"Sobering" stat about my alcohol consumption...

Options
24

Replies

  • chicadejmu
    chicadejmu Posts: 171 Member
    Options
    I think a good question is - is drinking affecting the rest of your life besides just keeping on the weight? If the answer is yes - seek help! And you will have to REALLY look hard at your life to get an honest answer.

    If drinking is a stress reliever - try a hard workout. If you focus all your energy into that workout, you will have less stress and a sense of accomplishment. Plus, you'll have burned calories and moved toward your weight loss goal.

    If never having a drink again scares you - then don't say that (unless after evaluating my question above you determine yes). There is nothing wrong with having an occasional drink. Just limit yourself to 1 or 2. Don't drink to get drunk and you won't have to binge to prevent a hangover.

    Best of luck to you!!
  • cwag_afw
    cwag_afw Posts: 45 Member
    Options
    If you are self medicating, it's time to get help. I had wonderful results going to counseling. If you can find a good counselor, he or she can direct you, whether it is an inpatient or out patient rehab. You have to get to the bottom of your issues in order to help you stop drinking. Hang in there and Good Luck to you!!
  • wildfirediva
    wildfirediva Posts: 212
    Options
    Find a healthy habit to replace it. [Easier said than done.]
    I miss the social aspects and often weaken when out with friends. Also like you I still find myself "self medicating" to the "comfortably numb" stage on occasion. But I have found that need to do that has become less often since seeking [getting] professional help in dealing with stress, anxiety and depression I was self medicating. Getting professional help has given me better tools to cope with my busy life.

    It is a process and the first step is coming to those sobering facts and really wanting to do something about it.
  • TinaBean007
    TinaBean007 Posts: 273 Member
    Options
    I had a similar experience when I started MFP... it wasn't binge drinking so much as social events over the course of a week amounted to over 3000 calories per week. (We're talking 2 at each weekday event and more on the weekends.) While I'm in the beginning stages of learning how to handle it, the first thing I did was stopped drinking completely for 2 weeks. It was really hard, especially watching college football with my friends. (I'm a huge Texas fan and even skipped a week of tailgating!) *Did I mention this was really hard?

    This is what is working for me so far: 1) Planning my alcohol intake ahead of time and trying to stick with Mich Ultra and red wine 2) limit myself to 2 because I know for me, 3 is the threshold when I start to rationalize "just one more" or "let's order a healthy appetizer". (FYI- There are no healthy appetizers in Texas.) 3) I don't normally drink soda, but I do at social functions just to fill the habit of having something in my hand 4) I arrive late and leave earlier than I would before- less time around the temptation.

    Good luck!

    PS- I actually made it through an entire day of Beer Olympics (8 hrs) and only had 3 beers! (That was big accomplishment.)
  • TinaBean007
    TinaBean007 Posts: 273 Member
    Options
    One month ago, my results would have been: Only 8% of the adult female population drinks more than you say you drink.


    Today my results: Your answers suggest that alcohol is not likely to be harming your health because you don’t drink more than the USDA Recommended Guidelines.


    I agree that there are not enough questions, but definitely "sobering" statistics.
  • floridagirl7264
    floridagirl7264 Posts: 318 Member
    Options
    I've been sober for 4 years. I was doing it because I was self medicating due to bipolar disorder. The only way I was able to stop the cycle of drinking every day was to take a medication called Campral. It took away my cravings. I wasn't able to stay on it longer than 3 weeks because one of the side effects but it was enough to break the cycle. I have been sober ever since. If you can't break the cycle on your own (I had tried so many times but just couldn't stop) then I would seek help from your physician. I sought help from my psychiatrist when I told him how much I had been drinking. I kept it to myself for so many years. I wish I had done it sooner. I did so many things drunk that I would NEVER do sober. I cringe at the things I did. Don't let it go until you bottom out. Hope this helps. :flowerforyou:
  • DoingItForME724
    DoingItForME724 Posts: 130 Member
    Options
    I have an addiction to food.....it is my shoulder to cry on and it is my alcohol to celebrate. Everything in my life revolves around eating. I know there isn't anything a person or program can do for me. It's all in my hands....I will stop when I have finally had enough or end up near dead for it.

    I use to drink alot.....blacking out was normal for me. After I had my first son i got really drunk once and woke up the next day and couldn't find him. I can't decribe the feeling but i almost couldn't walk from the thought that something had happened. I was crying, screaming, throwing up......my parents had shown up and taken him because they did not feel he was safe with me.

    Then I thought that must be how these babies end up dead because their parents are too s*** faced to take care of them or the lose control and beat them. Needless to say I haven't gotten drunk since (2yrs). Alcohol is really just not worth it....i don't want to wake up one day to a prison cell or a life of regret because i just couldn't control my consumption.


    Goodluck
  • ErinBeth7
    ErinBeth7 Posts: 1,625 Member
    Options
    This is what is working for me so far: 1) Planning my alcohol intake ahead of time and trying to stick with Mich Ultra and red wine 2) limit myself to 2 because I know for me, 3 is the threshold when I start to rationalize "just one more" or "let's order a healthy appetizer". (FYI- There are no healthy appetizers in Texas.) 3) I don't normally drink soda, but I do at social functions just to fill the habit of having something in my hand 4) I arrive late and leave earlier than I would before- less time around the temptation.
    This is all great advice! I have to plan my drinks too. Although, I have cut down significantly not just because of my weight loss, but because it really affects me personally the next day. It really is a depressant and I noticed it's effects days after consumption.
  • anybeary
    anybeary Posts: 188 Member
    Options
    Here's the thing: you need to find friends who will hang out with you and NOT drink. Get with some people who are going to support your lifestyle choice and not drink with you and stick with those people. That is the only thing that works. If you're dating someone, and she drinks END IT. Seriously. You can't go on like this, or you're gonna end up under a bridge drinking out of a paper bag someday, and I am sure you have more to offer the world than that.

    Another peice of advice: try Amoryn. It's an all-natural anti-anxiety med. You will need this to be successful. When you decide not to drink and the anxiety creeps up on you, you need this to take the edge off. It sounds to me like you're a person who can't just have a beer or two. You go whole hog and get wasted. This is the number one clue that you're an alcoholic and you need to quit cold turkey and stay that way. It gets easier after a month or so, and one day you'll wake up and say, "Hey, what the hell was I doing to myself? And, where in the heck did I get all of this MONEY?"
  • ericjustin1977
    ericjustin1977 Posts: 9 Member
    Options
    Absolutely! A few times my wife has said "Why don't you pick up a six pack and have one or two"...

    Because one or two does nothing for me. I want to be buzzed. I plan my eating around it so ill feel it more.
  • ChristieisReady
    ChristieisReady Posts: 708 Member
    Options
    Alcoholism runs in my family. I'm always trying to be sure I'm not running into that camp. It ain't easy.

    That said, I find that when I work out HARD (really hard) my body doesn't want alcohol. At all. (Actually, it only wants water). AND I've found that the more days you can go in between drinks, 1) the less you feel the need to drink and 2) the less alcohol it takes to affect your brain, reducing your intake.

    But my friend, it sounds like you're hiding from something. It would be worthwhile to figure out WHY you want to get drunk on what sounds like a fairly regular basis. Because drinking can be fun, but hangovers aren't, and cycles of binge-anything hurt. Best of luck, and if you would like to add me, feel free. If you'd like to tell me to F*** off, you obviously have that option as well.
  • UhOhItsKylie
    UhOhItsKylie Posts: 92 Member
    Options
    I'm sorry to hear you're going through a rough time. :(

    Ever since I turned 21 (4 years ago) I have been a weekend drinker. I'd do fine without it through the week, but as soon as the weekend came I would celebrate with a drink...which always turned into many more drinks. I'm not really sure what finally clicked for me. I just got tired of the hangovers and not seeing the fitness results I was working so hard for. I am about a month into being alcohol free, and I won't lie... it's been tough, but extremely eye-opening. I had no clue how often I used alcohol as a buffer for social situations. In the last month I've been to a going away party, a birthday celebration, and a rehearsal dinner/wedding with an open bar - all completely sober and all a little uncomfortable, but I survived.

    I'm not saying that I will never have a drink again, but at least now I'm aware of the fact that I've been using alcohol as a crutch. I hope you can quit/cut back and do the same.
  • justmyalias
    justmyalias Posts: 153 Member
    Options
    move to CO or WA
    and smoke pot...
    just watch out for the munchies...

    kinda kidding
    kinda not
  • alerica1
    alerica1 Posts: 310 Member
    Options
    AA doesn't work for everyone.....AA DOES work for me. If you think you have a problem, then you probably do.
  • ksnegirl
    ksnegirl Posts: 85 Member
    Options
    Absolutely! A few times my wife has said "Why don't you pick up a six pack and have one or two"...

    Because one or two does nothing for me. I want to be buzzed. I plan my eating around it so ill feel it more.

    ^^^ My ex husband used to do that. Notice I said ex. ^^^
  • ksnegirl
    ksnegirl Posts: 85 Member
    Options
    Sorry, I didn't mean that to be rude. I wish you the best. It is a hard thing to cut back/stop drinking. Good luck.
  • cznutz
    cznutz Posts: 30 Member
    Options
    Well mine is 14% and I know how you feel. I do great all day with my food then I'll spend 600-1000 calories on alcohol. Even on an evening in, I'll have 3-4 glasses of wine. If I go out with friends, it's Jack and Diet and possibly shots (depending on the night). About 6 months ago I started meditation at home. I have to say it really cleared my mind. I would go 2-3 weeks without drinking and when I did, I felt like ish. But then I fall off the meditation wagon and back into drinking again. Sometimes I do it just out of boredom. Sometimes because it's a stressful day at work. Some people have to quit all together. Myself, I think it's all about moderation. If you're interested in meditation, I can provide you with a great link, just message me. Don't stress about this, be mindfull of what you do and how it affects others. Dont beat yourself up because that will just be an additional stressor. And if it's something more serious, look into getting some help. There's no shame in reaching out.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    Options
    Mine said there was at least one day in the past month where my drinking could have led to sexual assault........

    Hmmmm.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
    Options
    i also used to be a huge drinker. i still booze it up but maybe like once a month at most.

    i now have made different habits. i also added more people to my social circle who arent heavy drinkers.
  • BlueJue2
    BlueJue2 Posts: 77
    Options
    There is no a one line, easy answer for you. I was very similar to you. I would tell myslef in the morning as I was trying to ignore the hangover headache that tonight I am not going to drink. By 3:00, I was watching the clock for 5:30 so I could have my first drink of the day. 11 weeks ago today, that all changed. I suffered somethig called "sudden cardiac death". Obviously, the paramedics brought me back to life. I had a stent put in and it's a whole long story but a HUGE eye opener for me. That day I quit smoking and drinking and haven't done so since. Put some thought into it, what if something like that happened? Not everyone is as lucky as myself. My cardiologist calls my his walking miracle. It was due to smoking and drinking. Here is a question for you to put some thought into. Why lose weight for "health" if you are sabotaging it with alcohol? Good luck I wish you the best! It is a very difficult thing to change.

Categories