Oops! Nearly slipped...

[vlad]

Very nearly crumbled last night, was talking to my mum and was discussing I wasn't sleeping properly. She said, 'Have a drink!'. I explained I was trying to abstain for a while and she said 'Don't do that to yourself if you can't sleep, have a drink, stick some whiskey in your coffee.' I began to deliberate about giving in and getting some booze but held back, got some Kalms instead and went to bed...

[jessie]

Oops! Nearly slipped...

Hi Vlad,
I assume your mother does not know about your problem. In the beginning I felt very shy and secretive about my problem ( still is to some extend,only my family and best friends know) but when my immediate family and close friends knew they were supportive and made it a bit easier.
I think you are fantastic for not giving in.
Jessie

[Guest]

Oops! Nearly slipped...

Good for you!Your mum sounds like my mum. My mum is a tea totoler and very occosionally she will put a teaspoon of whiskey in her tea to help her sleep,(shes 79). She would find it hard to believe I drink what I do, in fact she wouldnt believe me ...she tells me I worry too much . They just dont understand. Well done Vlad ...another little test passsed with flying colours! I hope I pass mine as well ,exams next monday and I need to knuckle down...

[Mad Mummy]

Oops! Nearly slipped...

Yeah sounds like my Mum as well. To her AL was a form of medicine - don't think she ever go drunk though all her 75 years. But brandy in your coffee or hot milk, or a sherry for your nerves - she used to hate it when I drank bottles of wine though, it did upset her and she worried.

Good for you to stay firm you're doing so well.

Bx

[beatle]

Oops! Nearly slipped...

Well done, vlad. Once you start thinking about it and the debate starts in your head, it is almost impossible to win, so I am very impressed with your success!

Another thing, you shouldn't be drinking coffee at night, especially if you are having problems sleeping. Also, coffee, along with sugar, are the main items that cause alcohol craving (see article posted by MyOwnWoman in the Holistic Healing forum). Just FYI.

Also see the Holistic forum for lots of great ways to sleep well with natural supplements like valerian, litium orotate, melatonin, etc.


Anyway, keep up the good work!

[brittzak]

Oops! Nearly slipped...

Very good on you! The AL will put you to sleep, but it won't keep you in a good nights rest.

[Cinders]

Oops! Nearly slipped...

Vlad,

Beatle is so right on!! The first step to a slip is "The Debate."

You squashed it. That is good. Because if you give into the debate, then you are on to the next step, "The Plan." Once you arrive at a "plan," you are figuring out how to drink. i.e. buy it here, just drink this much, etc.

Once you have planned it, you almost always go on to the next step. "Execute." Drink.

Then you have slipped.

It is harder to stop once you are into Step 2, because at that point you have convinced yourself how and why. Stopping at Step 1 is very good.

For many of us, once we have hit Step 3, "Execute," we are into the very dangerous waters of "well this worked okay, I can get some more." and we go to the next Phase, full on relapse.

Hence the concept, one is too many, 1000 not enough.

So glad you stopped where you did.

Love,
Cindi

[retteacher]

Oops! Nearly slipped...

I second what Cindi said. For me, the planning is part of the addictive process.
1. Drinking thought.
2. Planning a time to drink.
3. Buying the alcohol.
4. Drinking (in secret for me).
Yes, the process can be stopped at anytime, but once it starts it's very difficult to stop the ball from rolling along.

Mary