Discussion Sobriety Vs Controlled Usage

[SnowWhite]

Hey SS Recovery,

I've been sober from alcohol for 4 months now, and sober from cocaine & MD for a little over a year. While I have no intention of using drugs again, I have started considering controlled drinking in this past* week. However I'm not really sure if this a realistic goal or even a good idea. I'd be planning to start drinking again in February.

So my question is fairly simple. Has anyone successfully implemented controlled drinking into their life, either by going sober first or by controlling their drinking without going sober? What advice would you have? Have you tried controlled drinking unsuccessfully? What was your experience attempting it?

I look forwards to hearing from you peeps!
Much Love

 

[Julgran]

Well done on overcoming your substance demons

Regarding your question about starting to drink, do you mean that you may want a sip here and there in social events, or did you mean at home and by yourself? I'm thinking that drinking by yourself is not a healthy route to walk.

 

[motel rooms]

While I have no intention of using drugs again, I have started considering controlled drinking in this past* week. However I'm not really sure if this a realistic goal or even a good idea.

No, it isn't a good idea. Alcohol is a drug too, the fact that it's legal doesn't mean it's any less bad for your well-being than illegal drugs.

So my question is fairly simple. Has anyone successfully implemented controlled drinking into their life, either by going sober first or by controlling their drinking without going sober? What advice would you have? Have you tried controlled drinking unsuccessfully?

My husband can go 4-5 days without drinking at this point. He still lives for that 5th/6th day, though, & he's not happy that's the case.

 

[ket]

Hey SS Recovery,

I've been sober from alcohol for 4 months now, and sober from cocaine & MD for a little over a year. While I have no intention of using drugs again, I have started considering controlled drinking in this past* week. However I'm not really sure if this a realistic goal or even a good idea. I'd be planning to start drinking again in February.

So my question is fairly simple. Has anyone successfully implemented controlled drinking into their life, either by going sober first or by controlling their drinking without going sober? What advice would you have? Have you tried controlled drinking unsuccessfully? What was your experience attempting it?

I look forwards to hearing from you peeps!
Much Love

in my experience, one i end up using some substance regularly and then struggle to quit, any attempt to just have a little as an occasional treat just ended up provoking me slowly making additional excuses for why its ok until i'm using again regularly. you may have better willpower than i, but be careful anyway.

 

[Dystopia]

Having used over 120 different compounds over 8 years I can tell you it's highly subjective if your use will spiral again.

I feel like if you use alcohol/other drugs as a reward or to wind down after a week it can be fine. At the same time, chronic alcoholism can stem from genes. Much like nicotine addiction etc.

Personally I've never found any drug impossible to quit but I always seem to use something eventually.

Pro tip from me. If you do spiral back into alcoholism, a low dose of shrooms can treat this very effectively in some cases. It's not for everyone of course and if you have or are predisposed to things like psychosis or schizophrenia it is not a good idea to use psychedelics

 

[Sherri]

Congrats on being sober, but I personally wouldn't touch any of those things that made you an addict anymore, not even social, one glass is the path to a full bottle. day by day like the NA or AA says right? Don't sound to be patronising, is just you reached so much already. Please try and stay sober. Hugs

 

[Insomniac]

Hey SS Recovery,

I've been sober from alcohol for 4 months now, and sober from cocaine & MD for a little over a year. While I have no intention of using drugs again, I have started considering controlled drinking in this past* week. However I'm not really sure if this a realistic goal or even a good idea. I'd be planning to start drinking again in February.

So my question is fairly simple. Has anyone successfully implemented controlled drinking into their life, either by going sober first or by controlling their drinking without going sober? What advice would you have? Have you tried controlled drinking unsuccessfully? What was your experience attempting it?

I look forwards to hearing from you peeps!
Much Love

I'd say, if you're doing controlled drinking, make sure to not drink alone (drink with friends).

 

[SnowWhite]

Well done on overcoming your substance demons

Regarding your question about starting to drink, do you mean that you may want a sip here and there in social events, or did you mean at home and by yourself? I'm thinking that drinking by yourself is not a healthy route to walk.

Thank you! I was thinking more in the sense of at social events, as i'm quite a hermit I thought it might help separate drinking and being at home if that makes sense? When I was drinking before it was an everday bottle of rum at home kind of scenario.

No, it isn't a good idea. Alcohol is a drug too, the fact that it's legal doesn't mean it's any less bad for your well-being than illegal drugs.



My husband can go 4-5 days without drinking at this point. He still lives for that 5th/6th day, though, & he's not happy that's the case.

Yeah, I understand where you're coming from. I don't want to risk my happiness only coming from that one day I can drink sort of thing.

in my experience, one i end up using some substance regularly and then struggle to quit, any attempt to just have a little as an occasional treat just ended up provoking me slowly making additional excuses for why its ok until i'm using again regularly. you may have better willpower than i, but be careful anyway.

Thank you for sharing. I'd like to think I'm strong willed, but that's easy for me to say when I'm not drinking. From what I've heard from a friend of mine who also quit, she found herself justifying why she was drinking again rather than confronting herself.

Having used over 120 different compounds over 8 years I can tell you it's highly subjective if your use will spiral again.

I feel like if you use alcohol/other drugs as a reward or to wind down after a week it can be fine. At the same time, chronic alcoholism can stem from genes. Much like nicotine addiction etc.

Personally I've never found any drug impossible to quit but I always seem to use something eventually.

Pro tip from me. If you do spiral back into alcoholism, a low dose of shrooms can treat this very effectively in some cases. It's not for everyone of course and if you have or are predisposed to things like psychosis or schizophrenia it is not a good idea to use psychedelics

Hi, thanks for the advice. The goal is to be in a situation where alchohol is a once a week kind of thing, however looking at my history its fair to say I have my doubts that I'll be able to keep it controlled. As for the shrooms, I've made an effort to stay away from psychedelics as I'm an epileptic.

Congrats on being sober, but I personally wouldn't touch any of those things that made you an addict anymore, not even social, one glass is the path to a full bottle. day by day like the NA or AA says right? Don't sound to be patronising, is just you reached so much already. Please try and stay sober. Hugs

Thank you! You raise a good point point, just drinking one pint sets me back 4+ months of progress. It's definitely something for me to think about.

I'd say, if you're doing controlled drinking, make sure to not drink alone (drink with friends).

Absolutely, I lightly touched on it earlier, but if i was to attempt this, it would be at social events only, as theres nobody to keep my in check with my drinking when I'm alone.
Also sorry for the late response, been a busy new year. Pleased to report I'm still sober, happy new year

 

[little helpers]

not with alcohol. but there was a time when I could balance my drug use by switching between suboxone and heroin. worked hella well. I called that "dynamic stability". also the brownie points of having oneself to decide and exert control. buddy was on methadone and did practically the same thing. yeah it was all fine and dandy, until my folks started pushing me to consider more aggressive forms of "treatment" I got so fed up, and dropped out from the subs program.

if I got any tips it would be to keep a "drug/alcohol diary". keep track of how much you're using/drinking. set a weekly limit based on amount or money spent, and check back on it like you do screentime and stuff. plan it out. like on these days I'm gonna get only beers and after this many days I can get drunk. then you can analyze your drinking patterns based on these entries and make adjustments.

also like @Insomniac said, have your friends keep an eye on you so you don't overdo shit.

 

[Somber]

Congratulations on your new milestone!

While I can't relate where it comes to alcohol, quitting smoking ... twice leads me to believe that substance abuse (whether alcohol or nicotine) with a history of prior addiction is unlikely to remain controlled very long.

What started as one smoke in the weekend snowballed over the course of a few months into multiple ones every day, until I got bronchitis and quit for good (about 3 years ago).

Have you asked yourself why you'd want to drink in social settings?

 

[Sherri]

I'm lucky I have an endless supply of Xanax, I can go pharmacy shopping and most will sell me a box of 60 for 6 euros. But I'm starting to feel the effects of it, I forget things, forget what I'm about to say sometimes. But it's the only thing that relaxes me. Xanax XR you can barely feel a thing. But yeah they should be more open to controlled stuff, so people buy clean stuff and not good knows what from the dark web.

 

[Somber]

Isn't Xanax prescription only?