How Did You Do It?

[tlrgs]

How Did You Do It?

all of thee above mama...some great stuff here

[Sunnyvalenting]

How Did You Do It?

Mama,
It is interesting what you said about "getting to the bottom" of your relationship with alcohol so that you could do without meds. I believe the only relationship I had with alcohol was dependence and I wanted to get over it. I felt the fastest way to do that was to quit drinking but after several years of various sincere attempts I was drinking more than ever. I finally "gave in" to my need for the baclofen and voila! What had seemed impossible before became almost effortless.
I don't think I could have gotten any insight that would have helped me stop. I had to stop to get insight. I hope this makes sense. I wasted a lot of time trying to figure out "why" I drank and the only real answer was that I was addicted. That is now over, praise be. Good luck and fortune on your path.
Sunny

[Doggygirl]

How Did You Do It?

Hi Mama. What Sheri said for me, with the addition of AA over the last 1.5 years. The My Way Out program (all except prescription meds) helped me stop drinking. I had a big relapse after 60 days of the My Way Out program and it took me 8 months to stop drinking again. That scared me. Even after sobering up again, that fear of relapse (and subsequent death) would not leave me totally. At about 8 months "dry" I finally went to AA in a state of readiness for what AA offers. For me, the spiritual healing and growth has been a gift. Another great gift of AA is the friendship and face to face commraderie in sobriety. This group of fabulous people (almost as fabulous as MWO people!! ) have helped me get my day to day life going again. Work, social life, relationships. I feel whole.

I hope you find your way. A question came to mind when I read your post. Are you getting "more" serious about getting sober due to the possibility of a job? I hope not. I hope you are determined to do this for YOU. Not a job, a spouse, etc. etc. But whatever - the important thing is that you do it. Just don't set yourself up to undo anything if the job doesn't work out, or any other exterior things don't go as you hope/plan.

DG

[Tabbers (a.k.a. KTAB)]

How Did You Do It?

Some great posts here, thank you and well done guys.

[tiptronic_ct]

How Did You Do It?

- MWO, and lots of it
- determination, lots of it
- fear - I was drinking myself to death (yes, literally - when wearing a t-shirt is uncomfortable because your liver hurts so much)
- Baclofen
- Psychotherapy
- Never forgetting the hell I escaped from
- Being grateful for being a dad and husband again each and every day

[papmom3]

How Did You Do It?

Hi Mama-good luck on your interview!! You will rock it!!

1. My aha moment was calling in sick 2 days in a row due to a hangover. something had to change

2. the MWO program-the supps I stayed on for 3 months

3. Reading many books on addiction

4. The MWO community-saved my life!!

5. After my last slip, I decided to do a journal for the first time in my life. Really really help to daily chronicle what I was feeling and doing

6. Visualize the whole process of drinking from the yumminess of the first sip to the horrible nite filled with heartburn, congestion, headache, sleeplessness to the next day dragging myself to work, the carb cravings, the fatty and greasy food and feeling so bloated. Never want to feel that way again!!

7. when cravings hit, I saw a huge tsunami like wave that I rode all the way to the beach and when I landed the cravings were gone.

8. Diet Lemonade every nite for dinner!!

9. Basking in the glow that my family is so proud of me and that I've made so many friends here at MWO

These are all peices of my quilt in no particular order. Hope they can become peices of yours!!

:h :l

[mama bear]

How Did You Do It?

this is all so awesome!!
and yes, doggy, I have thought about what you said...this has to be for me...but the new job is a good motivator!!

[PhoenixRising]

How Did You Do It?

Well, I am a relative newbie to the whole quitting thing, and I was able to quit only with the help of Bac, but here's my 1 cent:

Can you ask hubs to make sure you don't drink? Would he help with that? I tried it with mine but he is gone so much. Can you post here how many drinks you had each day - would the accountability help or would that just make it worse?

I have been told that the cravings lessen tremendously after 2 weeks and are mostly gone after 30. Has anyone else had that experience? I could always drink whether I craved it or not; it was so ingrained in me as a habit.

The other thing I did that helped me was choosing a motivational song. I would listen to it before I left work (start of the witching hour) and any time I needed a boost. I chose "Amazing Grace". I started hearing it everywhere after I chose it - in movies, a "call-out" hymn in church, in churchbells when on vacation, etc. It was almost like God was reaching out and telling me He had my back. It was awesome, really.

I'm behind you all the way MB. I know you can do this. Click those Ruby Slippers and make a wish. :l

[mama bear]

How Did You Do It?

I am going to print all these and start a journal......wish I could sew...I REALLY WOULD make a quilt!!!
Sunnyvalenting...good point....does it matter why? it just is...
someone said it's like being allergic to peanuts.....it just is

[Rusty]

How Did You Do It?

Mama Bear,

I'll be praying that you get this job! You deserve a break and some happiness and reward in your work life. It will be so good for your mental and physical health, I just know it! I have been AF on 60-90 mg per day of Baclofen. It's amazing how wonderful it works to quash cravings that occur at the witching hour. Why not give it a try again? I take 30 mg after breakfast, lunch and right before that witching hour sets in.

I know you want to quit drinking for yourself, MB, but this is what keeps me from drinking and maybe this will help you, too: in the last several months, I have encountered co-workers and clients who reeked of bourbon and beer the first thing in the morning at work, and the smell makes me want to vomit. Just remember that this will be a new and exciting opportunity for you, and the last thing you want to do is turn off your new boss by smelling of beer in the morning. I KNOW I must have reeked of scotch on several Monday mornings, but I didn't know I reeked because I couldn't smell it, but EVERYBODY else surely did.

You're an absolutely stunningly beautiful woman and what worse way to ruin that beauty by smelling of booze in the morning?

Please keep us posted. We all love you and want the best for you!:l:h

[momof3]

How Did You Do It?

Mama Bear,

Here's how I finally did it after many relapses.

I put my commitment to be AF above everything else. With every decision I made, I would ask, "Is this going to bring me closer to or futher away from drinking?" This meant that I had to avoid situations where Al was the main event, I avoided being around friends who drank, I changed my social outings initially to get togethers with friends to lunch time dates vs evening dates where it would be more acceptable to pick up a glass of wine, etc.

I told those that I was close to that I was not drinking any longer. I did not necessarily tell them why but it was important for me to make that public commitment because it held me accountable.

I started eating more (at the end there I wasn't eating much at all) and more healthily and started taking vitamins and supplements to compensate for all of the nutritional deprivation that comes with alcohol abuse.

I went for lots of walks and spent more time outdoors, especially during the "witching hour" when I used to start drinking.

I read alot of books on alcoholism.

Early on, I cried and I slept alot.

I found a good doctor and got my thyroid and hormones in order.

I got seriously back into exercise (running, weights, etc) and started a yoga practice.

I joined a loving and inclusive church community that was accepting of all religions and people from all backgrounds.

I started volunteering more and giving back to my community.

This did not all happen overnight. At first, just simply not drinking each day was all I could handle. However, the sooner you can start working on the quality of your AF life (versus just putting in the days), the less you will feel "deprived" from not drinking alcohol and realize all that you are gaining.

Once you get some AF time behind you and have more energy, you can then begin to build a life with so much meaning that there is no room for alcohol.

M3

[Mish]

How Did You Do It?

A craving is shorter than
1) a hangover
2) withdrawal symptoms - sleepless nights
- panic attacks
- headache, nausea

3) self-loathing
4) bad conscience
5) disappointment at going back to day 1

[Dewdrop]

How Did You Do It?

This is a brilliant thread Mama there is so much fantastic advice and as a Newbie I?m soaking it all up. For me it?s a simple case of ODAT or hour or minute I?m taking the 30 day Sober September Challenge and there are a great bunch of guys working hard at remaining sober on board. I haven?t taken the meds and at this point don't want to but do take the supps and have changed my eating and drinking (water, juices, herbal teas) patterns to stabilise my sugar levels as I do crave when I am hungry or thirsty.

I?m not even thinking of why I drank as much as I did or the reasons behind the self destructive behaviour I remained in for years, my main priority at the moment is just staying sober. I?ll deal with the issues when I am strong and capable of dealing with them. I am not even contemplating moderating because I know that is not an option for me. The fact that I have accepted in my mind that I will never drink again is quite liberating and frees me up to just get on with life.

Good luck and whether you get the job or not why not commit to being AF today.

Dewdrop :h

[beagle]

How Did You Do It?

i am really loving this thread mamabear i'm so glad you started it!
you've been very kind to me when i've posted deep thoughts & musings, as indeed has everyone else. this very outlet is probably my most valuable tool right now. the knowledge of this site & the people on it is such a comfort to me.
i really hope you get this job, & huge hugs to you.
i hope to post my own successes when i can acheive them.
best of luck mamabear you're a lovely person.