need to cut back on alcohol !

[Big_Hitter]

I really need to cut back on drinking and need some inspiration.
Any good advice? ... success stories?

Thx.

I quit drinking about 3 years ago to the day.

I didn't go to AA or anything I just quit. For the first few months I took disulfiram, just as an insurance policy although I never drank on it. I hardly take one now.

 

[Big_Hitter]

One thing I would like to add is I read a couple of posts in this thread stating you need (or should) stop drinking cold turkey. Please don't do that without medical advice. Alcohol is one of the few drugs that if you've been drinking long enough and hard enough, quitting cold turkey can actually kill you (through either seizures or delerium tremins).

excellent point - I quit cold turkey but I could always go for days without drinking and didn't drink daily but one should definitely check with a doc first.

 

[MRG]

excellent point - I quit cold turkey but I could always go for days without drinking and didn't drink daily but one should definitely check with a doc first.

A guy who worked for me seized up from quitting, at work.

 

[Big_Hitter]

A guy who worked for me seized up from stopping. At work.

that's why one of the first things they ask you in the ER is how much you drink so they can give you medication for withdrawal

 

[slowsaver]

I did dry January and it was a really good reset for me. Alcohol had become a habit after a stressful day. It was much easier to do none at all than cut back- because after you've had one glass you just want a second. I slept better and felt more energetic in the morning. I did start back, but find myself drinking less often just knowing how much better I'll sleep.

+1

"Dryuary" (Dry January) is popular in England, but you can choose any month to quit drinking. (The first year, I chose February, because it was the shortest month.) After stopping 1 month, I found it easy to go back to just drinking moderately on weekends only. But it does creep-up again over time, so you probably need to do the Dryuary once per year.

 

[IMATERP]

In December 2019 I celebrated 30 years of continuous sobriety. Quitting drinking was the best thing that I ever did.

I

 

[michelek]

Contrarian opinion. Alcohol in moderation can be a coping mechanism. I understand in excess it can quickly get out of control. But adults do use different methods to calm down. Could be meditation, cbd, thc, procreation, exercise, social connections, yoga, prayer, alcohol or some combination etc...

 

[Koolau]

One major advantage of quitting completely is that you will quickly know whether you are physically (or maybe psychologically) dependent upon alcohol. If you are, there IS help available.

There are very few downsides to quitting but YMMV.

 

[BarbWire]

I did dry January and it was a really good reset for me. Alcohol had become a habit after a stressful day. It was much easier to do none at all than cut back- because after you've had one glass you just want a second. I slept better and felt more energetic in the morning. I did start back, but find myself drinking less often just knowing how much better I'll sleep.

+1

I have been a drinker of wine and beer since college, rarely in excess. When I took care of my elderly parents my drinking increased, I realized it, and brought it back down.

This year I did Dry January and found it remarkably easy. I began drinking a bit again in Feb til now, but much less in volume and frequency than before, which is a typical reaction to Dry January.

I also discovered I have an "evening liquid" habit -- wanting to have something to sip all evening as well as a signal that the "w*rk day" is over and the evening has begun -- sort of the cocktail hour concept. Seltzer and herbal tea solved that and improved my hydration as well. So my habit wasn't so much alcohol as "sipping."

The last couple of days (I am solo and currently housesitting in Santa Fe where I know no-one) I found myself drinking more beer in the evening than before -- like 4 beers, which is a lot for me. It's a reaction to the coronavirus situation/social distancing.

So its Dry2020 as of today. Who knows -- I may even shed a few lbs.

My substitute is seltzer, but I need to find a good flavoring agent. Perhaps bitters, though that contains alcohol. Most pre-flavored seltzers are vile.

 

[Wishing]

My ex was a chronic alcoholic. He didn’t buy into AA, and he was convinced that he could drink in moderation. After 36 years I finally realized life wasn’t going to get any better with an alcoholic in denial. My greatest fear was what he was going to do when he retired and could drink without worrying about going to work the next day. I hope he eventually gets help, but I’m not losing sleep over it anymore. Ask your SO if the drinking is an issue, and pay attention to the response.

 

[Skitso999]

Real medicine

Stress-wise, I think you should go to a doctor and see if he will prescribe Citalopram. I know several people that use it, and it takes the edge off their emotional difficulties.

I've also heard that Trazodone helps to settle the mind at night. Fewer feelings of "to-do list" details in the middle of the night. Good to keep you from awaking at 3AM too!

 

[morriss003]

I drank heavily (whisky) for 10 years due to dystonia. I would knock off a liter of Jack Daniels in three nights, beginning on Thursday night. I managed to quit by switching to marijuana. After almost 30 years I began drinking again due to another condition, but now I alternate between wine and marijuana with an occasional small whisky.

 

[SpinDoctorTX]

If the AA process doesn't appeal to you (in TX they are all churchy), you can find resources/ meetings here: https://www.smartrecovery.org/

Wishing you the best- it's a tough process no matter how you do it. Find an online support group; most are free.

 

[KarenF]

I suggest intermittent fasting. It is good for you and makes you aware of eating/drinking over a shorter period of time. Read Delay, Don't Deny by Gin Stephens.

 

[EastWest Gal]

One of the best things I did to get away from alcohol was low-carb, trying to lose weight, and intermittent fasting. These things are all mood elevators and energizing. I then noticed that any alcohol was a mood depressor, and it became much less desireable. Instead of tucking into the wine, find a way to exercise. Nowadays, going into the gym is not an option, but why not go for a walk when you get home from work?

If you begin to look forward to the wine all the time, or if you see the substance as your best friend, then you have an addiction problem. It's usually a good idea to seek help. In the age of not congregating in meetings, why have the wine in the house in the first place? Do you drink alone, or with your wife? Can you both get on board to change this?

At a bottle/day, 5-7 days/week, you are probably spending >$3000 year on just wine. Most people have trouble quitting on their own. It is really hard to give up what you might see as your best friend. But the wine isn't your best friend. Try finding something else to do in the evening, and don't do the things you associate with the wine.

I wish you good luck, and glad you were able to open up about this issue. You are not alone in this.

 

[Mansderm]

Read This Naked Mind

I was in the same boat. I came across This Naked Mind by Annie Grace and it was life changing. She has another book called the Alcohol Experiment. I do recommend both and she recommended Alcohol Explained by William Porter. Those 3 are my go to books. I quit cold turkey after over 40 years and have not looked back

 

[Sunset]

If it's not in the house, it's not available and handy

 

[waynezo]

30 years of sobriety and I haven't missed a thing!

At age 28 my Alcoholism was easy to define once I came out of denial. For me one was too many and a thousand not enough.

The NIAAA and the DSM-5 refers to Alcoholism as "Alcohol Use Disorder" to reduce the stigma. People who are on the spectrum of AUD are not morally bankrupt or less of a human being than those who are not. If you are a social drinker once you feel the effect you don't want anymore. Any one else is on the spectrum of AUD and at risk for alcohol dependence.

https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/alcohol-use-disorders

The NIAAA states that 80% of the people who get sober and stay sober for the rest of their life do so without counseling or support groups. They become sick and tired of being sick and tired. My father was one. The NIAAA states that AA works great for those who want to be there, but has little effect on those who don't. I went to AA when I got sober and I highly recommend it. I had already decided to stop drinking when I went to AA. I found that AA taught me, not how to not drink but, how to live life on life's terms without alcohol. AA is not for everybody nor is it a panacea, but it is a great place to start. I apply the principles of AA to my life everyday. I like to say my sobriety is not dependent on AA but enhanced by it. My Christian faith and the philosophy of Buddhism also play a role. AA borrows from both teachings. AA has been around for about 85 years, Christianity about 2000 years. and Buddhism about 2400 years. Alcohol abuse has been around for probably 10,000 years.

Ancient Chinese Proverb "First the man takes a drink. Then the drink takes a drink. Then the drink takes the man"

It is easy for me to not take a drink because I no longer see alcohol as a solution.

If you decide you are on the AUD spectrum it will get worse since it is a progressive disease. The good news is once you decide to get sober, no matter what method you use, your life will get better! You may decide you don't miss it at all!

 

[JoeWras]

I'm not proud that I had an occasional binge every few years. It has given me pause to think.

Then, recently I was with a group of volunteers working on a task that required us to stay in barracks. One gentleman got so wasted he woke up, couldn't find the bathroom, urinated on himself, his bed and other beds. He promptly passed out in his own piss pile.

We kicked him out the next morning, but he still didn't get it. I guess that is not near bottom for him.

Huge wake up call to me as to what alcohol can do. The experience of walking through his piss as we tried to assess what was happening left a mark on me (but apparently not him). I'm having no problem staying dry during this crisis. We didn't buy any alcohol before it started, and we have no need to go out and get any. I'm still disgusted by what I saw and have little desire for drink.

BTW, these were not college kids. Everyone was 50+

 

[steelyman]

Here’s a tune for the soundtrack of this thread. It’s by Lake Street Dive and called “You Go Down Smooth”. When I first bought the CD I thought (from the title) it was about sex. Nope, it’s about booze.

https://youtu.be/0LhsE-uqqE0

 

[Queenie]

I suffer from AUD.

I highly recommend the book The Cure for Alcoholism by Roy Eskapa, PhD. Can be found on Amazon. It describes The Sinclair Method, a medically proven way to eliminate alcohol addiction. More information can be found on the website: cthreefoundation.org

I take Naltrexone when I drink. I don’t drink every day and I am working toward extinction. Started in mid December and have not had a black out drinking session since. I am very pleased with my progress and control.

Best of luck to all you with AUD out there. There is hope, you don’t have to white knuckle it, nor is AA your only hope.

 

[albireo13]

Thanks all for the advice. I've stopped cold turkey a few times in the past.
My drinking is definitely linked to family stress. A year ago I went on a 1 month detox nutrition program ... low carb, no caffeine, no alcohol, no dairy, no gluten, etc ....
I felt great after 30 days. I lost 17lbs of weight and have kept it off.

The stress of my parents has escalated over the last year (Mom calling me 14x a day at work, etc) and had triggered my excess drinking.

I am trying cold turkey. Two days so far and doing fine. AA is my fallback plan and I will try a session or two to check it out. The books look interesting as well.

Luckily, I do not have alcoholism in the family history. I will check in with updates.

Thx

 

[waynezo]

Thanks all for the advice. I've stopped cold turkey a few times in the past.
My drinking is definitely linked to family stress. A year ago I went on a 1 month detox nutrition program ... low carb, no caffeine, no alcohol, no dairy, no gluten, etc ....
I felt great after 30 days. I lost 17lbs of weight and have kept it off.

The stress of my parents has escalated over the last year (Mom calling me 14x a day at work, etc) and had triggered my excess drinking.

I am trying cold turkey. Two days so far and doing fine. AA is my fallback plan and I will try a session or two to check it out. The books look interesting as well.

Luckily, I do not have alcoholism in the family history. I will check in with updates.

Thx

Sounds like you are on the right track. Remember there is no right or wrong way to get sober. Sounds like you are strong, smart, determined, and disciplined. You will be successful. Life will get better. Please keep us updated. Let us know what worked for you.

With Gratitude,
Waynezo

 

[ER Eddie]

 

[Amethyst]

I love the taste of wine and cordials/liqueurs, and am fairly fond of beer.

But alcohol gives me a headache so quickly, it isn't worth it to overindulge.

I guess it is Nature's way of protecting some people. "Hey," my body says, "Don't you know that stuff is poison?" "But body, it tastes really good." "Well, you're the boss of this outfit, and you can do what you want, but I'm telling you, you're gonna be sorry right quick." And the headache and crossed-eyes feeling start.

Someone told me, once, that if I ignored this warning and kept drinking, the headache would go away and I would then feel good. But I don't think it's worth it.