New here, this mom wants to stop
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| Tue, 02-14-2006 - 9:59pm |
Hi all,
I came across your board this morning as I have been looking into some ideas/support for myself. I will give a little background....I am a Nurse Practitioner currently staying home full-time with my two young kids (2 and 3). For the last year or 2 my drinking has increased to the point where I am concerned. I only drink at home, at night, it starts out a beer or glass of wine while cooking dinner, then several more with my husband while watching TV after the kids go down. I got up to 2 beers and 1/2 bottle a wine per night....no blackouts, very few hangovers ( my tolerance is up I guess), and no innappropriate behaviour,
BUT...I do feel as though it is a bad example for my kids, and I know it is very unhealthy. My DH and I quit for 2 weeks last month and the whole time I craved it....it was NO FUN!!
So we went back, but CUT way back to like one per night and 2 on the weekends...but even that I am feeling guilty about right now...so I have decided to quit all together....very possibly forever.
The sound of that scares me to death, and the only thing I can think of right now is....gee in 3 weeks is my 10 year wedding anniv. and we have plans to go out to a hotel and dinner etc. the first time away from the kids since they were born....should I abstain then too??? I know that is a stupid thing to be so concerned over...but I am.
Anyhow, thanks for including me...and I look forward to learning more,
K

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Hi K....Welcome!
You are so wise to reach out for a better future!
You really being a responsible Mom!
I hope in 3 weeks you will discover how super you
feel and will toast your anniversary with grape juice!
Let us know how we can help with your resolve.
Hi K,
I am an alcoholic and struggle with it every single day. I am also a mother of 3 girls, and I have a bf who I am common law married to. I too think of all the events we have to share etc that will involve alcohol. But you know what, I can think of the best times I have shared with bf and they DID NOT involve alcohol. And with the kids, I cry often when I think of all the things I did drunk. So many memories lost. I am trying to beat my addiction and yes, I suck at it, but for me it is one minute at a time. Remember the GOOD times (alcohol free). I don't deserve everything I have been blessed with and everyday I do "count my blessings". Tracy
I am glad you are here and hope you will come back. One day at a time,
Leslie
Hi K!!
Welcome to our board. I am filling in for the community leaders while Jolene is pouring information into her brain for her new job and Brenda is recoverying from a liver transplant.
I am a mom, a wife and a teacher (hence the name) and I am an alcoholic. Before I was a wife or a mom, I realized that my drinking was not normal. I chose to go to AA. That was in 1989. I have not had a drink since. So, without drinking, I fell in love. I got married. I had a baby, I buried my Mom, I took my ill sister into my home and took care of her, I had another baby, I buried my sister. No alcohol.
I don't know any other way to get and stay sober than AA, because that is what worked for me. I am open to the possibility that there are other ways. Lucky, who posts here, is doing a nice job cutting down by using some of the MM tactics. It works for her. There are others here who use other techniques. Hey, whatever works, if you know what I mean.
So be welcome here, some often. We understand.
Pediatric Stroke, even kids get them
That sounds exactly how I got up to 7 drinks per night. Ugh. One before dinner, one while cooking, one with. Then sharing martinis with my husband (which we measured the other night and contain 4-5 shots.....each!). I would do this about 3 or 4 times per week. I, however, was waking up with diarreah and panic (hangover, I guess).
Oh, and I almost ALWAYS got drunk on either Friday or Saturday night. It's a weekly ritual with our friends and family (bar owners, restrauranteurs and muscians).
I started by limiting my drinking to 2 during the week and still getting drunk on the weekends. But if I get drunk I have to abstain the next day. I am still doing the 2 per weeknight but I am trying to limit drinks on the weekend to about 4-5 instead of 10. My goal is to have one per weeknight and no more than 4 at parties and other drinking events. Moderation Management calls it harm reduction. I have no intention of stopping completely because I don't want to. But my path was definately going south. I had headaches, IBS, heart palpatations, panic, fatigue and depression. I wasn't sleeping well at all.
Good luck in whatever you decide to do.
Lucky
Beth, I think it's great that you got through all these major life events without alcohol. That must have taken some serious committment on your part. WTG!
I have a question, and it's totally out of curiousity. Did you have alcohol for the guests at your wedding?
Lucky
No, we did not include alcohol in our reception. We had a unique reception. We told guests to please bring their children (DH had 2 sons and we were including them in the wedding) and accoutrements for playing frisbee, kickball, and badminton. We reserved a town park and had a picnic. Since the picnic started at noon and included children, we felt that not having alcohol was okay for everyone...and it turns out that people still talk about the good time they had.
I would rather go through life sober,
believing I am an alcoholic,
than go through life drunk,
trying to convince myself that I am not.
Each day sober is a victory!
Thanks, Carol! I have always loved that saying!!
Go, girl!!
Leslie
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..."
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