How long???

[bungle]

How long does it take to get rid of this ghastly addiction ?

how long does one have to be so sick and tired everyday,before one realises its not meant to be like this... I have all the answers to my own questions as I have asked and answered them so many times before, however its always warming to hear from you guys too ....
:soothe:

[mollyka]

How long???

Hey Bungle, yep you know all the answers like we all do - if only that was enough!
As you know the only thing that will ease the symptoms of addiction (frigging addiction is there till the day we die!) is to starve them of booze. And it does get easier, it really does. Every day that goes by without drinking it definitely gets easier. Good luck Bungle, it's tough but it's doable, and it is soooo worth it!!
Molly

[bungle]

How long???

thank you x

[sunshinedaisies]

How long???

Bungle - have you ever made a plan for your drinking? I quit for 8 months then started again. I finally decided I had to have a plan - tomorrow is my QUIT day!!! You need a plan and you need to follow it through - make your plan and follow it through - as you know there is so much help and support here - what have you tried? If what you have tried hasn't helped yet, try something else. Just keep trying until you find the right thing for you. You can do this. It isn't easy - but together we all can beat this addiction!! Just keep on keeping on! Hang in there. Hugs,

Sun xx

[mollyka]

How long???

How are you today Bungle? Sunni, I hope you wake up feeling strong and ready for your 'adventure'!! You've done it before - absolutely no no no reason why you can't do it again - go girl!!
Molly

[hillsidetime]

How long???

Hi Bungle, you ask several good questions. I think your first question is how long till our we get rid of our addiction. Our addiction may always remain, but we can work towards training our behaviour to not include drinking alcohol - living life sober.

What I found to be your next question was along the lines of, how long until our brains realise that it is time to stop. Unfortunately, this may be one of those questions with no single answer, and no similar answer for two people. I had to hit rock bottom, and get scared within an inch of losing my kids, my wife ... All of my attempts to moderate, or take a few days off, they never were serious and I knew it.

Like Mollyka says, living sober does get easier. A life without alcohol was something that I couldn't even imagine before - socially, physiologically etc. It is possible. Hang in there,
Hill

[Guest]

How long???

This is a very individual question, but generally for a lot of people it has to be a very long time and you have to be very unhappy to beat this.

Not the words you need but the truth. This addiction is so strong it takes an awful lot to overcome it, however many do and have done so it is absolutely possible.

[Peacefull]

How long???

Yes, there isn't a straight answer to that question. IMHO it is always there in some shape or form. In my case this time I needed to be really ready, I had finally had enough again. This addiction is a tricky one, I quit for 5 years before and thought I could moderate, wrong,,,here I am again. But this time my mindset is different already, I am not going down the "poor me I can't drink' road, I am going down the grateful to be sober road.

It truly does make a difference in how we truly think about quitting. It is easy to forget why we quit in the first place and the memories of our last shameful binge get faded. Being committed to your resolve and to not feel deprived is major.

Once you get past the first weeks, the gloomy cloud lifts and sobriety shines like a diamond. It is a wonderful feeling, better than any drinking episode any day.

:welcome:

[Choochie]

How long???

Bungle, as others here have said, I think it's very individual and depends on our circumstances, but there was something pretty important about 30 days for me. I know I have to still think one day at a time, but this first big goal made me feel like I could truly be happy without alcohol.

You do have to work at it, I think -- have a plan, have ways to overcome the cravings, etc. Have you visited the Toolbox thread under Monthly Abstinence? If not, there are some great ideas there.

If you have questions, post them and all of the fantastic people on this site will do their best to help you.

Sending you peace and strength.:l

Choochie

[mario]

How long???

Bungle the process of changing your habits towards alcohol is not something that happens overnight. You are learning new skills to replace your old behaviours, and this will take some time. How long it takes of course varies from person to person.
Firstly you have to decide how you will know when you have changed? What will be the signs that you have been successful? These are questions that most people find difficult to answer. Ok, so you don’t drink so much any more, you feel a bit more clear-headed and happier – but have you made the changes in your life that you really wanted at the start?
So, to answer the main question another way – you might well see reductions in your level of consumption within a week or two, but that may not mean you have made enough changes to sustain that improvement.
Usually when people decide to seek help for their alcohol problems, it is not just the actual level of their drinking that bothers them, it’s their emotional problems, their ability to cope with the stress in their lives, the number of crises they create. So reducing consumption is only one part of the overall changes someone might be hoping for.

[Samantha T.]

How long???

Oh Bungle! Thank you for putting into words what is going through my head this morning. I am so demoralized and sick of myself I could SCREAM! I hate what I am doing to myself. I just ordered the supplements and I am hoping they will make the first days a little easier. Best wishes to you for a sober day today.

Sam

[bungle]

How long???

Thank you all once again for all your kind and helpful words, almost day 1 sober and feel very emotional, I have got so much going on in my life at the moment that it is taking everything I have not to run out and buy alcohol the only thing stopping me is knowing I will feel so much worse tomorrow if I did.

ODAAT..:thanks:

[Choochie]

How long???

Hang in the Bungle, it gets easier.:l

[bungle]

How long???

Thank you Choochie I know I am going to get through it today..

[mollyka]

How long???

Of course you feel emotional - I still get emotional when I talk about my drinking, it is/has been a huge part of our lives. I so agree with UK and Peace, it is what is in our minds - truly - that will decide how successful we are at this. I started trying to be sober a year and a half ago. It took me till about August of this year to truly truly WANT to be sober, to want it more than anything else in the whole world - to not be able to imagine drinking and to be absolutely clear about the chaos that would reign in my life if I drank. I don't know if you can make yourself feel like that or if it is circumstances that make you feel like that, for me it just sort of - happened.
I'm like a broken record about this Bungle but by a million miles this is the best thing that I have ever done.
Molly:l