30 Days AF Monthly Moderation

[Ask For Help]

30 Days AF Monthly Moderation

Hi Eve and all:
Long time since I've posted on here, and wanted to say "hi". I have not been moderating well, but remember how proud/healthy/Great I felt when I was, so I'm back here on the boards to get back on track. I have read Dr. Amnesians book on Baclofen and am thinking of trying that. Also talked to a psychiatrist who is trying to help me address my depression and "self medication" with alcohol. So glad to "be out of the closet" and asking for help and getting it!!

I will be checking in! Eve, you do an amazing job of encouraging on this thread.
Fondly,
Ask

[Eve11]

30 Days AF Monthly Moderation

Ask For Help;1464450 wrote:
I will be checking in! Eve, you do an amazing job of encouraging on this thread.
Ask

Ask,
Thank you for the compliment. Glad you are back with us. I find the support so helpful yet there are times that I don't post for a long time either. Hang with us and we'll keep each other strong.

:l
Eve11

[kuya]

30 Days AF Monthly Moderation

Hi Eve,

We haven't chatted for a while, saw you post so just wanted to say hi

[PaisleyG]

30 Days AF Monthly Moderation

And hi Eve11, Kuya gave me the tip to look you up. Not sure i can do a 30 day abstinence now but reckon I am not too far away fro having a crack. I love this forum. So many friendly people on the same path. Not alone in my quest anymore.

[Sunbeam]

30 Days AF Monthly Moderation

Ask For Help, Hi!
I'm still around, got tired of the struggle and went AF. Each of us needs to find their own path.

Take care, good to hear from you.

[Stewarts]

30 Days AF Monthly Moderation

I haven't had any alcohol for 12 days, I think, I gave it up for lent. Last night I was at a bar wAtchnig the rangers game, did not drink. My friend and my wife came in to hang, they were drinking, he was POUNDING, I actually though of having a beer or two, but I didn't, and we were even out very late.

Today with an ex gf, she went from a mimosa to a beer, I said I'd have a few sips of, and I didn't. Why bringing up all this and here? My buddy and his wife reminded me lent is 40 days. Honestly, I want planning on abstaining for that long, just for a cleanse I'm my second week into (and that will probably be the close of that).

I've had no alcohol desire, even in times, I'd have at least a glass of something. Oh, I was amazed how much fun it was being out that late stone sober in a bar....so thirty, lets see if I can make 40 :0

[Jagman]

30 Days AF Monthly Moderation

STARTING OUT

I'm off work today as I felt so grim this morning and was probably over the limit to drive.
I gave up once before for a month (this May) but have been hitting it really hard since.
This is day 1, I REALLY WANT TO DO THIS, here goes.:new:

[Stewarts]

30 Days AF Monthly Moderation

One day at a time

Jagman;1469552 wrote: I'm off work today as I felt so grim this morning and was probably over the limit to drive.
I gave up once before for a month (this May) but have been hitting it really hard since.
This is day 1, I REALLY WANT TO DO THIS, here goes.:new:

Title says it all.

[ljeanner]

30 Days AF Monthly Moderation

On day 3 of a 30 day AF. Easier part for me since I am still coming of a bad night of drinking. The devil is in the 7th or 8th day when the binge drinker wants to go out and play (and if I just remember that it really is NOT play at all than that will help keep me sipping tea).

[Stewarts]

30 Days AF Monthly Moderation

I can't believe I'm on day 17 and actually enjoying it...

[Eve11]

30 Days AF Monthly Moderation

Bumping this one up for our newbies. How are you doing ljeanner and Stewarts since your last posts? Just remember all:

We are each an angel with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing each other.
~Anonymous

Let's just keep coming here to lean on each other. I think it's a great plan!

:l
Eve11

[freethinker]

30 Days AF Monthly Moderation

I'm actually on day 3 of AF. Since I just laid out a plan to moderate ( Fri & Sat, 2 or 3 drinks each evening) I wasn't sure whether to jump in here or not. What the heck? Let's see how it goes. I've been doing pretty well mentally. Might just challenge myself a little more than I thought. Even if I go 10, or 15, or 20 days I suppose it would be building toward better overall health anyway.

Our minds love to play little games with us. I really like the idea of staying calm and relaxed normally and letting it (my mind) know who's in charge. We'll see....

[eiti]

30 Days AF Monthly Moderation

I too am alone quite often, when 5:30 hits it is a real challenge,more times than not I can't make it.
Since I am new to this, I am unaware of the CD you mentioned. I would like to try it.How and where do i purchase the CD?I so want to start the monthly abstinence.

[Stewarts]

30 Days AF Monthly Moderation

I'm doing fine...thanks for asking... :-)

[Blossoms]

30 Days AF Monthly Moderation

Eve11;1445178 wrote: New Day,

It may sound like I'm raining on the parade of moderators but for me personally, if you choose to moderate after your 30 days AF time then I think you may find it to be difficult about not stressing about how you're going to get that next drink, etc. as those who find this site have alcohol problems, and those who choose to moderate still have alcohol problems. They never allow themselves to get past the craving phase because they keep reintroducing alcohol back into their lives. So, many fight the battle almost everytime they drink of trying to curtail their drinking, restrain their drinking, making choices of not drinking too much by counting drinks and yes, worrying about how fast that one drink went down and "now I'm on two and I want to be through but that last one went down too quickly!." Fret, fret, worry, worry.

I have chosen moderation but restraining my drinking continues to be work for me. Sometimes I'm lucky and don't crave more than the 2 I allow myself. Other times I fret, plan, worry, etc. about how to NOT have that 3rd one and definitely not a fourth and it becomes a stressful event and not a relaxed evening like you described that you just had being AF. Trouble for me is I never know when I will be lucky and I when I won't be so moderation for me usually takes effort and a lot of work. Sometimes I'm lucky and feel like a normal drinker... have two, sometimes even only one and feel satisified. Just never know what I'm going to get once I start.

One has to determine for themselves if it's worth it. Maybe like D did, you'll hit the magic number and think "Hey this AF lifestyle is kind of nice" and keep going one more day. That's not a bad choice either.

:l
Eve11

I just wanted to say how incredibly helpful this was for me. I wasn't sure what I was/am planning to do - but knew my drinking was building up and it was a problem.
I've changed my mind a couple of times about what I intended to do - first cut down, then go for a week and cut down, then I found this thread and read about the 30 days and decided to do that. I am now on 22 days. I don't know what I will do after my 30 days, whether I will try to moderate or stay completely AF.

I don't want to feel like a failure if I drink after being AF if I choose to drink, but I don't know if moderation is the way to go either.
I know that I drank much less after I was AF due to pregnancy..... But that did eventually creep back up again.