Need to cut back drinking
- Thread starter Big Rig
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I was a very heavy drinker for years 1\2 to 3\4 of a bottle of scotch a night not including wine with dinner. I never thought of my self as an alcoholic just a heavy drinker. The reason I say this is because the definition of an addict is someone who gives up the essentials of life for their addiction. I quit drinking a few months ago and have found many benefits, like sleeping better, not waking up feeling like shit, and even lost a few pounds. If you think you drinking too much than you probably are. If your like me, one isnt enough so I just dont bother any more. I recommend slowing down and if you cant then quit all together. Get help if you need it and stay far away from AA
Good luck
Good luck
CAMH on Queen There are drugs available that stop the craving. Get referral from MD.
WTF is so bad about AA?
I know I need to cut back. I don't get any kind of "craving" or euphoria from it, but I definitely use it as a means of managing work-related stress.
If you want to meet american people, who has sense of humor, you can find them only an AA meeting.
I'm not an alcoholic. I'm a drunk. Alcoholics have all those meetings to go to...
Most people drink socially. If you are drinking alone you have a serious problem and CAMH is likely your answer.
But if you are a social drinker the social aspect cant be separated from drinking for most people. Odds are it's part of your social life to engage in activities that involve lots of drinking with friends you mostly drink with.
In that case the only way you're going to cut back on drinking is to switch to different activities with different friends and just spend more time doing things that aren't about drinking, with friends who aren't about drinking.
If your typical night out is to hit the pub and watch the game with your drinking pals it's unrealistic to think you're still going to do that and just not drink.
What I'm suggesting is that instead of drinking less, think of it as switching to doing more of something different. Replace drinking with new activities and make new friends who don't drink as much.
But if you are a social drinker the social aspect cant be separated from drinking for most people. Odds are it's part of your social life to engage in activities that involve lots of drinking with friends you mostly drink with.
In that case the only way you're going to cut back on drinking is to switch to different activities with different friends and just spend more time doing things that aren't about drinking, with friends who aren't about drinking.
If your typical night out is to hit the pub and watch the game with your drinking pals it's unrealistic to think you're still going to do that and just not drink.
What I'm suggesting is that instead of drinking less, think of it as switching to doing more of something different. Replace drinking with new activities and make new friends who don't drink as much.
I had a problem with alcohol in my early thirties as I could not deal with stress of job, depression of failed personal relationships and the feeling that I had let my parents down By not getting married and making them grandparents. I got bored of alcohol and I got addicted to junk foods and went from 180lbs to almost 330lbs. Whenever there is imbalance like this whether it is alcohol, drugs, sex or food it is a sign of lack of peace and harmony in your life. I saw many therapists and over time was able to identify the source of the emotional pain that I was trying to eliminate...first with alcohol, then with food and then with sex. I have lost 70lbs and am much happier. The only down side is that my libido is going through the roof with improved fitness and blood flow. Wish you well...identify what pain you are hurting from, then you can fix the problem.
Well, there is drinking alone and "drinking alone". Alcohol is always something I've kept an eye on given a strong family history of problem drinking on both sides. I neither drink alone or "drink alone", but plenty of people can handle a couple beer or glasses of wine on the regular while alone. The same goes with smoking a little pot. Other people can't. Frankly, I count myself as 'other people', which is not to say I don't imbibe, or over imbibe, but I'm careful with the what, why, and how often.
Though most of the rest of your advice is solid, IMHO. Basically, if you need to reduce or eliminate drinking, you need to fill that time with something, and that something shouldn't be, "trying to avoid drinking." That's literally setting yourself up for failure. Mind you if a person is a long time heavy drinker they should taper off their consumption, or seek institutionalization (short term inpatient rehab), because just quitting drinking can be really dangerous. See: http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/alcohol-withdrawal-symptoms-treatments#1
A lot of people dislike AA for being cultish, Christey, and for making people's addictions the centre of their lives on an ongoing basis, but I've seen it help people first hand. Especially when it comes to that initial period when people really struggle to figure out the basics of even trying to live sober (and are faced with trying to pick up the pieces of their lives). For many people AA is going to be about as good as it gets for ongoing support and treatment, so even if you don't fully buy in, a person could do worse than to look at it as a set of tools that you can pick and choose from to help you transition to sobriety.
Anyway, good luck to the op, try to do it on you own, and get 'real help' sooner rather than later if you need it.
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