Abstainers, please give me tips!!!

[lushy]

I am venturing into absville for the week, my first time ever since being pregnant 8 years ago. My biggest, hugest fear is what the hell to do with my time during the night when I normally sit down with my glass or three of wine......any of you please tell me how you get through the evenings, what you are drinking instead, etc. Any help would be appreciated. I know I CAN do it, but am worried I will be a bitchy, irritable mess. Thanks for any help!!!

[YoungAtHeart]

Abstainers, please give me tips!!!

What to Drink

I like to drink lite cranberry juice mixed with diet ginger ale. I also make iced green tea (celestial seasonings makes some great flavored green tea). Also, I keep on hand sugar-free mints or other "mouth toys", so that I can have something in my mouth if I want without increasing my calorie intake.

As far as what to do, if you like any kind of craft, starting a new project would be a great thing to do to keep your hands busy. Also going for a walk or doing some other form of exercise is a good thing. Changing your routine is a great way to start changing your drinking habits!

Good luck to you!
Kathy

[lushy]

Abstainers, please give me tips!!!

Thanks

I like the idea of the candy or mints. Like a smoker, it is such a habit to have that glass in hand. Thanks for the tips!!

[Ivygoodluck]

Abstainers, please give me tips!!!

I took up knitting and that helped for a while. If I can get through till 8 p.m., I can usually be abs for that day. The trick is, getting through! I don't make it a lot, but when I do it's because I DO SOMETHING. Anything. It doesn't help me to sit and drink a non-alcoholic drink because that is still sitting and drinking, so my brain says, "I want wine." But if I get interested in doing something, it forgets.

Good luck! We all need it.

Ivy

[LeeB]

Abstainers, please give me tips!!!

Hi

Hi, I know this is posted very late but I just saw your note. We just got back home after 3 1/2 weeks in the NorthWest (we live in FL). I don't know if you are married or not. We used to drink together with hors derves and cocktails or wine and cheese and crackers- always-- fruit or something before dinner-- of course, for years when we drank heavily - the cocktail hour extended longer and longer- but that changed and became reasonable with changing to wine and chese ---- but not drinking at all - you can still have iced tea as we do in FL. --------- or just eat at a more reasonable hour. I did take up knitting ( something I had not done for 35 years) to keep my hands busy and it worked! So far. I am an Artist so that helps too . Crossword puzzles or something other than TV to keep your mind avtive and not thinking and hands busy, not just reading. Maybe Sudoku,games,puzzles,painting anything who knows, try anything, its worth it not to be drinking and getting sick!!! Lee

[lushy]

Abstainers, please give me tips!!!

Thanks Lee. I think this might be time to get back to learning the guitar and/or piano again, something I am usually too buzzed to want to attempt at night. My husband does not drink which is a good thing for me. I could never attempt even thinking about quitting if he drank along with me. Problem is he works nights so I have plenty of time on my hands but with school starting for my daughter I will also start trying to go to bed early and I totally agree about eating dinner at a reasonable hour. I have been known to put it off and off because I am enjoying my wine so much (with cheese of course). Where in the NW did you visit? You must have had nice weather, no? I live in Seattle.........

[GratefulEm]

Abstainers, please give me tips!!!

Love the NorthWest

Hi Lush - I absolutely fell in love with the NW. My daughter lives in Portland and I fly out to visit every chance I get - from one coast to the other. If someone told me I couldn't live on Cape Cod and had to move, I'd pick the NW. I haven't made it up to Seattle yet, but it's on my wish list. Have been out to the coast and to Bend, Oregon, lots of hiking including Ranier and Helens. I feel like part of me is always out there. Just awesome.
But anways.....4:00 to 8:00 are the witchy hours. My psychiatrist asked me what the hardest part of this program would be and I said finding something to do from 4 to 8 so I wouldn't drink. IF I'm able it helps to have a dinner prepared earlier or pick something up, stay out of the house for awhile. I agree, if you can make it to 8, you're home free. It's really hard. You have to do some behavioral therapy and break all the old associations. I think it's kind of universal that these are very hard hours for humans. This might even make a great new thread for you to start! Em

[lushy]

Abstainers, please give me tips!!!

Cape Cod sounds like a wonderful place to be living as well. The witching hour is almost upon me and I would really like a glass of wine but am going to not do it. I am going to go run some errands, take more l-glut and hope the urge passes. Ugh. This is such a bitch.......Are you abstaining, Em? How long?

[GratefulEm]

Abstainers, please give me tips!!!

Day One

Hi lush - I'm beginning today. I think a period of abstinence may be a good thing for me. Found out I absolutely can't have white wine in the house because I love the taste of chardonnay too much and it's just too easy to rationalize my way up to 4 or so glasses. That's not where I want to be. So, it's Tuesday, school (I'm a teacher) starts tomorrow and it's just a good time to be ab.
I'll let you know how I do with the witching hours. It's very, very hard because our energy level is so low.
I thought of sauntering around T.J. Maxx, but then shopping is something I'm trying to outdistance too. Maybe I'll walk to the beach with my dog, doubt I'll have the get up and go to run. Can't sit at the computer
as that has too much association with a glass of my favorite. I am going to try the cranberry juice and gingerale in my favorite wine glass. This old brain is going to have to get retrained somehow, someway.
Em.

[LeeB]

Abstainers, please give me tips!!!

Hi

Well, I started and then the storm came and off I went. We are in Punta Gorda, Fl. Just escaped "Ernesto" Had to put our shutters back up and batten down the boat though, you never know about these things! Yes, We had marvelous weather in Newberg, Oregon. My son and family live there. We flew to Seatlle, went up to Sequim to look at some Real Estate, then down to Newberg, OR to see our son and family, then to Vancouver, WA to see Paul's brother then flew home to HOT, HUMID FL and a hurricane approaching. We lived in Bellingham, WA in 1990 for a year on a temp. transfer with IBM and just loved the NorthWest. My son came out for a visit, went back to NC, quit his job and moved out and stayed out there while we moved back to the East Coast. Now we have grand kids on both coasts:upset: :upset: :upset:

I would have told you take up the guitar or piano but when I played them I drank -- I sounded much better!! To myself of course. I'm still just plodding along with the program. I feel very comfortable with it. My husband's brother is a fairly heavy drinker and his wife drinks and we have always had drinks with them before but we didn't this time and they didn't mind and I was very comfortable -- I really didn't want anything-- absolutely had no desire whatsoever and Gene and I used to really tie one on alll the time --- we all did - it was amazing. We all had a good time though Laughed a played a lot. Gene, actually still drank, but his wife justa few months ago had a slight heart attack so she was taking it easy anyway. But it was fine. And my husband just doesn't feel like drinking, He says he is just tired of it. He is watching his weight although, he is just right weight wise he is in shape (looks good to me)!! It works for me,the program, mean, I like it!! Good Luck!! Lee