How to stop drinking

[Millie]

Dragonfly... That is just incredibly awesome. You are on same day exercise challenge, too. Next Wednesday will be a big day for celebration!!!! Sober, of course.

You rock

[Mairianna10]

Rosella, just one week to reach your 30, and Dragonfly just a weekend to get through. Fantastic.

Hi MLT, welcome to the forum. I can so relate to you, we probably all can. The day I logged on here I stopped drinking because I was sick of my life (or non-life) and I'm now on Day 52 along with Millie and Casey. Never could I have believed that I would be writing that. Its hard to stop the cycle but keep posting and we will try to help you.

[Millie]

Mairianna....we are on day 53... I've earned each and every day. Don't shortchange us. Lol

Welcome. MLT. This forum is huge help. The fact that you googled and found it means you are ready to stop the madness.

[Christy]

MLT-We've all had a dark moments in this so called "controlled" drinking that turned into stupid things we have done. Don't feel embarassed. Read some earlier posts of all of our drunken things we've done. We have to get past those now. Look back at them as a learning experience that we should not be drinking.
I'm on day 89 today and if it wasn't for this forum of wonderful people and Patrick starting this, I don't know where i would be.

[Mairianna10]

Millie, so we are! Even better 7 days to the big 60. Really have lost that desperate need for a drink. The beast is still lurking about but I'm stronger.

Its so good to be coming into another weekend sober. Got a very early appointment at the bank tomorrow then my daughter has a birthday party to go to. DONT DRINK guys ..... if you can. For those struggling or starting out you can get sober too, you need to be totally sick and tired of living the way you do, I know you are to be here, take that step. I know its dam hard but so worth it.

[Mairianna10]

Congrats on Day 89 Christy. When I started mid July that seemed like a far away dream .... not anymore.

[Vic]

Congrats to all longer term sober folks.
For those with a few days or still struggling with Day 1 never give up on sobriety.
Day 44 now and doing my best to keep moving forward and not focusing too much on the crappy past.

[rosella]

I'll also offer my congratualions to firstly Christy on getting so far, Millie, Mairianna and Casey for their 53 days and Vic on 44!! Awesome effort. Well done to everyone, wherever they are on their journey, because we are all making the effort. It's great seeing those days climb and feeling better about it each day. This week I've thought about alcohol but not really craved it. I'm trying to get to the stage of making drinking not an option. It's so comforting checking in here, seeing how everyone's going and being able to express myself. It really helps, so thankyou.

[Samantha]

Millie, Marianna wow on almost 60!! So many of you making progress. Dragonfly almost 30 and Rosella too!

Vic I focused on that crappy past your talking about I think around 30 days to 60 days. I felt really sad for all the stupid decisions I made because of alcohol. Or I guess I could say the decisions I didnt make. I just avoided and hid. But this kind of miracle happened where I was able to make peace with that past over time. I dont really know why I'm more at peace except because I dont drink! Not drinking I just keep getting stronger and clearer in my thinking. So I bet this happens for you too.

I love not having hangovers, being tired from alcohol, not having to be a slave to alcohol, and being there for those around me. I'm grateful to be out of that addiction cycle that was just pure hell to me. Anyway, if you are new here, just stick with it. Trust it will get better if you dont drink and you will see it does.

[Christy]

Thanks Mairianna, Vic, and Rosella. Congrats on all of you for getting as far as you are too.
As time goes on i'm finding that it is getting much easier thinking about taking that first drink, and as many of you might not know, I own a bar/restaurant. It stares at me in the face for 12 or more hours a day.
I'm not even craving it anymore. I used to think that i needed a wine to relieve the stress of the night, but i'm finding that all it did was make it worse. I'm able to think more clearly at work and deal with issues that come up alot better. I used to sometimes ignore problems and not confront conflict in a positive manner, now it's alot easier to handle.
Everyone that is struggling, keep on moving forward because sobriety is so worth it.
Goodnight everyone! Have a great sober weekend!

[carol]

Dragonfly, congratulations on your progress, especially in the recent storm. Because of a situation I'm in right now I'm re-reading Patrick's how to help friends/family who are addicted. I am amazed to find that not only did you do a wonderful job of taking care of yourself the other day, you did a near-perfect job of the right things to do with an addict-your partner. Wow, you really are amazing!

And speaking of amazing, Christy I don't know how you do it with alcohol all around, but you really rock!!

So many great posts recently, so much progress, so many new people finding our community of hope. Yesterday was 4 months for me, and without you all I would surely still be drinking. Thank you again to all of you who have helped and supported me this far and continue to be the wind beneath my wings. I know it's corny, but it's how I feel right now! Thank you all so much. And Patrick, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

[Christy]

Carol-thanks for the compliment, it really touched me. And congrats on four months, that's great! You rock too!
Carol it's not corny, but i feel the same way getting this far without the poison. It's like the fog has lifted and i feel that i'm invincible and could take on the world! So much confidence back and self esteem I could burst!
Goodnight all again, but just had to peek at some more postings tonight before bed.

[rosella]

I agree so much with both of you Carol and Christy. This site has made all the difference to me and I'm amazed how much it has helped. It really is a lovely little community where we all empathise and understand each other. I feel my self esteem and confidence rising ever so slowly. It's amazing what alcohol robs you of. Life is so much better without it.

[Cdries]

Had diet coke or sprite instead of beers while hanging out with drinking friends last night. Sure made waking up for work this morning a hell of a lot easier!

[Vic]

Good morning everybody,
I am very happy and grateful to be 45 days sober today. I'm half way to last years 90 day sober period. The difference now is I don't just want to be dry for 3 months, I want to be sober for life....One day at a time.
Thanks for your insight Samantha. I am definitely struggling lately with past screw-ups, missed opportunities and precious moments lost to boozing over the years and frankly am very disappointed with myself.
That being said I realize we should always strive to keep the past out of the present but I guess right now I am having a hard time with that.
Nonetheless I will keep pressing forward and maybe the day will come that I will find some peace with my past.
Have a good day gang and stay sober.

[Christy]

Good choice Cdries, I had a cappacino and even slept like a baby!

[Christy]

Ops, sometimes babies don't sleep that well! But you know what i mean.

[casey]

I am confused about how the forum works. I have been away awhile and I wanted to let Millie and Marianna know I am still with them and hope everyone is doing well. I am not sure how to read all the posts.
Good luck to all!

[jenhan75]

Hi. I am Jen. I am so tired of being a drunk. I want to change. I can't even hardly stand myself anymore. I am going to try again to quit.

[Mel]

Hi Jen - welcome to the forum. And hello to everyone - I've been away for awhile. And, I caved. I gave in and I drank. I drank for a whole week. I'm back and I'm at the end of day 3. It was scary how easy it was to fall back into really destructive patterns, and I realized that while drinking - I avoided even reading the forum. I think I need to read every day and remind myself of why I don't drink and that there is a group of support here that has helped me in the past.

Hope everyone is doing well, staying sober. I'm going to do my best to get back to day 60+ so that I can earn the right to post on the long-timer forum. My new plan is take it a week at a time. Tonight I went to a dept. shing-ding with loads of booze and lots of drinking - but stayed away from those drinking too much and from easy access to the booze, because I wanted it desperately. It didn't feel weird in the end, and I didn't cave coming home by stopping to buy a bottle of wine to 'reward' myself. So, them's the breaks. Onwards and upwards.