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    #1

    To all the moderators

    Hey guys! A few questions to the moderators. to all you who have succesfully moderated...

    Are you taking kudzu? do you feel you would find it MUCH harder to mod without the kudzu?

    Second question-did you take a period of time off from alcohol? if so how long? Would the moderating probably not work unless you took that break?

    and last, hehe..Do u feel kudzu takes the fun out of drinking?
    Tags: None
    #2
    To all the moderators

    Hi!

    I did do the Kudzu for the first few months as the program prescribed. I don't take it now.

    I do take Topomax and I do think it would be MUCH HARDER to moderate without the Topo. In fact I stopped the Topo for 3 weeks several months ago and found my same patterns returning.

    RE: did I do a period w/o alcohol? I signed up for 30 days ABS on January 1st 2008 but I didn't go AF the total month. During that month I faced situations where it seemed OK and natural to have a drink and I did, since my ultimate goal was moderation. That being said, that January I read the ABS thread every day, and thought of myself as a 30 day AFer, changed my habits, learned to drink non-alcoholic beverages while out, etc etc. I did 21 days AF that month and had a total of maybe 10 drinks, which was less than I would usually drink in 3 days.

    I KNOW I wouldn't be where I am today without that month of focus and commitment. You don't go from drinking every day like I was, to moderating without a real plan. And I used that month to read the moderation threads and set my goals for AF for future months. I committed to Drink Tracker for that month and future months (I still use it).

    I totally enjoy moderate drinking. Wine tastes wonderful, I can get a (very little) buzz on 2 drinks but I have to drink really slowly and pay attention to how I feel, rather than blast through. I hate getting drunk and having hangovers, and have only done that 3 times in > 8 months. I avoid alcohol when I am lonely, upset, wanting to avoid conflict or difficult feelings (which is mostly the reasons I drank). Alcohol is no longer the friend I spend evenings at home with, or turn to in times of trouble, but a pleasant beverage to be enjoyed in social situations with other people.
    Hope this helps!

    AFH

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      #3
      To all the moderators

      Thanks Ask for Help...

      That was really helpful and encouraging to hear what is working for you. I love a thread where people can talk about their successes at moderating as it gives us useful ideas about meeting our goals. Take care.

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        #4
        To all the moderators

        hi Diff,like Help I feel ive progressed ,i a take no drugs a t all i just stop,i guess im fortunate,i do no if you drink too much and end up where i did the only way for hospital facilities to bring you down is valuum and other meds,then you have to come off of them for most its bloody hard, funny to say , were are only liqour control board,i guess for me its easy to say,layely its been again a growing xperience,and dang im still lernin this is a great site,not to much conflict and if there is people ive found have been very considerate to ask me what my problem is, were all here for the same reason,to figure out why we have a problem with AL,by the way mod is good,but there always the other way abstain we have a lot of people trying gyco

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          #5
          To all the moderators

          I've tried taking Kudzu, was great at first - no cravings, but after a while I felt a bit ill taking it, like I had an allergy or something so I stopped. The cravings were more tolerable than those feelings.

          I personally think a period of abstaination is a must before attempting to moderate, I'm on my 3rd abstaination this time for 30 days. Have abstained twice before, first for 50 days, then after a major slip, I abstained a year later for 40 days - helps to get the tolerance level down.

          When I first took Kudzu, I decided to have just 2 cans of beer (that's all I bought from the shop - one of my rules for moderation is to just buy what I'm planning to drink in that session). I got half way through the first and felt I didn't really want anymore - but being the alcoholic I am I forced them both down! (which wasn't all that enjoyable) If you're planning to be AF, Kudzu is a good idea - helps with the cravings but moderation, well if I'd had more than 2 cans, I would have forced them down too!!!
          Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He's the one who will keep you on track. Proverbs 3:6 The Message

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            #6
            To all the moderators

            I haven't taken Kudzu, nor the meds.

            I started out with 2.5 months AF. I think significant AF time is really needed to understand and break the mental/emotional ties with alcohol. There is probably nothing magic about the number 30, but it is a good number, supported by many here.
            My life is better without alcohol, since 9/1/12. My sobriety tool is the list at permalink 236 on the toolbox thread under monthly abstinance.

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              #7
              To all the moderators

              I started off taking Topa and moderated sucessfully for 3 months whilst on it. I do think that a minimum of 30 day AF is imperative - it has really given me a true idea of how great life is without AL pulling at me every day.

              I have stopped taking the Topa (due to financial reasons) but I'm vigilant in taking Kudzu and all my other supps.

              Like Sun mentioned 30 days is a good number but for me personally I am going for 60 days - just can't seem to give up my AF stripes yet:-)
              "The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it"

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                #8
                To all the moderators

                Don't know if a period of abstaining...

                is necessary. I do think it helps to break habits and get you doing things that are not alcohol related, but this can happen even if you are still drinking. It has been helpful to me to abstain at times and I am now also, just because I have too many other things I am trying to do to drink or to worry about drinking, but I plan to moderate again later.

                I don't necessarily think it is the abstaining, but how you think about your relationship with alcohol when you are clearheaded...think of it as a relationship and be as objective as possible without judging it or yourself. We are only guilty of wanting to feel good or wanting to feel better...not so terrible when it is thought about that way, huh? This is what I am trying to do also.

                Envision the life you want and start living as if it were in fact the life you are living and do it NOW. I think your habits will change as you focus more on your values. For me focusing on my values and life goals has been more effective than focusing on reduction. This is just my opinion and what works for my brain as I will obsess about anything I am trying to give up and then the thing is still really too much a part of my energy even if I am not using it. It is always better for me to focus on what I want rather than what I don't want...that said I am far from perfect at any of it. It's a process, like everything.

                I personally never found the Kudzu to do much for me, everyone's chemistry is different, so you just have to try it for yourself. good luck.

                Comment

                  #9
                  To all the moderators

                  Thank you for all your replies. Its great you guys have had alot of succes with moderation. so there is some hope maybe! I obviousally have a lot of issues to deal with alcohol, my mental health/depression, etc. and im sure you need to take care of the mental health and be happy without alcohol before you can moderate. im taking aat leasta month off begining today with my antabuse. wish me luck!

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