Hello Kaza and welcome to the group.

Alcoholism is a symptom of deeper emotional issues. That is why we have treatment centers for it and addiction counseling, and step meetings to help us deal with those underlying problems so that we can stay sober without the cravings.

To be honest, I don't know of any alcoholic who was able to cut back and drink like normal people can. If you can do it, then you would be the first, however, I have heard of drugs that have helped reduce cravings and one of them is called Naltrexone, but I am pretty sure, you can only get that with a doctor's prescription.

It might benefit you greatly to talk to your doctor, about drugs which can aid in cutting back. That is the only option you have that I can think of.

Let us know how it goes. We share our successes and our failures here so that those with a desire to quit, will know what works and what doesn't.

God Bless

I don’t have any info on this, sorry. But welcome to our group and while it’s been slow here I’m sure someone will suggest something.
I’m fifty and was drinking a pint of whiskey a day for about six years. Wine and beer before that. Over two years ago I realized that I had a problem and quit cold and haven’t looked back. Many will suggest checking with your doctor and being honest. I just did it on my own as it was time. The only thing I could eat for a week was oatmeal with fruit and protein shakes. Plenty of water and I recovered pretty quick.
For me I needed the mind set of never again to accomplish sobriety. Is your intention to stop or just reduce? I would suggest giving abstinence a real try (six months) so your mind can reset to its factory settings and you can get a better look at where you’ve been and where you’d like to go.
I’ve realized that we only really change when we’ve had enough. Have you? Once we shift the perception to seeing that our behavior is a run away train it’s possible to change tracks. Bests

Thank you for your replies. I am reluctant to try cold turkey and I need to be able to function to some extent as I have 2 family members dependant on me. I never ever want to touch another drink again. Drinking started with my sons drug addiction, he is clean now for 8 months. I have lost so many good years of my life and my DH has stood by me every step of the way. I want our twilight years to be fantastic. So no there is no chance of me drinking once I have stopped. I will taper and if I fail then I will definitely seek professional help. Today I drank 12 units instead of 15 I am a lunchtime to evening meal drinker. I will keep posting daily and letting you know how I feel in case someone else tries it. I know it is done with addictive medication and even smoking cessation. I can only give it a try x

Good luck with the tapering. That is actually the best way to quit any addiction because it gives you brain a chance to adjust, but it is also one of the most difficult ways to quit but like you said, it's worth a shot we hope it works for you... A very slow taper over 3 months would probably eliminate withdrawals altogether.

God Bless

Tried that bobinmaine for 6 months and kept going down to half then whoosh back up again. I just know I will be done in 8 days, I am so sick of this addiction controlling my life. Today I will do 10 units. I have explained to the family still at home that I might not be up to par for awhile and plan on resting a lot, eating well, and drinking lots of water. I am an avid reader and that helps calm down the anxiety. I also plan on sticking to wine mixed with water YUK.. I supermarket shopped this morning, buying a large organic chicken for dinner and tomorrow I will make bone broth -full of goodness. I will and I am going to do this. Keep posting Bob, tell me your story. Thank you for the support x

I could never go back to less. It just made me miserable trying. It was a tease to my addiction. . Alcohol IS a Drug, highly addictive and sneaky to take over.

I wish you the best but in my world if any booze went down my throat, more and more was to follow. I’m an alcoholic. I have a disorder that is not my fault but I do have a way to control it, I fight back with help from my alcoholic friends and honesty.
See booze made me able to handle me. I hated who I was and so booze removed me from the picture.
See I quit a million times, but booze would be back the next week, month, to grab me again. The key is to address the underlying issues of self worth, and self love, self care.

I would make a bet that you are a very giving , caring, individual that would give your shirt off your back if someone else needed it. That’s very typical and WHY booze is so good , because it makes the alchy feel good and not worried about HOW others look at/ perceive them.

I pray you find a beautiful sober life.

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I understand perfectly what you are saying and yes I have had a couple of half hearted attempts to taper, mainly because my family were on at me all the time. This time its different, I want it. I don't like myself drinking, its taking its toll on my health, I feel I am not living just existing. I want my life, my energy, my hobbies back. So I will try this and if I falter then I will go down the benzo route and that will be before I slide back up to 15 units, I'm sure I will have an easier time. Today I am on 10. Managed to go grocery shopping and make lunch but now I am wiped out. daily I drank 15 units in 7/8 hours today I an drinking 10 in 6 hrs. I can't even imagine how I will feel alcohol free. Never missed a day in 18 years. But certainly for the last 4 years there was no pleasure in it at all. I have missed weddings, funerals, days out snd all sorts of fun things with my children and grandchildren. I want sobriety so so much. Sobriety will give me the self love and self care and yes I am the caregiver always putting everyone first but I was like that before I became alcohol dependant. In fact alcohol made me selfish in a way. I am not, are not having a easy time just by reducing a third in 3 days. But focusing on 1 day at a time.. I hope you too have/will find that beautiful sober life x

It was when I switched my focus that I started to feel better.

Don’t focus on Units. , is this a sterile way to say glass. .. ?.

Focus on the new freedom to go thru life without a haze , a lie all day.



And for me, it was total cut out alcohol of the picture. But the alcohol was not the problem, it was me coping and dealing with life. I hid from life inside a bottle.

It sucked. Today I say I’m going to chose sober. Focus and self care. Also there will be some ptsd moments that u need to address that time , that person, etc. those are resentments that need addressing not hiding from.

Life gets better Cmon!

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My drinking addiction was a 750ml plus a 375ml bottle of red wine at 13.5 percent alcohol that equals 15 UK units. I think its different in the U.S..Taper is to drink less each day so the body and Ming get used to smaller amounts without the danger of DTs. At my age and the fact that I drank every single day for 18 years I am at high risk of that happening. I have reduced 5 units, a third and boy am I felling it. Not been able to do much since early afternoon
(Its 10pm here and I feel like I am having the dreaded hot flashes I had during the menopause) Quite shakey and anxious right now. I hope I can sleep tonight. I knew it wouldn't be a walk in the park but immediate family are very supportive. Extended family don't even know I have a problem ( they don't live close) When they visit they just think I like my red wine, I never get drunk. It just kept me functioning. I knew nothing about alcohol dependance, just drank because it helped me sleep when my son was awol, in prison, rehab etc.

I think in the U.S. that equates to 8 drinks ???

I was drinking 10 drinks a day , now I’m a big guy 200 lbs. I would suggest you find a group of friends in a meeting of recovery. I can say that it is very difficult to get loose of booze on your own. Somehow the strength and also knowledge is vital. Keep us up to date
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I am 112lbs, always been small although I eat like a horse. Today I will drop to 8 units, just a little over 4 drinks. Didn't sleep to0 well last night. I am going to join Smart Recovery, its online and that suits me as I am raising my gorgeous 10 year old grandson. Only problem in my life right now is my drinking but I understand the real work is when I am down to zero. We don't measure alcohol in drinks in the uk its units. A litre of whiskey is 36 units. Thank You 1-2

I read a very encouraging article which stated 'Alcohol has been around for a very long time and long, long before there was such a thing as treatment man has used alcohol to taper off. X

When I quit there was a few months where I felt lost. An emptiness where the alcohol had been. It took me a while to realize that wasn’t so much the alcohol but me not expanding into a healthy lifestyle.
I didn’t think I had any issues until I began abstinence. Then they all become very visible but as I learned to accept myself it has all become a good thing. It’s just life, a path to learning what we’re meant to this time around.
Great work so far!!

Thank you your post came at the right time. I lost my lovely Mammy 14 months ago, I spent 4 days and nights at her hospital bedside, so peaceful and I miss her every day but today I have sobbed on and off all day, even as I write I am crying again, thought this might be a symptom of withdrawal. It's sucks and is getting harder. As I was not a social drinker anyway the lockdown is not helping or is that just me making an excuse ? Only 9 pm and evening meal over and I am going to bed to lose myself in a book. and hopefully sleep !!