Can't get past 48 hours

[greeneyes]

Can't get past 48 hours

psssst..... they have letterboxing stuff in Michael's. It's a fun, distracting, get-outside hobby.

[DiscoBunnie]

Can't get past 48 hours

DG ~ that is a great story about the marshmellow. I am going to engrave that story in my mind and keep telling it to myself over and over and over again when that craving comes along. Thank you for sharing that your cravings were mind bending, that is how mine are and I often wonder how a person can overcome the intensity??? But I see that it can be done....

I am not going to drink today, I'm good for 48 hours at time... Wednesday night or Thursday night will be my challenge. I am taking your advice and I am going to start power walking tomorrow =/ ..really, I am!!

I do have the supplements from MWO and I will take them begining tonight ~diligently.. I also have the powdered L-Glutamine. You mentioned I can put it under my tongue? How much, like 1 tsp? I think 1 tsp is 5 grams. Thank you DG =0)

greeneyes~ tell us more about letter boxing? this is an interesting sounding outdoor activity, I'm not sure I know what it is....

I love you guys! (

[mollyka]

Can't get past 48 hours

Good on you Discobunnie, these 'olbies' have a lot of wisdom don't they?! I wonder will we ever be sober as long and as wise? Hopefully!!
Greeneyes, please do tell about letterboxing? Is it any thing to do with postboxes? My builders have just put up a front door for me with nowhere to post letters!! (Suppose it keeps the bills away!)
Molly

[Guest]

Can't get past 48 hours

DB

I think you could be going wrong by saying "I'm only good for 48 hours" in that you have already decided firstly you are only going to manage 2 days, that you are possibly projecting the idea of a drink ahead of yourself and convinced yourself you will fail.

One day at a time means not looking forward but just "getting on" with the now, this minute this hour. Anything can happen in the next 48 hours and guess what?You might even NOT want a drink when that time arrives.

When I was trying to fight my Bulimia I would try go as long as I could without a binge, but would secretly start planning it in my own head - "I can probably make it 4 days so I'll let myself binge on Thursday". Guess what?Come Wednesday I was so agitated in anticipation I'd say "Well I'll do it now and get it over with as this craving will just get worse anyway". Basically I'd given myself advance permission already.................I'm only on day 9 now BUT I'm finding NOT looking or thinking ahead is working well for me. I'm much more relaxed and making better decisions all the time. I might fall at some point but I'm not considering that. All I am considering is how to keep myself in this nice space. That means having a plan for the day that I will stick to, I'll speak to or see my counsellor, exercise, do some work/study, keep myself clean/well presented so as to feel good about myself. The L-Glut is just an aid to all of that it won't take away my cravings or cure me but it might give me that little assistance on top of everything else.

Oh, I've done praying etc and AA. Didn't work however the stuff I'm doing with my counsellor is not a million miles away from the sort of things the 12 steps teach you - it's just in a different environment. I've always been VERY independent and I suspect that this 1-2-1 is the sort of thing that will work best for me.

Keep in the day.

[Doggygirl]

Can't get past 48 hours

UK that is a great description of ODAT v. viewing things in time windows. ED's are really frightening. I hope you have overcome your own issues with bulimia. I did a stint with annorexia as a teen, and to this day it affects me and I have to look out for binge thinking and behavior.

DB - Determinator is one of the gurus here of using L-Glutamine as a tool. His posts were enlightening for me as one can take quite a bit more than the doses recommended here. Putting it under your tongue as a direct response to a craving gets it in your system right away. Don't by shy about reaching out to Determinator for more advice on how to use L-Glutamine as a strong tool.

DG

[Guest]

Can't get past 48 hours

Thanks it's taken me a few years to understand ODAT.

Regards Bulimia I am convinced my drinking is more or less the same thing but instead of using food to alter/cover my emotions I believe I use alcohol in a similar way. I also remember once reading a book on Bulimia that said many women with eating disorders do go on to become alcoholics in their 30s - at the time I thought "Rubbish I'll never get like that". Well as I look back I can see quite clearly that the point at which my food binging stopped my drinking did increase and guess what?I became a 'binge drinker' (although minor at first it soon became a problem). In the last 12 months my drinking has been accompanied by excessive 'comfort eating' too so pretty much the two seem to be interlinked.

[Doggygirl]

Can't get past 48 hours

That is VERY interesting. I never really made the connection but I "snapped out" of the annorexic mode right around the same time as I started the teenage drinking. Back then (pre-Karen Carpenter) my family nor I had any idea what annorexia was. So I'm lucky I didn't starve myself to death. I'm 5'9" and was down to 104 pounds. "Comfort eating" is something I really have to keep an eye on - I've always thought after that bout with AN that I swung the other way.

DG

[DiscoBunnie]

Can't get past 48 hours

Hey mollyka ~ I also hope we will gain the long term sobriety and wisdom of the "seasoned" MWO's! I hear the key is one at a time.. that used to sound so stale to me, now I am re-thinking the ODAT! Glad you got your door, did you just buy a new house? ...

UK ~ you make alot of sense and I can see how I am setting myself up for the fall at 48 hours. I never even thought about that before, but it makes so much sense! Thank you for pointing that out to me. And you are so right, anything can happen at any given moment that my twisted mind could use to justify a drink ~ disgusting isn't it? ... I didn't know there is a connecton between bulimia, anorexia and alcoholism? but then I suppose they are all addictive behaviors stemming from our inner most sadness and fears.... Its kind of odd how addiction works. I smoked cigarettes for about 2 years and then one day just decided to stop because it was making me feel tired all the time and I was begining to feel short of breath. I stopped cold turkey, had maybe 2 or 3 cravings but nothing like my al cravings and that was that, never thought about it again....

DG~ thnaks for the info on L-Glutamine, I have some in a small tupperware dish in my lunch today, I am not sure what to do with it!! I keep staring at it, wondering how it will taste and how much do I pour/spoon in my mouth... I hope no one walks in and see's me!! How would I reach Determinators link? I think I may have come across a posts of his long ago, can you help me find his link? Thank you =0)

Everyone have a happy, safe and sober day ~ see you tonight!

DB
Day 2

[Guest]

Can't get past 48 hours

DB I think most people use a teaspoon full either straight in or mixed into a warm drink. Personally I mix it into my my morning porridge and my bedtime hot milk. Doesn't taste of much at all. Umm and I wouldn't recommend wandering around with tupperwares of white powder.

[DiscoBunnie]

Can't get past 48 hours

UK that is so funny! I actually had that same thought as I held my little tupperware cup in my hand! I will try adding it to my morning coffee and night time hot milk like you do. That sounds so comforting... How about sugar? I read somewhere that "we" should not consume refined sugar and I've been craving a lot of carbs!~ any suggestions or recommendations? ... ty

DB..

[DiscoBunnie]

Can't get past 48 hours

DG,
Thank you, I'm going to try that link now. I'll post what I find out. Do you use the L-glut to help with cravings? Are you still taking the supplements?

..DB

[Guest]

Can't get past 48 hours

I'm not very good with sugary things so avoid them - I have tried using honey, chocolate etc to fight cravings as suggested by AA members but it either made me worse or had me binging on choccies. Ok the choccies are safer than AL but for me and my Bulimia history it just makes me feel worse and hence "I'm feeling fat anyway so doesn't matter if I get drunk now" comes into play.

I'm eating a wholefood, chicken, fish, plenty of fruit and veg diet. Only sweet things are the odd apple plus a scoop of whey I pop into my porridge........oh and the occasional sports meal replacement shake too. So far doing ok still!!!!!

Day 10 is under way.

[DiscoBunnie]

Can't get past 48 hours

UK... you are sounding so strong and congratulations on Day 10! I love your references to choccies and porridge, thats a very healthy diet you have going there, how long have you been on that diet? Do you stay away from fruit because of the sugar content? My carb craving subsided a little bit more today. I had planned on starting my walk/run exercise routine today. I stopped after work to get an "interval" watch. It beeps at 5 minutes, 1 minute, 5 minutes, 1 mintue etc. For 3 days, I walk 5 mins, run 1 mind and gradually increase so that by week 8 I can run continuously for 30 mins. My workout tonight consisted of learning how to set the interval timer on my watch.... tomorrow I will start. The good thing is that I did not have a drink tonight!! Day 3! And no craving.

My son has not returned from camping with his friends. I worry everyday what his reaction will be when he returns. He was so angry when he left and he has every right to be~ I really messed up Friday night... and tomorrow brings back another Friday night, hard to believe its been one week. I wish I could turn back time ~

Well off to do some reading and to bed. Congrats again!! Hey where is DG? Where is everybody?? .... I look forward to catching up with everyone here =0)

DB

[Guest]

Can't get past 48 hours

Thanks. This is the diet I generally follow when I'm not drinking. I used to be an athlete and that was the sort of food that got me the best results physically. I was very pleased to learn it's also the best sort of diet for anyone recovering from AL problems. So far I've been on it for 24 hours less than my sobriety date - prior to that was stuffing my face with takeaway foods. I do eat fruit but not too much.

Try not to worry about your son you can't do anything about it and you can't change it at this moment. Concentrate on being sober because that's the only way anything is going to get fixed.

[Snapdragon]

Can't get past 48 hours

Hi all - just been reading your posts through and wanted to say how helpful this thread is to me. I can relate to everything you are all going through and it makes me feel stronger and more determined to hear your experiences.

Doggygirl - you have always been a true inspiration for me on this site and you wouldn't believe the amount of times I think about your amazing achievement (and hope that I can be there too one day). You are so honest and I relate so much to many of the things you say - particularly in one of your last posts about feeling deprived by not being able to drink - exactly the mistake I am making. Also about hurting people and putting myself in their shoes (not pretty!)

UK - well done - 10 days is amazing. I will certainly try your tip about not looking into the future too as I realise that I have been doing exactly what you describe ie: thinking that if I can just make it Thursday etc I will deserve just one drink and then caving in by Wednesday - ODAT!

Disco - well done too on your determination to make a real go of it this time - I know you can do it.

I could only find L-Glut tablets in the shops here and they are huge and almost choke me when I try to swallow them. I might try crushing them up and putting under my tongue like you all mention.

Thank again everyone - I feel so much more optimistic having read your posts. :thanks: