I drink too much... UPDATE POST 134 :) - Page 7

[tiffani]

sorry if someone already explained the sugar/alcohol/yeast connection, (I read the whole thread, and saw mention of it, but not the reason behind it, so I'll throw it in here) but since alcohol is sugar, you will crave it if your system is overloaded with yeast/candida. Get rid of the candida, and you will get rid of the cravings. Cutting out alcohol for a month is a PERFECT first step, that will go a long way toward solving the problem, but if you can tackle the sugary food/refined foods as well, you'll be golden.

there is also the psychological aspect of drinking, but I think that's easier for most people to overcome than the physical craving. It's easy to replace drinking with other activities that relax us (like you have done ) and once you kill off the candida in your system (take pro-biotics too, if you can) you won't have the physical cravings either.

best wishes!

[TTC]

I haven't read the whole thread so I might sound repetitious if others have said the same things I'm about to say. I did read the entire first post and a few others.

a) I believe 100% you are an alcoholic and are in denial or think you are not when you really are. You have to face it and somebody has to tell you.

b) there's no such thing as a "functioning alcoholic." You referred to yourself as that more than once in your original post. If you drink an entire bottle of wine and get pulled over for drunk driving (even if you think you were driving just fine), and the breathalyzer test shows you are drunk, you can't say "but I'm functional" and get out of it. You're not.

c) You have the memory lapses such as forgetting what movie you watched, because alcohol kills a lot of brain cells. Look at an alcoholic 10 years down the line and they're spaced out and dumber than a rock with the few functioning brain cells they have left. It's usually at that point where someone will accept that they are an alcoholic, after all the irreversible damage has already been done and they can tell at their most sober state that they are not who they used to be no matter how hard they try. Chances are the same husband who is watching you drink yourself to a stupor will have left you and you won't understand why. He obviously doesn't love you enough if he is letting you drink a whole bottle of wine without intervening and trying to make you stop. Sorry to break it to you.

d) I think your husband is an enabler. He wants you to be in a good mood and be wild in bed so he's willing to watch the kids and let you drink to have that and it's disgusting.

e) Maybe you should join a gym with all the money you spend on alcohol and that way you will feel better, look better and not feel self conscious and not need the alcohol to make you happy.

Good luck.

[JElaineB]

Originally Posted by TTC

I haven't read the whole thread so I might sound repetitious if others have said the same things I'm about to say. I did read the entire first post and a few others.

a) I believe 100% you are an alcoholic and are in denial or think you are not when you really are. You have to face it and somebody has to tell you.

b) there's no such thing as a "functioning alcoholic." You referred to yourself as that more than once in your original post. If you drink an entire bottle of wine and get pulled over for drunk driving (even if you think you were driving just fine), and the breathalyzer test shows you are drunk, you can't say "but I'm functional" and get out of it. You're not.

c) You have the memory lapses such as forgetting what movie you watched, because alcohol kills a lot of brain cells. Look at an alcoholic 10 years down the line and they're spaced out and dumber than a rock with the few functioning brain cells they have left. It's usually at that point where someone will accept that they are an alcoholic, after all the irreversible damage has already been done and they can tell at their most sober state that they are not who they used to be no matter how hard they try. Chances are the same husband who is watching you drink yourself to a stupor will have left you and you won't understand why. He obviously doesn't love you enough if he is letting you drink a whole bottle of wine without intervening and trying to make you stop. Sorry to break it to you.

d) I think your husband is an enabler. He wants you to be in a good mood and be wild in bed so he's willing to watch the kids and let you drink to have that and it's disgusting.

e) Maybe you should join a gym with all the money you spend on alcohol and that way you will feel better, look better and not feel self conscious and not need the alcohol to make you happy.

Good luck.

I think your post is pretty harsh. If you had read the whole thread the OP has addressed a number of the concerns you cite already. You are fully free to disagree with her, but you should at least have the courtesy to read the whole thread before slinging some major accusations at the OP and her family.

[DariusMom]

Originally Posted by JElaineB

I think your post is pretty harsh. If you had read the whole thread the OP has addressed a number of the concerns you cite already. You are fully free to disagree with her, but you should at least have the courtesy to read the whole thread before slinging some major accusations at the OP and her family.

This.

[TTC]

Originally Posted by JElaineB

I think your post is pretty harsh. If you had read the whole thread the OP has addressed a number of the concerns you cite already. You are fully free to disagree with her, but you should at least have the courtesy to read the whole thread before slinging some major accusations at the OP and her family.

Ok, thanks for pointing that out. I definitely don't want to be harsh, maybe doing some tough love to help her out because she seemed to not see any of the signs in her initial post, but I will definitely read the whole thread to get the whole picture. Thanks and sorry to the poster, I don't mean to cause any bad feelings. I had a family member in a similar situation as her, almost identical so I think I got a little too emotional about it but my intentions are good.

[Kivgaen]

Originally Posted by sparklefairy

Unfortunately, he's probably going to smoke you! Stupid male weight loss advantage!



I hope you have a great time together.

I wonder if males have a "weight loss advantage" because they do more strength training than women do?

[greenmulberry]

So, I was wondering if we can get an update? I too struggled with drinking more than I should, and I in the past could easily drink a whole bottle of wine if I wasn't paying strict attention.

I am now pregnant, so that gave me a hard and fast reason to stop drinking, but I sympathize with the situation. I wish I had been more used to being sober in the evenings, because it was a hard adjustment for me to go from unwinding with alcohol, to sort of not knowing what to do without it. I seem to be past that now!

[MichaelsSahm]

I think starting to set limits to see if you can keep yourself to it is a way to start. If you can't keep yourself to those limits, I would seek professional help somewhere. As the daughter of an alcoholic, you want to remember the time you have with your child/ren right? My father didn't remember a whole lot of me growing up, and it broke my heart. I would talk to him, and he wouldn't remember what I told him the next day.

Is that the life you want for you and your child?? I don't think you want that, or you wouldn't be asking for help. Sometimes we need to put our pride aside, and accept help!

Do it for you first and foremost, but also for your child who deserves a Mama who remembers their life together! If you don't do it for YOU, it will never work!

s

[BabyMae09]

Originally Posted by coleslaw

I once read that people who have issues with simple sugars and wheat/gluten are susceptible to abusing alcohol. I dont' remember the specifics or who I was listening to when I heard it, but a program designed to address a person nutrition helped much more (like 75% or more) than AA. Just a thought. Maybe have your nutritional levels checked?

ETA: I see your are on Zoloft and B vitamins are good for depression. A lack of which could cause depression. Adding more whole grains and vegetables to your diet may help while you are trying to wean yourself off (or lower the consumption).

Ok, so I haven't read the whole thread, but I couldn't not reply when I saw this. YES YES YES - once I changed my diet - removing all grains, and corn - I felt SO much better, and stopped feeling the need to drink.

Why on earth would you *add* whole grains if you have issues with wheat/gluten?

There's some really great wheat alternatives out there. And I'll tell you what, I went from feeling SO terrible every day to actually feeling sane and whole and not sick anymore. AND I don't crave alcohol anymore, like, ever.

PM me if you want more info

[BabyMae09]

Originally Posted by tiffani

sorry if someone already explained the sugar/alcohol/yeast connection, (I read the whole thread, and saw mention of it, but not the reason behind it, so I'll throw it in here) but since alcohol is sugar, you will crave it if your system is overloaded with yeast/candida. Get rid of the candida, and you will get rid of the cravings. Cutting out alcohol for a month is a PERFECT first step, that will go a long way toward solving the problem, but if you can tackle the sugary food/refined foods as well, you'll be golden.

there is also the psychological aspect of drinking, but I think that's easier for most people to overcome than the physical craving. It's easy to replace drinking with other activities that relax us (like you have done ) and once you kill off the candida in your system (take pro-biotics too, if you can) you won't have the physical cravings either.

best wishes!

Yes, I'm still not sure whether I'm grain-sensitive or had a major candida overgrowth. I've been off grains for 2-3 months now though, and I feel SO amazing

[Maine Mama Doula]

I've read most of the thread and I had just a couple of things to contribute, especially from a BTDT perspective.

I went on Zoloft for ppd with DD2 and swore that it made me CRAVE alcohol. My doctor pretty much blew me off, said I was self-medicating, changed meds, but in the end, I decided, that antidepressants were not conducive to my health. I'd love to see a study done on potential alcoholics and antidepressants.

After quitting my meds, I juicefeasted, which cut out everything bad for me and I did it for 43 days. I felt WONDERFUL. I'm back to some of my bad habits now, but after just having had a miscarriage, I gotta give myself some room.

Try the diet change. Commit to it. Don't drink for 30 days and eat really healthy. My suggestion is to check out some raw vegan diets. Journal how you feel. GL and keep us updated!!

[Lauren710]

Originally Posted by beansmama 

Originally Posted by beansmama

As an atheist I will not do AA. It is a lot of religious mumbo jumbo (yes, I have attended many-a-AA meeting when I was about 15...long story having to do with my parents freaking out because I smoked pot) and I just can't do it. Or, I can, but I wont. I don't believe it.

As far as whether or not I am an alcoholic...everything I've read is pretty clear that I am not.

There are different levels of addiction and I fall into the alcohol abuser category. I don't have a lot of the addictive problems such as shakes or getting ill if I don't drink, etc.

Any advice on some non-religious sober info? Actual science based groups or therapies? I'd be interested!

Also, I just took a quiz (it had been awhile) and it said it couldn't give me an answer, but I should definitely talk to my doctor and get their input on whether or not I should be drinking.

Has anyone talked to their doctor before about a drinking problem?

I would be willing to do that...except I haven't had a doctor is YEARS (except my obgyn). I do have insurance though, so I guess I better get on it!

I know this thread is several months old now, but if you are still having problems with alcohol I'd suggest SMART Recovery over AA, I'm also an atheist and don't buy into the whole "helpless to God and the disease of alcoholism" shpiel. I've been going to SMART meetings and have found it helpful, it's a cognitive-behavioral techniques approach to addiction. SMART also has a website that you can check out if you're interested, the website will be much more informative than any poorly-worded description I could give you - there's a forum and they do online chat meetings several times a week :)

[plantnerd]

I am in the same boat.  Otherwise I have no advice for you, if I had any answers I'd be sober.  Good luck to you, I'm sorry, I know it sucks.

[beansmama]

I was just reading this forum and noticed this was still on the front page! Oh snap...I was hoping I'd been forgotten ;P
 

Anyway, I quit drinking August 30th - but I say it was sept. 1st just so I can remember my "anniversary" easier...I have a horrid memory, lol!

Basically, I hit my bottom and enough was enough. I went to 1 AA meeting and the ENTIRE thing was (summed up) "If you don't believe in God, you can't quit"...yeah. total turn off. I'm fine though - if I get too stressed I enjoy a big ol' steaming cup of Kava now...

Sometimes it's hard, yeah...well. Hard is the wrong word. Sometimes, during fights with DH, I get the urge to drink, but I don't. It's just not an option for me.

Oh..and..btw...I still am sticking to the "I'm not an alcoholic" thing. I went to a couple sessions of an outpatient group that reinforced that belief, and honestly I'm really thankful I didn't have to deal with the withdrawl bs that a lot of those people had to deal with. BUT - alcoholism runs in my family and I've proven to be well on my way. If I kept drinking, no doubt would I be a full-blown alchy in NO TIME. So I just say I'm an alcoholic and call it good :)

Anywho...tis all! Just an update incase anyone was curious ;)

[applecider]

Glad to hear you're doing well!