First step taken.

[Gumby]

First step taken.

It is scary to think of never having another drink...your mind just isn't ready for that...I know mine isn't. I feel the same way you do about being able to drink and moderate . I can moderate everything in my life feel very confident about that, but like you I am recognizing that this is something that seems to take that power away from me. So my long time evening companion has to go away. I have been 2 days AF, Weekend coming already telling myself its the weekend just have a few beers,wine is my drink of choice, then the logical side of my brain says why blowit...?? To much psychobabble thats the part that pisses me off. Anyway....what seems to have worked for me is to tell myself...just for today I won't have one and we will see what tomorrow brings!! Have strength remember what it is that makes you strong and able to give up the cigs and all. Go to that strength!!

BTW although 2 days doesn't seem like much it has been a very long time for me something I thought I would never do!!!

[Pennywise]

First step taken.

Cheers all for your responses, could you tho tell me, what of my pills and when should I take them for maximum effect??

Any help gratefully appreciated.

Ta.

[Guest]

First step taken.

Beatle, with all due respect, until the day I die, I could never, ever forget just how tough-going I found it when I first quit.......I was traumatized. I`m sorry if I have ever misguided anyone by allowing it to seem like "a walk in the park"........it was the most demanding thing I have ever asked of myself. However, it has also been one of the most rewarding things I have done in my entire life.

I suppose there`s a lot of enthusiasm in me, but I think that stems from knowing that I have managed to quit, as like you say beatle, I was in the pits of despair when I first joined M.W.O.........therefore am living proof that if I can quit, anyone can.

Much love,

Starlight Impress x

[pinkmilk]

First step taken.

Hi Penny,
I might not be the best person to give advise as I am currently starting the MWO programme for the second time (the first time I was in control of drinking for six months and then slipped slowly back into bad habits....), but why don't you get the book?
There is a lot of inspriational advice in there. I did the Hypnotherapy CDs and Vitamin and Mineral Supplements and they did work and I am just mad at myself for not staying on top of things.... this programme does work, but you do have to keep working at it too!
That's why I am starting it again and not looking for anything else.
Do at least take a look at the book, you can download it on the shop website.
Good Luck!
PinkMilk

[Chief]

First step taken.

Pennywise,

If I understand you, you would like to stop drinking for a while or maybe moderate your drinking for a while but you want to stop the cravings you have and you want to be able to sleep if you don't have enough alcohol in your system.
I was like that. I knew deep, down inside I had a drinking problem and desperately wanted to be able to control it but couldn't fathom quitting altogether. I just couldn't see myself not drinking.
You've been drinking a considerable amount for quite a few years. You can't drink just 2 or 3 and stop and go to bed. Once you start you have to get enough in you to more or less pass out to get some sleep, right? I know exactly how you feel. That's certainly not normal, social drinking, is it?
I know you are afraid to try because you think you can't, but Star is right, you have to make a committment to yourself to go AF for 30 days. You need at least this much time to really clean yourself out and establish new habits. It's amazing how much better you will feel about yourself and life in general, after a few weeks of sobriety. You can do it and it's not THAT hard if you really put your mind to it and make it a priority. I would recommend reading the MWO book and taking the vitamins and supplements as recommended. The kudzu and l-glut really worked for me in curbing the initial cravings. The first few days are the hardest but it's nothing you can't get through if you put your mind to it. If you are having problems at first just come on here we'll help get you through it. I'm not sure what Beatle was talking about, but Starlight is one of the absolute best here in helping newbies get through the first few days because she does remember what it was like and is a textbook example of beating The Beast. I'm on day 73 and she was, and still is, instrumental in my success.
After you have done 30 days AF then you can decide if you want to try Mods. But you need that first 30 days , otherwise you will just end up doing what you are now. I mean, think about it, if you could moderate your drinking right now, there wouldn't be a problem, right?
So that's my advice. By the way, I was a heavy drinker for 30 years. I tried to control it and moderate for years, but always failed. This site and the people here changed my life. It can change yours too..

Don

[bloggy]

First step taken.

Hi Pennywise

I take 1000mg of L-Glut in the morning, along with 2 Kudzu tabs- I have the MWO brand and the brand from my local health shop, it just depends what bottle I have on hand, and then the same again late afternoon about an hour before 'witching hour' (when I would normally drink) I also read alcoholics are typically deficient in Zinc, and as a vegetarian, I think in my case that is very likely, so I am starting to take a zinc supplement as well. (not more than 100 mg a day is recommended).

I am just embarking on my 30 days now- (Day 2) I joined here about 6 weeks ago, and have found everything very helpful, and have been much more moderate in my drinking apart from a few slip ups. I now feel I might be able to make the 30 days (I WILL MAKE IT!!!) and from then on will decide if I should try to moderate or continue with staying off it.

MY drinking habits sound quite similar to yours, apart from I recently (in the last year) I have had to sometimes drink in the morning just to get going after a heavy night.

Good luck to you!

[satori]

First step taken.

Hi PW

Reading the earlier posts - it would appear that 30 days Alcohol Free is compulsory. It isn't - but it sure makes a lot of sense to try it.

I was much like you - but my history was longer - I think the longest I had been voluntarily AF in twenty plus years was 4 days!

I didn't want to even consider being totally AF - I couldn't envisage life without some alcohol in it.

But - I did decide to try 30 days AF - just to see if I could. And - as of today I have had no alcohol in any form for 97 days.

After only a week AF - I realised I was feeling MUCH better
After two weeks - I was feeling GREAT.
I won't lie to you - the first few days were ROUGH - but it WAS only a few days - a week at most - after that it just gets better and better!

After nearly 100 days, I realise that going AF was possibly the best thing I have ever done.
My life now is SO much better, it is almost unbelievable.

This place (or rather, the special people here) changed MY life - it could conceivably change yours too!

Give it a go - you will never know until you try.

Best of luck

Satori

[Guest]

First step taken.

Beatle, I know you didn`t intentionally set out to upset me, but having read your comment about how I`d seemingly forgotten how rough I found it starting out........I went to bed feeling very upset.

Thought I`d sleep on it, only........ I`m still upset. Having a bad day now.

Starlight Impress x

[satori]

First step taken.

Let it go S!

Acknowledge that it hurt - and let it go!
They were only words - they can only hurt if YOU attach any importance to them.
It wasn't intentionally meant to hurt.

Life is too short.

Lots of love :l


Satori

xxx

[Guest]

First step taken.

Thanks satori.......it`s gone now.
I can see I need to seriously get into the meditation. Works wonders........can always count on you to be one diplomatic, calm guy.

Much love,

Starlight Impress x

[hippie37]

First step taken.

Starlight Impress;210150 wrote: Hi Pennywise and welcome.
I suggest you do the recommended 30 days of abstinence and then consider whether or not you wish to moderate.

Love and strength to you,

Starlight Impress x

I have a very similar way of thinking as Star on this one penny. I'm 37 now and tried numerous methods on and off over the last 15 years. 15 years of social conditioning is a hard bugger to break when it concerns your drinking habits but it was something I had to do in order to gain a clear perspective on my future. I wasted a good 10 years of my life through kidding myself I was alright around moderating my drink, which always, further down the line just kept getting worse. I'm not suggesting you are anything like me, this is just my experience, but having a good stint AF did open my eyes to the bigger picture I was facing ahead of me. It's not easy in the beginning but if you do take it a day at a time like I am doing (I'm not in AA by the way!!) I think you will find you will be more open and honest with yourself without the alcohol demon guiding you through this one.

I will never ever 'knock' anyones choices and methods concerning their drinking problems and it is always down to the individual to guarantee their success through these. Clearer and positive thinking though needs to be maintained. There are no quick fixes here and it takes time and effort.

I wish you well on your journey!

Love and Happiness
Hippie
xx

[Pennywise]

First step taken.

Thanks All for your responses, Ive taken the dug advice from Marbella (to a point) I have absolutely no thought about the grog before about 6pmish. So therefore I took my first lot of L-Glut and Kudzu at 4pmish and again with also some Calms tabs at 8pm.

Im going to finish off just afore bedtime with 2 Amino Acids along with Sleeping tabs too, I do hope I can get to sleep tonite.

[Cinders]

First step taken.

Pennywise,

If you have been reading the posts from start to finish, you will realize you WILL NOT SLEEP TONIGHT if you are physically addicted.

It is that simple

A very good and dear friend, (Chief aka Don) told me to look at it as nothing more thant he "flu." He is a wise man.

Even if you cannot sleep tonight, or the next, you WILL get to the point where you can sleep again and it will be blissful and restful.

It may not happen tonight, or tomorrow, or the next day. It may take a week. It will come.

I promise that!! (Been there, done that.)

Love,
Cindi

[Cinders]

First step taken.

and the wait is SOOO WORTH IT!!

Cindi

[Pennywise]

First step taken.

Well Im very very happy this morning, firstly, I slept well, very well in fact. 12:30am til about now straight thro. This confirms that I can do this, and luckily, it seems that as I did sleep, Ive been fortunate enough not to be physically addicted.

Woohoo!! Hello Day 2!!