Main Menu

The Dry Dog Thread

Started by Tjm86, 28 June, 2021, 11:56:44 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

Tjm86

There are times when it feels a little like this forum is an extension of MIND with all the 'baggage' that a lot of us bring.  Linked to that then is the issue of 'self-medication' and particularly its potential overuse.  I doubt I'm alone in this regard but I know how much of a challenge it can be fighting it back.

So I'm setting myself (and anyone who wishes to join in) a challenge ... to stay 'dry' for as long as possible.  Starting today and counting on.  Target 1 - one week.  Given that this covers a weekend as well ...

I know that it doesn't take much at the moment to push me in the wrong direction and even this small target is likely to be a major challenge at the moment but what's life without challenges (anyone ever finds out, please let me know!)

Trooper McFad

Good luck  Tjm86 👍🏻

I have a mate who was a big drinker and took us all by surprise and went cold turkey. Unfortunately this meant he stopped going out as he didn't see the point if he didn't/couldn't drink. 🙁 haven't seen him in a while I should give him a call.

I didn't go cold turkey but I definitely cut back near the end of the first lockdown and now only drink on Friday & Saturdays * and even then it's only 2/3 bottles of beer. Apart from reducing alcohol intake it's helped my waistline.😁

I hope it all works out for you.

*The Euros have broken this for now so glad it's almost over.
Citizens are Perps who haven't been caught ... yet!

Funt Solo

A member of our family is taking a break from alcohol, having realized (after a doctor visit) that their habit was going to be life-changing (or life-shortening, really). Their partner, who hardly drank anyway, has joined them in solidarity. It's been difficult to manage, and they had a whisky recently at a wake that made the whole project wobble significantly.

One of the trickiest parts is managing the social aspect - who to tell (when not wanting to make too big a deal of it), how to manage relatives whose response to the phrase "actually, we're having a bit of a dry house at the moment" was to turn up with champagne and gleefully pronounce "oops - I brought alcohol to the dry house" and then, of course, dealing with the addiction itself.

I feel lucky - my big problem was tobacco, and I managed to stop back in 2008. I still get cravings sometimes, although fewer than I used to. My brain still tells me some lies, as well. "Just one won't hurt", it whispers. Liar!
++ A-Z ++  coma ++

Barrington Boots

Agree on the social aspect, I've done dry periods before and people seem to delight in trying to get you to break a resolution: endured constant mockery / attempts to get me to have 'just one' / even outright attempts to trick me into drinking alcohol. I had a similar experience when I went vegetarian.

It's all about having the right support group. If I / we can support you here, I will - it is a challenge, but it's definitely one worth tackling!
You're a dark horse, Boots.

Trooper McFad

Quote from: Funt Solo on 28 June, 2021, 04:37:35 PM
A member of our family is taking a break from alcohol, having realized (after a doctor visit) that their habit was going to be life-changing (or life-shortening, really). Their partner, who hardly drank anyway, has joined them in solidarity. It's been difficult to manage, and they had a whisky recently at a wake that made the whole project wobble significantly.

One of the trickiest parts is managing the social aspect - who to tell (when not wanting to make too big a deal of it), how to manage relatives whose response to the phrase "actually, we're having a bit of a dry house at the moment" was to turn up with champagne and gleefully pronounce "oops - I brought alcohol to the dry house" and then, of course, dealing with the addiction itself.

I feel lucky - my big problem was tobacco, and I managed to stop back in 2008. I still get cravings sometimes, although fewer than I used to. My brain still tells me some lies, as well. "Just one won't hurt", it whispers. Liar!

The social aspect is huge hence my mate not going out. Society can be a powerful tool for good and bad when people just want to fit in but then the individuals propensity to addiction kicks in and affects us all in different ways.

Funt your cravings (even minor) after so many years goes to show how powerful the "addiction gene" can be.
Citizens are Perps who haven't been caught ... yet!

Tjm86

Thanks for the support, I will wear it always. 

Fortunately with the BPD the socialising aspect isn't a problem.  On those rare occasions when I do get the Pink Chit I end up driving so that covers that one.

Anyway, another dry day so I'm going to take that one.  I know what you mean about the cravings Funt.  Reading up on addictions and the role of neurotransmitters makes for some interesting, if a little disturbing, thoughts.  Hopefully like you I can rewire that part of the brain.


JayzusB.Christ

Fair play - loads of respect for you here.  My drinking habits got a wee bit out of control for most of the lockdown period.  Managed to break the cycle by accident really - working so hard that I was only fit for a small beer before bed.  So far I haven't got back into the nightly heavy drinking.

It's a weird one in the houseboat community where I live - pretty much everyone is an alcoholic, or if not then a chronic stoner.  My neighbour goes for a morning walk with a can of Heineken every single day without fail. Another neighbour, still punk as feck in his 50s, has a bar of chocolate and a line of speed for breakfast every day, then hits the beers.  He's a bleeding sound fella, mind you.

"Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest"

Hawkmumbler

Four days into my own dry spell, all for supporting it myself. I feel my case is a much lighter one than others, and is less about staying off alcoholism, as someone who does enjoy exploring whiskey I doubt I'd ever be a true soberite, as it is reinstating some measure of self discipline that has gone array of late. But whatever the reason it can't hurt to give the liver and kidneys a break every now and again.
My personal goal is to make it exactly six months, Christmas Day, before taking another sip of booze. But of course to each have their own goals and wish them nought but the best of luck.

Definitely Not Mister Pops

Yeah, I noticed my drinking getting out of hand early into this whole clusterfuck. I would be something of a regular in my local before the lockdowns. The thing is, going for a few pints isn't the same, you couldn't hit the bottle as soon as you finished work and keep going to bedtime. Then on top of that, being in public and knowing you needed to be able to walk home introduced some self regulation to your drinking.

What I found helped a lot was going back to how I filled my time as a teenager, before I discovered whiskey and beer. It has been a strain on my hands and wrists, but I have rediscovered my love of wanking*. As a teenager, I was so good at wanking that older friends would invite me to wank on stage*** with their bands. It took a while to get back into it, but my muscle memory has been pleasantly surprising and I have enjoyed going back and listening to my angry teenage music.

An interesting, related development, was when I met my parents for the first time in over a year, they gave me my combined birthday/christmas present. A banjo! I've always related to the banjo as an instrument. Much like myself, no one is really interested in listening to it.

*I should clarify, in this context,"wanking" means playing Kirk Hammett/Dimebag Darrell**/Alex Skolnick guitar solos.

**Cemetary gates was my big party piece. It's kinda hard to reconcile my teenage love for Pantera, now that I'm better informed about the confederate flag (that they used in much of their marketing) and Phil Anselmo's general Qness.

***More accurately: corner of the pub
You may quote me on that.

Funt Solo

Quote from: Mister Pops on 29 June, 2021, 09:34:51 PM
It has been a strain on my hands and wrists, but I have rediscovered my love of wanking

:o

(I like all the imaginary stuff you add after that in which you try to make out it has a different meaning.)
++ A-Z ++  coma ++

Definitely Not Mister Pops

Zounds! My ruse has failed!
You may quote me on that.

Proudhuff

Good luck chaps, I too have over indulged over lockdown, going to be dry over weekdays, but its a struggle.
Mind you health and wealth options maybe driving my choices!

As my partner used to say, alcohol is a depressant,  you take it each day you're going to be depressed.
DDT did a job on me

Tjm86

Quote from: Hawkmumbler on 28 June, 2021, 10:00:41 PM
Four days into my own dry spell, all for supporting it myself.

Congratulations sir, I didn't even make two days.  Had to restart again Tuesday.  Made it to today though.  Here comes the weekend though ... Good luck, if that is as much a challenge for you as for me.

Hawkmumbler

Aye a week in and can't say I'm really missing it, though last night I did have a brief pang to open up a bottle and have a dram of smoky islay scotch but thought better of it.
Don't feel back about having to restart mate, trials and all that are there to be won.

Tjm86

True, just wish I wasn't getting so much practice dealing with trials and tribulations.   :(