kudzu

[jeffy]

Just found this site, trying to quit on my own. I'm wondering if anyone has had any experience /success with a kudzu supplement? I exercise five days a week,weightlifting and cardio,take B-vitamins and magnesium and zinc. I am in pretty good shape, muscular and fit, but I still have the urge. And weekends, it's on, full binge ahead, and usually at least 2 or 3 beers and a vodka drink every day after that just to get to the next weekend.I do have a history of depression, so maybe if someone has some experience in that area they could share any ideas.

[tawnyfrog]

kudzu

Hi Jeffy,

I ordered all my supplements from the Health Store at this MWO site and find the Kudzu particulary effective.

Good Luck and:welcome:

Tawny

[Determinator]

kudzu

Jeffy, sounds like me a few years ago. I was in great shape but depression and boozing took a decade away from me and now starting over...don't let it go that far! I found the begining of my journey by fighting the depression first then the booze, don't know if it matters which way first. I take SAM-E 400 one in the morning, and if I'm having a hard time another one an hour after lunch. it's great for depression and liver function.
I've just started on the kudzu...early to say but I believe it's helping already (only a week)

Depression can be a perplexing and complicated thing all on it's own...fortunately it's gradually melted away for me. at least you are still healthy...it's worth more than anything in the world.
take care,
D

[xtexan]

kudzu

Hello Jeffy:

Welcome on board.

It's great that you are exercising. I consider it to be a major block in the equation.

In my experience, the drinking drive is like a brilliant white light. You know the joke from "Poltergeist" is "DON"T GO INTO THE LIGHT". It just sucks you in if you see even a bit of it.

So that said, I know of your situation. At age 27, a great many moons ago, (23 years to be exact), I was able to abstain a couple months once by exercising hard both weights and cardio. For my problem, I was missing major pieces of the equation. Still got depressed, and still had the drive to imbibe.

I like to think of my program elements as playing cards. One card held up, won't block the light. Two cards held up won't. It takes damn near the whole deck placed just right for me.

The kudzu is just one card. The exercise is another. The meditation is yet another. All the other supplements, the GABA, the glutamine, all good playing cards in their own right. If I only use one, or two, or a dozen, I always fell back into the drink. It took over three decades for me to learn that I had to use the WHOLE deck to block the monster out. Even now, a little light leaks through the cracks, and I have to be constantly vigilant to make adjustments. It may sound strange, but thats the best way I can put it.

I been put on tranquilzers, anti-depressants, and other things by doctors. No one single magic bullet existed for me.

So one good binge roughly caused two weeks of severe depression for me. It's a depressant drug of underestimated strength. I currently use 5-HTP, St. Johns Wort, and sometimes SAM-E. Another food supplement good for depressive brain chemistry is soy lecithin. One of its major components is a pre-cursor of acetylcholine, a brain neuro-transmitter involved with several mental functions. The 5-HTP is a precursor of serotonin, another neurotransmitter. You may also be aware of l-glutamine, a basic brain fuel amino acid, that is helpful as well. Surprisingly, it's also used extensively by body builders for muscle cell support. I take workout doses of that, and its great for both mind and body in my case.

I have taken prozac for extended periods in the past. I now feel about that drug the same way I do about benzodiazepam tranquilizers. NEVER AGAIN will I put them into my body. Been there done that. Of course, many get great relief with both ot those drugs. They just did not agree with my particular situation and problems.

Psychological work, either done by self or a professional if you choose is also a playing card. One thing endorsed by MWO is hypnotic CD's, which act by reinforcing sub-conscious constructs that are conducive to not drinking to excess. Myself, I use a light/sound brain wave machine regularly, and I wrote about that in the holistic healing section of the forum. Either way does the inner work. Ignoring this inner work, is leaving out a key playing card.

I could write a book myself I guess, but I'll cut it short here. You can check out a lot of posts in the research section of the forum and find out a lot more. In any case, the best place to start is the MWO book, and it's list of recommended supplements to cover all the bases in the beginning.

I must always remember, even after 10 months AF, that if I drop my guard, and let even one card fall, that damn light will shine in my eyes again, and probably hook me. Its a battle, but it can be won.

Good luck.

Neil

[spacie]

kudzu

I get my supplements from MYO too, I tried Kudzo off the shelf but it wasn't all that. The stuff you get from MYO is very effective and I'd give it a try. Neal has great suggestions. Sounds like your doing pretty good a few years back I as on Zoloft and Wellbutrin, after awhile those were'nt working and I stopped taking them. Right now I feel great and think it was just the booze causing my depression, but that's just me. Lots of people need antidepressants.
spacie

[trishinnebraska]

kudzu

So many great ideas...

Interesting topic - I too find the kudzu a great help along with the amino complete. One thing I have found with the supplements is DON'T EVEN SKIP ONE DOSE OR ONE DAY without taking them! Consistency is really important.

Neil - Your posts are always so interesting to me - I am 57 and so you are an inspiration that this can be done! I have copied and saved many of your posts and added to my supplement collection from your recommendations. (BTY - I'm a former "Volunteer" from the Nashville area - love Tennessee and still miss it!)

Everyone have a great day!

[WaitingToExhale]

kudzu

Hopefully it's OK for a newbie to jump in.

This brings up a questions for me, and that is aboutthe depression. One of you mentioned treating the depression before the drink ... I have never taken any type of anti-depressant.

Thoughts on that? I just DL the book a few hours ago, and then went back to bed, so I am not sure what all is recommended.

Thanks!

WaitingToExhale

[spacie]

kudzu

Hi Waiting to exhale,
I can only speak of my experience, everyone is different. When i was taking antidepressants I was drinking too, but I didn't clue my doctor in that I was drinking a lot. I was reaching for straws and thought perhaps antidepressants would help me with my drinking - they did not. In the later years for me drinking gave me a shorted lived euphoric feeling that could quickly turn to sadness. During my hangovers I would get scary depressed; for me alcohol now works more as a depressant. What's good is that now that I've got more days of not drinking under my belt this year I am no longer hit with depression. Sadness and stuff like that yes, but not the deep depression as before. Hope this makes sense.
spacie

[WaitingToExhale]

kudzu

Thanks Spacie ...

Yes, I have a feeling that the depression is coming mostly, if not all, from the wine ..

And the anxiety in the mornings, that began to get bad about 7-8 months ago, I was blaming on hormones! I am beginning to understand that all of it ... very well could be the HEADS UP STUPID ... you're drinking too much! And have been for years ...

Day two ... hopefully more control

WaitingToExhale

[KizzieCat]

kudzu

I have tendancies towards depression as well. However, I seem to have what I percieve to be major anxiety problems....that really showed it's ugly face after I had my first child. I remember when he was 6 months old and finally transferred to his own room, I did literally not sleep for 3 days. I was so tired, I could not sleep, and NO I was not drinking at the time. I was so terrified that something would happen to him, that I had to be with him at ALL times and be awake. Wine makes me not think of all the unpleasantness in the world, I tend to get obsessive with this (I have learned how to relax a little and try not to listen to all of the fear mongers). I now have had a second child and am older and not as anxious, but I still have my moments. I took Lexapro for about a year or so, and it seemed to help, but at the same time, I felt as if I were not feeling what I should be...I was indifferent and numb. I just took my first dose of Kudzo, and took vitimins and a calming remedy I had here at the house. I purchased recommended ones today. My CD's should be here on Monday, and I loved the book I downloaded.
I can not make myself feel better with wine any longer, because that feeling only lasts for a night, and then the next day...I hate myself. I need to get well for myself and I need to be well for my children and husband. I know this is going to be hard, but I know the consequence is worse.

[Determinator]

kudzu

That's right KizzieCat! it's going to be hard either way, but there's a way that has a wonderful payoff.
my wife tells me that often...she's so wonderful and supportive of my challenges.
D

[WaitingToExhale]

kudzu

Kizzie .. you sure sound like you are on the right road! It is posts like this that give me hope. Thank you.

I'll be getting into the book more this evening ... going from there ...

WaitingToExhale