10% reduction technique

[scottish lass]

10% reduction technique

Don't do it - a tiff with the hubby is not enough to spoil your feeling of accomplishment - it will only make you madder with him (as of course it will be his fault you drank them!!!!)! I could not manage if I had them in the house - you will need a much better reason for the next time, or throw them out!!!

[vlivengood]

10% reduction technique

They are his and he has no problem and knows little if mine.... No worries not touching them instead cooking awesome burger for him so he feels like poop

[mauritiusdodo]

10% reduction technique

Supercrew;1363644 wrote: I just know that I can't cope with not having any that's all

So you perceive the pain of not drinking as greater than the real pain of drinking? I feel bad you are having issues with staying sober, but you were able to stay sober for a couple of weeks. The problem is you still want to drink. Don't get me wrong I stayed on that path, (knowing I had to quit but not believing I could never drink again), for many many years. But eventually you will come to realize as we all do, being completely sober is really the only option if you want to be happy. Moderation will never bring you happiness if you were a problem drinker. Good luck.

Yes SC that IS my problem and I really don't know how to solve it, I do still want to drink despite everything I know and everything I feel and I just can't help it I don't think I am helping anyone including myself by posting on here, in fact I feel like I have once again let everyone down.

[FreeFly]

10% reduction technique

Ease up on yourself there Dodo. It's a process and you are living through it in your own unique timing. Sending you love, peace and a big hug :l

[Byrdlady]

10% reduction technique

Mauri....look at your own by-line:

I want to be the 'Me' I am sober all the time, I want to be without the constant need and want for alcohol, I want to live my life!

The only way you are going to get this life is to get off the hamster wheel. Every single one of us struggled and desperately wanted a great life that included AL...but we have accepted that the 2 are not compatible. I believe you started this site about the same time I did...and you are still fighting it. I wish I could look you in the eye and ask you what you think is going to change? What will possibly be different if you continue to drink?? I CAN tell you that it can get worse...much worse. You CAN live without AL and it is a wonderful feeling to be free of those dam chains. Please don't throw up your hands and say you can't do it....you must do it for you! If you were all of us on this site, and had asked for help like we all have...what advice would YOU give YOU? I bet my lunch money that you'd advise getting 30 days sober...no matter what it takes. If you need to go to the dr and get an RX, then that's what you've got to do....

OR....another 2 years can go by and you're asking yourself where the hell it went...and still trying to quit. Do whatever you gotta do to get sober. We are in the fight of our lives....pull out all the stops! Do whatever it takes. IT IS WORTH IT...YOU are worth it!!

[Supercrew]

10% reduction technique

mauritiusdodo;1364286 wrote: Yes SC that IS my problem and I really don't know how to solve it, I do still want to drink despite everything I know and everything I feel and I just can't help it I don't think I am helping anyone including myself by posting on here, in fact I feel like I have once again let everyone down.

Don't quit posting Mauri and you aren't letting me down. I wouldn't be able to share my advice with you if you weren't here!

But seriously, if you continue drinking the only people it affects is you and your family. If you want to drink, no one is stopping you. You have to decide why you like to drink, when the result is pain. If you say it's for relaxation, then lets find something else that really relaxes you, if you say for socialization, lets find something that can't make you more socialable that you can be proud of.

When we stop drinking there are voids in our lives that we have to fill. I have filled my voids with physical fitness, personal improvement, and meditation/self-hypnosis. I created new habits for myself to take the place of my old habit of drinking. I also changed my subconscious to honestly believe that I hate alcohol and I never want to drink again.

This doesn't usually happen overnight, but it can, and it still takes daily action and focus. And the focus can't be on "poor me, I can't drink", because that's just a lie. The focus should be on happiness and how lucky we are to be alive and living a sober healthy life for you and your family. I can drink anytime I want to, but drinking causes me pain so I don't want to drink. It's my choice not to. I feel empowered by that decision.

You need to focus on why you don't want to drink and the benefits of sobriety every morning when you wake up, and embrace those great feelings and visualize your health and your personal life sober. Then no matter what promise yourself that you are making the choise to stay sober, healthy and happy today. Don't focus on anything else but today.

It takes daily action, and it takes work, but it pays off in the end. There are no reasons to drink, only excuses. If you make a plan and take daily action, and everytime that voice pops in your head tell it to go to hell today because it is trying to keep you addicted and mentally obsessed with drinking poison, you will be able to accomplish this.

If you decide that it's not important and drinking poison is more important than your health and your family then you can choose to continue drinking, because that's all it is, an easy daily choice that we get to make. I choose to be sober and happy. Now quit beating yourself up and feeling sorry for yourself and make a choice and embrace it.

[mauritiusdodo]

10% reduction technique

Byrdie and SC I am so not worthy of your help and support I am so grateful for your advice and I know all of what you say makes perfect sense, I am trying very hard to crack this and getting more and more sober days under my belt, I didn't drink yesterday and am not going to today either, I do feel so much stronger than before and I know that if I do slip it is easier to pick myself up and dust myself off and carry on again and I never had that strength before it always escalated out of control so I do think I have gotten somewhere I wish on trak would hurry up and get me my key worker because I feel a bit at a standstill treatment wise, I really really don't want to see my doctor and I also don't want to take any meds, this HAS to be my own strength and will and desire to quit, medication just isn't the route for me. Thanks again everyone who takes the time to post on my thread I appreciate each and every word

[Supercrew]

10% reduction technique

I am trying very hard to crack this and getting more and more sober days under my belt

If you are drinking are you really trying? Just saying.

I know that if I do slip

Make the decision not to slip, it is a choice that you control. I do agree with you about the meds and I think that is a wise decision, but don't give yourself an excuse to wait for on trak, hell, you got me don't ya? You can do it, make it fun because it can be.

[Byrdlady]

10% reduction technique

Amen to all....Sober isn't the punishment. Sober IS the reward! Somewhere the lines crossed of when drinking went from being fun and funny to pathetic. I crossed it a long time ago. The euphoric recall of AL....well it ain't funny any more. Gather up every bit of strength you have and get thru the next 15 minutes. Put your mind to other things and don't go down the rabbit hole. When you have a thought to drink...immediately change it. Name off your cousins....recite the Lord's Prayer....go look under the bed, do anything to break that loop of thinking. You are stronger than you think....Do not wait for anything else to begin your life. I have seen you wait for other things to begin a new approach....there just isn't any magic bullet, you gotta step off and trust us. YOU CAN DO THIS! B

[Supercrew]

10% reduction technique

Byrdlady;1364966 wrote: Amen to all....Sober isn't the punishment. Sober IS the reward! Somewhere the lines crossed of when drinking went from being fun and funny to pathetic. I crossed it a long time ago. The euphoric recall of AL....well it ain't funny any more. Gather up every bit of strength you have and get thru the next 15 minutes. Put your mind to other things and don't go down the rabbit hole. When you have a thought to drink...immediately change it. Name off your cousins....recite the Lord's Prayer....go look under the bed, do anything to break that loop of thinking. You are stronger than you think....Do not wait for anything else to begin your life. I have seen you wait for other things to begin a new approach....there just isn't any magic bullet, you gotta step off and trust us. YOU CAN DO THIS! B

Great post Byrdie!!

[vlivengood]

10% reduction technique

Mauri, where are you????????????

Whatever path you are on right now we all still care about you and how you are doing...............

Check in with us when you can, we all miss you

[hadit]

10% reduction technique

Hey All, Where is everyone? I have just got home from a 60th party and A/F............drank iced water and enjoyed myself. Would normally have continued drinking when I got home!!! Maybe my a/l brain is getting it !!! Finally! Hope you are all having a a/f Sunday

[FreeFly]

10% reduction technique

Supercrew;1363644 wrote: eventually you will come to realize as we all do, being completely sober is really the only option if you want to be happy. Moderation will never bring you happiness if you were a problem drinker.
Supercrew;1364829 wrote:
I also changed my subconscious to honestly believe that I hate alcohol and I never want to drink again.

This doesn't usually happen overnight, but it can, and it still takes daily action and focus. And the focus can't be on "poor me, I can't drink", because that's just a lie. The focus should be on happiness and how lucky we are to be alive and living a sober healthy life for you and your family. I can drink anytime I want to, but drinking causes me pain so I don't want to drink. It's my choice not to. I feel empowered by that decision.

You need to focus on why you don't want to drink and the benefits of sobriety every morning when you wake up, and embrace those great feelings and visualize your health and your personal life sober. Then no matter what promise yourself that you are making the choise to stay sober, healthy and happy today. Don't focus on anything else but today.

It takes daily action, and it takes work, but it pays off in the end. There are no reasons to drink, only excuses. If you make a plan and take daily action, and everytime that voice pops in your head tell it to go to hell today because it is trying to keep you addicted and mentally obsessed with drinking poison, you will be able to accomplish this.

If you decide that it's not important and drinking poison is more important than your health and your family then you can choose to continue drinking, because that's all it is, an easy daily choice that we get to make. I choose to be sober and happy. Now quit beating yourself up and feeling sorry for yourself and make a choice and embrace it.

These words are really helping me today. Having poisoned myself again after 3 weeks+ sober (too sad to count the actual days) I'm spending the day looking for the holes in my last attempt. Lack of true commitment to a lifetime of sobriety was my downfall. In a corner of my mind I was thinking 'what next' after 30 days so was already primed for a fall. I'm also appreciating just how much hard work needs to go into that commitment, at least at the beginning, so that I too can retrain my brain to truly believe, I hate alcohol and I never want to drink again.

There were times during those 3 weeks it felt effortless being sober. I felt calm and content. I didn't hanker after any extreme and was mindful of the peace I felt in my mind and body. I want to spend my life feeling this way and am beginning to understand and appreciate the continued effort and commitment needed on my part in order to feel that way again.

Anyway just wanted to thank you SC for your post.

[Supercrew]

10% reduction technique

Glad I could help FF! Hopefully Mauri pops back in soon.

[mauritiusdodo]

10% reduction technique

Hi all, apologies for my absence I am snowed under with house jobs at the moment not to mention potty training (going ok -ish!) we are decorating my dd's old room in a Thomas the Tank engine theme for my son and it is taking ages!

On the drink front, I am sober today and on a healthy eating plan combining exercise to try and lose a stone for my hols in 6 weeks time so I really am trying to stay on the straight and narrow, thank you for all the great posts on here, lots of food for thought...

Freefly I hope you are ok :l