Easy Way to Control Drinking

I find it incredible but I have had virtually no desire (other than a few times having minor urges that have passed relatively quickly) to drink alcohol in the past four weeks. Talking away your desire to drink is what I think the magic is behind Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Control Drinking”. It really feels easy, seriously. With that said, I haven’t been perfect. I have had a few drinks these past four weeks. Perhaps 10 drinks the entire month, (which is not near my typical number which I would think is closer to 50+ drinks a month). I had 3 or 4 drinks twice during social events, but it was over a very long time period (5+ hours), so I did not feel intoxicated at all during this time. I have come to hate the taste of all alcohol and the feeling of being “buzzed”. I still have not conquered the social aspect of drinking alcohol, and have not been able to say “no, Im not drinking tonight” but I have figured out ways to not drink to the point of even feeling a little fuzzy/buzzed. Im hoping I can improve when it comes to dealing with friends and my wife over time, but I have realized and am encouraged by the fact that one drink for me does not lead automatically to rapid drinking and heavy intoxication. In fact it is the opposite-one drink and I am realizing that I dont like it, and am trying to figure out ways to not drink.

It seems so much easier than to go to AA, or to have to use will power to prevent yourself from drinking. I think it is better to change your way of thinking and understand that you really dont want to drink in the first place, because the benefits you thought you were getting from alcohol, are non-existent.

I'm really glad this worked so well for you .

I'm much more comfortable now saying " I don't drink ." It did feel really awkward at first . I think you'll get to this point too . I've found that the longer I go without alcohol , the less I even think about drinking socially . I'm having dinner with a big group of friends tomorrow . I'm pretty sure I'll be the only non-drinker there but that thought barely crosses my mind these days . I'm more looking forward to the food and conversation than being concerned over what people think of me and my glass of iced tea .

Thanks. I really hope to get to the point you are at. I havent figured out how to completely say "no thanks" yet, even though I really want to.

There really has been a lasting change in my life. In the last 6 months since I posted, I have probably cut back 80-90% of my drinking. I have a few beers or glasses of wine at social occasions, but I stop after a few. I have only been “slightly” intoxicated a few times, and have had zero hangovers and of course no blackouts. I have to be vigilant, as I know this will be a fight for the rest of my life. But I have found that I really don’t like the taste of alcohol, the feeling of intoxication, nor the behavior of others around me who have been drinking a lot, and I feel when I am drinking that I am literally putting poison into my body, which helps me limit my drinking. I feel much healthier now, and have lost a good 20-25 pounds and am back at my high school weight. I know drinking a “little” is not a solution for everyone, some need to never drink again, but I think it may be a solution for some alcoholics like me who still are uncomfortable completely abstaining in social settings.

Nice update - I'm glad this is working out for you Tbone .

I've honestly lost all desire to drink alcohol ever again and ordering a non-alcoholic drink is automatic now ( or it was , back in the days when we could actually go places and order drinks ). Oddly , the decades-old habit of ordering a beer or cocktail still pops up as my first thought , followed immediately by " Why on earth did I think I wanted that ? Because I don't " .

Thanks NewSun. I really find that my desire to drink alcochol has almost completely evaporated as well, but I have simply not figured out a way to completely abstain from alchohol, primarly due to what I see is societal pressure to do so. You have conquered it, and I wish I were where you were at, but I find that in certain situations, I would rather just have a drink or two just so others dont start wondering things like, "Gee, I wonder why he doesnt drink anymore, is he a recovering alcoholic?.......". Of course, what they dont realize, and which I have come to realize while being for the most part completely sober, is most of them are have an alcohol problem themselves (the vast majority of my friends drink heavily during social occasions). But I can tell you this, life is completely different, in a good way, drinking 0-5 drinks a week like I do know, as opposed to drinking perhaps 20-40 drinks a week, while usually getting bombed at least once a week. There is simply no way I want to go back to that life, and I dont think I ever will.