The First 7 Days

[ThinCityCitizen]

Hi Jeffrey,

Does it help? I remember reading about it (in Optimum Nutrition for the Mind), but some scientists say there's no good evidence for some of the stuff in there. I took it for a while and - to be honest - can't remember feeling any effects...

Still...

Hope yr shopping goes OK

[bumpydog]

Nearly the end of day 3. Feeling much better, but SO tired! Think its the Meds though. Got to keep going!

Going to venture into our addiction centre in tomorrow as the private counsellor I get with the detox really isn't great and its costing too much. He's AA based and I know its successful for a lot of people but I'm not getting on with it. Some of it I have found good so its not all been a waste.

The centre has a drop in session on Mondays so I'm going to give it a go. Quite nervous about this! I also want to go on some long term treatment to help but my doctor wont prescribe it unless the centre recommends it.

Keep going people!

Bumps x

[wilbers11]

Feeling like a failure - day one tomorrow, again. Have spent most of the weekend hungover or at a wedding where I drank so much. Partner is annoyed with me - I feel rubbish and I am worried about myself now. Really worried. Thought I could handle this drink thing, but it seems have have taken over my life and I'm not sure how I got here. Once again, overwhelmed and scared.

[October]

Well done Bumps - and good luck for tomorrow.

Feeling good - I have been AF before but it has taken a while to get to the point of making a decision not to drink for one day and sticking to it.

Helps me to see the state of my OH - in the sense that I am so glad it isn't me. It reminds me of how great it was to be sober and how little I want to be glassy eyed and off-balance. Also looking forward so much to remembering the pages of the book I read at night!

Promise to self - pop in to BE frequently whilst getting used to the whole AF thing again.

Wishing you all a good night's sleep and a sparky Monday.

[October]

Feeling like a failure - day one tomorrow, again. Have spent most of the weekend hungover or at a wedding where I drank so much. Partner is annoyed with me - I feel rubbish and I am worried about myself now. Really worried. Thought I could handle this drink thing, but it seems have have taken over my life and I'm not sure how I got here. Once again, overwhelmed and scared.

Many of us here thought we could handle it - some can do the controlled drinking thing but I think the majority realise that they can't. I read somewhere that even if you are aiming for controlled drinking it is still good advice to go AF for 3 months and then set the limits.

I do hope you feel better soon. Drink some water and keep posting. There are some wise people who have cracked it so maybe read a few of those posts. I am in awe of the guys who are 3, 6 and 12 months plus AF - I know all of them had to start over more than a few times before they got the thing under control.

[wilbers11]

Just feel like I never make it passed day one. Am in bits and I feel so guilty about my son. I hate myself and drinking makes me feel better. But obviously increases the self loathing the next day. I have no willpower and I find myself thinking about wine all the time. I have a great life so why the hell and I wasting it?

[bumpydog]

wilbers11

I does take many attempts! I have had many. I've just done 2 and a half months and have ended up back at square one yet again.

We have to keep trying that's the main thing.

[wilbers11]

Two and a half months is amazing though. Well done for even getting that far. Proves you can do it and you have the strength. I have only ever done a week. If that.

[bumpydog]

I only managed one day in 12 years of trying until this year! You've done a week! If you can do it once you can do it again! Don't beat yourself up, we can do this!

[wilbers11]

I can't tell you how much your replies mean to me - I'm in tears and I'm frightened as I think I need to deal with it this time.

[Finley]

Hi Kathee - thanks for your support. I went out and bought some BIG bottles of fizzy water today so I've been able to sip that throughout the evening so far. Also bought an exercise bike today with some of the money I've saved from not smoking (for the last 7 weeks) and it took quite a while to put that together, so that kept me occupied - not least working out the instructions which could have been written in Japanese for all the sense they made to me To Wilbers - you've done great so far and slipped up. I'm sure we would all be rich if we had a fiver for every time we've vowed not to have a drink and then slipped back into too much alcohol. I did it last night and felt rubbish this morning, both because of hangover and because it made me feel weak and stupid AND I know it's a terrible example to set to my teenage daughter. Hang on in there - the support here is fantastic and you will do it, just keep on trying This is now day one for me and I will be looking in here over the week. I realised though that I'm going to a meal with a friend on Friday which is 'a cocktail and three courses for £15.00' which we booked ages since.. I'm really not sure whether I'll be strong enough to ask for a non-alcoholic cocktail, but we shall see....

[Kathee]

Well, I have found out a lot about myself today, I can go 5 days! and that my bum is to big to paint the inside of a smallish built-in wardrobe/cupboard with out getting paint all over me, so thanks wine and beer for that!!!

Keeping busy is proving very effective, and lots of wholefoods to keep me filled up and blood sugar stable, so porridge, banana and figs for breakfast, and yes my wholemeal Marmite sandwich now with added lettuce for a late treat!
Keep going folks, we all deserve more than a life of torment through alcohol, sleep well good people out there.

[sweetharmony]

[Finley]

Hi Sweet Harmony. Day one maybe, but also think about all the days you've managed without a drink when you could have had one if you hadn't been strong. Everyone on here is really helping me - I'm only on day one today anyway.....

[Finley]

Hi Michstop. How're you doing? This is my first day of the seven day challenge and I'm OK, but have to admit I drank a whole bottle of wine last night, having only drunk 1.5 bottles over the previous 10 days Think it was stupid thoughts telling me I'd be 'depriving' myself all week. I really have to get in the mindset that I'm treating my body to healthy ways, rather than thinking I'm giving something up Anyway, all the best for this week, let us know how you're getting on

[Kathee]

I went to eat my wholegrain Marmite sandwich, and decided to check out what vitamins it contains, and was pretty pleased with the results, although not in the same quantities as Vitamin B complex, (I am taking a multivitamin and iron as well at the moment just to get my levels replenished:
Multigrain wholemeal bread contains:
Thiamine vitamin B-1
Riboflavin vitamin B-2
Niacin vitamin B-3
Pantothenic Acid vitamin B-5
Vitamin B-6
Folate vitamin B-9
Marmite contains
B1
B2
B3
Folic Acid
Vitamin B12

No Vitamin B7 but that's found in leafy green vegetables so if you add lettuce, it may have some in!
yum yum a very healthy snack!

[jamie]

Wow there are a lot of posts today and amazing how many people are struggling with the same thing and it really helps to read the posts and successes. Brown eyed girl - your post was inspiring! Thanks for the supportive comments from Alex, J214 and Marie. Reading the posts highlights how many people struggle with the weekend and can really relate to Sweet Harmony and feeling lonely and depressed even though someone else is in the same house. My husband is really supportive and doesn't drink in the house but he says to me that part of me shuts off when I drink and he doesn't feel he can communicate with me. So we spend most nights with him in another room and me sitting with my old friend my bottle of wine until I either pass out or near it. Every day is this same pattern and I find drink takes away my motivation to change anything and most of my time is either drinking, planning when I can drink or recovering from a hangover. I planned to start again today on Day 1 but this afternoon the familiar cravings came on and started thinking of all the excuses about why I could just start again tomorrow instead. However, amazingly I managed to resist with the help of reading posts and also the audio book that J214 suggested. Thanks so much for that. I needed some motivation and downloaded it through i tunes and listened to the whole thing this evening and by the end found I didn't want a drink.

I know books are not for everyone and hadn't tried an audio book before and there were some things about it that I didn't agree with and slightly annoying voice but it was good as I could download it quickly.

I find with most books I gain something from them and helps me to find my own motivation and there is usually something I relate to. One thing that I thought it was interesting and will try to remember is that my biggest challenge is the after work time. I don't ever drink during the day and look forward to my two bottles of wine at night as a reward for working hard during the day. It is such a habit and find myself wanting it to de-stress which I have done throughout my working life. However, the book pointed out that withdrawal symptoms including anxiety start on average at around 24 hours therefore that after work stress feeling is partly the beginnings of withdrawal and may not even be there had I not drank the night before. Listening to the book did help me and inspired me to read more as well as all the helpful posts on here.

The book is Craig Beck - Alcohol lied to me if anyone is interested and missed J214 link. It also reminded me about a couple of other books I read some time back which I found really helped me. Seven weeks to Sobriety by someone Larson which has a lot of useful information and some of the same ideas from Craig Beck around the diet aspects and brain chemistrty but also the importance of keeping blood sugar balanced to cope with cravings. I find I am at my worst and cravings are strongest when hungry and yet again and again I ignore that and not prepared for the after work cravings when I haven't eaten all day. Another book that I found helpful was Caroline Knapp - Drinking a love story. The Caroline Knapp book really resonated with me and I am going to get it again.

It seems like there are a lot of people starting this week so let's help each other get to Day 7. Thanks again for all the support and encouragement from everyone which is amazing and gives me hope that I am going to do this.

[marie123]

Had few cravings this afternoon when I finished work and had to get some shopping on the way back.Generally I'm an evening drinker but the kids were at their dads so i knew the house would be empty.However managed to stay AF but cannot stop eating today which is not good as im overweight,still I guess not drinking has to come first.Well done all you other peeps who managed to get through today,So far it is really helping me to read through the posts on the various threads,thanks to all you guys who post .For my personal marmite favourite try-Burgan bread,scraping of butter,marmite(of course)and lots of baby spinach-a vegetarian friend told me the combo and it sounds wierd but i love it and have it for my lunch obout 3 times a week.Maybe ill try b vitamins I did not realise it had so much.Anyway am now in bed and at least going to wake up on day 6 with no hangover.
Jamie good to hear you resisted the drink tonight weekends are really hard(although mondays tues etc etc can be petty bad too )Still I reckon the quicker we pick ourselves up the more days we have of feeling better overall!
Sleep well all.x

[Brown eyed girl]

Sweet Harmony, glad to see you back. Keep up the good work and stay strong.

[j214]

Hi Jeffrey,

Does it help? I remember reading about it (in Optimum Nutrition for the Mind), but some scientists say there's no good evidence for some of the stuff in there. I took it for a while and - to be honest - can't remember feeling any effects...

Still...

Hope yr shopping goes OK

Yes......no......I don't know?

I am on a program that insists that I take it since I refuse to take pharmaceutical antidepressants....it seems to help a little to alleviate the anxiety associated with detox..

It's not expensive and not regulated here, like it is in some European countries, so I'm giving it a shot.