At the beginning.

[sad in beijing]

Hi all,
I'm having one of those awful mondays after a sunday in bed (too hungover to get up) and a saturday night I can't remember much of, and am looking for answers.
If I am honest I can say that my drinking has been getting much worse over the last few years, to the point that i am worried about my health and safety. I'm not an everyday drinker, a solo drinker, or a morning drinker. And I am quite capable of having a glass or two of wine with dinner and no more. But when I do go on- I get myself to a point where I am just not even thinking about stopping, and i end up absolutely plastered, annoying people and putting myself in dangerous situations. I don't do this all the time, but really enough for it to be a problem for me and my health. I have a lot of friends who are drinkers- some of them drink heavily and a lot, but they seem to have an inbuilt 'cut-off' mechanism that i just don't seem to have. I'm a binge drinker- thats for sure, but i am also naturally quite a shy person, so use alcohol socially to relieve some anxiety. I guess this is a VERY familiar story to most of you on the boards, but I really wanted to share a little of what Im going through, and get some support from people who perhaps understand. I need to stop my dangerous drinking, but I'm not sure exactly how to go about it. I guess it takes some getting used to- socializing without alcohol. I'm going to have to learn from scratch. And besides that - I love wine. I'll be really sad to give it up FOREVER, but 30 days- I know I can probably do....
Hmm. Thanks for reading

[lukalee]

At the beginning.

Sad, socializing without drinking can be difficult, but it certainly is managable; I went to the bar this weekend, did not drink, and had a really great time.
Welcome!!!!

[ducky]

At the beginning.

I have only a quick minute, more tomorrow.

You are in the right place and not alone.

Read the book and try 30. You will find your way.

[flutterby]

At the beginning.

Sad-- You've just had a major breakthrough by admitting you have a drinking problem and are willing to do something about it. Congratulations and here's wishing you a positive journey from wherever you are now to sobriety. You CAN DO 30 days and after that you will feel so good that it will stick. None of us are perfect but we are all imperfect together and somehow that works. Keep your eyes on the prize.

[Not Happy Hour-Happy Life]

At the beginning.

Beijing- the best thing about going 30 days alcohol free, is if you give your body a break, your mind will have time to heal. At that point, you'll have more wisdom to know what is right for you. Welcome! :welcome:

[dexterhead]

At the beginning.

S in B., you could be me! you sound so similar to me. also shy person, a wine lover, envy others for having that "cut-off" point ... I am also trying to go AF and am desperate for tomorrow to be my first day! I hope we can talk more later. PS : are you an expat in Beijing?

[Mags]

At the beginning.

30 days AF (alcohol free) is a great way to clear your head and detox your body. During that time you should definitely take a look at why you drink and what you really want to do about it. Take that time to read as much as you can on this site, post as often as you want to.

There is a lot of information on this site. If you are interested in what you read, ask us questions - we are all here to help you. You will find lots of support here. And you should also download and read RJ's book if you are interested in the program. The book explains the whole approach to sobriety which is very holistic and works very well.

Anyhow, I am running on. Main thing is to say :welcome:

[sad in beijing]

At the beginning.

Thanks for your kind replies, this feels like a very warm group.
@dexter -yes I am an expat.

[lookingforhope]

At the beginning.

Sad in beijing...are you up for the day? It is a very warm group.

[GottaChange]

At the beginning.

Your story is so like many others on here. I don't say that to minimize your story, just to say that we ALL know how you feel, what your going through, can relate, could have written your post ourself, yada, yada.

Try not to think about 30 days or forever. This makes it all overwhelming. Take it one day at a time. Start thinking about your daily routine and how drinking fits into this. Sometimes changing your routine can help a lot. If you only drink after dinner, then have an even later dinner so that you have less time to drink before bed. If you always have a drink before dinner, try not to. Mix it up. If you always meet friends afterwork and end up drinking, make the next meet up at a coffee shop.

Hang in there and keep posting and reading. I have made it to day 9 with the help of this site and a determination to change.

-GC

[sad in beijing]

At the beginning.

I think for me it will be avoiding situations that lead me to binge -like being out till way too late in bars and clubs for instance, and drinking without having had a proper meal (yes, I know it's stupid!). I know that i can not drink, as I'll often go a week without alcohol, but i don't think i can not drink in particular situations and still be comfortable. Need a BIG lifestyle change.

[NewLife2008]

At the beginning.

Sad in Bejing, it's hard to be away from where you came and dealing with this. Try the thirty days and if you can get the supplements, use them as well. When you take away alcohol from your brain cells, they panic. The best way to ease the panic and therefore, the temptation is to take the supplements. One supplement that really seems to help me is L-Glutamine. I've read alot about alcohol addiction over the years and been on supplements off and on for the past two, when I falter it's because I haven't taken the supplements that work for me, making me feel better, then I become tired, don't eat right, don't excercise, and I don't get to thirty days. I've gotten to 20 days, getting past that first ten was the hardest for me, but I've never made it to 30. I will keep trying until I do get to 30 and beyond. GottaChange, Flutterby, and everyone else is right. You came to the right place and we're here for you and each other. There is hope.

[trixietrack]

At the beginning.

welcome sad. almost a year ago I was in a similar situation as you, drinking on an empty stomach and basically being self destructive with alcohol (wine).
I came here and got so much support and advice from everyone that it really helped me take a good look at why I was drinking so much.'
getting yourself back to health by eating right and making sure you are getting a healthy nutrition is just as important as taking care of bad habits.
like mags says the book is your guide, and you can adjust things to help your needs.
good luck
stay in touch
Trix