Moderate drinking

[FatOldMan]

It's three weeks since I posted about the possibility of my moderate drinking and quite a while since I actually started trying to do it.I have reduced my drinking to two evenings per week but still consuming too much on those occasions. I still have the same trigger points like stress and arguments that cause me to reach for the wine and the vodka. Apart from living like a hermit,I don't see any solution to that problem.

Just after I joined this group we went to Lanzarote for five weeks where temptation to drink was all around and it was a really bumpy ride for me but generally an improvement. So now we are going out to Tenerife where the temptation to drink will be ever present again. So I am hoping that I can stay strong and keep the drinking to a moderate level.

These trips were planned and paid for long before I decided to make a real effort to change my drinking habits.

Wishing you all well with your own battles.

[SoberDrunk1]

😀😀😀 Apart from living like a hermit,I don't see any solution to that problem.😀😀😀Thats what I used to think before entering AA. Its been almost 17 years since I made that decision. As the promises state life will have a new meaning. I can vouch for that. We dont have to live in the abyss.

There is a solution. Almost none of us liked the self- searching, the leveling of our pride, the confession of shortcomings which the process requires for its successful consummation. But we saw that it really worked in others, and we had come to believe in the hopelessness and futility of life as we had been living it. When, therefore, we were approached by those in whom the problem had been solved, there was nothing left for us but to pick up the simple kit of spiritual tools laid at our feet. We have found much of heaven and we have been rocketed into a fourth dimension of existence of which we had not even dreamed.

To achieve something we do have to make some effort and make changes. Leveling of the pride is a first step.

[Jampacked]

Having recently holidayed I can share my thought process. I was concerned I would ruin my progress. I also hadn't been away for years so wanted to enjoy it. A sober ( or moderating) holiday will be a different experience not a bad experience. Plan your time. I had a quick Google of Tenerife there is loads to do botanical gardens, whale and dolphin spotting, old town, markets and loads more. Book some trips decide where you want to visit. These new memories of doing sober things helped me think about holidays differently. Google AF drinks that are available in Spain. I drank the local cordials Sodas and herbal teas. I knew which local dishes I wanted to try so I looked forward to food not just thinking about wine. I spoke to the people going with me. It was difficult as they enjoy alcohol but they accepted that I wanted to moderate so they were not surprised if I ordered AF lager or a mocktail. It is not easy but you never regret staying sober and I loved my a bit more cultural than normal holiday. I am hoping it will be a blue print for the future. In honesty I had trip ups but not major fails. I dusted myself down and had a word with myself. I also took an audible quit lit book and blue tooth headphones, so I had constant encouragement in my ears. Contact us lot as well.

[catsrock]

I think you are doing great and making lots of improvement. Tenerife sounds amazing - I'm jealous!

[Jampacked]

Elemis recommended a book by Lewis David called 'Alcohol and You'. Its written by an experienced addiction therapist so it's from an informed position. I found the stages of addiction and his ideas for reducing with a view to quitting really useful. You could pop it on kindle for a discreet holiday read. Thanks to Elemis.