New here. Learning moderation.
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| Fri, 01-20-2006 - 8:24am |
Hi. I am surrounded by heavy drinkers and alcoholics and I have tried hard to keep up.....LOL. But I got tired of waking up with a hangover during the week. Plus, I have IBS and I'd be on the toilet for an hour some days (I know, TMI) and show up late to work. Oh, and I also have panic attacks which get worse with a hangover. So I finally said enough.
I am limiting my weekday drinking to 2 oz. On Fridays and Saturdays I can drink more if I want. But, if I drink hard on Friday, I don't get to drink AT ALL on Saturday. The same goes for Saturday to Sunday.
I only just started this plan on Monday after waking up with a hangover on Saturday that lasted two days. I'm 40 and I think it's harder on my system than it used to be. But I can't figure out how everyone around me seems to be ok after binge drinking.
I am also becoming aware of which drinks get me drunker faster. Some, like gin, just don't taste like alcohol to me so I tend to drink WAY too much. Also I am watching out for those that like to top off my wine glass when I'm not looking. Like I said, everyone around me drinks way too much so they always feel bad if you aren't drinking as much as them (I think they feel guilty).
So, wish me luck. I have tried moderation before with little success because I wasn't really committed. But now with these hangovers and the IBS it seems easier, although it was tough last night when I really wanted a 3rd drink. But, I just stopped and corked the bottle and put it up. Not that hard, really.
Post back if you are trying moderation. Abstinence does not work for me in ANY form. I also know that daily drinks are good for you (they aren't good for alcoholics, I know).
Lucky, mom to 8yo Pez (ds) and wife to The Professor.

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I too am in moderation mode. I consider myself an alcoholic and was drinking until passing out every nite for years. I too know the hangover morning, I also unfortunately spent many mornings waking up still a little drunk and beginning my day. I havent kept track of how long its been now, but I guess 3 months or more that I stopped drinking on Weeknites. I still drink on the weekends. I am not ready to give it up altogether yet. I havent had to many problems with slowing down. Sometimes after a particularly stressful day I will have a couple drinks before bed on a week nite, but it is not the same as what it used to be, I find that if I DO drink during the week I am careful not to get plastered, I didnt know I was capable of stopping once I began drinking for the nite, I guess I never really tried. I also have learned how to go to sleep sober again, that was one of the reasons I drank so much, I couldnt face the nite. I also have learned what it feels to wake up sober and not hung over. Its wonderful. If you drink everynite and then cut back to weekends you are cutting compsumption by 5/7 s thats more than half. That COUNTS! When I started to cut down I wondered if it did, I mean If I consider myself to have a drinking issue and I am still drinking at all does it count? yeah It does, I am relearning how to deal with alcohol. Maybe it is denial, but I dont think so, I've dealt with other addictions in the past, so I know well addictions lies. I wish you well on your journey. Every day you wake up NOT hungover is a victory.
chaos
Chaoslover
Sometimes you fake it, till you can make it.
Glad your here!
Hug's Karen
Hi Lucky,
I too consider myself a moderate drinker. I enjoy drinking especially when I'm out socializing. I drink a couple of glasses of wine a night,but thats pretty much it. I do know when I've had enough I never try to over due it. I think I've learned alot with growing up, what my limits are and when I should stop.
It has been said, "If you are trying to control your alcohol, it is already controlling you."
Best wishes,
Leslie
Hello and welcome! I hope you find success with moderation. I couldn't find that. I would drink almost every day, sometimes just the weekends, every other day. You name it, I tried to control it. Problem is I couldn't control it. It controlled me. Those that knew me didn't I had a problem, but then again, they didn't drink as much as I did. I would wake up in the morning and say, "I'm not drinking today". Guess what? Most of the time I did.
I don't miss the hangovers. I don't miss embarrassing myself. I don't miss the blackouts/passouts. I do love being sober. I do love myself, NOW. I do want to continue this awesome path I"m on.
Thanks for letting me share and good luck with all that you do!
palmtrees and breezes
~Jolene~
"Community Leader for Alcohol Problems Board"
Host for Tuesday night chat at 9pm est
"You never know what we might talk about..."
Click here for the :AlcoholProblemsChatroom
Hi. Congratulations on your success in cutting back. Were the first days/weeks hard? Your liver is thanking you for it, I'm sure.
I got drunk last night and am just getting over my hangover and am just about ready for a drink. On my new plan, though, I am not drinking a drop the day after a binge. It's going to be hard but I am going to be successful. Tomorrow I can have my 2 drinks (I count the weekend nights as Friday/Saturday because of the work week).
I hope to help support you and I would love your support, too.
Good luck,
Lucky
Great job. I hope I can learn my limits, too. Were you a heavy drinker in the past? How long did it take for you to learn to moderate your drinking?
I am very excited to hear back from those of you who practice moderation. It's nice to know I am not alone in my choice to limit my alcohol and not abstain from it.
Lucky
That's interesting, but it doesn't apply to me. Thanks anyways.
Lucky
I am sorry to hear that moderation didn't work for you. It certainly sounds like you did not have the control needed to limit. But, I am glad you have found success in abstaining. That's awsome! I am sure you feel much healthier today than you did back then.
I have never blacked out but I imagine it's very scary. I have friends who say they can't remember what they did after drinking. Must be a different brain chemistry. That must be why one program doesn't fit all.
I wish you continued success.
Lucky
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