Which one , guys?

[Hartley]

Which one , guys?

greeneyes;784690 wrote: Heartly, please place your mouse indicator over the "crap smile" in the smilies box to the right of the reply box. You will see it is identified as "confused". In all sincerity, I cannot fathom how you can identify yourself as one of "the ones everybody likes" with an attitude like the one you are presenting on this thread.

Sorry love, Most people do. i'm a bit rubbish like that.

[Sheepish]

Which one , guys?

Hartley
I think that by it's very nature being an alcoholic (or ex drug addict) or any kind of self medication- one does not want to look at oneself. (I include myself here) I think the only way to get through something like this is to cease lashing out at people- as I have seen you do on multiple threads on this forum and turn your gaze inward, where you might find some clues to your unhappiness. Pills without a plan really amount to- well, pills.
And you already got through that problem.
Your flippant and arrogant attitude mask what I imagine is an intelligent yet frightened person- why else would you be here?
I hope you consider what some of the advice people here have KINDLY offered- people who have concrete success at what you are looking to achieve.
Best wishes
-Sheep

[mario]

Which one , guys?

hartly,At the start i didn't do any set plan or use any set tools or any medication.I went through cold turkey for at least 3 weeks,and all the withdrawals you get from them.After about 6 weeks i found mwo, I then logged in daily, mostly to the army thread where i met some lovely people who helped and supported and gave me great advice how to keep up this journey that i am on.I then started my own plan for my own life that suits me, So far i am doing great, all positives and i am still moving forward.I have also noticed that being rude or offensive to other members who are doing there best to help you or giving you there own personal advice for what its worth,is not a good way to go to make good friends who really can help here..keep posting and goodluck.

[UrbanFool]

Which one , guys?

Hartley, I'm scared of pills too. For a long time (actually, I still do), I kept vitamins in every corner of the house so that when I really needed to "pop" something, I had "something". That really, really helped me. You can pop Vitamin C's until the cows come home and it's nothing but beneficial.

IMO, none of these alcohol pills are going to help you until it's already in your head that you're going to quit. There is no magic pill. They can help with the cravings, but if you're on the way to the liquor store, nothing is going to stop that except for you. You've got your head, and you've got the cravings. So you need your head to finally accept that it's stopping drinking, and then you can get help with the cravings.

I asked my doctor for a prescription to Baclofen before I realized that I wasn't having cravings. But obviously, I have the same slips that you do. I can be sober for a couple months and then blow it all in a 30 second window. There isn't any time for cravings.

The reason the toolbox and plans work, is that they keep you busy so you don't think about alcohol, and they give you something to do when that craving DOES hit. For me, it's a long process to put myself out for a week. I have to scrounge up $12 in quarters (or anything bigger I can find if I'm lucky), then I have to get the dogs situated and get dressed, then I have to walk the mile to the store (check two different stores to see which one is having the special on what I like to buy) and then the mile back again. I have all of that time to talk myself out of getting booze, and if I'm not in the right mindset, then I've completely blown nearly a week of my life (2 days being wasted and 3-4 days for a hangover) just based on the somewhat involved ritual above.

At the time I decided to stop for good and was looking around at medications, I had been sober for two weeks and decided the Sinclair method was not for me since I would have to start drinking again. But maybe that method would work for you if you can't bring yourself to stop. If you actually have awful cravings, you should 1) check the toolboxes and plans that people have tried here to see if you can head your cravings off at the pass, and 2) maybe try out the Baclofen or Camperal because people have had good luck with those.

Obviously, I'm still working on myself.

*BIG HUGS*

[tiptronic_ct]

Which one , guys?

UrbanFool;784754 wrote: Hartley, I'm scared of pills too. For a long time (actually, I still do), I kept vitamins in every corner of the house so that when I really needed to "pop" something, I had "something". That really, really helped me. You can pop Vitamin C's until the cows come home and it's nothing but beneficial.

IMO, none of these alcohol pills are going to help you until it's already in your head that you're going to quit. There is no magic pill. They can help with the cravings, but if you're on the way to the liquor store, nothing is going to stop that except for you. You've got your head, and you've got the cravings. So you need your head to finally accept that it's stopping drinking, and then you can get help with the cravings.

I asked my doctor for a prescription to Baclofen before I realized that I wasn't having cravings. But obviously, I have the same slips that you do. I can be sober for a couple months and then blow it all in a 30 second window. There isn't any time for cravings.

The reason the toolbox and plans work, is that they keep you busy so you don't think about alcohol, and they give you something to do when that craving DOES hit. For me, it's a long process to put myself out for a week. I have to scrounge up $12 in quarters (or anything bigger I can find if I'm lucky), then I have to get the dogs situated and get dressed, then I have to walk the mile to the store (check two different stores to see which one is having the special on what I like to buy) and then the mile back again. I have all of that time to talk myself out of getting booze, and if I'm not in the right mindset, then I've completely blown nearly a week of my life (2 days being wasted and 3-4 days for a hangover) just based on the somewhat involved ritual above.

At the time I decided to stop for good and was looking around at medications, I had been sober for two weeks and decided the Sinclair method was not for me since I would have to start drinking again. But maybe that method would work for you if you can't bring yourself to stop. If you actually have awful cravings, you should 1) check the toolboxes and plans that people have tried here to see if you can head your cravings off at the pass, and 2) maybe try out the Baclofen or Camperal because people have had good luck with those.

Obviously, I'm still working on myself.

*BIG HUGS*

Great post, Urbie :l

[Guitarista]

Which one , guys?

Hi Hartley,
You already have what it takes within you, to change your life. It was my thinking, not my drinking, that was the problem. It's important to remember, that being creative and at our best artistically, or in any area, does NOT rely on drinking. I am a musician. The bar, and all thing's associated, is my workplace, and a big part of my life. I could never, ever imagine making music, or mixing with folk's/existing, without a drink next to me, or soon appearing. I used to think i would 'unlock the channel's' the 'gates' to other world's, with a drink, for my art. To a degree, this is true. But ultimately, this is a lie. It is a delusion. I still made some good music when under the influence, (and a lot of crap too) sure, but now, sober, and over a few hump's, and free of a few shackles, i.e. grog, i'm still making crap music, but i perform with less 'block's/barrier's' than before, the quality is purer somehow, and am much more relaxed, and less anxious at gig's, socialising, than before. If we think we will lose our mojo if we give up the grog, no, not true. That is a delusion. Many have gone before us, and free'd themselves, and you can to.
My door is alway's open to you, friend.

Best wishes on your journey.

[UrbanFool]

Which one , guys?

It's funny, I haven't written (fiction) since I really quit drinking. It's like I'm scared I have no creativity now. I have a story I really need to pull out and work on again.

A good book to read (although it's about writing) Is "On Writing" by Stephen King. He talks about being so drunk while writing Cujo that he can't even remember writing it, and he's really sorry he missed out on that experience. He's very matter-of-fact about his drinking and then quitting. I think it's worth a read for anyone worried about their creativity.

[greeneyes]

Which one , guys?

Wowee! I didn't know that!

[Hartley]

Which one , guys?

Sheepish;784746 wrote: Hartley
I think that by it's very nature being an alcoholic (or ex drug addict) or any kind of self medication- one does not want to look at oneself. (I include myself here) I think the only way to get through something like this is to cease lashing out at people- as I have seen you do on multiple threads on this forum and turn your gaze inward, where you might find some clues to your unhappiness. Pills without a plan really amount to- well, pills.
And you already got through that problem.
Your flippant and arrogant attitude mask what I imagine is an intelligent yet frightened person- why else would you be here?
I hope you consider what some of the advice people here have KINDLY offered- people who have concrete success at what you are looking to achieve.
Best wishes
-Sheep

You know what Sheep? Fuck off. The last thing I need is your "holier than thou type". I am flippant. It's the only way I survive, thanks.

[Dolly Sunshine]

Which one , guys?

Yowsa totally unnecessary.

[Hartley]

Which one , guys?

greeneyes;784801 wrote: Wowee! I didn't know that!

Tosser.

[Hartley]

Which one , guys?

Dolly Sunshine;784900 wrote: Yowsa totally unnecessary.

Totally necessary - or do we just pretend that all is OK?

I spend so much time in my real life pretending everything is OK. It's not.

[Dolly Sunshine]

Which one , guys?

No one said you had to pretend or be a little ray of sunshine I just think the f off was totally uncalled for.

[Hartley]

Which one , guys?

Dolly Sunshine;784904 wrote: No one said you had to pretend or be a little ray of sunshine I just think the f off was totally uncalled for.

Not in my book. I'm fed up of that nonsense.

[Hartley]

Which one , guys?

Cheers man. It's an awful journey. Your post gives me help. It's strange really. I've written great stuff when straight - finished jobs, etc. I can do it in any state., I just don't believe that deep in my core. I'm so used to writing in an altered state.

Then you read through these threads and you see so much anger. And you think, "Why?" They're just us. There are people on here who should be ashamed.

And occasionally you come across a post like yours.

Guitarista;784784 wrote: Hi Hartley,
You already have what it takes within you, to change your life. It was my thinking, not my drinking, that was the problem. It's important to remember, that being creative and at our best artistically, or in any area, does NOT rely on drinking. I am a musician. The bar, and all thing's associated, is my workplace, and a big part of my life. I could never, ever imagine making music, or mixing with folk's/existing, without a drink next to me, or soon appearing. I used to think i would 'unlock the channel's' the 'gates' to other world's, with a drink, for my art. To a degree, this is true. But ultimately, this is a lie. It is a delusion. I still made some good music when under the influence, (and a lot of crap too) sure, but now, sober, and over a few hump's, and free of a few shackles, i.e. grog, i'm still making crap music, but i perform with less 'block's/barrier's' than before, the quality is purer somehow, and am much more relaxed, and less anxious at gig's, socialising, than before. If we think we will lose our mojo if we give up the grog, no, not true. That is a delusion. Many have gone before us, and free'd themselves, and you can to.
My door is alway's open to you, friend.

Best wishes on your journey.