Need some tips to quit drinking

[onehunglow]

Well said TheNiteHwk and Robinto.

Agreed, both posts have great points. An excellent topic with great points from all sides.

Naltrexone and similar meds help alleviate the craving for alcohol and are used in conjunction with other modalities like counseling. The meds work well but are not a long term solution. I can say that stopping drinking was the easy part. Its dealing with why you drink that is the challenge (counseling).

Having actually gone the AA route i have to add that as a non-believer i to was somewhat turned off by the God references but stayed quiet and just listened. My higher power turned out to be sobriety itself.

Regarding the success of AA, all i can comment on is what i saw while there. It is not the answer for everyone but the rate was in my estimation about 60%. Most were also getting "other" help. The more "help" the better chance of winning. It takes more than a few meetings!

It is important to note that my estimation is based on actually being in the program and seeing the results in person.

While it may sound as if i am promoting AA, in fact i am not. It may sound callous but i don't give a rat's a** if you attend or not. It's you (if you are an alcoholic) that needs to care. I can beg and plead but if you don't want it, i am just wasting my time. Bin der dun dat.

Regardless of our opinions on what meds or services work or not, the biggest factor in finding your way back from any addiction is the acceptance of the problem and the desire to to something about it. Whatever choice you make, let it be one that moves you forward.

Great thread and lots of fantastic views.

To Robinto on "Penn & Teller". While their shows are "entertainment" they are so often bang on the money.

 

[lavameltme]

I quit three years ago. I realised that god did not make me start so he would not get me to stop. I am responsible for my actions not God. Take it a day at a time and try to sleep through your first month. A doctor helped me. Easy to talk to no judments and he has drugs that can help

 

[joseppi]

The lady that cuts my hair did this very thing to her brother. She told me that her brother was a rip roaring alcoholic and every time he would get drunk he would be so hurtful to his family , so the family decided to record him when he was drunk. The family played the recording back to him when he was sober and he cried because he never realized that he was so hurtful. From that recording he learned a lesson and realized that he needed help.

If you do fall of the wagon and get really wasted try recording yourself with a video camera. Sit down in front the video camera and have a deep conversation with the camera about the mean of life. When you sober up you can decide if you really want to be that person. There are few things worse then a drunk, rambling idiot. (Everyone's an idiot when they drink too much. It isn't a shot at you.)

 

[richierich]

Thanks for all the support and suggestions guys. I have started working out again. I was never a social drinker. Even at parties with a free bar, I can
limit myself to one beer. It was the alone at home thing that got me.