quit drinking

Last weekend i went to my aunt’s funeral. Was good to get the family together, however, it also meant I went overboard drinking….especially the first night.

Since I got back I’ve been having about 2 or 3 beers a day. Didn’t drink anything tonight. Was thinking of going skiing this weekend, but I kind of need a break from everybody (or at least family….who will be skiing tomorrow). Probably I’ll not do much tomorrow and go on a hike and meet some new people on Sunday. However, drinking outrageous amounts, or much at all is not on the adgenda.

So, I lost my job about 2.5 months ago. Didn’t drink too much during unemployment, part of the time I was traveling, but never really got into the whole starting drinking at noon thing.

3 weeks ago I started to seriously look for a new job and started at a new job 3 days ago. Now I seem to be doing this thing where I binge (drink a bottle of wine or a 6 pack of beer), don’t drink the next day, dring a little the following day, and the binge again on the 3rd or 4th day.

Probably it’s stress from networking and finding a new job. Guess I need to figure out a different way to deal with my stress.

So after grocery shopping yesterday evening I went into the liquor store and bought a bottle of wine (stupidly thinking I’d have 1 glass and it’d last a few days). After my 2nd glass I called my brother and talked to him for an hour while finishing the bottle. Our alcoholic-Aunt is in the hospital with cancer so we talked about her some and talked about going out to see her once she gets out of the hospital. While making ‘plans’ for the trip being ‘too trashed’ to drive anywhere was a topic of conversation….among other things.

I guess in my case the big problem is I have a heavily drinking family….and it seems to be our way of coping with life. A few have quit, but, only when a DR. came along and told them ‘quit drinking our you’ll die’.

Ho hum…..hopefully I’ll get through day 13 (#2) without a drink.

Had 2 day sixes due to a sake slip on Monday at a sushi restaurant. Other than that doing pretty good. Thought my family was going to order beers at lunch on Sunday, but, didn’t so that was easy enough.

So far so good. Last Thursday at this time I was walking back from a 3-glass-of-wine lunch.

Went to Yoga today and drank a V8 for lunch instead.

Read over my posts for this ‘goal’ seems I’m just going in circles. I guess what happens is I go through phases when I feel I’m ‘drinking too much’ I get upset/depressed about it might be able to stop for a little while and then ‘something happens’ and I start again….get to the point where I’m ‘drinking too much’ and the circle starts again.

Hopefully this is the time I stop for good (and quit just whining about the problem and not solving it).

What happens in an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/us_and_canada/10280806.stm

Made it through 1 week. Got the house fairly well organized took care of somethings that I’ve been meaning to do for over a year….now for the cleaning. Still staying up late, but, it’s much easier to get out of bed in the morning w/o the hangover. Hopefully the 5am insomnia is over as well.

Was up until 5am last night….called work and said I had a Dr. Appt and that I’d be late….just to get a few hours sleep. Wasn’t drinking, just up…..certainly remember this symptom of quitting drinking the last time I did it. Hopefully tonight will be better.

Haven’t been working on this goal for a while. Lately I’ve been experiencing this odd thing where I drink when I don’t really want a drink….like just out of habit or something. I’ve found myself thinking ‘well I guess I should have a drink since that’s what I normally do’ and kind-of choking the thing down even though I don’t really want it. Weird.

This morning I’m trying something new….when I want a drink I’m going to write down how much I spent or would have spent on the drink(s)....if I can stick with this for a few weeks….or even a week….I’m going to take the ‘saved’ cash and buy myself something….or if nothing comes to mind I’ll transfer that amount of cash into my savings account to save for a downpayment on a house.