Alcohol and Options

[news.cableone.net]

I am 26 and I have been a daily drinker for quite some time, my main
motivating factor was alcohol made me sleep where as sleeping pills never
have. For years I have been doing this and I would go to bed at a
reasonable hour and get up at 5am and run 4 miles at the local gym before
work and it would never affected my performance. Well, recently I have
noticed I am defiantly doing my body a major disservice and alcohol is
defiantly not going to make me run faster, jump higher, or making me any
more intelligent. I exercise daily and take vitamin supplements and also
eat an extremely almost anal diet so I think that my body may be able to
handle the initial shock of eliminating alcohol completely for my daily
diet. Anyway, I will not enroll in a detox program and would rather die
from alcohol or from eliminating it from my daily diet rather than ever
consult a doctor about this issue but I know everyone has an opinion on that
thought but it is what it is. I found an interesting British website that
gave detailed instructions on how to do a "do it yourself detox" with
alcohol which at least someone in the UK dares to have an open mind and not
just say AA is the only answer and you need some "text book" doctor to tell
you what you already know and take your $$$ for advice which is worthless in
my opinion.. So I figure I need to come up with a creative approach to
conquer my love hate relationship with alcohol. I think that no one is
powerless against anything in their lives and if they are they may as well
not be living at all because life has just lost all of its purpose and if
you surrender to a Higher Power you may as well just surrender to alcohol
because it is the lesser of two evils but it is still evil.(just I strong
option I have) I am not trying to justify my drinking to anyone but I am
just trying to come up with a solution that is not pointing to the
"mainstream AA" as an answer simply because I think as with so many things
in life that there are many ways to make it from point A to point B and use
multiple routes, no route is wrong as long as you make it to point B and if
you make it there who really cares about how you got there because in the
end you are there. Perhaps I have just answered my own question and need to
just gradually reduce my alcohol intake to a point where my body has
properly adjusted and then just pull the plug. I must reiterate that I have
nothing against AA I just do not personally adhere to that protocol but I
know that it has helped many others and the more power to them but one
approach does not necessarily work for everyone. My question is what I can
expect once I cease my consumption of alcohol? I somewhat already know the
answer and I know that the insomnia will get worse and of course the racing
thoughts but sleep is never something I have valued so it is not all that
devastating. I will not consult my doctor because I do not have one and if I
did I am sure I would not trust him any further than I can throw him because
all he wants is his cut in the money like everyone else in our so called
utopia of capitalism. I may come off as sounding a bit bitter but I know how
our country works and it may function well in some areas but it completely
fails in others. Enough with my rants, If anyone feels compeled to respond
please do.

[rockhound]

hunh? wha?

zzzzZZZzzzzz....


On Tue, 25 May 2004 22:46:18 -0500, "news.cableone.net"
<jeremyjo@cableone.net> wrote:

>I am 26 and I have been a daily drinker for quite some time, my main
>motivating factor was alcohol made me sleep where as sleeping pills never
>have. For years I have been doing this and I would go to bed at a
>reasonable hour and get up at 5am and run 4 miles at the local gym before
>work and it would never affected my performance. Well, recently I have
>noticed I am defiantly doing my body a major disservice and alcohol is
>defiantly not going to make me run faster, jump higher, or making me any
>more intelligent. I exercise daily and take vitamin supplements and also
>eat an extremely almost anal diet so I think that my body may be able to
>handle the initial shock of eliminating alcohol completely for my daily
>diet. Anyway, I will not enroll in a detox program and would rather die
>from alcohol or from eliminating it from my daily diet rather than ever
>consult a doctor about this issue but I know everyone has an opinion on that
>thought but it is what it is. I found an interesting British website that
>gave detailed instructions on how to do a "do it yourself detox" with
>alcohol which at least someone in the UK dares to have an open mind and not
>just say AA is the only answer and you need some "text book" doctor to tell
>you what you already know and take your $$$ for advice which is worthless in
>my opinion.. So I figure I need to come up with a creative approach to
>conquer my love hate relationship with alcohol. I think that no one is
>powerless against anything in their lives and if they are they may as well
>not be living at all because life has just lost all of its purpose and if
>you surrender to a Higher Power you may as well just surrender to alcohol
>because it is the lesser of two evils but it is still evil.(just I strong
>option I have) I am not trying to justify my drinking to anyone but I am
>just trying to come up with a solution that is not pointing to the
>"mainstream AA" as an answer simply because I think as with so many things
>in life that there are many ways to make it from point A to point B and use
>multiple routes, no route is wrong as long as you make it to point B and if
>you make it there who really cares about how you got there because in the
>end you are there. Perhaps I have just answered my own question and need to
>just gradually reduce my alcohol intake to a point where my body has
>properly adjusted and then just pull the plug. I must reiterate that I have
>nothing against AA I just do not personally adhere to that protocol but I
>know that it has helped many others and the more power to them but one
>approach does not necessarily work for everyone. My question is what I can
>expect once I cease my consumption of alcohol? I somewhat already know the
>answer and I know that the insomnia will get worse and of course the racing
>thoughts but sleep is never something I have valued so it is not all that
>devastating. I will not consult my doctor because I do not have one and if I
>did I am sure I would not trust him any further than I can throw him because
>all he wants is his cut in the money like everyone else in our so called
>utopia of capitalism. I may come off as sounding a bit bitter but I know how
>our country works and it may function well in some areas but it completely
>fails in others. Enough with my rants, If anyone feels compeled to respond
>please do.
>

[John Droge]

"news.cableone.net" <jeremyjo@cableone.net> wrote in message
news:10b84ob142u4ec7@corp.supernews.com...
> I am 26 and I have been a daily drinker for quite some time, my main
> motivating factor was alcohol made me sleep where as sleeping pills never
> have. For years I have been doing this and I would go to bed at a
> reasonable hour and get up at 5am and run 4 miles at the local gym before
> work and it would never affected my performance. Well, recently I have
> noticed I am defiantly doing my body a major disservice and alcohol is
> defiantly not going to make me run faster, jump higher, or making me any
> more intelligent. I exercise daily and take vitamin supplements and also
> eat an extremely almost anal diet so I think that my body may be able to
> handle the initial shock of eliminating alcohol completely for my daily
> diet. Anyway, I will not enroll in a detox program and would rather die
> from alcohol or from eliminating it from my daily diet rather than ever
> consult a doctor about this issue but I know everyone has an opinion on
that
> thought but it is what it is. I found an interesting British website
that
> gave detailed instructions on how to do a "do it yourself detox" with
> alcohol which at least someone in the UK dares to have an open mind and
not
> just say AA is the only answer and you need some "text book" doctor to
tell
> you what you already know and take your $$$ for advice which is worthless
in
> my opinion.. So I figure I need to come up with a creative approach to
> conquer my love hate relationship with alcohol. I think that no one is
> powerless against anything in their lives and if they are they may as well
> not be living at all because life has just lost all of its purpose and if
> you surrender to a Higher Power you may as well just surrender to alcohol
> because it is the lesser of two evils but it is still evil.(just I strong
> option I have) I am not trying to justify my drinking to anyone but I am
> just trying to come up with a solution that is not pointing to the
> "mainstream AA" as an answer simply because I think as with so many things
> in life that there are many ways to make it from point A to point B and
use
> multiple routes, no route is wrong as long as you make it to point B and
if
> you make it there who really cares about how you got there because in the
> end you are there. Perhaps I have just answered my own question and need
to
> just gradually reduce my alcohol intake to a point where my body has
> properly adjusted and then just pull the plug. I must reiterate that I
have
> nothing against AA I just do not personally adhere to that protocol but I
> know that it has helped many others and the more power to them but one
> approach does not necessarily work for everyone. My question is what I
can
> expect once I cease my consumption of alcohol? I somewhat already know
the
> answer and I know that the insomnia will get worse and of course the
racing
> thoughts but sleep is never something I have valued so it is not all that
> devastating. I will not consult my doctor because I do not have one and if
I
> did I am sure I would not trust him any further than I can throw him
because
> all he wants is his cut in the money like everyone else in our so called
> utopia of capitalism. I may come off as sounding a bit bitter but I know
how
> our country works and it may function well in some areas but it completely
> fails in others. Enough with my rants, If anyone feels compeled to
respond
> please do.
>
I wish you success with controlled drinking. I controlled mine for around
15-20 years and then somewhere I crossed an unmarked line and I only thought
I was in control after that. Drinking daily so that you can sleep at 26?--
shit I didn't do that till I was over 40. I do honestly hope you can
successfully control your drinking--being an alcoholic is dull boring and
tasteless; it is without socially redeeming qualities--it truly sucks. I
really wish I could control my drinking but I can't so I don't.
Good Luck
John

[Tono]

news.cableone.net wrote:I will not consult my doctor because I do
not have one and if I
> did I am sure I would not trust him any further than I can throw him because
> all he wants is his cut in the money like everyone else in our so called
> utopia of capitalism. I may come off as sounding a bit bitter but I know how
> our country works and it may function well in some areas but it completely
> fails in others. Enough with my rants, If anyone feels compeled to respond
> please do.

I wish I could say something to help, but I can't think of much. I
am curious if you feel the same way about barbers, landscapers,
dishwashers, waiters, computer programmers, garbage collectors, jet
pilots... as you feel about Drs? Aren't most people that work
doing it to get their cut of the money?

Tono

[Bobby L.]

"news.cableone.net" <jeremyjo@cableone.net> wrote in message
news:10b84ob142u4ec7@corp.supernews.com...
> I am 26 and I have been a daily drinker for quite some time, my main
> motivating factor was alcohol made me sleep where as sleeping pills never
> have. For years I have been doing this and I would go to bed at a
> reasonable hour and get up at 5am and run 4 miles at the local gym before
> work and it would never affected my performance. Well, recently I have
> noticed I am defiantly doing my body a major disservice and alcohol is
> defiantly not going to make me run faster, jump higher, or making me any
> more intelligent. I exercise daily and take vitamin supplements and also
> eat an extremely almost anal diet so I think that my body may be able to
> handle the initial shock of eliminating alcohol completely for my daily
> diet. Anyway, I will not enroll in a detox program and would rather die
> from alcohol or from eliminating it from my daily diet rather than ever
> consult a doctor about this issue but I know everyone has an opinion on
that
> thought but it is what it is. I found an interesting British website
that
> gave detailed instructions on how to do a "do it yourself detox" with
> alcohol which at least someone in the UK dares to have an open mind and
not
> just say AA is the only answer and you need some "text book" doctor to
tell
> you what you already know and take your $$$ for advice which is worthless
in
> my opinion.. So I figure I need to come up with a creative approach to
> conquer my love hate relationship with alcohol. I think that no one is
> powerless against anything in their lives and if they are they may as well
> not be living at all because life has just lost all of its purpose and if
> you surrender to a Higher Power you may as well just surrender to alcohol
> because it is the lesser of two evils but it is still evil.(just I strong
> option I have) I am not trying to justify my drinking to anyone but I am
> just trying to come up with a solution that is not pointing to the
> "mainstream AA" as an answer simply because I think as with so many things
> in life that there are many ways to make it from point A to point B and
use
> multiple routes, no route is wrong as long as you make it to point B and
if
> you make it there who really cares about how you got there because in the
> end you are there. Perhaps I have just answered my own question and need
to
> just gradually reduce my alcohol intake to a point where my body has
> properly adjusted and then just pull the plug. I must reiterate that I
have
> nothing against AA I just do not personally adhere to that protocol but I
> know that it has helped many others and the more power to them but one
> approach does not necessarily work for everyone. My question is what I
can
> expect once I cease my consumption of alcohol? I somewhat already know
the
> answer and I know that the insomnia will get worse and of course the
racing
> thoughts but sleep is never something I have valued so it is not all that
> devastating. I will not consult my doctor because I do not have one and if
I
> did I am sure I would not trust him any further than I can throw him
because
> all he wants is his cut in the money like everyone else in our so called
> utopia of capitalism. I may come off as sounding a bit bitter but I know
how
> our country works and it may function well in some areas but it completely
> fails in others. Enough with my rants, If anyone feels compeled to
respond
> please do.
>
>


So how's that working out for you?

Bobby L

[ted]

I think all you have to do is just stop and thats it ( People simply
say enough is enough every day and quit drinking) lets not reinvent
the wheel. acording to the aa croud your not really an alky till you
admit it at a meeting... Now go on to simply enjoy your new life as
a non drinker I have and its lovely.............

>I am 26 and I have been a daily drinker for quite some time, my main
>motivating factor was alcohol made me sleep where as sleeping pills never
>have. For years I have been doing this and I would go to bed at a
>reasonable hour and get up at 5am and run 4 miles at the local gym before
>work and it would never affected my performance. Well, recently I have
>noticed I am defiantly doing my body a major disservice and alcohol is
>defiantly not going to make me run faster, jump higher, or making me any
>more intelligent. I exercise daily and take vitamin supplements and also
>eat an extremely almost anal diet so I think that my body may be able to
>handle the initial shock of eliminating alcohol completely for my daily
>diet. Anyway, I will not enroll in a detox program and would rather die
>from alcohol or from eliminating it from my daily diet rather than ever
>consult a doctor about this issue but I know everyone has an opinion on that
>thought but it is what it is. I found an interesting British website that
>gave detailed instructions on how to do a "do it yourself detox" with
>alcohol which at least someone in the UK dares to have an open mind and not
>just say AA is the only answer and you need some "text book" doctor to tell
>you what you already know and take your $$$ for advice which is worthless in
>my opinion.. So I figure I need to come up with a creative approach to
>conquer my love hate relationship with alcohol. I think that no one is
>powerless against anything in their lives and if they are they may as well
>not be living at all because life has just lost all of its purpose and if
>you surrender to a Higher Power you may as well just surrender to alcohol
>because it is the lesser of two evils but it is still evil.(just I strong
>option I have) I am not trying to justify my drinking to anyone but I am
>just trying to come up with a solution that is not pointing to the
>"mainstream AA" as an answer simply because I think as with so many things
>in life that there are many ways to make it from point A to point B and use
>multiple routes, no route is wrong as long as you make it to point B and if
>you make it there who really cares about how you got there because in the
>end you are there. Perhaps I have just answered my own question and need to
>just gradually reduce my alcohol intake to a point where my body has
>properly adjusted and then just pull the plug. I must reiterate that I have
>nothing against AA I just do not personally adhere to that protocol but I
>know that it has helped many others and the more power to them but one
>approach does not necessarily work for everyone. My question is what I can
>expect once I cease my consumption of alcohol? I somewhat already know the
>answer and I know that the insomnia will get worse and of course the racing
>thoughts but sleep is never something I have valued so it is not all that
>devastating. I will not consult my doctor because I do not have one and if I
>did I am sure I would not trust him any further than I can throw him because
>all he wants is his cut in the money like everyone else in our so called
>utopia of capitalism. I may come off as sounding a bit bitter but I know how
>our country works and it may function well in some areas but it completely
>fails in others. Enough with my rants, If anyone feels compeled to respond
>please do.
>

[rosie read and post]

"ted" <ttbarta@bark.com> wrote in message
news:vdfcc0dr5tcsghm0gnq057ef52fujpe4l8@4ax.com...
: I think all you have to do is just stop and thats it ( People
simply
: say enough is enough every day and quit drinking) lets not
reinvent
: the wheel. acording to the aa croud your not really an alky till
you
: admit it at a meeting... Now go on to simply enjoy your new
life as
: a non drinker I have and its lovely.............
:
:

congrats to you ted, for being able to "put the plug in the jug" and
enjoy your life.
i for one, needed "a little" more help than that, and found that
help around the tables of AA.

[JB]

"ted" <ttbarta@bark.com> wrote in message
news:vdfcc0dr5tcsghm0gnq057ef52fujpe4l8@4ax.com...
> I think all you have to do is just stop and thats it ( People simply
> say enough is enough every day and quit drinking) lets not reinvent
> the wheel. acording to the aa croud your not really an alky till
you
> admit it at a meeting... Now go on to simply enjoy your new life
as
> a non drinker I have and its lovely.............

Hi Ted,

I was able to quit and stay quit for almost 8 years. I started
drinking again in 2002; quit again in 2003. I wonder if you would
mind telling us:

About your drinking habits - ie how often ? for how many years ?
whether or not you always thought when you were drinking that you were
in control (eg if you decided that you were going to have only one
drink/ weren't going to drink one night, you'd do as you decided ?)

How many times you have quit drinking ?

How long it is since you last had a drink ?

Thanks

JB

[Cheggers]

My question is what I can
> expect once I cease my consumption of alcohol?

Since nobody addressed this head-on with you, I'll be happy to share
my experiences. Please remember though that alcohol's withdrawal
symptoms may be more or less severe in different folks, as I
understand it depending on such things as how much booze was being
taken and for how long.

The times I have downed tools on the old drinkin' have resulted in
mild to middling mental discomfort (akin to the racing head and
trouble sleeping you talk about), which has mostly gone by about the
fourth day. Everything else that happened - the lack of concentration,
vomiting, lack of appetite, sweats, diarrhea, shaking,
cloudy-headedness - already happened most days and took up a good deal
of my working day anyway.

So I had a kind of mini withdrawal going on in a never ending pattern
as it was. At least the real withdrawal tapered off and came to an
end!

If it helps you to gauge, my consumption ran from a six to the
equivalent of maybe a twelve pack nightly of 5.0%-6.0% brew, depending
on what I could stomach at the time, and I did that for about eighteen
years or so.

Sometimes I'd procure a little valium or xanax to ease me off - a half
in the morning if I couldn't face the day and one at night. That, of
course, carries its own risks; it defeats the purpose to end up
addicted to something else. I had enough to taper me off for the first
few days once and it helped but I'm no doctor, so I was just pissing
in the wind and was lucky I didn't compound my issue.

On the same topic, there's a ton of info in here on the DIY
withdrawal. Though I didn't venture beyond a multivitamin and felt too
shitty to eat properly or exercise, some of it might have helped me.

About doctors. They see this shit every darn day, man, and I've never
yet met one that's judged me (that's the sole advantage of paying for
medical advice imho... if you're not treated well, don't go back).

There's an advantage to not having a doctor right now, by the way. If
you go sign up with one they usually do a kind of lifestyle screening
to get to know you at the outset.

So they ask you about your alcohol consumption instead of you having
to fess up to them. A neat starting point to deal with this is to be
totally honest in response.

Yeah, you may be told your intake's too much and you'll be advised
what's safe and perhaps to reduce your intake to there.

And... if you can... you're fine.

And... if you can't... you go back and say 'I can't,' and ask for
assistance. You'll get it, and it may make withdrawal a lot more
bearable for you... and maybe even improve your chances of getting
through the early days.

Be aware that for some people withdrawal is *supposed to be* dangerous
and is supposed to be undertaken under medical supervision. But if you
can run five miles every morning that probably apply to you.

I'm not a doctor. I'm a piss-head. So none of this constitutes advice,
only experience and unqualifid opinion.

Yours, back on the feckin' wagon,

Cheggers