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Posts created by Lynn123

8 years ago 0 +0 / -0 347

Sometimes it is really hard!

Thank you Freedom. Congrats to you for making it through a Saturday night, the weekends do seem to be tough. Hope your journey is still moving in a positive direction!

8 years ago 0 +0 / -0 347

Sometimes it is really hard!

Ashley, you ask how I have been rewarding myself and I guess the answer is by doing whatever I haven't been able to do in the past while drinking. The big part of this is "cheating" with some type of food each day. I have always watched what I ate so I could "save" my calories for alcohol. Now that I have eliminated the alcohol I have no guilt in indulging in some treat each day, something that I have not done in a long time! As for getting the true dopamine release, my workouts have been better than ever :)

Tonight marks the 4th Friday night with no alcohol, I initially was only going to do 2. Now that I am here I am wondering if I should allow myself that one drink or just stay away all together. Is a month a long enough span for my body to reset or does it need more time?

8 years ago 0 +0 / -0 347

Day 6

Freedom, I completely understand the bad sleep and foggy feeling but it will past and when it does you will feel much better and be able to deal with the other issues that are taking place around you. I have just completed my 4th week of being alcohol free, my intention was 2 weeks then I decided to try a month. Now that I am days away from being "allowed" to drink I am unsure if I will, that is how much better I feel and you will too if you just hang in there! Also, as you pray for strength read Psalm 37:23-24.

8 years ago 0 +0 / -0 347

Sometimes it is really hard!

Ashley,

I have to say, I was not expecting your response of remaining alcohol free for 3 months! Tough news to hear but as I spent the better part of yesterday reflecting I began to understand the reasoning. I assume that after a month of being alcohol free the physical effects of alcohol have left my system but what remains are the psychological effects; effects that I assume will be harder to overcome than the physical.

When I read your response and what addition counselors recommend, my initial thought was that was too long, I am not addicted to alcohol, it just became a very bad habit. Comical now as I type this, addiction/habit, whatever label I chose to place on my condition has never brought me anything positive. The fact that I was contemplating the ability to achieve 3 months shows me that I need to give it a shot.

I am a person that is routine driven. If it will take 3 months to truly break this pattern then I will take on the challenge. Driving factors of this decision is the desire to not go back through the feelings (grogginess, bad/no sleep, irritability) I had the first 3 weeks of my month journey and enjoying the freedom of being alcohol free.

Thanks for your response, even though it was tough to take!

8 years ago 0 +0 / -0 347

Sometimes it is really hard!

Simmy,

Thanks for the resource suggestions. I have never gone a week much less a month without alcohol so this whole process is new. I agree, a month is more like a break than a change. I am going to try this 3 month challenge and see where it takes me.

8 years ago 0 +0 / -0 347

Sometimes it is really hard!

Ashley,

Today I am great! Waking up is so much better than coming to!! This week has been filled with different thoughts, shifting between the positive and the negative. At times I think I really will not be able to accomplish 3 months without alcohol simply because I don't want too, I want to be able to have a few drinks with my friends or when I come home from work. Then I realize why professional advice is to give yourself 3 months to break the cycle. I have begun to understand that if I allow myself one or two drinks a day I could easily find myself where I was a month ago---and I don't want to go through that again.

Oddly enough, the positive side is one of a comforting feeling after making the decision of being alcohol free for 3 months. It has taken away those thoughts of when it will be OK to take a drink and how many drinks I can have and remain "safe." Is that normal?? To find some comfort in knowing that I shouldn't have a drink for a certain amount of time?

Thanks for your advice,

Lynn

8 years ago 0 +0 / -0 347

Sometimes it is really hard!

Hello Gus!

Yes, we did chat on this site around that time, we were both making attempts not to drink. Looking back, mine were feeble attempts. I thought I wanted to cut back or not drink but realize the desire to not drink was not bigger than the desire to drink. This time is different, I can see myself not drinking anymore, something that is new for me. In my previous attempts I always had in the back of my mind that I would just cut back, moderate. Now that thought is slowly changing to just staying away from it altogether. For now I have not had a problem not drinking, I still have fleeting thoughts during the day about how great it would be to go home and have a drink then I ask myself, what is the point, it will only lead to desire for another. Why put myself through that? You are right, easier just to not have any.

I am glad to hear you are doing well, keep it up!

Ashley, thanks again for your advice!

Lynn

8 years ago 0 +0 / -0 347

Day 90

Congratulations Julie on your successful journey!

Lynn

8 years ago 0 +0 / -0 347

Day 90

Hello Dave,

I am doing well, thank you for asking. As you know, I have been away from this site for awhile. I returned the end of August and have been alcohol free for 40+ days. Peace and freedom are carrying me through this journey and I suppose it is because it is something that I truly wanted to accomplish. It was not always easy, I started a thread under General Health and Wellbeing, named Sometimes It Is Really Hard because it was exhausting in the beginning; literally. I barely slept and felt as if I was in a fog for about 3 weeks. Looking back, all was worth it to feel the way I do today.

As a daily drinker my goal was to be alcohol free for 2 weeks then return to alcohol only on the weekends. With that goal accomplished I set my sights for a month. I then discovered that to truly break a habit/addiction one should go 3 months and then reassess. After much reflection I decided to go through with this break, I do not want to go back to what I was doing before or have to go through the 3 weeks of my body recovering.

I hope things are going well with you! Thanks for what you do.

Lynn

8 years ago 0 +0 / -0 347

Day 90

Dave,

I wake this morning after 48 days and nights of being alcohol free and I still find myself amazed that I find being alcohol free better than life with alcohol. You asked if I find myself more balanced, YES! I guess sometimes you don't realize you had a problem with something until that problem is gone.

How do I fill my previously time previously filled with alcohol? In the beginning it was tough, but only because it was a break from the habit. I think of the time I used to spend waiting for the "time" for the first drink. Certain things had to be accomplished by the time I started or shortly after so for me the afternoon was full of anticipation and rush. I became very irritated if things delayed the start of my drinking night because for me, I HAD to get in those 5-7 drinks before I went to bed. I had myself convinced that I could not go to sleep or stay asleep without alcohol; the human mind can rationalize anything can't it? Once the drinking began I thought I was productive but looking back I was only going through motions of accomplishment. Now that my habit/addition is slowly being broken I find myself enjoying the afternoon, making plans or just going with whatever comes up. Very freeing not being tied to alcohol. As for my sleep, I find no problem getting 8-9 hours.

As I write this I wonder if I will drink again. Strange thought for me because I thought I just wanted to moderate but now I see how much better life is without alcohol and not sure if I will drink again; but that will be a decision for another time. For now I want to accomplish this 3 month break, which I will probably extend to 100 days, and then re-evaluate.

Thanks again for your support. Hope you have a great day!

Lynn

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