Just starting out?

[Recidivist]

Just starting out? I wish.
I'm wanting to connect with some other serial recidivists.
I can quit. Sometimes several times a week actually. I quite enjoy it at first, it's a bit of a novelty.
Then I have a brilliant day, a dreadful day, I'm bored or restless; and 'starting tomorrow' suddenly seems the best way forward. I'm sure I'm not alone in this.
Currently the longest period of abstinence I have have achieved is 3 months, although I lie about my intake to almost everyone I know. Only those unfortunate enough to share a house, and my disgusting habit with me, really know.
I'm now middle aged with grown children. This year for the first time in many I am free to craft the life I envisaged for myself. Alcohol has stolen more from me than I care to admit, and is standing in the way of me ever living the life I truly want to. I am carrying too much weight, am very unfit, and am so physically uncomfortable via that and hangovers most days that this alone compels me to galvanize myself into action. I am an educated professional, and yet I just can't get this right. I have no more time to waste.
I don't generally ask for help for anything, but I have promised myself to strike out on a different path, and seeking help is part of this.
I would appreciate it if some of you could share how you stopped and how you continue to stay that way. Today is 3 days alcohol free.

[available]

Hi Reci

I had every excuse to drink but mainly days ending in Y did it for me at the end of my drinking career. At the end of the day i had to make the choice to try and stop and put in 110% effort. Luckily for me, i asked for support from my children and got it, removed all al out of the house, got rid of my wine glasses and asked for support on MWO and received it. Some days were better than others but thats when i took it one minute at a time to get through the cravings. Never ever did i think i could stop drinking and stay stopped but as we all will say "if i can do it anyone can".

I am middle aged with 4 grown children and my life is amazing now, well some days it is and some days it isnt but i am grateful to be sober. I sleep better, i eat better, i look better, i go to the gym, i am going to be studying soon. None of which would have happened if i kept drinking. Its a slow process to heal from addiction but it can be done if we dedicate time to keeping sober, i dedicated the time i drank to logging on here and reading and posting.

Be gentle on yourself, healing takes time.

[Recidivist]

I thank you both sincerely for your responses Kuya and Available. I do appreciate the time.
I was planning on a 30 day commitment to start, Kuya, yes.
I have just ducked out for some sugary treats, but I will really have to watch this. During my longest stints I have substituted with sugar and put on the most astonishing amount of weight. That can't happen this time.
I'm wondering what people do about this one? There's no sense in eliminating alcohol and careening straight into heart surgery via sugar abuse?

[Samstone]

Recidivist,
welcome to a good beginning. Part of the process is really to get a good handle on what you're dealing with. As Kuya put it :"The good news is that once you accept that simple fact and quit ingesting the stuff you recover. You 'know' that but to get sober you have to KNOW that.". It is really a simple solution but with so many mental arguments against it. We THINK we like the feeling of being drunk. We make the CHOICE to drink. There is the CHOICE NOT TO DRINK. Don't look too far ahead. Don't ever look back at what you giving up because it really doesn't give a shit about you, it only cares to get drunk. Seek alternative drinks without booze. ENJOY being sober!!!

Stay close, read daily, post daily, there's a thread that is called "Roll Call". It help me immensely starting out making myself accountable.

Best to you
Sam

[available]

Reci, i hated sweets but indulged a lot when i first stopped drinking. I figured that as long as i didnt drink then whatever else i did for a time was fine. Now i still have chocolate but its slowed down as well. Dont ask me about my coffee addiction though. Anything is better than al. Remember what you are doing to your liver a small heart condition is doable for awhile!

[Recidivist]

Thankyou Samstone. I was eyeing 'roll call' and a few other places.
I have no trouble eating Kuya, that's for sure! I'm rather glad that you mentioned the cravings. That is my main concern now. When on earth do they stop? I remember it taking weeks if not months for them to abate in previous attempts.

Today is day 4, and my plan is to PLAN. What's happening after work, at the weekend. Maybe a list of activities to keep the devil off my shoulder.

I can't overstate how grateful I am for your input folks, thank you.

[Recidivist]

I will look into this high fat low carbohydrate thing too.
It seems counter-intuitive, but so is drinking?

[NoSugar]

I will look into this high fat low carbohydrate thing too.
It seems counter-intuitive, but so is drinking?

It does rather defy logic to willingly drink poison, doesn't it :haha:??

Many abstinence programs (including the original MWO program) recommend avoiding sweets and "junky" carbs when you're trying to stop drinking. For one thing, there is nothing nourishing about them and most addicted drinkers are in a pretty poor nutritional state. High quality food is essential to regain health! Perhaps more importantly, though, sugar/carbs can keep the addiction pathway "alive". The part of the brain involved in alcohol addiction also responds to sugar, caffeine, and other drugs such as opiates and cocaine.

Many people here have successfully used eating sugary, starchy foods as a substitute for alcohol. Others (including me) do much better when we consume neither. My experience was that eating a lot of sugar/carbs made me want to drink and vice versa. I think it is important for each person to figure out how his or her own body responds and take it from there.

Like Kuya said, though, the not drinking is the most important thing. If you're in a state where you're either going to drink or eat a pack of cookies, go for the cookies! That problem isn't as acute and can be dealt with over time.

If you want to learn more about the diet Kuya suggested, this is a reputable website: Diet Doctor - Revolutionize your health.

All the best, NS

[Eloise]

Hi, and welcome.
A have a couple of suggestions for you Recidivist. Download the book here and look at the health store. Instead of ordering a starter pack (takes too long) just buy the supplements yourself. I have to say they helped me to kick start my quit which was 2 years ago. The All in One vitamin powder was also extremely helpful.
The supplements were what did it for me, and the hypnotherapy CD. This you can probably find on Youtube.
This is not easy but you can do it, never give up on yourself.

I thank you both sincerely for your responses Kuya and Available. I do appreciate the time.
I was planning on a 30 day commitment to start, Kuya, yes.
I have just ducked out for some sugary treats, but I will really have to watch this. During my longest stints I have substituted with sugar and put on the most astonishing amount of weight. That can't happen this time.
I'm wondering what people do about this one? There's no sense in eliminating alcohol and careening straight into heart surgery via sugar abuse?

[Eloise]

Thankyou Samstone. I was eyeing 'roll call' and a few other places.
I have no trouble eating Kuya, that's for sure! I'm rather glad that you mentioned the cravings. That is my main concern now. When on earth do they stop? I remember it taking weeks if not months for them to abate in previous attempts.

Today is day 4, and my plan is to PLAN. What's happening after work, at the weekend. Maybe a list of activities to keep the devil off my shoulder.

I can't overstate how grateful I am for your input folks, thank you.

I also had to stay away from any gatherings with alcohol in the beginning.
I didn't kid myself that I could say no.
Once you get the hang of ordering food and sparkling water instead of alcohol it's fine, but you have to get the hang of it first.
Practice, practice, practice!

[Recidivist]

It really is practice, isn't it Eloise?
I am waiting for the really strong cravings to hit tomorrow night after work. I will have to plan a few pass-times to get myself past that one.
I seem to remember the thoughts and cravings lessening and the whole thing became more automatic at around 6 weeks.
What did the rest of you find?

[SKendall]

Rec, the cravings do get better. It's easier when you learn to substitute something else for cravings and that takes a while. We have all been where you are and many of us have SOLID sobriety now. Good Luck.

[Recidivist]

I had rather a disastrous weekend of it, I'm afraid.
I drank the best part of a bottle of vodka on Saturday and was so shaky and sick yesterday that I had to sip a bottle of wine last night for a hair of the dog.
Not quite sure what I'm going to do with myself.
Anyway most importantly I have forced myself back here to do some reading.
I suppose forward is the only way.
Thank you for your help everyone.

[Eloise]

Hey there Recidivist. I won't say it doesn't matter, I will say it happens.
This isn't something you are going to master immediately because you have decided you need to stop. If it were only that easy!!
It takes time.
Sorry I did not see your last post... I would have said 'eat.'
Fruits and veggies and whatever you like (try to limit the sweats). I cannot tell you how eating when I thought of drinking helped me.

It is an ugly habit we have, but AWESOME you jumped back on here.
Check in every hour if you have to and be kind to yourself. You are a good person, you have a bad habit. So what, you are working on it.
For now that has to be good enough.

[Eloise]

Maybe take a look around this website? Recovery Research Institute