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!

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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.

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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.

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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!