I am already 5 weeks in, so I figured it's time to get a progress log going. I take care of 2 toddlers in addition to my own, and I work from home. I am absolutely DONE most nights. So checking in here has been difficult- but I am committing to it, as I have to this treatment method.

I put a tracking chart on my wall today. Hopefully soon I'll start to see what I want on that chart! I haven't been tracking my drinks (bad, I know!), but my general impression is that I experienced a slight decrease right away, and I have maintained that level. There *may* have been a slight uptick in units this week (damnit). This is a bit discouraging after nearly 6 weeks. But, I think my problem is largely rooted in habit, and I think this type of problem might tend to take longer to respond than that of binge drinkers. Next week, I am going to have 2 AF days. I'm looking forward to it. Up until a few months ago that was my usual. But things have changed quickly and quietly...
Anyway, happy Wednesday, all!

Wow. Three toddlers!! I remember that with my girls...one at a time was a full time job. I would do it on weekends and adored my daughters but man was I ready to go back to work on Monday. Good on you, esp dealing with alcohol crap. The strength I see in women astounds me sometimes.
Steve.

Gdmcf; I know what you mean about the problem being rooted in habit. Last night I had a glass of red wine, which tasted awful to me and made me feel awful. So what did I do one hour later? Pour another one, drink most of it, and feel even worse!! I could easily have abstained, but the habit just kicked in. For awhile we are going to have to be much more conscious until we break those habits. IT CAN BE DONE!!

And yes, you must be exhausted looking after kids. Absolutely the hardest job in the world. Thank goodness it is also one of the best and most important things that one can do.

Nal ON!! Hugs from Newlife

Thanks, guys. Yep, it's hard! It's like a zoo and the chimps have staged a coup
But I wouldn't trade it, and I keep thinking of how much easier it'll be when I'm healthy. Drinking so much makes me such a zombie in the morning.
Well last week I definitely drank more than the previous one. Not by a ton, but a good 6 units higher, I think. I didn't really have a honeymoon period, but I think my brain was going along with the Nal for a bit there, and now it wants to push through it a bit. I've read that that's fairly common, so I'm not extremely worried. I do wish it was going quicker, though!
2 AF days this week, so that's good! They weren't hard, but alcohol was definitely in my mind. Nagging me. I can't wait until it's not...

Good for you on 2 AF days!! Huge accomplishment. XOXO Newlife

Thanks, Newlife the off AF day or 2 or even 3 was normal for me, so it's not really that impressive.
I am now 8 weeks in, and I really haven't seen a substantial reduction in my drinking at all... Starting to get discouraged. I am prepared for this to take longer than I originally hoped, but I'm getting a little freaked out that the numbers aren't going down, accept factoring in AF days.
I think it's time to put in a little more effort. I'm going to do 2 AF days this week, and also try to wait an hour between each drink... Hopefully that will kick start a new phase of this.

Good for you Gdmcf, that sounds like a good plan. Also take a look at the new/old post about cured times.......some good information in there that will hopefully give some of us who are progressing more slowly than we might like reason to hang on and hope.

XOXO Newlife

Welp, a funny thing happened 2 nights ago: 7:00 pm rolled around and as the toddler bed time madness/routine began, it dawned on me that I'd taken no Nal, nor had I thought about drinking at all. Odd, huh?
I am hopeful that this was a breakthrough I don't think I've *not thought about it* in a long time, even if I had regular AF days. Those days were (semi)hard fought and (semi)hard won, but this slid by quite easily... Altogether new, and encouraging!
Again, 2 AF days.
Damnit I keep trying to record units and not doing it....

That's great that you experienced a day of not thinking about drinking! I think that is an important sign, and the fact that you are making a conscious effort to reduce the amount you drink should hopefully kick in at some point and the numbers will go down. I am in a similar place and for several weeks I was trying/hoping to reduce my consumption without much success, and then all of a sudden a little under 2 weeks ago it happened and I haven't had more than 2 drinks in a day since then. It is possible!

Je3625 thanks, I was very enthused by that! Here's hoping