I posted not long ago about having difficulty unwinding after shifts and got some really helpful replies. I just thought I’d post an update.
After going out a few weeks ago and getting just about as drunk as I have done in my life, I woke up the next day and decided I didn’t want to do that anymore, and rather than going for moderation, I decided to cut alcohol out altogether. And while I was about it I decided to cut out nicotine (by stopping vaping) and caffeine (by stopping coffee, tea, and chocolate).
After a few days a headache kicked in that lasted a week, but I’ve come out the other side of withdrawal and feel amazing. At 48 this is the first time in my adult life I’ve had a stretch of not taking at least one of those substances. My sleep is deep and refreshing, I no longer feel the need for caffeine as I’m just not feeling exhausted anymore, and I’ve just come off my last shift and feel fresh and not even low on energy. I’m no longer staying up late or wasting time on hangovers the next day, and a skin condition I have suffered from for decades has all but disappeared.
Before I started driving trucks I asked a lot of drivers I bumped into at work what driving a truck was like and eventually one of them said ‘just try it’ and I’d have to say the same for giving up A,N,C. I seriously recommend anyone giving this a go for a few weeks if they never have, it’s been a revelation to me.
Thanks for your reply and I’m glad someone found it interesting. The condition is psoriasis. I did get a marked improvement in it a year ago after I changed my diet as a result of my hba1c blood sugar content going up to a diabetic level. I went onto intermittent fasting combined with a high fat/low carb diet, which brought my hba1c into the middle range of normal (and I lost an huge amount of weight). The psoriasis improved then, then when I kicked out ANC it basically disappeared.
Right, I have the psoriasis, had for 20 years so may try this. Never smoked, like a beer but think the coffee might be hardest to give up, esp first thing in morning. Maybe I’d better sign up for that monastery with Robroy, oh wait…
What worked for me was also cutting out most sugar, potatoes, pasta, rice, bread, etc. Simple carbs basically. And I now mostly eat meat, fish, eggs, cheese, cream, full fat yoghurt, low carb veg, seeds, nuts. I’d say my psoriasis was improved about 70% by that, then another 20% by cutting out the A,N,C. Leaving me with about 10% of severity of symptoms I had before.
I think caffeine plays a trick on us as we think it wakes us up when we’re tired, but in the long run it can be the caffeine that’s making you tired and then you just take more to stave off withdrawal, which is usually strongest in the morning as night is the longest part of the daily cycle you’ve gone without taking it.
I found it useful to realise that alcohol is actually yeast urine (liquid metabolic waste product) and nicotine and caffeine are naturally evolved insecticides (to put insects off eating the leaves/beans). When I realised that it put me off them anyway. I also realised if I had them plain - ie vodka, black tea or coffee without sugar, 100% cocoa chocolate, caffeine tablets or vape juice additive - I realised that to me they all taste absolutely disgusting. So we often take them in ‘transport systems’ like cream and sugar, fruity mixers, etc. to trick ourselves into thinking they are actually palatable.
Robroy, glad you are investing in the correct PPE to deal with the hazards in question.
I’ve had a mild form of psoriasis since I was about 18, mostly on my elbows, sometimes the back of my hands, it just randomly comes and goes for no reason.
I’ve tried just about everything in terms of ointments and potions, so much so the skin on my elbows has become soft and sometimes bleeds…so keep away from me, I’m like a cross between The Singing Detective and a ■■■■ leper
The only thing that worked was a coal tar stick about 20 yrs ago, but it was taken off the market as a potential cause of cancer .
Nowadays I’ve just learned to live with it and treat it when it gets really irritating.
But give up beer? Give up coffee? Give up the food I like?
I like my social life too much thanks, you’ve got to live your life ffs, so I’ll just continue to deal with it.
However if it works for the o/p, and he’s happy with it, fair play to him.
Thanks a lot both of you for your positive feedback.
I think it’s possible to continue the same social life without alcohol, but everyone’s different and I completely respect that for many it adds colour and fun. I have read stories online of people going out sober with their drinking friends and realising they didn’t have as much in common with them as they thought they did, but of course that in no way would apply to everyone.
Adrian Chiles dug into alcohol and socialising in a recent documentary -
I watched and enjoyed the Adrian Chiles programme. He’s attempting something very, very difficult, ie drinking in moderation after admitting he’s a very heavy drinker.
I think that as hard as it would be for him to stop completely, it’s going to be many times harder trying to drink more responsibly. When you get to the level he’s at, it has to be all or nothing. Good luck to him, but his self-discipline is going to be severely tested.
wanderingstar:
Thanks a lot both of you for your positive feedback.
I think it’s possible to continue the same social life without alcohol, but everyone’s different and I completely respect that for many it adds colour and fun. I have read stories online of people going out sober with their drinking friends and realising they didn’t have as much in common with them as they thought they did, but of course that in no way would apply to everyone.
Adrian Chiles dug into alcohol and socialising in a recent documentary -
I must agree about the alcohol. Whilst I’ve not given up altogether, I now only drink one pint of Guinness on my night out with the boys. They all enjoy five or six pints apiece, then I drive them all home. I still have the same fun as I did when I drank with them,as it’s still the same craic, but now do it clear-headed.
I also still enjoy a glass of wine with a meal, and a dram of single malt before bed, but that’s it.
I’m not saying everyone should stop drinking, but like the OP, restricting my intake works for me.
Dexxyy, in the six months running up to stopping probably about half a litre of spirit a week, concentrating most of that into one night. I agree moderation for people with a compulsive response to alcohol (I include myself) is way harder than quitting totally. Good on you Emmerson for successfully moderating.
I’m currently on a low card high fat diet and I feel fantastic and lost over a stone since new year,
I’m cooking some great meals too.
Basically Iv cut out bread,rice,pasta,potatoes,beer and sugary foods,I still have a fry up on a weekend but with no toast or beans as the sugar in them is ridiculous,
Every morning I have scrambled egg and that keeps me going until lunch then I have just a few olives with cheese or a chicken salad,then tea time it’s steak with veg or chicken with veg etc.
One thing Iv found is a veg called celeriac that I cut in to chips or mash instead of potatoes it’s delicious,
I’m staying off the ale for 3 month but with me not missing it I can see me just been a social drinker now…
I’d recommend it to anyone but you have to be prepared to work hard at it as not reaching for the crisps when sat on sofa was hard and not grabbing a chocolate bar in the petrol station was hard at first but you get used to it
yorkshire terrier:
I’m currently on a low card high fat diet and I feel fantastic and lost over a stone since new year,
I’m cooking some great meals too.
Basically Iv cut out bread,rice,pasta,potatoes,beer and sugary foods,I still have a fry up on a weekend but with no toast or beans as the sugar in them is ridiculous,
Every morning I have scrambled egg and that keeps me going until lunch then I have just a few olives with cheese or a chicken salad,then tea time it’s steak with veg or chicken with veg etc.
One thing Iv found is a veg called celeriac that I cut in to chips or mash instead of potatoes it’s delicious,
I’m staying off the ale for 3 month but with me not missing it I can see me just been a social drinker now…
I’d recommend it to anyone but you have to be prepared to work hard at it as not reaching for the crisps when sat on sofa was hard and not grabbing a chocolate bar in the petrol station was hard at first but you get used to it
That is so true,you can and do get used to it,it helps that cadburys vegelate tastes of candle wax and w@@kers crisps evoke images,to me at least,of a noxious ex soccer pundit,so no probs there.Not sure about nicotine though,I tend to think its not the nico thats the problem,someone told me the body treats vape juice as a foodstuff which gets naturally processed and expelled as such.Guess the juries gonna be out a long time on that one.I get more pleasure from a one litre bottle of m&s orange juice,ice cold,than anything alcoholic and for brekkers…the mighty kipper,atop two fresh New York bagels.Food of the gods.
Yorkshire, that is brilliant - well done. And thanks for the tip on celeriac. I’ve heard of it and even bought it but never knew really what to do with it. Chips or mash sounds delicious.
Manalishi, that’s a good point about having food and drink treats that make up for other things you might have given up. I always told myself I loved wine but I’ve realised I don’t actually, it just would taste sour to me now - I’d much rather have grape juice. I agree also Cadbury’s doesn’t taste like it used to, which does make it far less tempting. Interestingly white chocolate does not contain caffeine, but it’s not available with a decent sugar substitute, altho I used to make my own sugar-free dark chocolate which was excellent and I will eventually probably start making my own white chocolate with erythritol/stevian - there are recipes online. I don’t think nicotine is a serious risk for chronic diseases, for me it was more a case that in the long run it made me feel tired and maybe slightly anxious/paranoid.
Something really interesting to me is after giving up ANC I am noticing tonnes of features in the surroundings and landscapes I’m driving thru, even tho I’ve done those routes dozens of times before. It’s like someone has got a cloth and cleaned my senses.
I had really bad IBS and I stopped smoking 14 months ago, the horrendous stomach cramps have gone, I still suffer if my diet is bad but I’m just glad I am not doubled over in agony anymore!
robroy:
I’ve had a mild form of psoriasis since I was about 18, mostly on my elbows, sometimes the back of my hands, it just randomly comes and goes for no reason.
I’ve tried just about everything in terms of ointments and potions, so much so the skin on my elbows has become soft and sometimes bleeds…so keep away from me, I’m like a cross between The Singing Detective and a [zb] leper
The only thing that worked was a coal tar stick about 20 yrs ago, but it was taken off the market as a potential cause of cancer .
Nowadays I’ve just learned to live with it and treat it when it gets really irritating.
But give up beer? Give up coffee? Give up the food I like?
I like my social life too much thanks, you’ve got to live your life ffs, so I’ll just continue to deal with it.
However if it works for the o/p, and he’s happy with it, fair play to him.
Rob, my daughter often had psoriasis quite badly, a family friend who is also a sufferer recommended Hemp Creme, available from “The Body Shop”. It hasn’t cured it totally, but it does help her a great deal. Regards Kev.
.