Congratulations, Tamtam! Don't be worried about your prior alcohol habits coming back. Just follow the golden rule and remember that alcohol no longer controls you. You are in control! Please keep posting. It helps others who still crave alcohol to hear about your success.

Tamtam, you're doing great! It's amazing that abstinence is possibly on your horizon - if you want it!

Social situations are difficult for me, too... partly because I know my husband isn't counting my drinks like he does at home, which gives me license to drink more. Not wise, but I'm not to the point where I can "just say no." Your progress sounds fantastic... keep up the good work!

Tamtam,

Your progress is wonderful, and I agree it is worth celebrating. To be able to get a grip on stressful situations and not by drinking is absolutely amazing (I still have those habits).

I have that same fear that old alcohol times may come back, but I think a little fear is good to keep us on our toes. There are going to be good and bad weeks, for 2 weeks ago was a bad week for me, but the good news is the nal. still works and does its job!

Keep the faith, and keep posting,

Jaba

A strange thing is happening with my habits. Since I can easily go 3 AF days, over weekend I relax too much and sort of feel that I deserve drinks because I had AF days before. I can keep my numbers down primarily because of AF days. This weekend there were lots of parties. I had about half a bottle of wine per day. The problem, however, was that half of bottle of wine was left at the end - and keeping with my old habits, I drank it over two days at home when actually, I would normally have AF day. I feel sorry that I did not simply discard this wine after the party. OK, having a glass of wine after Nal is not a big deal - but I realized that I am on a dangerous path. For three months, I did not drink alone at home and it was great. Now, with this left over of the wine, I broke this rule. I just felt sorry to waste this wine. Oh - old habits die last.

Tamtam,

I know what you mean, for I have a 1/2 of bottle of wine that I thought I could pack in my suitcase for I didn't want to throw it out...stupid! I have more of an issue of dumping a 1/2 of bottle of wine than I do cleaning out the leftovers that wasn't eaten, or food my kids asked for that wasn't touched...some habits are just so hard to break, but we can break them.

I have to remind myself it is better to pour down the drain then pouring down my throat!

I think you are making remarkable progress, and those habits will try to creep in, but you are on top of things and you will not let them!

Thanks for that reminder, for now I need to dump that wine!

Jaba

I am going through challenging times. First, someone left a quarter of a bottle of really great single malt in my house and I twice had a glass of that while at home alone. It felt great, but it went against my plan and my unites went up, too. Second, I have very busy evenings - many dinner parties, receptions etc. That is not helping with my numbers, too. I think that I became slightly complacent and not so driven to cut my drinking. I am taking Nal regularly and am never drunk. However, I could have been more mindful about the number of drinks per day. Last week, I had 34 UK units or 19 US units - I feel that it could have been half of that if I were more attentive to it.

Tamtam,

It happens to all of us, but if you do an af day you will not be struggling like you used to. Sometimes we forget how easy it is for us to stop drinking and habit comes in and takes over.

You have this, for you are still taking the nal. and you still have that control!

Jaba

T

As long as you continue to follow the golden rule and keep plugging away at being mindful it will come. Your numbers are still good and everyone has a week or two where you bounce up because of events unique to them. Traveling, house guests, holidays etc. Don't let it get you down! You are doing great.

Chin up TamTam! Even though your consumption was up. you are aware that it is and WHY. The longer you take the Nal, the easier it will be to moderate your consumption during those circumstances! Keep on keeping on!

you WiLL eb and flow. it's OK. you're on your way and you're aware of how it's happening. keep it up!