Brand new to this, wondering...

[datadaddy]

First, what will I do for entertainment, fun, socializing. I'm from Milwaukee, wisconsin, drinking and drinking alot is a huge part of the culture here. I typically drink 3,4,5 beers a nite and an occassional binge of much more (every couple of weeks it seems) that's the part that scares me.

Is it possible to not quit but control ?
I'm guessing the answer I will get is no
Even with any kind of medications or ?

I'm not a very outgoing person, and socially alchohol helps that

But after 30 years of this, I'm wondering if I've had enough:new:

[Unwasted]

Brand new to this, wondering...

DD - just wanted to say hi and welcome you. You've hit on the hardest part for most people - socializing without alcohol. I think it comes in time - initially maybe it's best to avoid places for a little while? Most people here haven't been able to moderate - seems they eventually get back up to the "bad place." Medication-wise, you could check out the meds tab found on page 1. Lots of good advice there, especially about balcofen.

I so hear you about the alcohol being a social lubricant for you - that was my biggest issue. I find I socialize less, but feel a lot better the next day! I guess we all have to work things out as they relate to our specific lives.

Anyway, best of luck - read a lot and post often. Tons of advice on books too under the What We're Reading section. I've had the best luck so far with Kick the Drink by Jason Vale.

[Juja]

Brand new to this, wondering...

DD,

If you're asking the question, then you've already decided you've had enough--like all of us here.

Stick around, read all you can here, and try being AF (alcohol free) for awhile. Test the waters, and see how you feel.

Best wishes.

[Lavande]

Brand new to this, wondering...

Hi DD,

Welcome to MWO, this is a good place!
If you are no longer happy drinking then why continue to drink? Have you tried stopping for a while? What happens?

I was a wine drinker, drank at home. But I knew it was getting out of hand & really wanted a change. I started here hoping to learn to drink moderately after an initial 30 abstinence. The funny thing is by the time I reached 30 AF days.......I no longer wanted to drink........at all!

I started out by downloading the MWO book from the health store here. It's full of info about nutritional supplements, light exercise, healthy eating & the MWO Hypno CDs which I highly recommend. They really helped to change my thinking 7 learn to relax without AL on board.

Take a look in our https://www.mywayout.org/community/f1...box-27556.html for ideas to help you make a good plan for yourself. Stay connected to MWO & read & post a lot - the support is so helpful! Drop in the Newbies Nest thread too

We've all had to learn new & better ways to entertain ourselves, you can too. Avoiding certain people & situations for a while may be necessary, but that's OK. Some people join AA, others do not, that's up to you.

Stick around for a while & see how it goes
Wishing you the best!

Lav

[Jolie]

Brand new to this, wondering...

Data Daddy - :welcome:

Ditto what Lav and the rest before me have said. I know I cannot moderate - have tried many times and find myself back where I started. If you feel like it's becoming a problem then it probably is. Now to answer the question of what you will do? That's a big part of it - finding something that you enjoy doing during the normal drinking hours. Hobbies, interests? Maybe new hobbies or interests? I wish you luck on your journey. MWO is a wonderful place full of caring people. There is no single plan that works for everyone (meds, AA, etc.) - you just need to find what works for you. There are a lot of good books out there - search the threads to find what books are helping people. I read a book by Alan Carr that was really well written and you might find it helpful.

Good luck to you and we hope you will stick around!

[gotta stop]

Brand new to this, wondering...

datadaddy;1185964 wrote: First, what will I do for entertainment, fun, socializing. I'm from Milwaukee, wisconsin, drinking and drinking alot is a huge part of the culture here. I typically drink 3,4,5 beers a nite and an occassional binge of much more (every couple of weeks it seems) that's the part that scares me.

Is it possible to not quit but control ?
I'm guessing the answer I will get is no
Even with any kind of medications or ?

I'm not a very outgoing person, and socially alchohol helps that

But after 30 years of this, I'm wondering if I've had enough:new:

First off, welcome DD.
Drinking is a huge part of any North American culture - period! It's all a matter of mindset. A typical refresh would be to set a goal of no drinking for 30 days and see how you feel after that. For many of us, moderation (controlling drinking) cant work, we slip back into our old ways. Some are trying (or succesfully) moderating, I will let them chime in on their experience. There is a drug that some are using - Naltrexone, which allows you to continue to drink and is supposed to remove the "reward factor" from drinking to the point where you no longer crave it, and you become a normal drinker. This drug does not work for all and it can take up to a year or more to work. If you are interested in this drug, there are a couple of members using it here, UK Blonde and Katie Smiles. They are both having success with it. You can start a new thread in the "meds section" of the fourum and ask for advice, or you can pm UK and Katie directly.
I wish you luck on your journey and hope to see you become an active member.