to get back on track

Hi everyone,

It’s been a long time since I check in here.

I had been alcohol free for two and a half years. I started drinking alcohol free beer a few months ago, which in hindsight was a big mistake. I went on a trip with a bunch of friends and they were drinking, and while I stuck with alcohol free beer, they all drank and I think it made we want to drink. Shortly after, I had a drink. Then you know the rest of the story. Recently, I got drunk and my wife found me passed out.

It a horrible feeling to realize that I can’t handle drinking at all. I knew this when I quit, but somehow, I tricked myself into believing it would be ok this time????

Anyway, I need to get back on track. I am using the calendar on the site daily to check in and track my progress. I am hoping to surpass two and a half years and go the rest of my life without alcohol.

Gus

6 years ago 0 +0 / -0 115

Have to get back on track

Thanks for the great words of advice Foxman, as always!

I went through a very stressful situation with work last fall. I found it very overwhelming, and turned to drinking to with it. In hindsight, I should have known better. Drinking didn’t make me feel better. It made everything worse.

The one good thing to come out of this recent episode is that I know I can’t go back to drinking “a little.” Totally stoppping is the only way that works for me.

Thanks again. I’m going to check in daily to stay on track.

6 years ago 0 +0 / -0 115

Well out of my comfort zone

Hey concerned,

I had been off the alcohol totally for 2 and a half years. I had a really stressful situation back in the fall, and I used that as an excuse to drink. A poor excuse, but excuse nonetheless.

When I quit almost 3 years ago, I was dealing with really bad OCD and anxietY. Once I stopped drinking, most of the OCD and anxiety went away. Maybe drinking is impacting your ocd and anxiety, so maybe quitting will relieve you from that?

Just a thought. I hope you are doing ok

Take care

Gus

5 years ago 0 +0 / -0 115

Brand new and nervous

Hey MurphMom,

Lynn is right. Just mange one day at a time.

I found early on when I quit, I needed a distraction to get me through the first few days. I wrote down three things to do when I felt like I might have an urge to drink. I think they were Netflix, a walk, or a hot bath. That redirection of my mind to these other items helped me through the early stages.. Regardless of what stress is going on in our lives, you and I both know drinking won’t make it better. Drinking makes it worse.

Take care

Gus

5 years ago 0 +0 / -0 115

Have to get back on track

Hi J,

If your deeply ashamed and embarrassed, you can join my club. That’s exactly how I feel when I go back to alcohol. I know exactly how it makes you feel.

The first time I quit fully was spring 2015. I went 2 and a half years with no alcohol. Then some things in life happened. I turned to the bottle to ease my worries. Instead of easing my mind, it made everything worse. Mole hills turned into mountains. When I stop drinking, mountains become the mole hills they really are. Does that make sense?

J, I want to let you know that I had many attempts at quitting. I did finally figure out how to quit long term after many attempts. So if you have tried and you were not successful, it doesn’t mean you can’t be. Keep trying until you figure out what works for you. Podcasts about drinking (by Kevin OHara), an audiobook (called the Easy Way to Control Alcohol), and my doctor have all helped me quit. I even went to first AA meeting recently. Foxman, it only took 4 years for you to convince me!

Take care J. You can make it happen. Just keep searching for what works for you.

5 years ago 0 +0 / -0 115

Hello

Hi Patricia,

Maybe you have stated part of your solution in your statement below when you said “.....On my way home, all I can think about is how good that wine is going to be.” Maybe that’s where you need to start, with how your thinking about drinking? Have you ever heard of Rachel Hart? She does a podcast called Taking a Break from Drinking. She talks a lot about managing your drinking by managing how you think about drinking. I had to manage how I thought about drinking, before I was able to fully quit.

Hope all is going well for you. Take care.

5 years ago 0 +0 / -0 115

Have to get back on track

Hi foxman,

Thanks for the advice today, and the last several years. I’m headed to my 2nd meeting tonight. There are a variety of meetings in my area. I am going to try several out and see which one works best for me.

J, everyone else cannot drink and function. The drinkers who I know don’t function properly when they drink. Ones I know who drink have to write off the next day to a hangover. Thanks not functioning, in my opinion.

5 years ago 0 +0 / -0 115

Hello?New Here & Feeling Lost.

Hi Lily,

I hear everything you are saying. I have been there, done that, and have the scars to show it.

I can see you may have fallen for one of the biggest scams in the world - that alcohol provides a benefit for us. Alcohol provides no benefits for us whatsoever. That has been proven by a recent World Health Organization study of alcohol studies. They have stated clearly that the safest amount of alcohol is zero.

Many of us drinkers have been tricked in the past into thinking alcohol provides some sort of benefit. On the contrary, it does exactly the opposite of what it tricks us into thinking it’s doing. For example, when we are thirsty, it tricks us into thinking we are quenching thirst, when in fact, it’s dehydrating our bodies. Hence, the dry mouth when hungover.

You ask the question “Will I ever be able to live a happy and normal life that isn’t filled with dramatic nights and days in recovery?” The answe is yes. Once you understand that alcohol is a big confidence trick, you can set yourself free from dependency.

I read a great book on this very topic called Easy Way to Control Alcohol, by Allan Carr. You can get it in audiobook and listen to it on your phone.

Take care, I hope you have a good week

Gus

5 years ago 0 +0 / -0 115

introduction help

Hi samantha,

I drank like you did when I was your age. I wish I figured out away to stop at that time. I wasted almost 15 more years trying to stop.

Maybe you need to think about drinking differently? A great podcast I am familiar with is one by Rachel Hart. It’s called Take a Break from Drinking. It gets you thinking about drinking differently.

I listened to her for a month or so when I figured out it was geared toward women. Even so, what she said made a lot of sense to me.

Take care and check in again later

Gus

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