How to stop drinking

[liberte]

Day 14 done. check.

[hope]

Hi everyone

Thanks for all your support - Julie you are right - simple ...not easy. I am doing o.k. I have had some wine not enough to be 'drunk' but enough to have to tell my 19 year old daughter that I can't pick her up even though she is feeling ill after a late night fitness class and would like a ride home - part of that is her responsibility to plan ahead and not expect her parents to be driving her still.. but I should be able to step up and that is what scares me about this. If I had to respond to a 'real' (not an I'm tired after fitness class) crisis I want to make sure that I can do that and at this moment I don't think I can. Congratulations liberte on your success, please share with us!!

[AlisonUK]

Hi all
Hope, It's the dreaded phone call that someone needs you and you have to say no due to taking in the poison. It's a real doomer. Even more so if it's your kid in need. Christy...OMG. Well done.
I was joking around with my eldest this morning before she head off to school. She said that I was acting like I was drinking but sober. I felt empowered by that. It was good to show her that mum can be funny without being intoxicated. Normally she would have skulked off to her room saying to her sister 'mum's drunk again'! Ha! no I wasn't!!!!
Morgan....are you still with me?
JeffR1, I would love a camping trailer to do up. I would call mine 'trailer trash'.
Keep reading and posting everyone.
How we feel today is a result of what we did yesterday.
Toodle pip

[Mel]

Hey all! Christy - that is an amazing amazing feat! I remember when you first joined the forum - I really want to be like you and Carol and Ruth and Sylvane, and make it stick. Make it stick for the long haul.

Day 4 begins. Things are going okay. I'm not having withdrawls, but not feeling great still - but better every day. What is really surprising is that I haven't had the crazy-making cravings yet (yet! I say with some trepidation) - I know that they will come, but I need to put some mental strength to not giving in. Alison - I do find it really satisfying and surprising when I have a good time, am just as sparkly a wit as ever I was, when not soaked to the gills. I think that I have relied on booze as a personal-social aid and that made me forget that I am able to laugh, enjoy myself, etc. without being drunk.

Have a great (sober) Friday all!

[liberte]

Day 15 done. "Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." Mahatma Gandhi

[john48]

Hi I am sober again, day two. I still feel awful I had over two months and found a bag pot in the glove box
of a rental car, I should have thrown it away but I smoked it and a few days later I was drinking again.
I drank about four times and flushed the pot down the toilet and threw the beer away, I am still pretty
depressed though. I want to be able to trust myself. But I don't.
John

[Don]

Hi all. Have been reading for a while and this is my first post. Read the getting started thread and now working on this one. I'm on day 11 on my way onto day 12. The first week was the hardest I thought but just had a frustrating night. Now it has me craving a beer. Not going to do it though. Even though that would be an easy way to "forget the frustration" I know it won't be worth it. The best things in life are the ones we work hard for, not the ones we get from taking easy short cuts. Just on here to vent my frustration, it really does help. Thanks for letting me vent.

[Midwest Sue]

Don,
I'm glad you jumped in and congratulations on 12 days!

There will always be those times when your thoughts automatically revert back to drink as an escape from uncomfortable feelings. Riding those waves of feelings is a skill I'm still working on, and it gets easier with time.

Please feel free to vent through keyboard therapy any time!

[bdog]

Welcome John and Don,

Hang in there John48 and Mel doing good again like me.

Like the famous words of Liberte = Day 12 check!

[Beth]

Good morning all, half way through June sober! liberte, thanks for keeping count! For all who havent joined our sober June train, start today. I am a true believer in liberties' quote. You want Happiness? Well you can't be when always fighting the alcohol demon. I don't care what anyone says, any happiness you say you have while still fighting the battle with alcohol is a complete lie.
I am in a feisty mood today, so I apologize if that was harsh but not apologizing for the statement. One of the biggest and hardest lesson I have learned in my process is truth. Tell the truth, especially to yourself. My AV can no longer manipulate me because I have the courage to tell me the truth.
Welcome back John48, I don't even know what to say about finding pot in a glove box of a rental car.....unbelievable, no way, score! That was totally unfair for some idiot to leave it there for a drug addict for you to find. Totally unfair! But great for you for flushing the rest. Yes, you don't have total control but you do have control and you wouldn't have been able to do that without going through your own personal process. Great for you me friend!
Welcome Don, glad you are here and that you already have the foundation it takes to beat this.....the fact that you realize this is hard and hard things are the ones with the biggest rewards! That took me a long time to come to terms with. I wanted easy so it wasn't happening. Now I have so much pride in myself and recovery because I am working hard to stay sober and am honest about how hard it is!
Take care all.

[john48]

Thanks bdog and beth, Today is day three I just want to feel good again, I spent most of the last two years sober.
I never made it to six months though, but almost. Before that I was Blotto Man for decades. I am so tired of that,
I see drunk people and I wonder was I that bad, and people will tell me no you where worse. I hate being around
drunks now. I need to make it this time, I am tired of starting over and over, I know I can do it, I quit smoking so
I should be able to quit this awful habit. Have a great week-end.
John

[liberte]

Day 16 done....I am losing count - I think that is a good thing...check:]

[Noel]

PS....I got that hour walk with the dog today (just not at 6:00 a.m.).....so I can check that off my list for today!! Now the challenge is to think of something new. Any suggestions?

[Sally]

Noel - My first thought was to go to a nursery I always pass, but have never stopped at, and buy a pretty pot and a flower and plant it...place it on my table to remind me how beautiful life can be when we don't drink:] Good luck.

[Noel]

Sally,
It is funny you suggested that. While I was at the grocery store today, I bought a new plant....a variety that I have not killed (YET)! Oh well, I am sure the plant will still be alive during my 7 day challenge.

Hey All,
I think we should have a "name the voice" contest. My voice that says DRINK is screaming REALLY loudly today. I haven't thought of a good name for my alcoholic voice yet. My first thought was the name of a terror/pain in the rump neighbor.

[Noel]

It is 9:00 p.m. here and I made it past my witching hour today. Today was such a rough, horrible day. With it being Father's Day, I had people around me drinking, but I DID NOT give in to that aweful inner voice. If I can get from 4-8 without giving in I am good.

Please God let tomorrow be easier. 6:00 a.m. walk is going to be early but atleast I will not be hung over.

[liberte]

Day 17 done. check. Happy Fathers Day to all you dads out there.

[Beth]

Noel, Great to see you working the process and wish you all the success. I feel so guilty about not excercising my dog more. I have to admit the voices in my head that make promises to her to wake up early enough to get a good walk in need to be silenced. So I am in on your challenge. 6am sister. Just set the alarm. Now ready to read to fall asleep.
I have a cocktail party tomorrow so joining you will help me stay on track.
Night all and Happy Father's Day to all you blessed dads.

[Midwest Sue]

I came upon a good article about making positive changes and wanted to share an excerpt.

"Research shows that the pull or attraction for whatever we hope to do, have, or become is a far less powerful motivating force than our desire to avoid the inevitable pain we experience while we're in the process of achieving the things to which we aspire. Thus, for instance, if we want (but fail) to change our diet, even if we really, really want to, it is because we associate more pain with making the necessary changes to our diet than the pain we experience with the way we are currently eating. In short, as long as you identify change as being more painful than not changing, odds are that you won't change."

The complete article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rod-st...r%20the%20Soul

[Kip]

Good morning all... Day 1 for the umpteenth time. These posts are inspiring and at the moment I am receiving more than giving here.. Very frustrating, these weekend relapses. And they keep getting worse.. I'll try to string together a clean week and figure out some strategy for Friday. Simple, not easy.

Noel, 6 a.m. is coming soon,, I'm joining you! Best of luck.. Off to run...