Idea - poll - what has worked for people?

[momof2boys]

Idea - poll - what has worked for people?

This is a great thread thank Jen.

I have only been on this site since Jan. 6, but have been able to relate to everyone on here.

I have drank fairly regularly for 27 years. The last 2 years have been horrible. In 2005 my father died of cancer in June and then my Mom died from Huntingtons in Sept. I went into a tailspin then. I would go threw at least 1 40oz of rye a week. This holiday season is when it really hit me. From Dec 22 until Jan 2 I purchased 6-40oz of rye, this does not include the wine I would drink also. I can barely remember any of the holidays. I finally said to myself this has to stop, for me, my husband, and escpecially my boys. Since Jan 6 I have cut down an incredible amount. I have had a couple of drinks on the weekend and have gone af during the week. I finally showed my husband this site on the weekend and he is so happy I have found something to help. I know with the support on here and from him I can do it.

Thank you all for your support.
:thanks:
:l :h :l

[Guest]

Idea - poll - what has worked for people?

I just got so tired of the pain, unhappiness and the lonliness. I was exhausted of keeping up the facade. I knew when I looked up that I was heading to disaster.. I didnt reach bottom point, but I knew it was ahead of me if i kept going the way that I was and it sure was getting closer. I also worried about the message I was sending to my kids by my example. How can I expect them to like themselves and do well if I am not showing them by example that its worth the work and effort involved. I decided that it would be easier to fight before I hit rock bottom and that it was only up to me... and even though I held onto a hope of moderation at the beginning, I knew that it wouldnt be for me and I eventually accepted this.

I took a multi pronged approach. I went abstinent cold turkey, no meds. My thinking was that I wanted to be happy and healthy and if I actually wanted to get healthy why put more medication into my body... I went into counselling. I posted here. I started an organic diet and I commenced regular exercise. More importantly I kept being honest with myself and worked really hard on not letting the delusions rest in my brain. I've worked consciously on what got me to this point... which will be my life's journey, I think.

I no longer want to drink. I'm sober now for a year and 2 months. It has been an effort. I dont want to drink now, because I dont buy into the delusion that drink is good or that it is fun. I used to get a high from having a non drinking event. Now its just normal for me.. its like .. if someone offered me a cigarette, I'd just say no (hate the things).. and its like that with drink... drunk people are boring and sad... (I know, I used to be there and its very evident when you watch drunk people when sober - their artificial smiles dont actually hide their pain from me anymore).

I havent forgotten how hard it was for me to start this.. but once I started, I just hung on.. and I'm not going back.

Did I answer the question?
Brigid

[KatieSmiles]

Idea - poll - what has worked for people?

Great thread..Thanks Jen

I have plied myself with wine nightly for 26 yrs..usually 1.5 to 2L average. I also will drink anything under the sun if no wine is available. I rarely suffer from hangovers and I have never missed worked due to my drinking. I'm usually quite pleasant when smashed, and a good actress...I am a functioning alcoholic.

For me there is something that works in those CD's. I swear.

Today I had totally convinced myself I was going to drink this evening when I got home from work....after all I had made 15 days AF and I deserved a treat, reward, whatever. Besides I am only just starting this journey and I am bound to slip here and there in the beginning...yadda yadda yadda. This evening I will buy myself a bottle of wine...maybe two (one is never enough). Maybe when I stop by mom's on the way I will have a beer or two first..I know there are some in her fridge that are leftover from Christmas.(She doesn't drink at all)
On the drive to my mom's I popped in the subliminal cd which I do every weekday on the way home from work...ocean sounds...still happily thinking I was going to drink (get sloshed).
Got to my mom's and looked at the beer in her fridge and it didn't appeal to me so I left it alone.
After mom's place, I drove right past the liquor store and I had absolutely NO desire to buy wine, I asked myself are you sure? answer was, no I really don't feel like it. Bizarre!
16 days AF!

Hope this helps,
This is a great site!
Katie

[MKR]

Idea - poll - what has worked for people?

Bringing this back to the top:

Jen, what an absolutely wonderful idea for a thread. Thanks so very much.

Every one sharing their stories, thank you also. We appreciate it and learn from each one.

I never even posted in my story, I think I was too raw last spring so here goes. I had an accident that crushed my hand in a pressure laminating machine, 11 years ago. Alcohol was not even really on my radar before that. I was an occasional drinker. I did not do well on the pain meds they gave me, either allergic to or made me sick to my stomach. By two months into it was up to 24-30 -200 mg, tablets of Ibuprofen daily (anti inflammatory medication.) that stuff just eats your stomach but I continued it, just take the edge of pain off. Had a couple years of ganglion (sp?) nerve block shots in my neck along with physical therapy. To look at me now, I compensate pretty well with it, though that thumb is a pretty lame excuse for a thumb! No one who is unaware of the story can see what damage was done.

Along the way, I discovered hard liquor gave me a nice buzz, and while there was still the pain, I just didn't care when I was loaded. Hence my home remedy that grew from one drink in an evening to 3 (doubles) in a night. If I really didn't want to feel anything, 4 doubles. I cut back for a couple years as I started to realize I was waking up hung over every morning. June 2005, I stepped on the dogs tail in the middle of the night, came crashing into the brick floors and tore my PCL. Gone, done, torn no real fixing it. Back to Ibuprofen, physical therapy and the liquor store on my way home from PT. March 27, 2006, woke up with a horrible, hangover, looked at my eyes in the mirror and the skin around my eyes had a yellow shading to it. Scared the sh** out of me. I came to work and googled MWO. Joined that day. Went cold turkey, bought the supps and started them about a week later. Was doing OK moderating and then I ordered the book and CD's about 7 weeks into it.

The CD's were the biggie for me. I just had that switch click for me about 2 weeks into them.
Wanting sobriety helped. Looking at MODS as though I am really in ABS with the occasional evening of a drink or two is a good attitude for me.
Getting into an exercise routine at my bewitching hour helped change my habit.
Not having my favorite alcohol around really helps keep the demons at bay.

THE NUMBER ONE keep me on track item is this board. Coming in and hearing stories, offering support, receiving support and being accountable on the drink tracker probably plays the biggest role in my success.

so thank you all for your love, support and for sharing stories.

Hugs and Love,
Mary