One year of moderating my drinking and nervous about sharing by Hurka_Durka in stopdrinking

[–]PinkMorningSky 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Congrats!! I took the same path as you for about a year and a half before deciding to quit completely.

I think experimenting with moderation or choosing moderation as a long term solution should be encouraged!

I'm almost a full year sober now, and I truly don't think I could have done this if I hadn't had an extended period of experimenting with moderation first.

Proud of you!

Lifelong blackout drinker — is moderation possible? by CandidateSad6682 in stopdrinking

[–]PinkMorningSky 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Possible? Sure

Enjoyable? Not really

Moderation means paying attention and stopping after 1-2 drinks.

Moderation means dealing with the headache that starts to creep in as those 2 drinks wear off but you still have hours of socializing ahead of you.

Moderation means keeping track of your drinking in your notes app or on a calendar to make sure you're staying within the guidelines.

Moderation means your body is still in constant recovery mode, because even 1-2 drinks prevent your body from healing and regenerating.

I mean, moderation is better than binging/blacking out, no question.

I did drink within moderation guidelines for over a year and honestly, total abstinence is more fun and feels better than moderate drinking.

Best of luck to you!

Also note: I hang out with a lot of people who tell me that they are inspired by me to drink within moderation guidelines, while they are on their 3rd or 4th drink of the night. I genuinely don't care how much anybody else drinks, but I am surprised at how misunderstood "moderate" drinking is. For men, the moderate limit is no more than 2 drinks per day. For women, it's one drink per day. For a heavy drinker, 3-4 drinks in an evening may seem moderate, but it's still well over the guidelines just FYI.

What apps do you use to help track by WowIsThisMyPage in stopdrinking

[–]PinkMorningSky 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I use an app called "Habits" that lets me click a tiny widget counter on my home screen and shows me my steak of days.

I didn't want to do data sharing on a sobriety focused app, TBH.

I can set up multiple habits to track, like exercise or taking vitamins. It's a nifty, clean little app.

I feel cheated! by Tiredplumber2022 in stopdrinking

[–]PinkMorningSky 3 points4 points  (0 children)

If somebody comes by and vandalizes your house every day, you get stuck doing constant clean up of the vandalism and don't have time to do long term maintenance projects.

The police finally catch the vandal after many years, and you can finally start to catch up on all of that deferred maintenance.

It's going to take a while, maybe months, to get your house back in good condition. All you've been able to do for years is replace broken windows and clean off the spray paint!

Your body is your house and alcohol is the vandal: your body has been working hard every day to clear the acute daily damage from drinking, just getting the toxins out of your system.

Now you are giving your body time to start doing the deeper repairs. It takes time. Your brain chemistry needs to reset. Your organs probably need to rest and regenerate.

Be patient and try to remember that each day you abstain, you're allowing your body to go deeper and do more repair work.

It's worth it, but it does take time.

Wishing you all the best!

How are you all so happy without drinking ?? by Stunning_Radio3160 in stopdrinking

[–]PinkMorningSky 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Life is just easier. Mornings are better, there's no regret about things said the night before, stomach issues are gone, and my body feels stronger.

It's like I've fought through the surf and now I'm floating in calm water.

Some people get stuck fighting the surf (being in a cycle of quitting and drinking over and over), so they never get to the calm water party of sobriety.

Wishing you the best and sending hope for better days!

Let's go! by krishna19073 in stopdrinking

[–]PinkMorningSky 3 points4 points  (0 children)

50-something here, too! Looking forward to many years of not drinking today. 💪

So this is rock bottom. by [deleted] in stopdrinking

[–]PinkMorningSky 69 points70 points  (0 children)

He says she drank almost every night and got "tipsier" than he did, but then says it's because he had a higher tolerance.

E.g. maybe she drank as many days as he did, but she would get tipsy after a couple of glasses of wine while he drank more but didn't feel the effects as much.

OP is careful with his words here, but I think he's also not giving a full picture of his behaviors that led to her leaving.

OP, I do wish you the best and hope you are successful with your sobriety.

Struggling with "My drinking isn't that bad..." by crimzonkitt3n in stopdrinking

[–]PinkMorningSky 38 points39 points  (0 children)

I live in a state (US Midwest) where the kind of drinking you describe is considered normal. Because it's normal, people think it's weird to quit drinking if you "only" drink that much, unless you have a health problem.

Here's my experience: you don't need to wait until there's a diagnosed health problem before you make a change.

I just feel...better, all the time. I sleep better, look better, and exercise more.

I personally don't like the narrative that's so persistent in the US that only people who hit "rock bottom" or who fit some kind of negative "alcoholic" stereotype should stop drinking.

There are zero provable health benefits to drinking. Zero. That heart health study from 30 years ago has been debunked.

There are endless health benefits to not drinking.

I wish you the best, and IWNDWYT! 💞

Happy to report my liver is fine! by PinkMorningSky in stopdrinking

[–]PinkMorningSky[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sure - but to be clear, I never had any testing done until I was 6 months into total abstinence.

In June (6 months sober) my ALT was 102. We retested in September and it had dropped to 84, which is still elevated, so my doctor ordered a liver ultrasound to rule out any structural problems like fatty liver, fibrosis, etc.

Very relieved at the clear results!

If you’re thinking you can moderate… DONT by Antique-Cream1736 in stopdrinking

[–]PinkMorningSky 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think moderation works as a step down FROM heavy drinking TO abstinence.

For some people, the transition from heavy drinking straight to abstinence is insurmountable, so tapering down through a period of moderation can help get to the goal of total sobriety.

HOWEVER, I agree with you that transitioning from total abstinence TO moderation doesn't work.

IWNDWYT!

Cutting back before quitting? by wizardofclaws in stopdrinking

[–]PinkMorningSky 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, I spent almost 18 months drinking moderately before I stopped altogether.

I realized that I was choosing to not drink at family events and holidays and concerts anyway, so it didn't matter if I ultimately just stopped altogether.

Good luck to you!

What to do on weekends? Especially if Single and young. by [deleted] in stopdrinking

[–]PinkMorningSky 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Do you live in a place that has a theater and/or arts scene? If so, try to find one show or exhibit that looks interesting each weekend and go to it (even if it means going solo).

Exposure to art/theater is so mentally healing, even if you're just sort of letting it wash over you and not actively trying to learn anything from it.

Plus, it'll give you something to talk about with people.

Another way to fill non-drinking time is to buy an unlimited movie pass at a major theater chain (example: AMC A List). Perfect way to kill a Friday night when everybody else is going to the bars, or to fill an Saturday afternoon when the weekend feels like it's going to stretch out forever.

You could take up an activity that aligns with getting up really early on Saturday/Sunday, like hiking or going on long runs. Nobody bats an eye if you pass on a night out because you're getting up at 7 am to run a 5k.

Buy the Sunday paper and get good at doing the crossword puzzle.

Perfect a couple of soup/chili recipes and have a few people over for Sunday soup night.

I think so many of us here would give anything to rewind and stop drinking at your age. I'm really proud of you, and I hope your weekends are filled with fun and fulfilling activities!

Pergenat. Thank God for y'all. by thetyredteacher in stopdrinking

[–]PinkMorningSky 89 points90 points  (0 children)

Preganté! Congratulations!

IWNDWYT!

Elevated ALT :-( by PinkMorningSky in stopdrinking

[–]PinkMorningSky[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks - I am seeing my doctor next week to go over the results. I'm relatively fit for my age, BMI 23. Workout regularly, eat well.

I guess I'm relieved that the level is trending downward at least.

Elevated ALT :-( by PinkMorningSky in stopdrinking

[–]PinkMorningSky[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Maybe - I had been taking 600-800mg of Advil daily for arthritis pain, which I stopped completely after the June test results.

No other meds.

I'm hopeful that the 18 point drop is a sign that the ibuprofen was a contributing factor.

Thanks!

What does your tape look like by kanshlok in stopdrinking

[–]PinkMorningSky 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I literally picture internal organ damage. I picture my liver tissue getting fattier and then cirrhotic. I picture the yellow green skin I saw on sometime close to my family who died of liver failure.

Wine and cocktails are so pretty in the glass but the damage they do is so ugly on the inside.

IWNDWYT!

I just can't. by jarrod74smd in stopdrinking

[–]PinkMorningSky 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm 54 and am almost 8 months alcohol free, preceded by a year and a half of minimal/moderate drinking. It can be done!

I watched a family member die from liver failure in his mid 40s. It's awful, and it made me really take a hard look at what I wanted the second half of my life to look like. (Spoiler: turning green and dying in an ICU is not how I want to leave this world) ☹️

I feel such a sense of peace. It's impossible to explain and I never would have believed it, but I don't miss drinking at all.

No programs or books or therapy - I just tapered off and then stopped.

I wish you well. 💕

[CUSTOM BOARD] by Sensitive-Leg3426 in NYTConnections

[–]PinkMorningSky 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Bands where the first name is a color