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Well, I think if you are truly an alcoholic, there is no moderation. Just as in the case of a drug abuser. Can a drug abuser just have a little in moderation? I don't think so.
Moderation is NOT possible for someone addicted to alcohol as it's having the alcohol that makes you want more so every time you have some it's like you're back at day 1 again (they say it reacts differently in the bodies of addicts - like an allergy of sorts).
You NEED at 12 step program as another poster suggested - good luck it can be a tough haul!
Where did I deny the existence of alcoholism? Liar.
I just disagree that there is a God who is going to save you. You have to do it yourself and I'm telling you how I did it myself and how you might be able to do it too. If the level of alcoholism is simply too high you need doctor's treatment, but I cannot assess that from your post. In any case no approach that includes God or sweet baby Jesus is going to do much good for you, especially since you already tried it.
I anticipated someone saying that there is no God that will save me. I will never believe that for one minute. I have woken up so many days and said I don't want to keep doing this, and I kept on doing it. Yet when God gets involved (when I allow Him) things take a real quick turn. But I have to be WILLING.
I don't like the word alcoholic/ism (reference Jack Trimpey) but that does not mean I am denying I have an addiction to alcohol. I do. I am also no fan of 12 step programs, by my own experience with them, and again reference Jack Trimpey. I have not read all of the replies on here yet, but thank you for all of them.
I went from drinking a bottle of wine per day to rarely drinking at all with no doctor/12 step assistance.
I started out by cutting out alcohol every other day, then none during the week, then cut out Friday evneings, then Sunday evenings, and after a couplyear or so of this process, I had cut way back on alcohol and was not drinking wine by the bottle. And then the less I drank, the less tolerance I had, so at some point, I couldn't drink an entire bottle of wine.
I also realized I slept so much better without drinking and I stopped buying wine. That was the drink that would get me drunk. I have beer in the house right now, but the same few beers have been sitting there for at least 2 weeks. I just can't drink more than 2-3 beers without feeling bloated and gross, so I know I won't overdo it with beer.
I went out to dinner with friends last weekend and had two glasses of wine with dinner (I can't even remember the last time I drank wine), but that was it. NOT a bottle! When I came home, I went to bed. No more drinking. I still have to remind myself now and then why it's better not to drink (still get the occassional craving) and I focus on how much better I'll feel in the morning and the energy I'll have the next day.
My motiviations to stop heavy drinking were: We had kids (babies at the time) and I want to be around for them for a long time, the expense of it (wine ain't cheap!), my body was starting to not recover the next day from drinking a bottle of wine (probably age?), vanity (alcohol ages you), and it just pissed me off because I work out, run, eat healthy and am in great health.
I went from drinking a bottle of wine per day to rarely drinking at all with no doctor/12 step assistance.
I started out by cutting out alcohol every other day, then none during the week, then cut out Friday evneings, then Sunday evenings, and after a couplyear or so of this process, I had cut way back on alcohol and was not drinking wine by the bottle. And then the less I drank, the less tolerance I had, so at some point, I couldn't drink an entire bottle of wine.
I also realized I slept so much better without drinking and I stopped buying wine. That was the drink that would get me drunk. I have beer in the house right now, but the same few beers have been sitting there for at least 2 weeks. I just can't drink more than 2-3 beers without feeling bloated and gross, so I know I won't overdo it with beer.
I went out to dinner with friends last weekend and had two glasses of wine with dinner (I can't even remember the last time I drank wine), but that was it. NOT a bottle! When I came home, I went to bed. No more drinking. I still have to remind myself now and then why it's better not to drink (still get the occassional craving) and I focus on how much better I'll feel in the morning and the energy I'll have the next day.
My motiviations to stop heavy drinking were: We had kids (babies at the time) and I want to be around for them for a long time, the expense of it (wine ain't cheap!), my body was starting to not recover the next day from drinking a bottle of wine (probably age?), vanity (alcohol ages you), and it just pissed me off because I work out, run, eat healthy and am in great health.
Drinking a bottle of wine daily doesn't equate with being addicted to alcohol. The OP's concern is addiction. What you're talking about is no different than someone who goes through a 6-pack of beer every day starting from the time they punch out from work and the time they go to bed at night. What the OP is talking about is not being able to get out of bed in the morning without wondering when s/he'll be able to drink again, planning their day around their access to booze, planning their shopping trips to the mall based on proximity to the beer store, getting jittery, or anxious, or even feeling physically ill when it's "time for a drink" and they can't get one, etc. etc.
Drinking a bottle of wine daily doesn't equate with being addicted to alcohol. The OP's concern is addiction. What you're talking about is no different than someone who goes through a 6-pack of beer every day starting from the time they punch out from work and the time they go to bed at night. What the OP is talking about is not being able to get out of bed in the morning without wondering when s/he'll be able to drink again, planning their day around their access to booze, planning their shopping trips to the mall based on proximity to the beer store, getting jittery, or anxious, or even feeling physically ill when it's "time for a drink" and they can't get one, etc. etc.
OK Anon Chick, truly, I thank you for trying to paint a picture. However, it's not quite that drastic.
I don't believe I've felt physically ill when it's "time for a drink." I don't believe I've felt jittery or anxious.
I actually can relate to the wine story, because that's what I've been drinking lately. I drink a bottle of wine and a beer or two. I decided to stop on Sundays and I did.
A few months ago, my friends confronted me out of the blue and I quit all drinking for 15 days. I started up again "because I could" and because I was mad that I didn't lose weight.
This time around, it has been 4 days and last night, I went to my son's friend's house. They offered me a beer. I already had it in my mind that I was "ready" for one, so I had one. I had one more and then we ate a nice dinner. And I made a conscious decision that I was done for the evening.
What the immediate future will bring I cannot say. I know for sure that God is patiently working on me and if I'm 50 when I completely stop so be it. If I stop completely by the end of the month, great.
I am definitely seeing like the wine story person said, the effects as we age, and how if affects the kids, I hate the weight gain, I do feel bloated, etc. And yes the blackouts are not cool.
According to Jack Trimpey, we have an "addictive voice." My addictive voice tells me I can drink in moderation. I know that it's probably wrong. But between me and my voice, I guess I'm still wanting to test the waters. I feel that I'm getting closer to the "truth" day by day.
Clearly you have a problem with alcohol and for alcoholics moderation really isn't possible.
A simple test to determine if you have a problem with alcohol is the CAGE test.
Have you ever felt the need to Cut down on drinking?
Have people Annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
Have you ever felt Guilty about drinking?
Have you ever needed an Eye opener drink in the morning to get going?
Answering yes to 2 or more questions correlates very highly with alcoholism.
Clearly you are having trouble dealing with this on your own, as do most people with alcohol problems
Seek out a 12 step program/AA meeting
Amen!!!
Hubby has been dry almost 20 years thanks to AA and One Day At A Time. He didn't start out that way but it escalated until HE realized he had a problem, yes he is an alcoholic, but he had to realize he had a problem. He would be dead today if the drinking had continued. My niece will be dry 5 years soon and still attends her meetings every day.
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