Allen Carr book and The Forum

General health and lifestyle
1

I have been off the drink now for 6 days after reading this cover to cover over a few days and doing the cd. 6 days might not sound like that much but i was necking loads raw vodka for quite a while to say the least. Starting from the morning...Even though there was a few days here and there that i stopped. Last week i had major withdrawl symptoms and felt so low i cant describe it.

I will say that reading the book quickly was good as it meant i didnt forget parts of it if that makes sence.

To be fair i read a bit of the book at anytime a thought creeps into my head that it might be ok to go to the off licence...  though there hasnt been many. Such a difference i swear honestly. Only one real, real one and that was last night but didnt do it. It passed after a few hours. 

The hypnosis cd is very good too, i have listened to it loads at night when i cant sleep. More or less every night. So maybe the key to the book working is to keep it as a little companion and do the cd often. It seems to work for me.

Just want to say for those who havent tried it, for the sake of a few pounds its worth a shot.

. Some of you will know from my other discussions that over the last 4 weeks i have been in an extremly bad place, pure hell to be honest. I was clearing out the other day and managed to throw down the sink a hidden bottle of vodka that i found. Which you might have worked out from the things i have said before is pretty good.

Make a change from me throwing up down the sink!

which i have done a lot of, trust me.

Not trying to preach or anything but  you never know it may work for you too if you havent tried it. Its so strange i cant explain how i feel differently about alcohol itself after reading it. Its always going to be a work in progress but such a difference!

I can honestly say I am off drink for good, my life fell apart because of it and i couldnt go through that pain again, its only now that i have managed to pick myself up a bit. Dont get me wrong i have massive amounts of work to do so my life is back together but its better than it has been.

Anyway its worth a read, you never know. Really just posted this not to moan about myself but to help anyone who might want to give it a try. It will benefit those most who truly just want to stop altogether and not cut down, just wanted to add that part.

I will also say that i could never in a million years have got through this time in my life without this forum, so thank you so much for all your help. I have no one in the house with me right now and have been on my own with no one to talk to for weeks,  your words mean everything. I will always come on it everyday from now on in as it has helped so much and always will spur me on. Its this forum and the book that has got me here after almost 4 weeks of lying on the sofa with curtains closed,panic attacks and not eating etc to now having been out for over 7 whole hours. Honestly at times i was so scared to leave the house.

The curtains are now open and i even started clearing out my house. So again thank you so so much xxxx

2

I read this with a big smile on my face! Really pleased for you and you sound so positive and determined. Keep up the great work! biggrin

3

Great to read this Sharon and to feel your positivity throughout your post .. well done ! I am.taking nalmefene and doing the Sinclair method which for me is very successful. I have heard a lot on here about the Alan Carr book so I must get a copy and read it it. It sounds like it may be another useful tool in seeing alcohol in a completely different light ..x

4

Seriously do get this book. Like i say it works best if you totally want to stop all together at some point. I read the book over two days so i didnt forget the chapters (amazing i didnt considering the amount of vodka i have consumed in the past lol). Then i did the cd. I do the cd near enough every day or night or maybe both and look the book up at times when i get that wee feeling...To be fair when i re read one chapter the wee feeling has gone away! it does work if you really want it to. I had to stop for myself and to get my family back

 (were working on it) I am too much of an all or nothing person, one drink is not for me, need the whole bottle and i was drinking the vodka neat. So seriously if it can work for me that says something. You sound like your doing really well, im glad you have found something that works for you. This forum helped me so much over the last few weeks you'll never know. Get the book and let me know how you get on, i would be really interested to know x

5

Thanks Sharon for that .Its good to hear you are finding ways through this rotten AUD .The forum is a great support and I really dont think things would have been so good for me if I hadn't had the advice and support from here with the TSM process .I stumbled across the forum in December when I was trying to find out about the medication .

I will definitely order the book today ! Keep onwards and upwards you are doing so well 👍👍

6

Thank you so much, its def worth a try. Good luck and let me know how you get on with it.  How have things been?

7

Sharon..Praise God that you sound SO MUCH BETTER.

I drank 3 days ago...quite a bit...and the same old crappy feelings of anxiety, depression, guilt...came the very next day.

I'm feeling better now..and don't want to drink...Eating is just such a chore for me..LOL...I"m starving..its very early where I am..I could go to the diner in pjs..LOL.

Happy for you that you are finding ways to cope without drinking.

8

I know what you mean about the eating...I swear when my partner and daughter left i prob only ate twice in about 2 weeks , honestly no kidding. Why dont you try some toast or something for now? Until its a little later.

Try to look after yourself, eating is important.  I prob dont need to tell you this but you know what i mean.

I do feel quite a bit better, far far better than what i was. Could not have got much lower to be honest. 

Please please look after yourself and build yourself up again, the drink is a horrible thing for increasing anxiety, mine was like nothing i have ever in my life experienced before over the last 4 weeks, panic attacks, the lot. 

You are brilliant on this forum, try and be a bit more brilliant to yourself, your worth it girl!

 

9

Fantastic of you to do this whilst so unhappy and on your own.  Your determination has paid off.

I am ordering this book as I have seen so many times on here that it will be a useful tool to help.

Well done you smile x

10

Thank you as always Gwen, def worth a read. Went passed the off licene today and for the first time in as long as i can remember it didnt even come into my head to go in. It was at a time of the day when i normally would. This is weird but so good. Read the book in one go if you can, i did over a few days and i think this helped as there is quite a bit to take in. Sleeping still off, was listening to the cd at about 5 o clock this morning, but hey its worth it biggrin

11

Hi Misssy, yes those are the words to describe it.  Crappy, anxiety, depression, guilt the next day.  But it always feels just fine at the time whilst holding the glass.

I think that the reason I keep it together is because of food.  Smoothies and soup with loads of veg in it blended.  I just force it down a few hours before I am going to start.

So glad you can grab back your sobriety - you have come so far and have helped so many.

Keep the faith hun smile x

12

Just great sharon x  You will soon have things back in order with your wee one and partner.  Your boy will understand your honesty; you can tell he is a very caring guy and will just want Mum to be better so you can all enjoy being a family. 

Yeah sleep is a dream (ha chance would be a fine thing without a bottle of wine) 2 hours nightly Monday to Friday (can't wait for tomorrow).

I was reading last night from 2 am to 5.30 am - along with a sound machine I have bought - it plays sounds of birds singing, ocean waves, rain, thunder and lightening, a camp fire etc.  Started dropping off to sleep at 5.30am and then got flippin cramp.  So ended up out in the garden weeding (but not in PJs lol).  Got to laff or you would go mad.

So Alan Carr made you go right past the offie - he is a bit of a guy - think he is going to be a bestie and I might just pinch him off you lol.

There are many on here who are really struggling, well like you and me are, and we have to find a way around it.  I won't give up and neither will you. 

And all you other guys on here that I know are struggling - please don't give up.  We have some very very special Angels on here and I don't need to name them.

A peaceful night is wished to you all and of course you sharon - and well done again xx

 

13

At the minute im about the same...been awake nearly every nite for the last 4 weeks 5ish is about my time too. Arnt we the nite owls (twit twooo) Wouldnt just say it was allen carr by the way, combination of things to be fair. But that has played a massive part, you have to really want to do it at the end of the day for yourself and family. Im not saying im any different to anyone else by the because we all want to beat this...different things for differnt people help, but we all deeply want this rubbish to end. Its no good at all. It is hard though for all of us. The allen carr book just basically shows you how to change the way you feel about drink in general and what it does to you. Changing how you look at drink is important that way you dont feel deprived that you cant have it. Its more a case of saying and meaning it...I DONT WANT IT and meaning it. The way my body felt last week played a big part too because that scared me so much. I really thought i had pushed it too far and that was the end. God knows how much damage i have done anyway. This forum has played a part and the woman the other day at the meeting who to me looked so far gone. Its not for me to judge but she did.. I dont want to end up that way. The first and last thing is getting my family back, love and miss them so much and i am very lonely right now no matter what i say. I have to be a better person for me and for them, i really, really only do have one chance and thats it. If it goes wrong i will have nothing. I have to say though the book has given me a lot of tools to be strong and i honestly dont think i would be sober right now if i hadnt read it. That is true, however right this min in time feeling very very lonely and feel like its never going to end. Sorry on a wee bit of a downer but ill be fine, no drink for me. 

When did your sleep patterns change so much? Have you looked up any alternatives to sleeping pills as i know u dont want to take them. Hope you do get some sleep at some point Gwen and as always thanks for the kind words. They mean so much at times xxx

14

Things have been good Sharon  with the meds and I feel like I am really making headway now.    but one more tool in the toolbox is always useful.I have ordered the book tonight and all excited  for its arrival on Tuesday lol

Thinking about you , your determination will pay off I am sure. Thank god we all have each other on here for support. Hope sleep comes easier for you soon. x

15

OMG that supposed wonderful feeling holding the glass of lovely wine eh Gwen..Then crash the next morning and  feeling like the pits all day and looking like the pits too eeeww  I never want that feeling again ,

Good on you Gwen though for preparing your body as much as possible and keeping to your regime of little botts in the week.,. I admire you for being able to stick to that. For me I would just be on my way after that first one !!Strange how  the booze affects our sleep.For me I sleep horrendousley  when I drink, I cant get to sleep and when I do drop off in the early  its an anxious wakeful sleep if that makes sense, I sleep so much better without alcohol now although its taken me a while to get a good sleep pattern. Will be taking my nalmefene tomorrow evening and having a glass of wine ( probably wont fancy more than one which is fab) but it will make sleep difficult .. What are we like eh lol 

Take care xx

16

So glad your getting the book, i really hope it helps! I know the support here is amazing, such honesty as well. Glad you feel better with the meds too, go girl!

Since i stopped (well longer than that to be honest) my sleep is all over the place and i am usally awake all night until about 5, although i am sleeping on the sofa every night. Cant bear to sleep in the bed on my own to be honest. I miss my partner too much, it just feels weird.  Didnt drink tonight but i have to be honest i had a wee feeling, once you read the book you maybe know how i didnt run straight round to wine seller...that would usually have been so me. I just felt too lonely tonight. But i just ran to the shop 10 mins ago and bought chocolate, put it this way if i hadnt read that book i know i would have bought the drink. It can be done. Its not easy though.  This place is great also for support, i dont know what i would do without it to be honest. Let me know for sure what you think of the book for sure, good luck!!! xxx

17

So pleased you have found something.that is working for you hunny and you know you have lots of support on here .

I wish you could go to bed properly at night though, quality sleep is so important in your recovery and most people say the sleep becomes easier as the alcohol is further away ..Could you think about it in a few days time ? More sleep and you will feel more better ..lol

Your priority is to get really well and you have made a brilliant start with it ..keep rocking on 😊😊😉😎🤗x

18

Hi Nattie, yes it is strange how alcohol affects us differently in sleep.

I sleep wonderful after a bottle of wine and feel blooming great next day, trouble was that I liked feeling so great too much and it escalated to 2 bottles - then started to feel not so fine - probably a combination of too much booze and too much sleep. 

I can honestly say if I had the "gift" of natural sleep, I would be happy having a drink in the evening as a nightcap to relax; if I knew I would sleep I would be happy.  But the nights get soooo drawn out when you are wide awake.  But hunni, we will not give in - and I give us all credit for that.

Glad to hear your doing ok Mrs smile xx

19

Hi Sharon, hope things are going well for you . My book arrived today so Iam in for a read tonight lol Hope I got the right one 'How to control your drinking'  I think there was another one with a slightly different title ?