Alcohol. How can you resist?!

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  • kristi5224
    kristi5224 Posts: 98 Member
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    http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000881
    17 states and 7 pending...I don't know where you live but soulnds like you may qualify.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
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    http://www.aa.org/lang/en/subpage.cfm?page=71
  • monkeeface
    monkeeface Posts: 59 Member
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    The OP explained his problem and asked for suggestions for an issue that doesn't seem quite healthy (admitting he drinks more calories than he eats, drug seeking behavior) on a board about fitness and health.

    The OP was given honest advice and suggestions. Addiction was brought up, he says noooo I'm not addicted, I'M JUST BORED. He whined and made excuses, accusing everyone of being health freak fitness nuts that didn't understand (when most of us are furthest from that). That's what I'm holy crapping about. Small children whine when they are bored. This guy is 37. I honestly thought when I clicked on his profile, that I was going to see the profile of a kid. If you have an addiction and want to change, then perhaps you need help. If you don't want to admit that you have a problem and you're "just bored" then I stand by my original suggestion of getting a hobby. Which is a nice way of saying get a life. Or grow the heck up.

    I really need to stay out of stuff like this.

    I disagree with your interpretation of a very long thread of messages, some of which you've obviously not bothered to read. Yet I would encourage you to voice your opinion more often as I think you're funny.
  • krazyforyou
    krazyforyou Posts: 1,428 Member
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    Well like it or not your behavior is equal to a 14 yr old who is rebelling and is always right. You definatly have an addiction to the alchol and the "buzz" it gives you. Now choose to get help or not is up to you, but if you have ever seen anyone die of liver failure its not pretty.
  • Williamward
    Williamward Posts: 1 Member
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    Please DO NOT GO COLD TURKEY!. If you are a heavy-daily drinker, you are probably well into the danger zone of addiction. Keep this in mind: alcohol withdrawals are the ONLY withdrawals that can be fatal, as in KILL YOU. And I can tell you from experience, not wanting food and being able to drink is a huge warning sign.
    Please find your local AA chapter.
  • anatakingitoff
    anatakingitoff Posts: 2 Member
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    I understand this gentleman's situation, I am in it myself. It is really difficult. Try " like minded lushes" group on this site, they seem to help one another out and don't judge each other. I think it is a disease and I am trying not to drink 6-7 days a week, just harm reduction - 9 beers a week, 3 wednesday night, 3 friday night, 3 saturday. My doctor told me that would be fine and would help out my situation. Alcoholism is very bleak, depressing and sad. I hit a bottom with drugs years ago and now my alcohol is being watched by doctor. I am medically complient with my doctor and we are working on this together. You need support, you need empathy, you need undestanding. Your world will get bigger once the alcohol is controlled to some extent. Look up "harm reduction" and understand that many of us do this and make it through life okay.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    Well like it or not your behavior is equal to a 14 yr old who is rebelling and is always right. You definatly have an addiction to the alchol and the "buzz" it gives you. Now choose to get help or not is up to you, but if you have ever seen anyone die of liver failure its not pretty.

    If he's being honest about his intake, then he's probably not addicted. My brother is a recovering alcoholic. He went through a fifth of whiskey a day. The OP is talking about a couple glasses of wine in the evening. BIG difference! :wink:
  • serentity78
    serentity78 Posts: 89 Member
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    weight is the least of your issues....
  • SorchaEilis
    SorchaEilis Posts: 99 Member
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    What makes you so sure the body uses alcohol calories first and food calories last? That's not particularly logical. One thing is for sure though- Alcohol has EMPTY calories. There's no nutritional benefit to alcohol at all.

    This reminds me of a woman I overheard while having lunch one day. She said, "well, i can either eat lunch or I can drink a 12 pack of light beer, so I'm only going to have a small salad." That is totally ridiculous.

    If this is really the way you are living your life and how you're trying to lose weight, you should seek some help (professional help, not MFP). If this is a joke, well, har-har. You got us.
  • DivineRED1
    DivineRED1 Posts: 134 Member
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    I do drink at least 2 litres of water a day, but theres no buzz from that. Its just to keep my belly full so I dont have to eat.

    The thing with exercise though, it doesn't make me feel good. I do it out of necessity not for fun. Not for a buzz. I'm one of these people who don't get this so called release of endorphins which is why I struggle with motivation.

    I know that the body uses alcohol calories first & food calories last - which is why I dont eat much. Alcohol DOES make me less bored, thats the beauty of it. But there must be something else that can give you a buzz? (exercise doesn't, no matter how hard I workout).

    I've always been dead against drugs but I'm starting to consider getting some legal (prescription) drugs as an alcohol substitute. I would never take illegal drugs, not that legal drugs can be any less addictive.

    AA to start and then find something else to do with your time. Sorry buddy but there's more out there than a high. Join a hiking club, other social clubs, find a hobby, go to meetings in the evenings, volunteer, build an old car. I don't know if you're single or married but if you're married then talk to you wife. If you're single talk to your friends/family. You'll need a support group. Exercising might get better when you're not sweating out toxins. All of what you're describing sounds problematic and like a giant red flag. See your doctor too to see what shape your liver is in. At this point in your life, being a little over weight isn't your biggest problem.

    Good luck!
  • DivineRED1
    DivineRED1 Posts: 134 Member
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    "Yes, I've had tests & I have a slightly fatty liver & so me elevated something or other that is an indication of too much booze. One doctor said I had high blood pressure & another said it was fine. My doctor is aware of these results. I'm not scared of eating but I dont consider it a social event & I eat if I'm hungry but I could happily not eat dinner or lunch because it seems like more calories that I dont need. Plus, I get vitamins, fibre etc from supplements so I tend to function ok.

    I realise that most of you reading this are fully converted to a hardcore healthy way of life but maybe there are others that need some stimulation other than exercise? Yes, I admit that I drink too much (than recommended guidelines) & I need help, why else would I be here."

    Yeah, we're all full on hardcore healthy people here who believe in fuel for the body not supplements instead of food. The damage you're doing to your body is going to catch up with you. Diabetes, heart disease, liver damage, muscle loss, memory loss, headaches, nerve damage, etc etc etc.. You're starving your body and your brain.

    How much longer do you think your body going to function this way?
  • monkeeface
    monkeeface Posts: 59 Member
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    What makes you so sure the body uses alcohol calories first and food calories last? That's not particularly logical. One thing is for sure though- Alcohol has EMPTY calories. There's no nutritional benefit to alcohol at all.

    This reminds me of a woman I overheard while having lunch one day. She said, "well, i can either eat lunch or I can drink a 12 pack of light beer, so I'm only going to have a small salad." That is totally ridiculous.

    If this is really the way you are living your life and how you're trying to lose weight, you should seek some help (professional help, not MFP). If this is a joke, well, har-har. You got us.

    Not sure - I think I read that somewhere. Or maybe it was the other way around. Either way, total calories can get quite high when you add food and alcohol.

    Lunch or beer - it's why I don't have lunch on weekends.

    I've saught help from my doctor earlier this year. I had antidepressants which I stopped taking after 4 months and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy which was mutually stopped after 4 weeks as the councillor and I agreed it wasn't helping. No other alternatives were suggested so I came here (and a few other websites) to learn how other people 'in similar situations' have coped and increased motivation to exercise. And came to this post in particular to see if there was an alternative to alcohol.
  • BikinimomE
    BikinimomE Posts: 116 Member
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    "WOW. Are you kidding?? Crazed AA converts?? You say you lost a friend to AA but you do you have any idea how many friends/family members have been SAVED because of AA? Just because your husband was able to "just quit" doesnt mean that everyone can. Some people do not have that type of control on their own hence why they are in the program to begin with and it takes A LOT of courage to admit you have a problem and allow the program to help you! It saves lives. Please don't discourage anyone who has a drinking problem from approaching it."

    Thank you. :-)

    Ummm no, I'm not kidding. If you do some research you will see that AA has ZERO effect on keeping people from stopping the drink for life (or at the least going back to drinking in moderation like people who don't NEED to be told what to do by a bunch of verbally abusive and controlling looney-tunes do). ZERO... that means that people have just as much success (or lack thereof) with or without AA. So some people either figure it out and quit or drink in moderation because they figure out that they need to change their needs and wants or NOT. It's that simple. Fact is that anyone in AA just swaps their alcohol addiction for another one. AA is NOT supportive and it does NOT WORK. The people who end up drinking in moderation or decide to quit altogether would have done it without the verbal abuse and degradation of regular AA meetings. Also... if you want to find drugs... go to an AA meeting.

    And you are quite welcome. Thanks for stopping by!

    PS - I used to think that AA was a positive, necessary support system for people who were at death's door struggling with serious problems. That is, until I did my research... This is just ONE link: http://www.orange-papers.org/orange-not_good.html

    My research was prompted by watching my dear, kind, once-loving friend evolve into a nasty-verbally abusive and toxic individual once she "found" AA and they got their meat-hooks into her.
  • Anastacia1119
    Anastacia1119 Posts: 157 Member
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    Well like it or not your behavior is equal to a 14 yr old who is rebelling and is always right. You definatly have an addiction to the alchol and the "buzz" it gives you. Now choose to get help or not is up to you, but if you have ever seen anyone die of liver failure its not pretty.

    If he's being honest about his intake, then he's probably not addicted. My brother is a recovering alcoholic. He went through a fifth of whiskey a day. The OP is talking about a couple glasses of wine in the evening. BIG difference! :wink:
    He's not talking about a couple of glasses of wine in the evening. He's talking about replacing food with supplements and alcohol. He skips lunch on the weekends to drink beer. He's talking about needing a constant buzz. And it doesn't mean a person is not an alcoholic if they open up about their intake. He already said he has been to the doctor and that his liver is fatty. Which means too much alcohol. Which means he drinks too much and is on the verge of liver disease if he keeps it up. That is a problem.

    I am glad the OP is being honest. It is also up to him to get the help he obviously needs. Good luck to you OP.
  • aljeca
    aljeca Posts: 83
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    I do drink at least 2 litres of water a day, but theres no buzz from that. Its just to keep my belly full so I dont have to eat.

    The thing with exercise though, it doesn't make me feel good. I do it out of necessity not for fun. Not for a buzz. I'm one of these people who don't get this so called release of endorphins which is why I struggle with motivation.

    I know that the body uses alcohol calories first & food calories last - which is why I dont eat much. Alcohol DOES make me less bored, thats the beauty of it. But there must be something else that can give you a buzz? (exercise doesn't, no matter how hard I workout).

    I've always been dead against drugs but I'm starting to consider getting some legal (prescription) drugs as an alcohol substitute. I would never take illegal drugs, not that legal drugs can be any less addictive.

    Clearly, you are an alcoholic and need to seek medical attention.

    Edit to say I don't mean that in a nasty way. I have known several alcoholics and it worries me that you are so concerned about keeping a buzz that you're considering abusing prescription drugs. There are some helpful treatment facilities out there. Something to consider. Good luck.
  • BikinimomE
    BikinimomE Posts: 116 Member
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    What makes you so sure the body uses alcohol calories first and food calories last? That's not particularly logical. One thing is for sure though- Alcohol has EMPTY calories. There's no nutritional benefit to alcohol at all.

    This reminds me of a woman I overheard while having lunch one day. She said, "well, i can either eat lunch or I can drink a 12 pack of light beer, so I'm only going to have a small salad." That is totally ridiculous.

    If this is really the way you are living your life and how you're trying to lose weight, you should seek some help (professional help, not MFP). If this is a joke, well, har-har. You got us.

    Not sure - I think I read that somewhere. Or maybe it was the other way around. Either way, total calories can get quite high when you add food and alcohol.

    Lunch or beer - it's why I don't have lunch on weekends.

    I've saught help from my doctor earlier this year. I had antidepressants which I stopped taking after 4 months and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy which was mutually stopped after 4 weeks as the councillor and I agreed it wasn't helping. No other alternatives were suggested so I came here (and a few other websites) to learn how other people 'in similar situations' have coped and increased motivation to exercise. And came to this post in particular to see if there was an alternative to alcohol.

    Your body doesn't "use" calories from alcohol before it "uses" calories from food first. It is just that alcohol is pure sugar and quickly enters your bloodstream because there is literally nothing for your body to break down no differently than fruit juice. The difference is that while the sugar content may be the same fruit juice won't cause agglutination: the process by which your blood cells clump up slowing the flow of blood. This causes a lack of oxygen to your brain. Hence, the buzz and subsequent drunkenness. OJ won't make you drunk but if you drink too much, it will make you just as fat as the vodka that the OJ might come in,
  • BikinimomE
    BikinimomE Posts: 116 Member
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    I do drink at least 2 litres of water a day, but theres no buzz from that. Its just to keep my belly full so I dont have to eat.

    The thing with exercise though, it doesn't make me feel good. I do it out of necessity not for fun. Not for a buzz. I'm one of these people who don't get this so called release of endorphins which is why I struggle with motivation.

    I know that the body uses alcohol calories first & food calories last - which is why I dont eat much. Alcohol DOES make me less bored, thats the beauty of it. But there must be something else that can give you a buzz? (exercise doesn't, no matter how hard I workout).

    I've always been dead against drugs but I'm starting to consider getting some legal (prescription) drugs as an alcohol substitute. I would never take illegal drugs, not that legal drugs can be any less addictive.

    Clearly, you are an alcoholic and need to seek medical attention.

    I agree. There must be something missing in this person's life ie effective coping mechanisms to the stresses of life. It would be quite helpful to find a competent mental health care professional, counselor that could guide such an individual to the right path. But stay THE HELL away from AA!!
  • AnninStPaul
    AnninStPaul Posts: 1,372 Member
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    Talk to your physician about Antabuse.

    Antabuse, generic name disulfiram, is used to treat chronic alcoholism. It causes unpleasant effects when even small amounts of alcohol are consumed, including include flushing of the face, headache, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, weakness, blurred vision, mental confusion, sweating, choking, breathing difficulty, and anxiety. These effects begin about 10 minutes after alcohol enters the body and last for 1 hour or more. Disulfiram is not a cure for alcoholism, but discourages drinking.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000726/
  • triciab79
    triciab79 Posts: 1,713 Member
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    You have an addiction. I have one too. Mine is food. The trick is to change what you are addicted to. There is a positive sensation that comes from drinking and you have to replace that and gradually lower your need for that positive boost in order to give it up. Fast cars, sex, roller coasters, scary movies, will all give your system a jolt followed by that since of calm you get from booze. It would be best to step away from the booze for now.
  • Lalsh
    Lalsh Posts: 16
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    I would say TRY your best to cut down as much as you can, gradually try to cut it down to weekends, . One step at a time, there's no point in just deleting it from your life, It could even be harmful strangely enough, alcohol withdrawl can be fatal. You would be more likely to fall back into old habits anyway just like everyone on here preaches about healthy weight loss methods.
    Cut down, move more and enjoy what you love in moderation. If you can do this then in the long run you may not have to cut it out completely. You have people you can talk to along the way if it helps. And talking about it and being honest is a great start. Good luck man :smile:

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