we3616: My EX (I affectionately call the bitch) used to tell me I had a drinking problem. My beverage of choice is beer. Me and hard liquor have never got along. I get drunk way to easy on it and I hate getting drunk. But I have always enjoyed coming in from work and having a cold beer sometimes 3 or 4. so yes, I would drink beer 7 days a week. There were times when I would find myself on a Sunday without any and it was never a big deal. I survived.
I had recently decided to cut back to weekends only just to work on my belly. I am a smaller framed guy at 5'11" and my little gut was getting pronounced. So I cut back for weight loss purpose then I got hit with the HCV dianosis.
So I put them down and have not looked back. I am up to about 48 oz of water a day. Doing better.
Now as to people not stopping until it is too late, I do not think that my case. However, I do know that people hate being told what to do. People also think things will never happen to them. So I would look to a spousal support group for help. They may have a way you can help him.

A few days ago on this thread, I mentioned that I might "allow" myself a glass of wine.
Well, I did...and then I "allowed" myself the bottle, and then some more. This is after 111 days of being sober with hardly any cravings at all. I really thought that I had changed and would be different now...more in control...but I was wrong.
I had a great time that night, and I'm back to not drinking without any effort...and I can't say I regret the experience. But I think it's worth mentioning here, because it's weird how those impulses and behaviors still lurk around when you assume they'll be gone. And yeah, this is a Hep C group, but obviously a lot of people here are dealing with this issue...
In some strange way, I felt guilty that I was a bad example when I posted that I might have a glass of wine. So I'm reporting my fuck-up, to make up for it.

Hi Slide,

No need to feel guilty. Everyone has "free will."

My guess is that everyone who quits drinking, whether they HAVE to quit, or not, will give it a try once again somewhere down the road. Doesn't matter if it's 101 days sober, or 20 years. It's easy to talk yourself into, and to forget all the reasons that you quit in the first place. What matters is if you remember those reasons, and climb back on the wagon again, or not.It's all about choices. Funny thing about alcoholics, some can slip once and get sober again right away, or they can drink for a week and be right back where they were when they were drinking all the time. The blackouts, the ruined relationships, the horrible hangovers....that all comes back in a jiffy....no need to wait years for it to develop.
Personally, I hope you're back on day 1 being sober, and feel good.
Take care,
Kelly

Thanks for your sweet message Kelly.
Yeah, I'm back on track and not feeling too guilty.
I've tried to look at my hep c dx as some kind of intervention, and in spite of the trauma it's caused, I really am grateful that SOMETHING finally happened that put the brakes on my drinking after nothing else was really getting through to me.
I'll be honest and say that I STILL wish - and maybe still believe - that I can somehow have a couple of drinks once in a while, and not spiral out of control...
But my first post-dx experiment with "one glass of wine" didn't go too well, that's for sure.
Anyway, there's a big discussion to be had about the disease theory of addiction (I've never been able to TOTALLY agree with it) but maybe this isn't the place for that discussion. All I know is that this is Day 4 and counting...
Thanks again for your comment, Kelly - I really appreciate it.

My comments are..
"This buds for you". Which ever you prefer

Don't be too hard on yourself Slide. We are all human. We fall, we get up and sometimes we fall again. Keep on keeping on.

What nwould Jesus want you to do?

Hi Dreamkite -

I imagine Jesus would want me free of this foul virus before it does irreparable damage.
In regards to alcohol, I imagine he would want me to use it sparingly and wisely, if the need arises. I do believe there is a need sometimes...but it is quite a struggle to be sparing and wise.
That's my honest answer.
Thanks...and thanks also, Cambie and Conolpsaro.

Isn't he the guy who turned water into wine? Me and my liver are both happy I don't have that ability.

I hadn't read the last of these posts but I think HCV and cirrhosis deserve some good news now like THC administered in any form reduce HCV viral load and much more sex than you think you need reverses cirrhosis.

Just sayin.'


@Jesus, may I have some more wine please?

@Shadow, when is happy hour and brownie night? I'll check if I'm free.