abstinence or moderation -how to decide?

[bear73]

hello everyone

i tried moderation before christmas and failed miserably, mainly due to drinking wine.
I guzzle it and there's more than 1 unit of alcohol per glass even with a small one.I think when/if I do drink again it will be a rare special treat - and I will drink nicer wine rather than cheap pub wine.

Anyway- i'm on day 11 alcohol free and going ok, it's helping me lose weight and nto smoke/exercise too.
How did you decide whether to remain AF orr moderate?I was thinking I may try to moderate after 30 days (partner's birthday).Or I may just have a drink on that day and go AF again.
Any advice?

[irishlady]

abstinence or moderation -how to decide?

Hi Bear,
First off, congratulations on 11 days AF, great achievement....
For years I had fooled myself into thinking I could moderate my drinking, I failed every time, yet continued to try, thinking, this time it will be different, it never was...Finally, last September, after one of my worst binges I made the scary decision to stop drinking altogether, you could say instead of just lifting one foot off the bottom of the pool and holding onto the side I lifted both feet off and struck out into unknown territory, hey, and guess what?? I didn't drown, I'm still here....I don't know why, maybe the planets were in the correct alignement, or possibly God felt me tugging at his sleeve at long last, but, look at me, I'm swimming and its fantastic.....I now know that moderation is not an option for me, it has to be abstinence, and I do think once you accept that and truly want it then you are on your way, the journey has really begun......

I wish you luck on yours which ever road you decide to take,

Love from Louise xx

[Owly]

abstinence or moderation -how to decide?

How to decide? I would say it depends on your reasons for drinking...