Enough is enough

[tiptronic_ct]

Enough is enough

Hi, Time - welcome to MWO

I am also new here (just reading for a few weeks, joined as member last week).

It was Cat's thread on tapering that finally convinced me that I could also improve the situation I was in - also doing a bottle of vodka and most of a bottle of red wine eache day, every day for years on end...

I'm do it more cautiously, though - previous attempts at tapering in less than a week have been disastrous, and just had me going on even bigger binges.

I am targeting specific volumes of vodka each day, reducing it by about 50 - 100ml per day each day, and from today by 25ml, because I've already reduced my drinking by 3/4s. I have a very structured day i.t.o. office hours, dropping off and collecting kids etc., so I used to hugely binge starting at around 6.00 p.m., and ending in a late-night blackout.

Some of the advice I've been given on this site has been amazing in helping me make progress:

1. Read other threads just to share in the experiences of others - makes you realise you're not on your own.
2. Write down your plan. I've been posting daily to give an update on my progress (good and bad), plus I've been posting my plan for the day on MWO - that way I feel that I've committed publicly, and it gives me an incentive to stick to my goal.
3. Changing habits / routines - has made a huge difference i.t.o. breaking my drinking patterns. Get out of the house. Identify specific things that need doing around the house etc.

Anyway - I'm no expert, so let me not ramble on. Just stick around and post - lots of support from all of us. And as Cat has also told me: if something doesn't work for you, just get up and try again, and keep on trying.

Good luck! I know you can do it!

[42cat]

Enough is enough

Tip, I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy knowing my posts have helped you along. Thank you for your kind words.

Time to Stop ... Power to ya! You're doing wonderfully .. keep on fighting your way through!

[wine lover]

Enough is enough

Good Luck

Time_To_Stop;642180 wrote: :new:

I am so miserable and can't seem to get out of this endless downward spiral. I have been drinking around a bottle of vodka a day for the last 8 years or so and have been drinking pretty heavily for the last 14. I was always been able to get my work done and keep up appearances but over the last two years that has been less and less the case. Hangovers are killing me now and I feel very anxious until I have the first drink.

I am at the end of my rope and I need to get a grip of myself. I have been reading the thread about tapering and think that I need to try it. I can't afford to go to rehab and can't have alcoholism on my insurance record for reasons I can't go into.

I haven't had a drink today. I plan on starting the beer an hour or so taper I read about until the symptons go away. Hopefully it won't be too bad. My heart is already beating a little faster and I am starting to get anxious as I had my last drink about 14 hours ago.

Well here goes. Please wish me luck.

I know just how you feel and wish you the very best of luck. I am going to try to go AF for 30 days commencing Monday next, I too cannot live with myself any longer. Will keep you posted re my progress or otherwise!!

[Rags]

Enough is enough

Good Morning Tme,
How'd it go last night? Sleep just a little bit better?
Lite beer with ice .... now there's a concept. Though, when I was in the Philippines last year someone asked me if I wanted ice in my beer and I just stared at them!! LOL. An Aussie would never do that, not even up in Darwin!! But it's a great plan for you to stretch out the drinks a bit more.
I used to be a single malt drinker, but it was so easy for me to stop drinking it, even though there's some still in the house. Don't quite know what triggered me to stop. I think I just told myself something along the lines of "so you've been drinking this for over 20 years, you know what it tastes like, you know it knocks you around and gets you drunk really fast, and it is doing nasty things to my liver, listen to my body, I am poisoning myself. My body is signalling that it is sick and can't cope with alcohol..." And I'll be damned, I just stopped! How good is that! Coopers Sparkiling Ale is my main challenge. I love it. But I'm off that too at the moment, and it is a grand feeling to wake up tired, but not hung over. And now I can re-enforce that with humour... I've peed thousands of dollars when it could've bought a holiday, or a new computer... what a bloody waste! Again, this is defusing the power of alcohol. Oh dear, I've lectured again, sorry. But you may glean something from it.
I'll catch your post later to-day.
Big cyber hug for you for all the effort you're putting in to this, and my very best thoughts for your family.

[Birdwatcher]

Enough is enough

Me too. Pretty much in the same boat. It sucks. You drink too much at night, feel like crap the next day, and know you won't feel better until the first drink. I can't seem to get out of the pattern either.

[Time_To_Stop]

Enough is enough

Here in Hawaii alot of people drink lite beer on ice at the beach. I can't stand lite beer and also drank single malt on occasions and vodka regularly. When it came to beer if it wasn't from a microbrewery I wouldn't drink it. However now I am thinking of this as medicine and not something to enjoy.

I did do better sleeping last night (finally drifted off for good at 4am slept till 9 when my boy woke, luckily I had no work today) and now I have valerian tincture (the capsules didn't seem to work) and 5-htp so hopefully tonight will be even better. Haven't found kudzu or glutamine-l yet but I am doing okay so maybe I won't need it.

Yeah I think about how much money I have spent on booze and what I could have done with it and I feel sick. Figure $100 to $200 USD a week for 10 years, that's a college education at some colleges anyway. Pee under the bridge though I suppose. I know however that I can make that back and more once the fog fully clears.

Today I had to bring my son to the doctor and afterwards we went to a science exhibit at the local museum and then to the little planetarium. I was feeling great right up till we were leaving the place. The amazing thing is that I felt kind of normal for a few hours today and was actually feeling like things were turning around. My son definitely helps that feeling but this was something more. It was me not feeling hungover and not craving booze for a few hours for the first time in years and years.

It is getting better even though when we got home I felt like I needed a stiff drink but didn't give in and stuck with the plan. 4 beers tonight and then 3 tomorrow. So far so good.

Geez I am longwinded. Anyway thanks again.

[Rags]

Enough is enough

Hey Time,
Way to go!!
I bought some beaut hawaiin shirts for my wonderful husband last Christmas. Cost a bomb for postage and the exchange rate sucked, but everyone comments on them, bright, happy cheerful, colouful. Just like I am when I'm sober!!!! LOL!! Hawaii is on my list of places to see. .... One day.
Book 'em Dan'l... loved that show.

[Time_To_Stop]

Enough is enough

Yeah Hawaii can be a great place to live if you aren't always hung over or jonesing. Down to 3 beers and am feeling the best I have felt in ages. Only two more days and I will be alcohol free. To be honest I could probably go without now but I decided to remove 1 beer a day until I was drinking zero so that is what I am going to do.

Slept 11 hours last night which was amazing. The sweats are gone and no real anxiety today. Had a full afternoon and evening working though so that probably helped.

I can't believe I have come this far already. Not to be getting ahead of myself or anything.

Full day of work tomorrow so that should help as well.

Later!

[Popeye]

Enough is enough

That's good going Time-to-Stop,
And the longer you stay with, the better you feel.
It's great isn't it?

[cacky]

Enough is enough

Time, be as long winded as you like. the more you talk the better you will feel. sounds like you are doing just great. how old is your son?

[Rags]

Enough is enough

Time,
What terrific progress!!!
I just re-read your original post and looked at this one just now.... you'd swear it was two different people.
Keep us informed how you are going.

[Time_To_Stop]

Enough is enough

Well last night I didn't get much sleep but I somehow made it through the day. I had my 2 beers which almost seem pointless now and I am eating ice cream. Tomorrow is my last beer and then time to get healthy. Hard to believe. I do feel like another person even though I am exhausted now. I figure I will sleep well tonight in any case. Whew... Time to lay back and close the laptop.

[Time_To_Stop]

Enough is enough

Last beer tonight. My father inlaw offered me another and I declined. Tomorrow will be my first day AF. Got yard work to do for a change which will be a welcome change to being sprawled out on the couch all Sunday. It is hard to believe and I still am having trouble sleeping and I am a bit anxious but it is getting better. Gonna go tuck my son in and relax. Later...

[RoadWarrior]

Enough is enough

Good for you, TimeToStop! Tomorrow will be a bright shiny day for you! Today is my first day AF, and things are getting better and better every hour.

Be proud!
rw

[Time_To_Stop]

Enough is enough

Didn't drink today.

I did get into a little argument with my neighbor over their dog barking for the last 2 weeks straight and still didn't drink even though I was so pissed I was shaking and really wanted a stiff drink to calm me down.

Instead I dug out a hole for a mini koi pond I have been wanting to put in for a year or so. I have gotten more done the last 3 days or so then in the last 3 months it feels like. Amazing to not be hungover.

Congrats RoadWarrior. Today is a good day to be sober. I just turned 40 and I don;t want to spend this decade in a haze like the last one.