How to stop drinking

[nomoredayones]

Welcome back to those who have slipped. Weekends have always been the most difficult for me.
I went out to dinner with a friend last night. He is someone I have shared my problem with drinking with and I have told him I cannot drink. I value his friendship but he likes to (over)imbibe himself. After a few, he was encouraging me to drink. I had 10 very difficult minutes but I really thought it through - how would I feel the next day? In the end, I did not drink and today begins day 8. I feel stronger for not giving in (which I normally would have). It is a daily struggle. Some days are tougher than others.
Be kind to yourself but be hard on the alcohol.

[Kat]

Ruth your post is something, I think, a lot of us know deep down inside but seeing it printed makes me think about it more. Bargains have certainly been my downfall. Although I have become better than I have been in the past, my body just can't take as much alcohol as it did in the past binges, I still make bargins with myself. The result is always the same sooner or later..I become an out of control mess. The depression afterwards is getting worse and I want to stop before I really hurt myself and the people in my life. I will never be a normal drinker. I remember the feeling of being sober for months and feeling so free and confident. Coming here helped me the first time so I am hopeful again.

[Midwest Sue]

Morgan, it's fabulous that you were able to pause and then resist the drink last night!
You might want to reconsider your association with your friend.
Friends don't encourage friends to harm themselves. Even though you had confided that you needed to quit drinking, he was unable to overcome his own addictive need for a drinking companion.
Kudos to you for not going there!

[Midwest Sue]

Ruth, you speak the bare naked truth. I will call you T-Ruth from now on.
Do. Not. Put. Alcohol. In. Your. Body.
Let the urge pass, as it will. Muster the courage to feel whatever uncomfortable feelings come your way.
You're not really living when each day ends in a numb stupor and you know this is true. I knew it was true every day for over thirty years, and then I too stopped the madness.
Stand at your own height - I love that, Ruth.
Quit apologizing for living. Quit second-guessing. Quit causing yourself to feel guilty.
T to the Ruth!

[ToddE]

Great job Morgan. Hopefully that success leads to many more for you.

[AlisonUK]

Hi everyone. Morgan...superbo! I'm ok here on the little island. Working overtime and no computer till now! great reading everyone's posts.
I'm all good except my mate was done for drink driving. She has been banned for 18 months and had to pay £200 court costs. This has screwed her job too as she needs to drive. Can only give her support right now. We met on our first ever meeting at AA 6 years ago. We did last a bit on these meetings but we found the concept a bit to not to our liking because relapsers were scorned at etc and we didn't feel that was supportive enough. Anyway, even I couldn't help her on that night could I?
Anyway....off for a evening dog walk.
Toodle pip. XXX

[Countrygirl]

WillOvercome we all fall, but thanks to the encouragement of this forum i have been able to stay sober for day 4. Yippee, that is the longest i have went without a drink in 2 years. But it is hell though, feel worse now when not drinking, the shakes and the chills and the feeling of uneasiness. But I am going to stick to it. Hopefully send my mind and my body into a new transformation. So everybody please continue to pray for me.

[hope]

Hi everyone

Day 3 for me and feeling good - but weekends are usually o.k. for me - the challenge will begin tomorrow. I have signed up for fitness classes Mon, Wed and Fridays during the witching hour, so as long as I get myself to class, everything will be ok.
Countrygirl - congrats on day 4 - I am, and will continue, to pray for you and everyone.
Someone posted a while back (I think it was Carol) about the milestone 'humps' that came along. I think it is good to prepared for those moments that seemed to come along at similar times for us - there has been so much wisdom here in previous posts so I am glad that they are all still accessible - I am going to spend some time tomorrow re-reading and preparing myself for my weekday challenges. Stay strong everyone - and keep standing!

[Regina]

Alcoholism is so demoralizing (for me). Each relapse brought me further and further down, emotionally, physically, spiritually - in every way. And each relapse made it harder for me to come back.
I struggle every day - some days more than others - but it is so much easier to stay sober than to get sober.

[Ruth]

Thanks, Sue- you made me laugh out loud!

[JacquieC]

Hi Guys, I'm back from sunny Bali and very glad to say that I made it through the 8 days without alcohol. I will admit I did think about it every day. Would have been a saint if I didn't as all my friends were drinking from lunch until bedtime every day but I managed with Strawberry and Watermelon juices, with freshly sqeeezed pineapple juice and when I really wanted to treat myself. I would splash out and have a banana milkshake.

So many new names and stories to read its amazing, so welcome to all you newbies. remember it won't be easy but it will definately be worthwhile. I have managed to notch up 93 days now. I actually had to get the calculator out and work out how many weeks that is. I can proudly say that it is a tad over 13 weeks. So I have managed to go 1/4 of a year now and am loving it.

Still on holidays now for another week. Its beautiful in little old Adelaide. the weather is crazy, its going to be 31 degrees today. April is normally the start of the cold weather but obviously mother nature is a bit confused.

So hang in there guys. Stay strong and more importantly stay SOBER.......

Jacquie

[Midwest Sue]

Welcome back, Jacquie, and congratulatons on making it through a big challenge!

[James G]

[QUOTE=Regina;11820]Alcoholism is so demoralizing (for me). Each relapse brought me further and further down, emotionally, physically, spiritually - in every way. And each relapse made it harder for me to come back.
I struggle every day - some days more than others - but it is so much easier to stay sober than to get sober.[/QUOTE

Game, Set, Match..."say no more"

[ToddE]

Hi everyone,

Three weeks sober. The weekend was nice. Got some baking in, couple different loaves of bread and some scones for breakfast today. Baseball, easter egg hunt and museum with the kids. Did an AA meeting. That's not my thing exactly. The people were nice though.

Regina, For me also, maintaining sober is easier than getting back after a relapse. I hope your spirits keep up and you stay on a path that works for you.

Hope, Good luck on Monday.

Countrygirl, Congratulations! The physical effects should go soon. At least for me that is about when they usually fall off.

Stay strong and Sober, Todd

[Ruth]

Congrats, Jacquie! You did exactly what you were supposed to do- thinking about it is not the problem... drinking it is the problem! We all have thoughts of drinking, sometimes all the time, sometimes once in awhile. A week or two ago I was kind of down and I kept having dreams where I was drinking, and I was half-way through the drink before I remembered that, hey, I don't drink anymore- wait a minute! Thank God they were only dreams! I was distinctly relieved to wake up and find that it had not happened.

Pretty much the first thing I did after I quit drinking was to go to Greece for the summer- it was kind of hilarious, being totally surrounded by cold, sweating bottles of beer at all times! But I didn't drink it, though it was definitely a struggle at times. I think we can all agree that it is not easy to quit alcohol, but it is worth it! Glad you made it.

[JeffR1]

Jacquie, congratulations on a fantastic achievement! I imagine the weather, the setting and being on holidays in Bali was quite conducive to drinking, so what better way to tick over your three months of sobriety. Enjoy the rest of your holidays. Stay strong; best wishes.

Todd, congratulations also on 3 weeks. It's great you are able to enjoy spending time with your family and engage in baking and cooking during your sobriety. Not long now to 1 month. It sounds like you've really got the momentum going. Best wishes.

Hi everyone, I second Regina's post that it is easier to stay sober than to get sober! Whilst I still have thoughts of drinking, I look back at how difficult it was to get sober, and compared with staying sober now, I certainly don't wish to go back there. Have a great sober day everyone.

[Eric]

I agree, it is easier to stay sober than to get sober, especially after multiple relapses. Each one is more demoralizing than the last, which makes it so much more tempting to drink those feelings away (or, more accurately, to cover them up until they reappear). Congratulations to everyone who is moving into long-term sobriety. You all are a real inspiration. And to everyone still struggling, keep at it. To quote Craig Ferguson, "We prepare for glory by failing until we don't." The first days of sobriety are so difficult, because I could not even imagine a life without alcohol. I didn't know what to do with myself. Now, I make sure to have my day planned out ahead, so I will always be looking to the next thing to do. That way, I don't spontaneously decide to stop by the bar for a quick one on the way home or something like that. The first drink starts it and the drinking pushes all other options into tomorrow. Thanks for being here.

[Regina]

The first drink starts it and the drinking pushes all other options into tomorrow.

I agree COMPLETELY. Alcohol ruled my life. There was no room for anything (or anyone) else. It is scary to have open time sometimes but now I try to reign in the fear and rejoice at the options. There are so many things I have never gotten to do because I was drinking or drunk or getting over a hangover. I've lost YEARS to alcohol but I refuse to lose another moment to it. Life is so full and rich. So many things to do and now, with a clear head, I can do them!

[john48]

Hi This is John I made it a whole week, I am so proud of myself for doing it, I threw away the pot pipe and did
it clean and sober the first four days where awful, I sweat so much and could not sleep and when I did had
nightmares. But I had a really nice sober week-end and not hating getting up to go to work this morning. I
am surprised how fast the water weight goes away. I really drank alot like 20 beers on a work night. Never
planned it it just happened. I remember the whole week-end. Cool.
John

[Eric]

Congratulations, John! The first days and weeks are absolutely the hardest ones. However, the earliest days of sobriety can also be the best, because the changes are so noticeable as the body and mind start repairing themselves.