Can I stop forever?

[grahamgreenefanatic]

I need to stop drinking forever. I've always drunk to get drunk since I was 18, I'm now 45. Is it better to say 'never again', or 'small achievable steps at a time' Is there anyone out there who can help or who feels they need it?

The thing that all these drug therapies overlook is that, inlike rats, you cannot force humans to take the drug. A lot of alcoholics would just stop taking it.

This is, incidentally, the main reason for relapse with nicotine chewing gum - people get fed up of chewing gum to get nicotine, cut out the middle man and spark up instead!

It is all down to the addict wanting to stop obviously.

^ Very true - no point in doing anything unless you have the longing to change.

LOL at Bloody Shame CJ . How about Sour Bugger (lemon juice, ice & soda) instead of Whisky SOur.

Hi Coolma

Can I recommend Nicorette microtabs for giving up smoking. I found them to be far better than patches and gum because you can just stick one under your tongue whenever you feel like a fag and get a pretty instant nicotine style hit. Much better than the constant background hum of a patch which I found just didn't work for those moments when you are desperate for one. You can also drink with one in your mouth (

Totally agree you've got to want to change. However I found that with smoking the physical addiction is a lot stronger than I realised and after many futile attempts at giving up with will power I stopped really fast with microtabs. It meant that I kept wanting to give up longer instead of feeling a weak will powered failiure.

Obviously Coolma you'd only drink a mocktail or similar with a nicorette microtab in your mouth - not a glass of anything alcoholic

Oh god yes, the physical addiction is awful. I do like the patches though - and the inhalator - Today is my second day and I am still, even though I'm drowing in nicotine, sort of craving a cigarette !!

Funny thing is I would NEVER have drunk a Bloody Mary or any other cocktail (unless someone else was paying) - they take far too long to prepare for the alcohol you get in them.

I actually gave up Guinness for the same reason - I haven't got time for you to put a fucking shamrock on it, give me the beer now, dammit!

I'm having trouble giving up the evil weed too.
Scientists say that nicotine ,cocaine and heroin have similar pharmacological and behavioral characteristics in their addiction,so it's no mean feat giving up.

I tried with a inhaler thingymebob a few years back which obviously didn't work as I'm still a smoker,thinking of trying hypnosis this time.

I may have to hide away somewhere for about 3 weeks as I usually when I'm not inhaling nicotine,I want to maim everyone within a 5 mile radius...

Posh

Have you tried Allen Carr (not the comedian ...)?

Worked for me. I decided that my smoking and drinking were very different problems so saw no contradiction in using different methods to sort them out.

Miflaw, I've read his alcohol book but not his smoking one (Doh!), I will check it out.

Read the thin one - when he started talking about drinking he was really stepping outside what he knew and I think it shows.

also, smoking is clearly a physical addiction whereas it is less clear how that could be true for drinking, so I don't think they are comparable, yet he seems to try to make them so.

for me I would love to drink but in real moderation, say a bottle between me and dh at the weekend. The odd social drinketc. The last 2 years I have drank most nights about half to three quarters o a bottle of wine.Two weeks ago I did not drink all week, then had a "sensible" tipple a weekend met friend we shared a bottle.never drank for the next 5 days then had a real wino session ...went overboard.So again this week have gone 6 days without I am aiming to just have half a bottle tommorow with friend.For me problem is when I am out in a bar /pub situation with it all on tap.In the house I can keep to controlled amounts, good luck to us all in keeping the evil alcohol fairy at bay.As mums it is so important to try and set agood example,however we are only human, make mistakes and sometimes go too far.I would reccomend Bright eyes online counselling for a read re these issues.Good luck all.

I know of BE darkandstormy

Good luck with your moderated drinking!

thanks posh wellies, its weird isn,t it these Fri/Sat evenings can go one way or another... A bit of a turning point for me recently was when my 6 yrold ds said,"mummy why are you so obsessed with wine and crisps?", I knew then that there has to be an effort to make a big change. Its amazing what the kids pick up on.

I have decided I am really an all or nothing person.I can find it in myself to go t bed with a herbal tea.It is just once that cork goes there ain,t no stopping. What makes it worse for me is dh is one of those sickening people who can just have one pint, so makes me look so much more of a boozer by comparison.

Welcome D&S - keep up the good work.

Now here's another question guys - on the subject of substitute drinks.

Have just bought a bottle of de-alcoholised wine. It does in fact have a teeny tiny bit of alcohol in it - .05% but that seems negligable to me.

I have had this before and its ok, especially the sparkling version, but have avoided it so far in this attempt to be tee total for a year as have felt it might be so disappointing as a wine substitute that would be tempted to the real thing.

Am also wondering whether its not purist enough iykwim. Should I just stick to completely non wine related drinks?

missNash- that is a hard one.0,5 is very negligible, however it being a wine sustitutewould be too much of an association for me personally.However, everyone is so different,at home like others have said, I opt for the hotchoccie herbal tea route.Simply because its just so not booze that it flicks the switch off iyswim. As I am typing the evil alcohol fairy has landed on my shoulder telling me I deserve a tipple tonight .....oh no its going to be a tough one.camomile tea at the ready

the reward for good behaviour tonight will be half a bottle of merlottommorrow.Hopefully a once or twice a week treat.Just recently I have been really terrified at the grip this vice can get. Ironically I was never a big drinker when younger, just the last 2/3 years.

I've not had any 'alcohol free' drinks as of yet.I just stuck with fruit juices and normal drinks like tea and the such like.

I'm not really into drinking things like taste like booze,I don't see the point tbh,I'd rather have the booze or none at all!

I think alot of cough meds and mouthwashes contain a small amount of alcohol,I wouldn't be too worried about it but it's your call.

Yes, and the hospital handwash!

I stopped smoking at the start of November - nearly 3 months! I am amazed that I haven't started again, because frankly life has been crap. It's not difficult, especially if you have done it already.

Compliance is a problem with a lot of drugs. It's why they invented depot injections and implants.

silent well done with the smoking keep it up.I packed it up 8 years ago or rather went right off it .I had morning sickness with ds, did not know I was pregnant kept pucking couldn,t touch a fag ever since.However I do have fleeting longingf or a marlboro light.

Well I have had a little taste of my alcohol free wine and then had a glass of ginger ale and lime and actually the latter was nicer. Am definately not tempted by hopsital hand wash ......

What's everyone up to tonight? Am going to a local fundraising concert (prob will be cheap booze in plastic cups) and then coming home to watch Valrykie (have secret crush on Tom Cruise).

Am not feeling at all tempted at mo and will have DCs with me so even more incentive to abstain.

Well done D&S, posh, silent c etc. Am v bad at remembering who everyone is on these long threads and have great admiration for those who can remember all and have special messages for each.

miss nash and all above good luck on your night of abstinence.Its getting really close to casillero del diablo time , the challenge begins.I am having a quiet night tonight.dh going to visit his parents tommorrow with ds.Me and dd staying put, so I will help him pack.

miss nash that ginger ale and lime does sound v nice might indulge in one of them myself.

I am v depressed tonight as have just been diagnosed with shingles It's a work meal out tonight for a colleague who is leaving and I was really looking forward to it. He is going to be really missed too So, no outing, no booze, no fags.. However I do have coronation, one more antiviral tablet to take and a really rubbishy book to get into. Can't be all bad