Abstinence Challenge

[kronkcarr]

Abstinence Challenge

M, it's good to see you here!

[Alky]

Abstinence Challenge

I mean this in no way a criticism of the people who are keeping count, but I stopped because every time I reached a "milestone," I'd start thinking, "hey, ya' done good - how bad could one little drinkie-poo be? Come on, reward yourself." Like when Homer Simpson quits beer for a month and Moe the Bartender creepily gets up in his face on day 30 and says, "Come on Homah…have a beer for your old pal Moesie." Anyway, it would never end up as one innocent little beer and pretty soon I'd be back on the hard stuff for the "efficiency" of it if you know what I mean, and right back to square one.

[StuckinLA]

Abstinence Challenge

It is a little difficult to celebrate anything... and not drinking is for sure the thing I'd like to celebrate with a drink the most.

Maybe I'll teach myself how to bake cupcakes or something. :H

[skullbabyland]

Abstinence Challenge

Day 17 AF

[Mandiekinz]

Abstinence Challenge

StuckinLA;1586495 wrote: It is a little difficult to celebrate anything... and not drinking is for sure the thing I'd like to celebrate with a drink the most.

Maybe I'll teach myself how to bake cupcakes or something. :H

You might feel too accomplished and celebrate your successful baking skills with a tall glass of vodka to wash it down.

At least I would, anyway.

But that too, would break the rules of the intermittent calorie intake diet. And then lead to more drinks more for a successful fail. Stupid spirals.

Kronk...so lovely to see you too. If it weren't for you and Lo0p lighting the fire under my ass...I might be back at .5 again. But...

I'm at 1.8 AF now Thank you, dear friends for picking me up and dusting me off.

No 5 second rule needed in this cooking class

[skullbabyland]

Abstinence Challenge

Day 18 AF

[skullbabyland]

Abstinence Challenge

Day 19 AF

[skullbabyland]

Abstinence Challenge

Day 22 AF

[skullbabyland]

Abstinence Challenge

Day 23 AF

[Juan BH]

Abstinence Challenge

Skull-

Nice job of sticking with it! I like how you count the days because it gives the thread a heartbeat. Hope everything is going well and that you have a super holiday next week. We are going to do the whole Thanksgiving dinner thing with my family this afternoon and I'm already salivating. 4 months AF today too! I have so much to be thankful for this year and MWO is one of the blessings I'm reflecting on today. I can't believe how much better my life is now thanks to bac and everyone here.

[StuckinLA]

Abstinence Challenge

Juan BH;1589200 wrote: 4 months AF today too! I have so much to be thankful for this year and MWO is one of the blessings I'm reflecting on today.

Juan - congrats! I didn't even realize you were getting up there. That's fantastic. I too have been trying to think about all the things I have to be thankful for these days, and keep them front and center.

[neophyte]

Abstinence Challenge

nice work skull, how is your mental health going?

One thing i regret with my 33 days AF is that i did not keep a more detailed log of how i felt day to day. If you have slip ups, it might be useful to have a look back at your notes to see how you felt being AF so long. I know that for myself i improved a lot the more i was AF and when I did end up drinking it derailed a lot of good work i had done very very quickly. It's one of those things though, when you are feeling good, you tend not to bother writing down your thoughts, its only when we feel horrible that we try to do these things.

keep on going, not long till you get 30 days again.

[MissIndygo]

Abstinence Challenge

Hi all,

I am going to give myself the challenge of having 4 days of this week. I know it might not sound much for you seasoned abstainers, but I have not had a day of since July. Then I was AF for about 3 weeks following 10 days in detox.

I have been on Bac since August. Following Ameissen's dosage schedule, which proved for me to be way to quick, I got as high as 235mg. I titrated and settled back down to/at 150mg. I stayed on that dose for over 4 weeks.

Last Wednesday I decided to start to up the dose again, but I am only increasing by 5mg a week.

I have been drinking all the while. Probably more than before Bac.
Am nervous, as I still have strong cravings, but I also have a few Valiums around if it gets too much. I am extremely disciplined with other meds, so I will only be taking a half here or there. Thank god I only have one poison. Well and nicotine, but still enjoying that one with e-cigs

Anyway here we go.

[StuckinLA]

Abstinence Challenge

Hey detox totally counts! You were abstinent for 4 weeks and 3 days.

Jealous of your e-cigs - I've tried but just can't seem to switch over...

[Mandiekinz]

Abstinence Challenge

MissIndygo;1589851 wrote: Hi all,

I am going to give myself the challenge of having 4 days of this week. I know it might not sound much for you seasoned abstainers, but I have not had a day of since July. Then I was AF for about 3 weeks following 10 days in detox.

I have been on Bac since August. Following Ameissen's dosage schedule, which proved for me to be way to quick, I got as high as 235mg. I titrated and settled back down to/at 150mg. I stayed on that dose for over 4 weeks.

Last Wednesday I decided to start to up the dose again, but I am only increasing by 5mg a week.

I have been drinking all the while. Probably more than before Bac.
Am nervous, as I still have strong cravings, but I also have a few Valiums around if it gets too much. I am extremely disciplined with other meds, so I will only be taking a half here or there. Thank god I only have one poison. Well and nicotine, but still enjoying that one with e-cigs

Anyway here we go.

Darlin', they aren't seasoned abstainers, they're seasoned to pick themselves back up...even if it has to happen multiple times a week.

I'm also on day 4 AF. I've had a hooorrrrible past month. If it's not one thing, it's another all revolving around the big dark "D" word...

...Get your mind out of the gutter and focus.

So, just keep picking yourself up...dust yourself off and if you can't do it...there's plenty of us here that would help and keep on trying. That's all I can keep telling myself to do.

I'm also taking baclofen and have found myself drinking all too much on it. Not nearly as much and as often as it was pre-bac however, it's far too much for my liking and my mental health and neurological system. I also get completely shit-faced off a pint as opposed to pre-bac..it'd take a fifth to finally knock me out. Bac has also given me the worst hangovers in the world so that I can give myself a couple of days to breathe before walking my miserable and pathetic ass to the liquor store.

Just as long as you keep trying, my dear. I hold very little hope in myself, as it sounds like you're about there yourself. I also keep a bottle of alprazolam for on hard (craving) days. I've yet to utilize it aside for other serious matters. Once your noggin has made up it's mind...it's difficult to reel it back in. I do hope your method helps for you. But do keep posting. There's nothing more humble than coming in here, flaunting a low number...then the next day flaunting an even lower number. Keeps us accountable.