Detox - how many weeks?

Econoline Van

Hi all
Finally decided to get serious about my drinking after my last week long bender and now I'm 8 days off it. In 10 years the longest I haven't drank for is 2 weeks and it's effected my life very negatively.

I'm hugely determined not to drink and I think the longer I stay sober the easier it will become. So, my question, how many weeks does it take for the average body to detox from alcohol?

Not sure of my future intentions right now, I'd like to be able to have a glass of wine in the future with the missus anyway. I know this is the non-drinkers group, but did anyone ever successfully "re-learn" their relationship with alcohol or is it just better to stay tee-total? I read a Q&A with Alastair Campbell there last week in the Guardian where he said he gave up drinking in 1986 but will have a social drink if he feels like it or needs to for his work. I'd like to think I could do that as I wasn't a full-blown alcoholic.....anyway, would be interested to hear people's opinions.

Also, just a quick mention of how brilliant it is to wake up on a Monday morning with a full(er) wallet, a clear head and the week stretching before you like a blank canvas, waiting to be enjoyed and utilised rather than endured.

Sunnyisland

Hi, I suppose everyone is different when detoxing and it would depend on your age & fitness and how much you were drinking before, Anyway milk thistle is a great liver detox. It is used to aid in repairing the liver cells that have been damaged by toxins including alcohol. I think the recommended dosage for detox is around 240m,Lots of water, the B vitamins, vit C, Magnesium and Fish Oil will also help you to detox and get your body balance again. The range of supplements is comprehensive and most health shops would be of great help,I personally cant say much about moderating as it never worked out for me no matter how hard I tried, But moderating can be done and i am sure other people here will drop in with more useful tips, good luck.

ps I can 100% relate to waking up with a clear head and money in your pocket on a monday morning, cant be beaten.

Bassfish

Econoline Van wrote: »

Hi all
Finally decided to get serious about my drinking after my last week long bender and now I'm 8 days off it. In 10 years the longest I haven't drank for is 2 weeks and it's effected my life very negatively.

I'm hugely determined not to drink and I think the longer I stay sober the easier it will become. So, my question, how many weeks does it take for the average body to detox from alcohol?

Not sure of my future intentions right now, I'd like to be able to have a glass of wine in the future with the missus anyway. I know this is the non-drinkers group, but did anyone ever successfully "re-learn" their relationship with alcohol or is it just better to stay tee-total? I read a Q&A with Alastair Campbell there last week in the Guardian where he said he gave up drinking in 1986 but will have a social drink if he feels like it or needs to for his work. I'd like to think I could do that as I wasn't a full-blown alcoholic.....anyway, would be interested to hear people's opinions.

Also, just a quick mention of how brilliant it is to wake up on a Monday morning with a full(er) wallet, a clear head and the week stretching before you like a blank canvas, waiting to be enjoyed and utilised rather than endured.

Hey OP first of all, i would say only a doctor can tell you about de-toxing. As for your question about moderating, yes i definately think you can change your drinking habits. I reckon a lot of people just get that bit more mature and gain a small bit more cop-on when it comes to drink. I'm off drink for a bit now but i don't intend becoming a tee-totaller. I do want drink to play a far smaller role in my life than it has done for the past 10 years though. Your drinking habits sound very similar to mine and with me it's just about changing my mind-set. I'm slowly trying to re-programme myself to have an attitude that more often than not i will choose not to drink but occasionally i will enjoy a drink. That my 2 cents worth anyway:cool:

Econoline Van

Bassfish wrote: »

Hey OP first of all, i would say only a doctor can tell you about de-toxing. As for your question about moderating, yes i definately think you can change your drinking habits. I reckon a lot of people just get that bit more mature and gain a small bit more cop-on when it comes to drink. I'm off drink for a bit now but i don't intend becoming a tee-totaller. I do want drink to play a far smaller role in my life than it has done for the past 10 years though. Your drinking habits sound very similar to mine and with me it's just about changing my mind-set. I'm slowly trying to re-programme myself to have an attitude that more often than not i will choose not to drink but occasionally i will enjoy a drink. That my 2 cents worth anyway:cool:

Yes, that'd be ideal.
I'm on Day 9 now and received two texts today about a party on Friday night. This is when it gets hard, I suppose. I feel incredibly healthy already compared to how I had been feeling over the last few months, and I know it's going to be tough on Friday evening when I feel great and the idiotic part of my brain starts trying to convince me that I deserve a few beers and there's nothing wrong with it at all.
I hope I can say no. Right now, I feel free, in a way. Liberated from alcohol, if you will Longest I've been without a drink in a long, long time.

petethebrick

It differs from individual to individual whether or not moderation can be achieved.
I totally associate with you. I've gone off the drink for period of two weeks here and there but have then generally reverted to my old habit of getting trashed every weekend. One bit of advice I would give you is to aim to continue off the booze for a total of one month at least. Staying off it for 1-2 weeks isn't really giving you a proper break. From my experience probably best to avoid party for this period as more than likely you'll end up drunk. Good look with changing your habits anyhow!

Econoline Van

petethebrick wrote: »

It differs from individual to individual whether or not moderation can be achieved.
I totally associate with you. I've gone off the drink for period of two weeks here and there but have then generally reverted to my old habit of getting trashed every weekend. One bit of advice I would give you is to aim to continue off the booze for a total of one month at least. Staying off it for 1-2 weeks isn't really giving you a proper break. From my experience probably best to avoid party for this period as more than likely you'll end up drunk. Good look with changing your habits anyhow!

Thanks. I'm aiming for 6 weeks. I think I read somewhere that this is an ideal length of time get out of the habit, detox and then after that to re-evaluate your relationship with alcohol. I'm not sure though and that's why I started the thread! 2 weeks is my record so I know that that's woefully insufficient. However, I feel different this time, I'm fed up with booze and I actually don't want to drink. Usually I'd be counting down the seconds until I have an excuse to go on the piss again.

NecroSteve

You're doing great! Here's a tip for liver detox I've been given on a few occasions. Chew up some dandelion leaves and let them sit on the back of your tongue for a few minutes (takes willpower!!). This sets off chemical processes in your body that speed up liver cleansing. Do it a few times a week at least, and you're set.

Don't pick the leaves from roadsides (traffic fumes), parks (weedkiller etc.) or pasture (animal faeces) by the way. Not nice.

petethebrick

Also check out www.moderation.org

Fair play to you. I'm back off the booze 3 months now and having been off for 6 months perviously and gone back, I can safely say that old habits die hard. It most definitely gets easier though.

uprising2

Econoline Van wrote: »

Hi all
Finally decided to get serious about my drinking after my last week long bender and now I'm 8 days off it. In 10 years the longest I haven't drank for is 2 weeks and it's effected my life very negatively.

I'm hugely determined not to drink and I think the longer I stay sober the easier it will become. So, my question, how many weeks does it take for the average body to detox from alcohol?

Not sure of my future intentions right now, I'd like to be able to have a glass of wine in the future with the missus anyway. I know this is the non-drinkers group, but did anyone ever successfully "re-learn" their relationship with alcohol or is it just better to stay tee-total? I read a Q&A with Alastair Campbell there last week in the Guardian where he said he gave up drinking in 1986 but will have a social drink if he feels like it or needs to for his work. I'd like to think I could do that as I wasn't a full-blown alcoholic.....anyway, would be interested to hear people's opinions.

Also, just a quick mention of how brilliant it is to wake up on a Monday morning with a full(er) wallet, a clear head and the week stretching before you like a blank canvas, waiting to be enjoyed and utilised rather than endured.

From your post I'd say your better off getting it into your head it's not for you, I start drinking regularly 20 years ago.
I was an alcoholic by 18, sold the clothes off my back for drink.
I've been giving it up for 18 years, in the past 5 years I've been off it 31/2 years, a doctor told me I'm not an alcoholic but a binge drinker, when I start I don't stop.

I would like to believe I can drink normally, and have convinced myself and others that I could, but the truth is I'm like Jekel and Hyde, the first drink and the chemicals in the brain that control everything get switched off.

People under estimate the addiction/mental dependance of alcohol, but to be honest AA, your mother, girlfriend,child, whoever cannot stop you from drinking, only you can, and it's hard or easy depending on how you approach it, but it is clearly fukking up your life, most probably depressing you aswell, it's a circle of sh1t that only you can break.
Some people can drink, some can't, and if your partial to a week long bender I'd say your one of the type who cant.
This glass of wine with the missus may work for you, but I know if it were me I'd be watching the bottle and once the jungle juice hits the brain it wants more, end of story, and gets it.

It takes about 6 weeks to get drink out of your system, sleepless nights, mood swings, depression, anger, hate, guilt, you name it you'll feel it, but again this depends on you how you let it affect you, and take responsibility for your drinking, don't blame it on the first thing that crops up and don't create your own downfall just so you have a "valid" reason to go on another week long bender.
Alcohol is a depressant, just be aware of that and that if you drink it you will feel depressed, the degree of which is different from person to person.

I'd recommend a book by Allen Carr, it explains alcohol like a pitcher plant, makes a lot of sense and explains that not drinking can easily be done, you just need to know that you can, it actually comes easily and doesn't have to affect your social life, I have happily sat in pubs and actually felt sorry for the people drinking.


http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews-all-30506.html

http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/196397/Allen-Carr-Easy-Way-to-Control-Alcohol/Product.html



http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Way-Stop-Drinking/dp/1402736479

I'm not exactly sure which of these books it is, I think it may be the 2nd, but I'd advise you or anybody reading this to buy them and have a read, it may or may not help you control your alcohol, but again thats down to you and you only.

Best of Luck

force majeure

From my experience its about 4 to 6 weeks, depending on your build. Do visit your GP though and ask advice their.

Econoline Van

force majeure wrote: »

From my experience its about 4 to 6 weeks, depending on your build. Do visit your GP though and ask advice their.

I'll do that tomorrow. Coming up on 3 weeks off it now and it feels good.

Sunnyisland

Let us know what your doctor says and well done for staying alcohol free for 3 weeks, I know its not easy.

disneyonfire

After 7 weeks off the drink I stupidly decided to try some moderate drinking last night. It didn't work. Feel like **** today and really regret it. Obviously didn't help that my tolerance would've been lowered too.

I don't seem to be able to drink moderately when I'm out so it seems like it's got to be 'all or nothing', and I think I'm gonna go with 'nothing'.

pmurphy00

the nothing isn't a bad way at all..
after 7 weeks you feel powerfull over the drink but in
reality it has the power over you..
i personally found 3 months to be a turning point
everything became different ppl stop asking questions
you become more accustomed to the non drinking way