Haven't touched a drop in...

29-06-2019 12:47pm

Schwanz wrote:

How's life for ya bud?

Day 3. Still hanging in there. Let's get through today

Schwanz · 29-06-2019 1:17pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Day 3. Still hanging in there. Let's get through today

Good for fcuking you.

Do it all for yourself and those around you will benefit from it so much.

I'm 2 weeks off it & I'm enjoying things I haven't in years.

Too much alcohol just blocks out the good times.

Spencer Winterbotham · 30-06-2019 3:10pm

6 years

2018na · 01-07-2019 2:51pm

Day one for me,actually looking forward to it 1/7/19

27-07-2019 9:35am

Decided to kick the drink to the curb again, find I am depressed for a week after it

Off it now 6 weeks, its definitely the first 3-4 weeks are the hardest, between week 3 and 4 you def get the itch and think you can only go for a few, never works out that way though

Going to aim to not go back on it so have set a 6 month milestone first which will get me close to xmas, then take it from there

Sigma Force · 01-08-2019 1:08am

I know there's loads of helpful YouTube videos but this struck a chord. https://youtu.be/qXKPSTjl-Ho just watching the video is an insight

xzanti · 03-08-2019 6:00pm

2 years and 8 months. Got to 2.5 years the last time.

Went back to old habits in 2015. Wasn't long remembering why I'd quit in the first place.

Best of luck to you all.

Amazingfun · 04-08-2019 10:45pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Decided to kick the drink to the curb again, find I am depressed for a week after it

Off it now 6 weeks, its definitely the first 3-4 weeks are the hardest, between week 3 and 4 you def get the itch and think you can only go for a few, never works out that way though

Going to aim to not go back on it so have set a 6 month milestone first which will get me close to xmas, then take it from there

I recall some of your previous postings and am glad you are back.
However, might be helpful to consider you were having "alcohol free" drinks last time, and although you may not quite believe it, that may have kicked off a "phenomenon of craving" some of us deal with ,once we start to drink any alcohol at all.

I suggest a read of this, see if any of it resonates. Although written in the 30's it's incredible how accurate it remains to this day.

http://silkworth.net/gsowatch/litbook.pdf

sportsfan90 · 04-08-2019 10:59pm

10 weeks now for me

I never had any dependency on alcohol and could always easily stay away from it, but an unrelated health scare in the past year has changed my attitude somewhat.

I had a few drinks in May on my holidays and will again when my friends come home from abroad next month, but I've given up having a beer at home watching a match or going for pints on a saturday night because that's what you're supposed to do at my age - and I must say I don't miss it at all. It's good to have the extra cash in my wallet too.

I'm just reading back through the thread - well done to all the awesome people here on your efforts and reaching your milestones.

juneg · 04-08-2019 11:21pm

16 odd years or so when I was expecting a bouncing baby boy. Now a grumpy teenager. Hoping he won't drink for a good while yet

Clever Username · 15-08-2019 2:42am

2 years, 257 days, 16 hours, 42 mins

tusk · 16-08-2019 10:08am

Clever Username wrote: »

2 years, 257 days, 16 hours, 42 mins

Fair play.

17-08-2019 8:33am

Amazingfun wrote: »

I recall some of your previous postings and am glad you are back.
However, might be helpful to consider you were having "alcohol free" drinks last time, and although you may not quite believe it, that may have kicked off a "phenomenon of craving" some of us deal with ,once we start to drink any alcohol at all.

I suggest a read of this, see if any of it resonates. Although written in the 30's it's incredible how accurate it remains to this day.

http://silkworth.net/gsowatch/litbook.pdf

Hi amazing fun

Thanks for the positive message, I have significantly changed my diet and embraced the low carb approach and surprisingly ever my biscuit cravings are gone lol

Well I am at 9 weeks now and not really thinking about it. Life is busy enough as it is

Amazingfun · 19-08-2019 4:49pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Hi amazing fun

Thanks for the positive message, I have significantly changed my diet and embraced the low carb approach and surprisingly ever my biscuit cravings are gone lol

Well I am at 9 weeks now and not really thinking about it. Life is busy enough as it is

If you read the Dr.'s Opinion and see where the "allergy theory" is posited, I have long thought that the current research citing insulin resistance (due in large measure to many of us ingesting too many carbs , too often) as playing a starring role in many modern chronic illnesses, is exactly what he was referring to---the " I take the drink, the drink takes me" effect that alcoholics know all too well. So bravo on the low-carb, many people forget alcohol is in fact a foodstuff, fermented sugar with a boatload of calories to boot!

In short, glad to hear yer back on the path, maybe consider too taking heed of those of us who have been badly mangled over the years, for sometimes just knowing this info is simply not enough. We tend to experience periods of forgetting the most incredible beatings from the bottle, only to find ourselves baffled as to why we tried it on yet AGAIN :eek:. After all these years sober I am still in awe at how many continue to die of this illness; there is a reason its described as ' cunning, baffling and powerful'.

Permanent freedom from active alcoholism is on offer to anyone who wants it, yet as with most things in life, we get out of it what we put into it.

TheRepentent · 21-08-2019 1:22pm

9 days:( Was on a bender for a couple of weeks before getting very sick , not able to keep food or liquid down for a week. Have to knock it on the head...its slowly killing me.

tinpib · 21-08-2019 3:18pm

Very sorry to hear that TheRepentent, how are you feeling now? Did you go to the doctor?

TheRepentent · 22-08-2019 6:40am

tinpib wrote: »

Very sorry to hear that TheRepentent, how are you feeling now? Did you go to the doctor?

Thanks tinpib..yeah and got some tablets for the nausea. Working nights for the next while so the weekend will be a test to see if I can stay off it.

drydub · 25-08-2019 8:15am

18 months for me today. Delighted.

Was out last night, drove, drank mi wadi and up bright and fresh this morning.
Not drinking is something important in my life now and always worth protecting.

I drop on here often to read up on how everyone is doing and it's a great sounding board.

I posted before this sober period and I can tell I was worried about my drinking but not strong enough to stop.

TheRepentent · 26-08-2019 1:40pm

ok so got through the weekend...wasn't easy(had to do food shopping and give cash cards to a friend who lives miles away). Spent it having argruments with myself. One day at a time. Not sleeping well and sweating buckets and pretty much every 2nd thought is about getting drink.

tinpib · 26-08-2019 2:13pm

Is this your first time giving up 'permanently'? Also I know the good angel/bad angel arguments all too well myself. Well done for getting through the weekend, it really is just one day, or even one hour, at a time.

eamor · 26-08-2019 11:47pm

I haven’t been here for a long time. I logged in today and found some of my old posts.
Like this one ‘

*Into day 8- Cannot quite believe it. I feel excited, scared, full of energy/knackered tired.... Weepy, happy, sad, giddy..... I have been hovering and lurking here for a long time, but your words have resonated with me... Thank you all... x*

Happy to report that I’m still sober and will be 3 years, please god in September. Xx

TheRepentent · 27-08-2019 7:28pm

tinpib wrote: »

Is this your first time giving up 'permanently'? Also I know the good angel/bad angel arguments all too well myself. Well done for getting through the weekend, it really is just one day, or even one hour, at a time.

Well its my first attempt that has lasted longer than 3 days.

And yeah its a pain rowing with myself over it...got the SMART book so reading through that now.

From reading this thread I know it can be done and even if I fall off the wagon I can also pick myself up and try again.

TheRepentent · 27-08-2019 7:36pm

eamor wrote: »

I haven’t been here for a long time. I logged in today and found some of my old posts.
Like this one ‘

*Into day 8- Cannot quite believe it. I feel excited, scared, full of energy/knackered tired.... Weepy, happy, sad, giddy..... I have been hovering and lurking here for a long time, but your words have resonated with me... Thank you all... x*

Happy to report that I’m still sober and will be 3 years, please god in September. Xx

Thanks for posting that Eamor.Best of luck

tinpib · 27-08-2019 7:46pm

TheRepentent wrote: »

Well its my first attempt that has lasted longer than 3 days.

And yeah its a pain rowing with myself over it...got the SMART book so reading through that now.

From reading this thread I know it can be done and even if I fall off the wagon I can also pick myself up and try again.

Persistence is key, this is my 4th time giving up 'permanently', 3.5 years now and fingers crossed I'll never go back. Have zero desire to, but it was a long road.

Ive posted in here off and on for years so my previous attempts are in here too.

You are changing the habit of a lifetime so often with me it was 2 steps forward one step back, but I was learning how to be sober through experience and time. Best of luck to you.

2018na · 28-08-2019 8:07pm

Haven’t had a drink since Saturday. Had a hard month of it sandwiched by two weddings. Already my mood has lifted and I’m gonna try for a really long spell. There’s no doubt alcohol is a serious depressant so my date is 25 08 2019. Find this thread really helps

Diablo Verde · 30-08-2019 11:25am

More or less 8 months now. It's the norm now, and I'm happy with that.

TheRepentent · 02-09-2019 8:36am

21 days now

squire1 · 02-09-2019 4:09pm

TheRepentent wrote: »

21 days now

21 days for me also today.
I became reliant on booze to help me through some difficult times and it took my partner to point out that i was making things worse rather than better by drinking. I didn't want to listen for a couple of months but I eventually decided something had to change.
Feel much better already. I didn't drink every day but would take to drinking neat spirits to make my mind go quiet.
I have decided that I wont drink again as my life is better without it.
Fingers crossed.

realdanbreen · 03-09-2019 10:00am

squire1 wrote: »

21 days for me also today.
I became reliant on booze to help me through some difficult times and it took my partner to point out that i was making things worse rather than better by drinking. I didn't want to listen for a couple of months but I eventually decided something had to change.
Feel much better already. I didn't drink every day but would take to drinking neat spirits to make my mind go quiet.
I have decided that I wont drink again as my life is better without it.
Fingers crossed.

Excellent. Your line 'I have decided that I wont drink again...' sums it up for me. I am fortunate in that I am off the drink for quite a while now and I appreciate that many are struggling trying to give it up as I did also but the bottom line is it comes down to making a decision and sticking to it.
If the booze is taking over then dump it end of story. Make that decision cause the kid I saw yesterday in a wheelchair doesn't have that option to make a decision that will change his life around.

Etc · 24-09-2019 9:54pm

I'm off it 38 days now and have been doing great, but for various reasons I have the house to myself for the next 4 days and I'm sitting here tonight fighting with myself about opening a bottle of white wine.

I've been keeping myself busy but I'm feeling very anxious. I'm aiming to go to bed soon hoping that I'll sleep and wake up and the craving will be gone.

This is the first bad craving I've had since I stopped.

realdanbreen · 25-09-2019 8:42am

Etc wrote: »

I'm off it 38 days now and have been doing great, but for various reasons I have the house to myself for the next 4 days and I'm sitting here tonight fighting with myself about opening a bottle of white wine.

I've been keeping myself busy but I'm feeling very anxious. I'm aiming to go to bed soon hoping that I'll sleep and wake up and the craving will be gone.

This is the first bad craving I've had since I stopped.

Hope you got through the night OK. Just remember that you don't deserve to have your life dominated by booze, you're better than that.

Etc · 25-09-2019 10:30am

realdanbreen wrote: »

Hope you got through the night OK. Just remember that you don't deserve to have your life dominated by booze, you're better than that.

I did get through it white wine free, but I was miserable all evening, miserable that I'd let myself get to that point when I've been really positive and happy with my progress over the last 5 weeks.

Thanks to you for your comment, it really means a lot. I know today will be better.

drydub · 25-09-2019 12:07pm

Etc wrote: »

I did get through it white wine free, but I was miserable all evening, miserable that I'd let myself get to that point when I've been really positive and happy with my progress over the last 5 weeks.

Thanks to you for your comment, it really means a lot. I know today will be better.

You need to formulate a plan. Have the void or gap filled with something else. Recognise whwn you will feel like this again and then put your plan in action.
Go for a walk
Go to the gym
Cinema
Friends

Put yourself in the best position to not drink. Drive yourself to distraction
You're doing great, keep it up

drydub · 25-09-2019 12:11pm

19 months today.
Alcohol aside I am in a good spot. I've gotten back to exercise and yoga. Using my time better to incorporate running and reflection.

I have been drinking more 0% beer than I had previously so I am acknowledging that and want to make a definite effort to kerb that as much as possible

Etc · 25-09-2019 1:17pm

drydub wrote: »

You need to formulate a plan. Have the void or gap filled with something else. Recognise whwn you will feel like this again and then put your plan in action.
Go for a walk
Go to the gym
Cinema
Friends

Put yourself in the best position to not drink. Drive yourself to distraction
You're doing great, keep it up

Thanks for replying, I've this evening mapped out already so I know that will help, and I feel better in myself I talked myself out of it last night. It's just reminding me not to be complacent.

realdanbreen · 25-09-2019 1:55pm

Etc wrote: »

I did get through it white wine free, but I was miserable all evening, miserable that I'd let myself get to that point when I've been really positive and happy with my progress over the last 5 weeks.

Thanks to you for your comment, it really means a lot. I know today will be better.

Of course you were miserable, and you will be sad and you will be happy and you will be romantic and you will be angry. In fact you will be all the things that we humans are from time to time but by jesus you won't be out of it pissed and wondering what did I do last night. You are making great progress fair play to you, just keep at it.

Etc · 25-09-2019 5:27pm

realdanbreen wrote: »

Of course you were miserable, and you will be sad and you will be happy and you will be romantic and you will be angry. In fact you will be all the things that we humans are from time to time but by jesus you won't be out of it pissed and wondering what did I do last night. You are making great progress fair play to you, just keep at it.

Thanks so much for taking the time to post, it's really helped.

tinpib · 25-09-2019 7:03pm

In my early stages I filled my time with the TV show Intervention (the ones on alcohol) watched docs on alcohol/alcoholism on Youtube and as always spent a lot of tiem on the the Stop Drinking subreddit.

https://www.reddit.com/r/stopdrinking/

Now watching/reading about the thing you want to avoid might be the last thing you want to do but it helped reinforce why I was stopping and confirming I was making the right decision even though it might be difficult at the time.

But you have to do what works for you and having a plan is very important as Drydub said and realdanbreen makes a good point as well is that you were just experiencing every day life in a way.

Glad you got another day sober under your belt.

Sandor Clegane · 26-09-2019 12:37am

Talking about documentaries this is the best one ive seen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwv7Utcf-gM&t=180s

It follows the story of four people going through the various stages of addiction and the damage that comes with it.

Its a pretty harrowing watch though, no frills, very bleak, very realistic.

angeleyes · 26-09-2019 11:21am

I'm on Day 26 - and it's going well. Started to go back doing Couch to 5K but not been as good as I should.

I also went out last weekend to a quiz night and wasn't tempted or bothered. I did have one Heineken zero. I do also enjoy Heineken Zero at home on weekend evenings. I put lots of diet 7 up into it.

I am giving myself an aim to be able to do a 5K run on St. Stephen's Day - our community has a 10K every year but I'm just aiming for 5. Good to have a goal.

Sigma Force · 29-09-2019 10:42pm

tinpib wrote: »

In my early stages I filled my time with the TV show Intervention (the ones on alcohol) watched docs on alcohol/alcoholism on Youtube and as always spent a lot of tiem on the the Stop Drinking subreddit.

https://www.reddit.com/r/stopdrinking/

Now watching/reading about the thing you want to avoid might be the last thing you want to do but it helped reinforce why I was stopping and confirming I was making the right decision even though it might be difficult at the time.

But you have to do what works for you and having a plan is very important as Drydub said and realdanbreen makes a good point as well is that you were just experiencing every day life in a way.

Glad you got another day sober under your belt.

I recently watched the first eoisode of intervention. It was good they showed the realities of addiction. But they never really got to the bottom of it, she obviously needed a lot more therapy etc. And wasn't ready to be out of rehab. I haven't watched the other episodes yet but hoping they show the realities of life after rehab, and not just some guy telling someone to go to rehab. They have to wantbto go, being forced or 'talked into it' doesn't work most of the time.

Furryglove · 29-09-2019 10:46pm

10 years since August, not a drop

Likeabossboss · 30-09-2019 6:06pm

38 years of age now. Been a pretty heavy drinker for the last seven years. Six to eight pints Most nights and then probably 12 pints on a Friday and Another 12 on a Saturday. Sunday I was usually so ****ed I spent the day in the bed with severe anxiety

I got into a bad rut and it was the anxiety The next day that was killing me and led me to drinking. Another issue was that all my friends were heavy drinkers luring me out. I was fair bad in work a lot of days and didn’t remember driving to work a lot of mornings. Yes stupid I know. Also a toxic family members were bringing me down.

I did go off it around two years ago for around five weeks and decided to go down to the pub to watch a arsenal match and ordered a lucozade. Sure what did my “friends” and bar man do? They lined pints in front of me even though they do knew I had a problem with alcohol due to my mental health. I hated myself the next day and the rut started again.

So decided to make a change. I had to get out of hometown. Went abroad, got a new job and now off it for the last three months, the first month I expierenced fatigue like I never had before, sleeping 11 hours a day but waking every two hours but Was back to normal after the first month.

My anxiety is down to about 20% of what it was while I was drinking and still working on this. It’s amazing what a change of environment can do to someone’s mental health. I don’t miss alcohol whatsoever but do need to stay away from the friends and family who caused me to drink but think I’ll leave it a year before I go to home to visit. I have been out with work colleagues and just have a coke or non alcoholic cocktail . Love my sober life and getting rid of people who just want me to suffer

Moving country was the best thing I ever did. If I do move home it will be well away from my home place.

I have put on a stone since I have given it up due to not eating properly from been sick and also just joined the gym two Weeks ago

Bassfish · 30-09-2019 7:30pm

Likeabossboss wrote: »

Wow fair play man. A friend of mine who is in recovery says staying Sober is 1% abstinence and 99% change. Can I ask did you just come off it cold turkey and then make changes or did you go to AA or whatever? Also how are you spending your evenings now, particularly the weekend evenings?

tinpib · 30-09-2019 7:45pm

Nice one. I got sober abroad too, it definitely helped, made things a lot easier. No explanations to anyone, no dreading weddings/christenings/Christmas/birthdays etc. I just did my own thing and let the days tick by.

Likeabossboss · 30-09-2019 9:15pm

Bassfish wrote: »

Wow fair play man. A friend of mine who is in recovery says staying Sober is 1% abstinence and 99% change. Can I ask did you just come off it cold turkey and then make changes or did you go to AA or whatever? Also how are you spending your evenings now, particularly the weekend evenings?

This is at Tinb as well can’t double quote on phone.

Went off it cold turkey. The only withdrawal I got was fatigue for a month, probably down to calories I was missing out on from beer. I don’t think I was drinking enough to get proper withdrawals Where people are drinking bottles of spirits daily or waking up and immediately drinking. Don’t think I was addicted enough to go to AA really.

I never drank on my own or anything like that. What happens me is I get such anxiety after drinking I can’t actually sit still and need to go for pints again. I would be counting down the minutes in work to get to the pub. Also the sickness would go away after two pints. I loved the craic as well of course drinking with people and my friends are great people but their main interest is boozing and nothing else, they dragged me down to their level.

My evenings now involve TV, Gaming ,gym and cooking great meals for myself. Weekends generally involve the same but drive to a nice location to do a 8-12KM walk.

Really having no one to answer to abroad and the temptation of friends hounding me to go for pints is a huge bonus in not drinking.

My Head is a great place lately and that’s because I had alcohol induced anxiety when drinking which is nearly gone. I can still go out with work colleagues and just order soft drinks or non alcoholic cocktails.

It’s amazing how easy you can get in a rut. If I ever do move back home it will be well away from my home place and not in a walking distance to a pub. You would think peer pressure would go away with age but I know my friends would drag me back into drinking. I think it makes them feel better about themselves when someone else is wasting their money on booze and doing the same thing they are so it doesn’t look as big of a deal of them drinking themselves away every day in the pub. They all work as well and some in very high paid jobs

SnrInfant · 18-10-2019 1:02pm

the evasion_kid wrote: »

Are you still on the selincro?

Can anyone recommend Selincro? After yet another relapse, I am going to my doctor today to ask for this.

SnrInfant · 18-10-2019 1:05pm

I've been off it for almost three months with nothing but optimism and scoffing at the thought I was ever addicted.
It hit me full force a couple of weeks ago and I'm back to stage friggin one.
I'm heading back to my doctor and back to AA this evening.
Funnily enough, my addiction counsellor warned me this would happen and I didn't believe him. The ironic thing is now I'm too down to see him. I was fine when I was happy :rolleyes:

Sigma Force · 27-10-2019 11:40pm

Furryglove wrote: »

10 years since August, not a drop

Brilliant! And encouraging for other too

Sigma Force · 27-10-2019 11:56pm

Likeabossboss wrote: »

This is at Tinb as well can’t double quote on phone.

Went off it cold turkey. The only withdrawal I got was fatigue for a month, probably down to calories I was missing out on from beer. I don’t think I was drinking enough to get proper withdrawals Where people are drinking bottles of spirits daily or waking up and immediately drinking. Don’t think I was addicted enough to go to AA really.

I never drank on my own or anything like that. What happens me is I get such anxiety after drinking I can’t actually sit still and need to go for pints again. I would be counting down the minutes in work to get to the pub. Also the sickness would go away after two pints. I loved the craic as well of course drinking with people and my friends are great people but their main interest is boozing and nothing else, they dragged me down to their level.

My evenings now involve TV, Gaming ,gym and cooking great meals for myself. Weekends generally involve the same but drive to a nice location to do a 8-12KM walk.

Really having no one to answer to abroad and the temptation of friends hounding me to go for pints is a huge bonus in not drinking.

My Head is a great place lately and that’s because I had alcohol induced anxiety when drinking which is nearly gone. I can still go out with work colleagues and just order soft drinks or non alcoholic cocktails.

It’s amazing how easy you can get in a rut. If I ever do move back home it will be well away from my home place and not in a walking distance to a pub. You would think peer pressure would go away with age but I know my friends would drag me back into drinking. I think it makes them feel better about themselves when someone else is wasting their money on booze and doing the same thing they are so it doesn’t look as big of a deal of them drinking themselves away every day in the pub. They all work as well and some in very high paid jobs

You're doing great! The fact you recognise what the issue was as well is great. Anxiety is underrated it can ruin lives and drinking is a really common way to deal with it. It was one of the main reasons my bf drank heavily for 30 years and it progressed slowly which makes it harder to recognise and give up. It nearly killed him. He's still anxious but is under the care of his gp and on mild medication for it. Depression follows anxiety and they feed off each other. It's managing his anxiety now that he has to keep on top of, it's so easy to stop working on yourself when things are going well but that's when it's the most important. As his partner I have my ups and downs too, I have to keep working on myself and trust issues etc. Because of his drinking but because of my own insecurities too. He is sober two years and works hard but he still needs to learn about self care. He doesn't go to the pub he still sees his drinking buddies as mates but not one of them visited him in rehab and it wouldn't take long for them to try and talk him back to drinking because they miss their drinking buddy. He spends a lot of time at mine now, pubs are not far away from anywhere but at mine it's peaceful and quiet and I was never a big drinker so I think all that helps. But at the end of the day it's up to him to manage his sobriety. I do tend to remind him now and then when he seems low, to go to his gp. He won't go to meetings or anything and this worries me. But I was just watching a Ted talk and the guy on it said relying on higher powers etc. Isn't much use if you can't trust in yourself. Anxiety is awful to deal with, hitting the gym will really help. It gives you structure, discipline and routine but also helps get rid of any pent up stress.

Haven't touched a drop in...

Comments