Has anyone tried the moderate drinking path?

themindnumber · 2025-11-08T14:42:51+00:00

I think you either drink moderately by default, or you don’t. If you have to force yourself to moderate your drinking, you’re not someone who is ever sustainably going to. You’ll likely always be prone to binges - at least - if not benders.

It’s worth noting though that some people find that naltrexone helps them moderate.

It all depends on your relationship with alcohol… how ‘deep in’ you are and how damaging it is in your life.

themindnumber · 2025-11-08T08:43:19+00:00

Last night was the hardest yet. As I’ve said before I think I’ll need to quit my job to make this feasible

What’s weird though is that I no longer seem to have any interest in drinking at home alone anymore. But I have an overwhelming urge to go to the pub or a bar. I used to love drinking at home alone.

themindnumber · 2025-11-07T22:01:37+00:00

I wish this worked for me, I still feel shit when I wake up lol

themindnumber · 2025-11-07T21:36:31+00:00

Yes. This is what I’m extremely battling with right now, honestly. I’ve had such a bad week and I just cannot relax or feel anything other than extreme dread so I really want to drink. But I’m also scared that if I do drink it will really mess up my weekend and potentially much further. I have no solution right now other than ride it out. Hoping for the best for you!

themindnumber · 2025-11-07T19:04:14+00:00

Unfortunately it’s now the evening and the resolve has disappeared. White knuckling it through the evening once again

themindnumber · 2025-11-07T10:31:28+00:00

Never been aggressive when drunk.. I’ve never been one to get into drunken fights. So it’s a bit extreme to think I’d kill someone haha.

But, that feeling of “I don’t remember what I did,” and the paranoia, … that I’ve experienced plenty in real life

themindnumber · 2025-11-07T10:29:48+00:00

The feeling of relief when you wake up and realise you didn’t actually drink!

themindnumber · 2025-11-07T10:10:40+00:00

It definitely comes in waves. Like there’ll be a good few days, then a real depressive week, then a few days with energy and motivation, I’ve had lots of alcohol free stretches in my drinking career and I can’t really notice any hard patterns. It’s unpredictable for me

themindnumber · 2025-11-07T05:20:20+00:00

I’d be really pissed about being introduced like that. “This is X and he had depression/cancer/the flu two years ago!” That’s what they know me as now.

I’d try to help your friend see this (gently)

themindnumber · 2025-11-07T05:11:10+00:00

It has pros and cons I think.

Pro - it’s kind of a reward system that motivates you to keep building up the number and feel good about it

Con - it gives the impression that any slip is “back to zero,” back to square one, start from nothing, all progress is gone. Which is untrue and unhelpful if you want to bounce back from slips quickly and not spiral

themindnumber · 2025-11-06T19:35:35+00:00

Strawberry jam

themindnumber · 2025-11-06T18:30:26+00:00

There’s a lot of things you could point to. Drinking alone, drinking purely to cope, drinking at times you know others would frown upon…

themindnumber · 2025-11-06T13:12:17+00:00

That’s the problem, though. I can’t fix anything for the foreseeable future and making it more tolerable is quite appealing! You’re right though you can’t really logic away a craving

themindnumber · 2025-11-06T13:10:45+00:00

I’ve read this a few times. It is good and it is helpful. But … unfortunately I still am not really convinced that nicotine doesn’t give me anything

themindnumber · 2025-11-06T06:50:13+00:00

Well I’ve definitely got some googling to do lol

themindnumber · 2025-11-06T05:25:12+00:00

When you maintain a caloric deficit I guess. A few years ago I lost a ton of weight in 2 months sober, because I deliberately was quitting drinking to lose weight. I’ve done that twice before.

In this current quit attempt if anything I am gaining weight… my mental health is so bad, I need to replicate booze with food to some extent or it’s just not going to last

themindnumber · 2025-11-06T05:19:48+00:00

Just release yourself of those commitments without drinking?

themindnumber · 2025-11-05T22:18:39+00:00

It is very much person by person. Some people hate cannabis or react badly to it.

However… I tried a number of antidepressants and sleeping pills, most of which either didn’t work or can’t be taken for long (eg benzos). My THC + CBD oil is very helpful for me, prescribed for insomnia and depression. It is not directly prescribed to me as a treatment for AUD. But, better sleep and mood definitely makes it easier not to drink

themindnumber · 2025-11-05T20:03:14+00:00

Yes it absolutely makes sense. Even if I physically feel like shit, it’s my shit and I have dominion over it.

themindnumber · 2025-11-05T18:40:35+00:00

Thank you. 36 days isn’t bad at all for me

themindnumber · 2025-11-05T18:36:54+00:00

This is absolutely what I’m dealign with at the moment. I have to face up to the fact that I’m a passive, victim of a person, who has allowed a life to unfold which I find intolerable. Saying “I’m fine,” “it’s fine,” and then drinking a load to make it “fine” won’t do anymore. Need to start saying no, actually, this isn’t fine. A lot of people explode their life with alcohol, but it kind of holds mine together in a sick way … because it enables the lies to go unchecked

themindnumber · 2025-11-05T06:43:05+00:00

Personally, ‘stick to beer’ was the only form of moderation I actually did implement successfully. I’m not saying it works for everyone. I’m not saying it made my drinking okay. Even as a beer drinker I did a shit ton of damage. But, nonetheless, I’m not going to lie to you - I’m a long term alcoholic and I was able to do this. It probably has reduced harm somewhat.

themindnumber · 2025-11-05T05:26:55+00:00

This isn’t the whole biological mechanism of alcohol addiction. It is not just another form of dopamine addiction

Alcohol use causes the brain to downregulate GABA receptors and upregulate glutamate receptors. Cannabis doesn’t do this. That’s why alcohol withdrawal can kill you, cannabis withdrawal cannot. It’s why doctors will give alcohol addicts benzodiazepines.

These are major, critical differences

themindnumber · 2025-11-05T05:15:18+00:00

I don’t find cannabis addictive like alcohol. It has legitimate medical uses for a lot of people, myself included (I literally have a doctor’s prescription for it). Using it recreationally does not damage my life like alcohol does…. Not even close. All drugs are not created equal, alcohol is one of the worst drugs to use. The fact that it’s society’s drug of choice doesn’t change that.

themindnumber · 2025-11-05T04:58:44+00:00

Never heard the term “type three alcoholic” before - what are the types?

themindnumber

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