The weekend is nearly here

[chloe40]

Are the weekends the most difficult to get through without alcohol, or is every day difficult?

Chloe<3

[kenster1]

I think if you are single probably yes but every day is the weekend to an alcoholic.

[chloe40 in reply to kenster1]

I agree Kenny, kenster1

Some of us started as social drinkers and for those that could, that's fine, but then we find we

can't wait until the weekend, and so it develops. It's just too easy until it turns into a nightmare!

Chloe<3

[kenster1]

my longest friend in life is an alcoholic he used to get his benefits on a Tuesday drink solid Tuesday-Thursday then it was done hardly drank on the weekend. he was attending AA recently even stayed away from drink for his 50th but my other friend is high up in AA and he said our mate has relapsed again.

[chloe40 in reply to kenster1]

That amazes me Kenny, if someone can stop after a couple of days solid drinking, why is it so very hard to give up all together, could it be the social side of it?

<3

[kenster1 in reply to chloe40]

once it has gripped you it`s hard to escape it waking up and realising you have nothing or are destroying what you have usually sends you back on the bottle.

[chloe40 in reply to kenster1]

I totally get that for sure Kenny!

[SoberDrunk1 in reply to chloe40]

The book Alcoholics Anonymous classifies drinkers into 3 broad categories:

Moderate Drinkers, Hard Drinkers and then the real Alcoholic.

Moderate Drinkers have little trouble giving up loiquor entirely on their own if they have a good reason for it.

Hard Drinkers who have the habit that badly enough gradually impairs him physically and mentally. It may cause him to die a few years before his time. If a sufficiently strong reason—ill health, falling in love, change of environment, or the warning of a doctor—becomes operative, this man can also stop or moderate, although he may find it difficult and troublesome and may even need medical attention.

But then there are the real alcoholics. They cant stay stopped. They have a spiritual malady that leads them to those peculiar mental twists/blank spots they dont look past the effect produced by alcohol. They take a drink or 2 and then the craving kicks in and they get drunk. The only solution is what they call it a spiritual awakening. They got to realise their situation is very precarious and that they have to adopt certain attitude and ideas to have totally new look at they way they handle situations.

[LilyAnnepuppy Ambassador in reply to SoberDrunk1]

Thank you for your post. It’s important to know the difference surrounding types of drinkers.

[chloe40 in reply to SoberDrunk1]

Many thanks @SoberDrunk1

This is a really helpful post, so informative, thank you!

Chloe

[Isinatra]

Addiction doesn’t have a schedule. There are different stages of drinking, too. It’s complicated. I had a lot of obstacles that kept me from drinking when I wanted to at different times in my life.

[chloe40]

Thank you Isinatra

Very good point!

[Isinatra in reply to chloe40]

I asked HU if I could refer people from ADAA, when needed, to drink free for their alcohol problems. They said to ask the moderators of ADAA about it. I did and haven’t heard back from them.

In my early stages of drinking, I rarely thought about drinking unless I was around other people who were drinking. As time went on,, the drinking progressed to planning my weekend to involve drinking, but not always. I didn’t drink during the week , but sometimes I did. And probably from the first time I took a drink, I either couldn’t control it or I white knuckled it to control it. Be it the weekend or during the week. See, there’s no exact timeline. And everybody’s timeline or journey isnt identical. The only sure thing for an alcoholic is if a person continues to drink, there will be consequences. And the consequences depend on how long and how much a person has been drinking. And sometimes the biological make up is an influence as well.

[chloe40 in reply to Isinatra]

Thank you for asking Isinatra

I really hope the mods reply to you, out of courtesy if nothing else, fingers crossed.

You're absolutely right when you say 'There's no exact timeline'. Alcoholism isn't like an physiological illness (not initially anyway) so it doesn't follow a usual pattern of behaviour/symptoms or journey.

Just proves how addictive alcohol is, one point, personally, I also think if your brought up surrounded by alcohol, it has its effects on those within <3

[fauxartist]

I know for myself... any day of the week was a good reason to drink. Often when we are alone and not busy we ruminate...and without good support and a toolbox of ways to manage and cope with our emotional stuff... we will slip.... I am an alcoholic...and I also drank to self medicate.

[chloe40]

Thanks for your reply @fauxartist

You're so right! Good point about ruminating.

Chloe

[Wish3]

everyday is a day I think about a glass of wine ! But weekends I think I’m programmed to drink ! Find it so difficult x

[LilyAnnepuppy Ambassador in reply to Wish3]

Sorry for your struggles. I drank more on weekends than during the week. As I had a job, and managed to “keep it under control (barely)”. But I also had a weekend job but would often not make it in.

[chloe40]

I get that Wish3

And I believe many people do the same, it's when you cross the line it's too late we're hooked.

Good to hear from you.

Take care friend

Chloe

[Wish3]

yes it’s all about not opening the 2nd bottle !🤷‍♀️💪

[LilyAnnepuppy Ambassador in reply to Wish3]

For me it’s not having that second drink. And the only way I manage to not have the second is to not have the first. But I can’t moderate. So if not opening the second bottle of wine is your goal, my support is with you.

[Wish3 in reply to LilyAnnepuppy]

thank you yes obvious answer not to open 1st bottle ! 🤷‍♀️ working on it !🙏

[LilyAnnepuppy Ambassador in reply to Wish3]

Do the best you can with what you have. Keep reading and posting. Accountability is helpful.