Newbie Q's

[pussycat]

So, day three of cutting back and it's not going that well..
Why is thirty days of abstinence recommended before trying moderation? And, if a person sruggles with cutting back then how the heck do they abstain. Do you have side effects? I drink 3-5 glasses of wine 7 days a week..
Again, what were your baby steps in going alcohol free?
Thanks for all the support that I am getting on this site, I can't believe how great this community is!
Pussycat.

[Mackeral]

Newbie Q's

Hiya Pussycat,

I'll have a go at answering your question...When i joined this forum i was already 7 weeks without drinking...So this might not be the correct way to do it but it workrd for me..

I started with steadily reducing my alcahol intake each week.
At first i was on the strong larger or cider..Between 7 and 9 % strength...So my first step was to cut that out and start on the normal strength...I was on about 10 cans a night...then the next week i cut down to 8 then 6the week after...by the time i got down to 4 it wasnt really effecting me so i cut it out all together after that.....Its not an easy thing to do but neither was just stopping dead for me.

Like i said..I'm proberly not the best person to ask....I'm sure lots of others here will be more helpful.

[tkgcan]

Newbie Q's

I am glad I found this site.

:new: I started social drinking in my twenties. I never had a problem with putting alcohol down. After a 16 year marriage that ended I still did well. I married a psychologist and I am very happy except for the fact that I need wine on the weekend just to survive. My "psychologist husband" recommended I go three months without drinking. I have been drink free for three weeks. It has only bothered me a couple of days mainly on Saturdays. Yesterday and today have by far been the hardest....HELLISH......it's strange because it is the middle of the week. Today I feel defiant, I feel that if I want a damn glass of wine I am an adult and I can do what I want too!!!!!! Any suggestions. I really can't go for treatment because of my husbands status and because of the line of work I am in. I live in a small town that everybody knows everyone, as a matter fact it's so bad that if I forget what I am doing I can just ask someone and they can tell me!!!!!!

[gabby]

Newbie Q's

cutting back didnt work for me. I just hadda quit. So topa and determination was the deal for me. I was drinkin 6-10 beers a night. (owie, cringe to think about it)
I knew I needed 30 days of abs just to break the pattern or habit. So I did that. And then never starated back up again. Its been almost 5 months.
The answer to your question is I guess........ya just gotta be ready to do it. And then just do it.

[gabby]

Newbie Q's

tkgcan....get topa.

[YoungAtHeart]

Newbie Q's

Hi Pussycat

Thirty days of abstinence is recommended so that you can break the habits that you have formed over the years of drinking. If you can do 30 days of abs, then you can try moderation, but many people have a hard time doing those 30 days. Cutting down before stopping can work for some, but like Macks said, if you are going to cut down, it isn't easy. I know that I might be able to "cut down" for a few days, but then I'd be right back up again!

The supplements and the topa really help, if you are willing to try them. The kudzu and l-glutamine in particular are really helpful in reducing cravings. If you can take topa, once you have titrated up a bit, you will find that you will need to drink less, unless you keep drinking out of habit. When you reach a good dose for you, you should be able to do the 30 days of abstinence required to moderate, if that is your goal.

If you haven't downloaded the book, I recommend that you do so. It is full of information. RJ, who wrote the book and founded this site, wasn't able to do 30 days of abstinence either before she did her research on topamax and all the supplements and developed this program. It has been a lifesaver for many of us.

All the best, Pussycat, and :welcome: !!!

tkgcan, I would suggest that you post on Just Starting Out. It isn't clear to me whether you think you have a problem or your "psychologist husband" thinks you do. What is it about the weekends that bothers you and makes you want to drink when the weekdays are usually okay? You sound like you feel forced into this against your will.

I hope that you will post on Getting Started, because I think you will get a lot more responses there.:welcome:

Hugs and Welcome!
Kathy:l