How to tell if one can or cannot moderate

[Saint Jude]

How to tell if one can or cannot moderate

Chrysa,
You might have something there ... I'm part Irish, and not very big. But I can drink my Hubby under the table ....
Not that I'm bragging, but it amazes me how he can have a few beers, and be obviously buzzed... (ready to lay down & call it a day)I can have tha same amount or more... and just carry on ...
It's like I get wired & he gets tired. Must be something to do with the genetics & chemistry.

He's ONLY a foot taller than me. Damn genetics anyway!...Geez

[me145]

How to tell if one can or cannot moderate

I agree with you trix on the sugar idea.. i hvae that problem too! not so much anymoe but my whole life. its like i used sugar and food at first to comfort myself, and then alcohol. now i dont have much of a sugar addiction. (maybe because it went to alcohol) I am tryin to moderate first with the supplements, ( began the kudzu and glutamine yesterday)so i will let everyone know if they worked for me, who in my mind seems the least likely to be able to moderate. if i can do it, those supplements must really work! i was also thinking about all the other more hardcore drugs they have for alcohlism.. maybe i need those if these supplements dont work... I havent looked into those yet though.. do you guys know alot about them?

[trixietrack]

How to tell if one can or cannot moderate

everyone's input is so honest .
i thought of adding something about genetics in there but didn't want to turn the thread into a racial thing.

chrysa that is interesting about being Irish. that 's what I was doing trying to keep up with my irish and german friends.
I am very mixed, but do have a lot of scandanavian blood. I also have native american in me and spanish.
i used to be able to drink a lot but for some reason always kept my consciousness . so I could tell when I was ready to go home and lay down.

FMS you sound like something I read a while back. it's called a situationist drinker.
someone who drinks heavily for a certain time to deal with trauma or stress, but can bounce back once the trauma is over.

for some the trauma is a lifetime thing so they are constantly trying to heal themselves with the bottle.

[chrysa]

How to tell if one can or cannot moderate

thanks everyone for your honesty

me145..I think many on this site have tried the prescribed drugs for alcoholism..there isin fact a whole forum dedicated to it..look on main menu..

from my observation over the past 2 years it is extremely unique & individual what works..so it is truly experimental...for instance I tried toopamax and simply could not handle it yet others love it...

others have tried baclofen, campral & the like...there is a wearlth of info here

to be honest Inever felt like the supps helped me..except melatonin & the herbal relaxers in the evening...probably all linked toour unique chemistrys & maybe genetics, etc.

[trixietrack]

How to tell if one can or cannot moderate

db2fromala;240148 wrote: Hippie,

Yes. I was there. Every night and morning. Blackout.

How sad, heh?

However, here I am. Sober as a judge and still silly as hell. I love it.

Cindi

cindi, I love reading your posts, you are one of the members who if you look from the start until now, you can really see a great improvement.
you are educating us.

Trix

[trixietrack]

How to tell if one can or cannot moderate

hippie37;240109 wrote: Interesting thread trix!

I believe that if you have an addictive personality then you are more likely not to be able to control your drinking and especially down to trying in any way to moderate. I believe this as I put myself in this category. As far as binging goes I used to class myself as a binge drinker as I didn't drink every day. When I did drink I always wanted more and the only time I didn't drink was when I was either physically unable to due to a previous binge or I was trying my hardest to impress the ex (although I was still sneaky and got a few cans down me throat!!). Binge drinking is a very serious problem with the youth over here in the UK and for all the warnings and so called government intervention we still have one of the highest rates in Europe as a binge drinking nation. Not something I am at all proud of.

I dread to think what our drinking habits will be in 10/15 years time in this country when my daughter starts to experiment.

Love and Happiness
Hippie
xx

very interesting hippie. We in NYC have very serious drinking problems, all age groups too.

[sad in beijing]

How to tell if one can or cannot moderate

me145;240530 wrote: I agree with you trix on the sugar idea.. i hvae that problem too! not so much anymoe but my whole life. its like i used sugar and food at first to comfort myself, and then alcohol. now i dont have much of a sugar addiction. (maybe because it went to alcohol)

Wow-this really hit a chord for me. I was hooked on sweets as a kid, and pretty chubby too (with all the unhappy body awareness that went with it). As a very selfconcious teenagerI started to use alcohol to overcome my social anxiety, and i guess it took the place of the sweets i was eating. Here I am at 30, still doing pretty much the same thing!
But now determined to stop drinking for at least 30 days, and then see if I am able to moderate. I'd like to think that it's possible..

[Beaches]

How to tell if one can or cannot moderate

From what is outlined in your first thread my future of moderating would appear to be bleak however I feel that I have gotten a pretty good handle on my drinking over the past year, certainly not perfect yet, but a work in progress.

I haven't caused my family any hurt however have caused myself some (in the form of bruises)
I come from a full line of drinkers in my family
I take medication for anxiety and depression
I haven't binged in awhile but certainly have done that
I don't take very good care of myself, I am starting to eat better but I need to exercise
There is a mix. Most of my friends are drinkers, some co-workers are

The sugar piece is fascinating to me as well.

[Fran15]

How to tell if one can or cannot moderate

I don't think I can moderate without topomax. Once I start there's a little devil in my head that takes over all rationale until the world goes black.

[sad in beijing]

How to tell if one can or cannot moderate

So - do people use topamax indefinitly then?

[Justin Time]

How to tell if one can or cannot moderate

Trixietrack,

Great thread. Here are my beliefs based on my experiences.

Topamax and the MWO program are a big help if the goal is moderation and you are climbing out of the hell of self-abusive drinking.

Genetics may play a role, (weaker/stronger constitutions etc.) but we all have a line which we can learn to stay on the non-staggering side of if we choose.

Eating healthy and exercising are good for anyone- moderator or AF'ers.

It is probably easier if friends and family aren't heavy drinkers but ultimately that is only an excuse. (I have noticed I am hanging out less with the friends whose main goal is getting trashed.)

My bottom line is this: "Have you faced your fears and dealt with your emotions?" In my experience heavy drinking is primarily self-medicating and that is ultimately tied to your feeling about who you are- deep down. If you can get in touch with that, you will soon come to the realization of your indescribable worth and the destructive behavior ceases.

Of course, all of these experiences we are sharing are just things we are telling ourselves as we try to make sense of this crazy, wonderful journey through life. It isn't about any hard fast reality.

Namaste.