Slinky 5 or 6 a day which this level of stress is really good it's really well restrained. Don't be too hard on yourself. Take it slowly. You can do it.
You're doing amazing Slinky! Well done! Its not an easy habit to kick and a dramatic cut down is excellent. Keep at it and don't frett you still have a few. You are no longer a full blown smoker you are an occasional smoker and that's pretty darn fantastic 😘
Don't put pressure on yourself Slinky😊 you will do it when your ready. At present you have enough to cope with 😘 xx
As the others have said do it when your ready. If you try and quit when your not ready , the likelhood is that it wont be successful .
I think the most precarious addictive situation I've been in was on prescription opiates. I still take them now, but at a very reduced rate. There was a time a few years ago where if I didn't take them four times a day I'd feel incredibly sick and tired. Now they're very infrequent - about once a week.
For me it was a matter of will; I started swimming, walking and doing anything to take my mind off of the temporary high. I had no idea I was addicted for the longest time. Thankfully the quitting was easy once I'd overcome the first week of withdrawls. I asked a friend to hide them and shut myself away and took 2 weeks of 'sick leave'. I also immersed myself in as many series as I could watch in a day.
Anyone in a similar situation, just go for it. Addiction is a bitch. Treat it like one and kick it to the curb.
I feel blessed to have dodged substances... just popping in to send positive vibes to those of you struggling and overcoming.
(virtual hugs)
I definitely need to be in this thread. Four years ago I was alcohol dependent (had to have a medical detox, went to rehab etc) then was sober for a year and a half. I've been on and off the wagon multiple times but for the majority of the last couple of years I've been attempted moderation, badly. I can occasionally just have a few pints but the majority of the time I drink like I'm trying to kill myself and, to be honest, I'm surprised I haven't. I don't want to stop drinking but I can't continue like I have been. I'm screwing up my life (again) and my body is covered in bruises so why can't I do the sensible thing and put the bottle down?
I really have no idea how to drink moderately. Anyone have any strategies that help? I've tried just taking enough money out for a couple but when I run out of money other people buy me drinks (either friends or strangers). I'm attempting to instigate a financial reward programme. £1 for every sober day and £10 for every time I go out and only have up to 10 units (the idea is to reward moderation since that's way harder for me than being sober), but last night that did not work at all.
Alcohol is a difficult demon Friday13, it always has a way of luring you back in. I have a few tips that may help you drink in moderation when you are out. Personally I have never had difficulties with alcohol but most of my family have at one point or another.
Try having one alcoholic followed by a non alcoholic drink, if you find you really ate knocking them back try one alcoholic to 2 non alcoholic.
Try and nurse your drink, keep it for a minimum of 30 minutes before another. Its amazing how fast we can knock back shots, beers and spirits yet struggle when it comes to 8 glasses of water a day.
If it is the taste of certain drinks you crave there are low alcohol and alcohol free versions that can help.
If you feel like you are depending on alcohol more contact your Doctor immediately.
^Thanks for your suggestions. I sometimes forget you can buy non-alcoholic drinks in pubs 😂 I will try out the time limit idea too.
I just got a new job that I really want to do well at. I cannot be hungover because it isn't fair on the patients if I'm not on the ball and it's also dangerous. I'm hoping that can help keep me motivated.
Good luck in your new job Friday13.
I agree with Rosycheek alternating your drinks really does help cut your alcohol intake down. I very often do that when I'm out socialising. I have 1 alcohol and then 1 water and it helps to stop a hangover 😊
^Thanks 😊 I'll probably test the alternating out this evening (if I don't fall asleep before I'm meant to go out).
Hey Friday, sorry your struggling with the bevy.
Have you thought about 'stay sober for October'? I'm doing it for the charity reason, but if it's for you it's a very good cause to log progress etc and nothing is more motivational than a good cause.
Some great ideas suggested. Also adding less alcohol and more say cola to the drink?
All the best hunni 💟xx
Friday may I ask what you normally drink?
If you have short drinks, try to switch to pints, believe me you can't drink as many pints as short drinks. Also try lower alcohol by %. So for example carlsberg or fosters rather than Stella or peroni.
Dont have energy drinks as mixers they allow you to drink more.
Tell your friends that your trying to drink less, and ask for their help/support, you don't need to give them the full details if your not ready for that.
Try dancing when your out rather than drinking.
Dont buy drinks in rounds as you will drink to the pace of the fastest person.
I had a friend at uni who was in a similar problem and when he went out he always had a friend to take him home. He also had a pre determined number of drinks he was allowed each night/ time he went out. He had a pen and marked a line on his arm for each drink he was allowed, and the bar staff would cross off the line when they served him a drink. Once all the lines were crossed off he had to go home. His friend would take him home.
It sounds a bit silly but it worked for him, he still goes out with lines on his left arm now, but only 5, he can have as many soft drinks as he likes, but only 5 alcoholic ones.
I apologise if I sound patronising that is not my intention, I just want to provide practical suggestions.
Let us know how you get on. We are routing for you.
Fun Louise is right about the pints. I'm a lager drinker mainly for that reason. With a strong family history of alcohol abuse I decided to drink pints as I cant manage too many. Of course in my younger years I would see how fast I could drink them but I still couldn't drink too many. I have an occasional rum, single measure in a pint glass with a can of coke.
I hope it all goes well and good luck of the new job. Of you need anything be it a bit of support, a pat on the back or a shoulder just shout REALLY LOUD on here. 😘
Good advise from Fun Louise.
Also you could try slipping say a Pepsi Max inbetween 2 of your alcoholic drinks so insterad of 3 aloholic drinks you will have drunk 2 alcoholic drinks and a Pepsi Max. I sometimes do this for a different reason to keep my calories down on my drinking .
Friday13 wrote:
I definitely need to be in this thread. Four years ago I was alcohol dependent (had to have a medical detox, went to rehab etc)
I used to work in drug and alcohol recovery so the first thing I'd like to say is well done and that I cannot praise you enough for the mental and physical courage it takes to go through detox and rehab. The general public really don't appreciate the degree of physical and emotional suffering involved and I can't express highly enough how much respect I have for anyone who finishes their program and comes out alcohol-free.
The second thing is that unfortunately it's not always possible to go back to controlled drinking after having had a physical dependency on alcohol. Your blog shows that you are highly reflective and intelligent, and I imagine you have probably read widely on the subject so I won't try to lecture you about the reasons why. I would just say that anecdotally very few people manage it. It can be extremely hard, emotionally apart from anything else, to accept that you might need to give up something you enjoy so much.
If you are really sure that you want to try controlled drinking then the next best strategies are extremely firm boundaries and the backing of trustworthy people. Make it as hard for yourself as possible to step over the line you've imposed - leave your purse at home, get a friend or relative you trust to keep your cards and car keys at their house when you go out, book your taxis in advance, things like that. If you tend to want to drink at home instead then find other things you enjoy to fill your time so that it becomes a choice to stay home and drink. Take up a class, join the gym, get into an online game, whatever it may be. I notice you like psychoanalysis so maybe think about whether you'd rather spend the money on weekly analysis or counselling instead? It can take a long time to 'click' but when it does, it makes a huge difference.
Sorry if that sounds terribly worthy and boring, and wish you all the best!
Slinky binky: Thanks for the support. I'm not going sober for October but a couple of my wider circle of friends are and a few close friends are using the month to kick start cutting down. Sober October is what made me come up with my financial reward plan and I'm hoping if my heavy drinking friends and I can cut down for the month we might be able to continue.
How are you getting on with cutting down smoking?
Fun Louise: I usually drink pints of cider or lager. That does help slow down getting drunk but it's frightening how much liquid you can drink when it's alcohol. I took your advice and went for fruit cider which is a lower percentage. It definitely helped, along with turning up only 2 hours until closing, and I only had two and a quarter pints (the quarter was half an absolutely disgusting cider).
I drink to handle anxiety and self-consciousness a lot of the time so dancing sober is not an option.
Your uni friend's idea is an interesting one but I wouldn't want to put that kind of responsibility on my friend. I'm an adult and I believe I have to take full responsibility for myself. How rubbish would it be if my friend wanted to stay but had to take me home? Plus, if I really wanted to drink I would just refuse to leave.
You are not patronising at all. I appreciate your support.
RosyCheek: Ugh, I remember speed drinking pints (usually through a straw with only one breath to win another pint....). Why were we so stupid?! Now the only time I speed drink is when the pub is closing.
Mysteron: Here a pink of Pepsi is pretty much the same price as a pint of beer. Is it the same where you live? I find it so hard to justify spending that much on syrup and water. Most places either have jugs of water or are happy to give you a glass though so I have no excuses for not alternating.
Fraction: Thank you for your thoughts and suggestions. Firstly, I just want to apologise on behalf of alcoholics and addicts everywhere. We must be one of the hardest client groups to work with even if a lot of us are half decent once we clean ourselves up. I salute you for having worked in drug and alcohol services! Detox was heartbreaking. Rehab was way calmer but some people couldn't hack it. I often wonder how everyone is doing. I'm sad to say I doubt many people are still sober but I hope a few are or at least not suffering as much because of drink.
I have been told multiple times that once alcohol dependent, moderation is unlikely to be achievable but I still try. I guess I just feel too young to write myself off. I made it a rule after leaving rehab that I wouldn't drink at home. I now do but only if I am having friends round and then any left over gets poured down the sink. If I'm drinking at home alone it's a really bad sign.
I had seven years of psychoanalytic psychotherapy on the NHS and about six months of existential therapy I paid for last year. It is amazingly helpful and I don't even want to think about where I would be now had I not been given the opportunity for long term psychotherapy on the NHS. I'm happy to have a break from therapy at the moment so I will be buying beautiful latex clothing with the money I save 😄
Friday13 wrote:
RosyCheek: Ugh, I remember speed drinking pints (usually through a straw with only one breath to win another pint....). Why were we so stupid?! Now the only time I speed drink is when the pub is closing.
Mysteron: Here a pink of Pepsi is pretty much the same price as a pint of beer. Is it the same where you live? I find it so hard to justify spending that much on syrup and water. Most places either have jugs of water or are happy to give you a glass though so I have no excuses for not alternating.
Fraction: Thank you for your thoughts and suggestions. Firstly, I just want to apologise on behalf of alcoholics and addicts everywhere. We must be one of the hardest client groups to work with even if a lot of us are half decent once we clean ourselves up. I salute you for having worked in drug and alcohol services! Detox was heartbreaking. Rehab was way calmer but some people couldn't hack it. I often wonder how everyone is doing. I'm sad to say I doubt many people are still sober but I hope a few are or at least not suffering as much because of drink.
I have been told multiple times that once alcohol dependent, moderation is unlikely to be achievable but I still try. I guess I just feel too young to write myself off. I made it a rule after leaving rehab that I wouldn't drink at home. I now do but only if I am having friends round and then any left over gets poured down the sink. If I'm drinking at home alone it's a really bad sign.
I had seven years of psychoanalytic psychotherapy on the NHS and about six months of existential therapy I paid for last year. It is amazingly helpful and I don't even want to think about where I would be now had I not been given the opportunity for long term psychotherapy on the NHS. I'm happy to have a break from therapy at the moment so I will be buying beautiful latex clothing with the money I save 😄
Its slightly cheaper Pint Pepsi Max served with Lime and Ice £1.99
Pint of Real Ale Eg Moorhouses Blonde Witch £2.19
OK you could argue its just syrup and water
But Beer is just water malt and hops .
Pespsi for almost £2?! Wow, I'm glad we live rurally. Its £2 a pint of lager here, £1.15 a pint of soft drink.
How did you get on the other night Friday13? Did you manage to moderate your drinks?