Despair?

[prancy]

Despair?

Mauri, I am right there with you. I am now on day 15 AF, but honestly, I am more depressed than the beginning - if that is possible. I have been trying for so long to get a handle on my binge drinking and two weeks ago, I did it again. My husband and my daughter are tired of it and have once again insisted that I stop. Well, I have stopped for two weeks so far but they insist that I get some help.
I think my depression is as much about having to quit forever as it is about the Al withdrawal. I just keep reading the posts on here and get some comfort who write about long term sobriety and are enjoying their lives. Hang in there.

[Bruunhilde]

Despair?

Prancy, are you taking any supplements or meds to help? I'm feeling weird myself, although it's AF4 for me only, and my system is DEFINITELY still cleaning itself out, so that would explain for weakness and clamminess. I'm not looking forward to feeling worse, maybe I'll start taking something to fend off the depression. St John's Wort or something?

Wagoneer-Someone on the holistic thread said L-Glutamine gave her a pleasant kind of high, (as opposed to a bad one) so if that works for you, you might try that for a break and it also curbs cravings for AL and carbs, which you probably know. Didn't work for me (re the high) but seems to work for others.

Have you read any cognitive therapy books, like Feeling Good? Great great practical advice on fixing your sad thoughts. However, not sure it works for our brains, guess I'll be finding out (I hope!) shortly!

[prancy]

Despair?

Bruno, no I am not taking any supplements but I do have some l-glut that I can try. I tried some bac left over from my last try to get AF on this site last week, but it made me so hyper that I stopped. I think I have ten sheets of 10 tabs each, so maybe I can try it again and see if it works. If it does, maybe I can find a psychiatrist to prescribe it. It freaks me out to purchase it on the Internet. I mean, how do you know it is pure?

[Gidget1016]

Despair?

Mauri and Prancy....all I can say is that I'm glad I'm not alone! I thought I would be jumping for joy but I've been depressed and blah....It's AF day number 4 for me. I had gone 11 days then caved in over the weekend. I'm so thankful for all the advise here...I think I may try l-glut and see what happens.

[prancy]

Despair?

Hey gidget, I have been told that it gets better with each day. So I am struggling but I am holding on. I love drinking with friends but hate/abhor/detest where it takes me. I think binge drinkers have a hard go of it because the binges only happen once in a while and it is easy to tell yourself that if you could just behave like you do in between, you would be fine. But I don't stay in the in between and this destructive behavior that makes me hate myself just must stop! so good to have pals while we struggle.

[DLSUM]

Despair?

One friend told me that moderation is the best path to abstinence. That is, cut back, and cut back some more, then cut back to zero. That way (he said) you feel in control. Anyone else find this works?

Good luck to those of you who posted above. I got to 18, slipped up, and am back at 9. But I look at it this way - that's 27 days out of 40 with nothing! Try to be positive (I know, easier said than done).

[prancy]

Despair?

I have not had good luck with moderation. I am sure that approach may work for some but Unalaska go back to drinking when trynto moderate.

[Gidget1016]

Despair?

I know what you mean about moderation with the whole binge drinking issue...that is my problem in a nutshell....I can't seem to moderate and you are right Prancy, it makes you think you should be able to control it....I always intend on behaving but 9 out of 10 times go over the edge.

DLSUM....I like your positive way of looking at setbacks...I was beating myself up for slipping up but you gave me a new way to think about it...thank you!

[mama bear]

Despair?

Hey Peeps..
just wanted to lend my support
I have been here over a year and have not beaten the beast yet.......but I am better and have longer stretched of AF days...adn the support you will find here is amazing
It's not a contest and just being here means you are trying
love and strength to all of you (and me :-) )

[KundaliniGirl]

Despair?

DLSUM;1065138 wrote: One friend told me that moderation is the best path to abstinence. That is, cut back, and cut back some more, then cut back to zero. That way (he said) you feel in control. Anyone else find this works?

Good luck to those of you who posted above. I got to 18, slipped up, and am back at 9. But I look at it this way - that's 27 days out of 40 with nothing! Try to be positive (I know, easier said than done).

DL - I like this advice too. I originally went 2.5 months AF and now am moderating. I'm finding, though, that I'm electing to be AF most of the time because I feel so much better when I don't drink. It may be that I just gradually give up drinking in a natural way. Or, of course, I could work myself back into having a problem. I am vigilant, though, and so far am stopping myself when I feel I'm in danger of drinking too much. Being AF is pretty wonderful -- hard to argue that for sure!

KG

[Meech]

Despair?

Can a binge drinker ever learn to moderate? for me it's binge or forget it. So I am really trying to just avoid AL altogether. there has been very, very few times in my life when I start drinking that I want to stop after a couple. Once the buzz hits I just want to keep it going. Dangerous poison it is.

We are all different though. Good luck.

[mama bear]

Despair?

Meech..
I, for one, have to stay away from it completely. After that first drink, I am doomed to drink till I fall asleep.....12 beers later
the next day is a screaming tirade from my husband and a hangover...it's just not worth it

[mauritiusdodo]

Despair?

I am back again and feeling the despair worse than ever why oh why can't I just do this? I am so sick of myself it is unbelievable :upset:

[coalfire]

Despair?

I cant moderate and it wasnt for lack of trying. Once I introduce alcohol into my system this mega craving response ignites in my body which overrides anything else. I have christened it my oliver twist response.-

"please sir. I want some more"

[coalfire]

Despair?

Hi Mauritiousdodo. Have you thought about adding some meds into the picture?