Becoming Sober (Page 2)

It was so easy I said it hundreds of times.

I went to an AA meeting at the advice of most of you here....

I don't think it's my thing.....but idk.  Maybe I'll give another one a chance.

Either way, I'm glad you went.  I went to several meetings before I found a good fit.  I'll be attending mine tonight, and I'm even excited to hit up a meeting when I'm on vacation next week...

If you are ready to quit, then do it.   I equate it to stopping smoking (which I have done- 1 June 2002)

It's a day at a time and you control it.  The first weeks will be the worse.  Use some help from others,  keep busy, stay away from the temptations.  And just don't do it.  Break the habits.

And before you know it....it will be a month and than months and years sober. 

YOU CAN DO IT.

Good luck in your journey!  Be kind to yourself as you start down this new path.  As others have said, take everything just one day at a time.  Even one moment at a time.  Realize that you *always* have the freedom of choice.  It may not always feel like it, but you do.  If a strong urge to drink comes along -- and it WILL -- just take a deep breath or two and realize that it's just a feeling.  It isn't a command.  And although it's unpleasant, it will pass.  Just try to float thru it.

I gave up drinking too, about 8 or 9 years ago.  I've actually lost track since it means so little to me now.  And I was a serious case -- at my worst, I could polish off nearly a whole bottle of tequila in a day.  The turning point came when I realized it was taking me nearly an entire day or more to recover from a bout of drinking, and that I needed an ever-increasing amount of alcohol to achieve the same level of buzz.  Blackouts were common, and a couple times I remember waking up on the floor of my living room having passed out there thru the night.  

I attended a few AA meetings, but it just wasn't the right path for me.  I guess I was lucky that once I recognized how bad off I was, I found the courage to just quit cold-turkey.  In hindsight that was probably dumb, as I did endure a couple hellish days of cold sweats, trembling, and even hallucinations.  (Like I said, I was a bad case!)

But I can attest to the fact that it is ABSOLUTELY AWESOME when you finally get that demon off your back.  I was so accustomed to waking up with a hangover, that just waking up feeling refreshed was like a new experience!  

This is huge. I, and most of my friends, drink. But a couple are sober, and have been for several years. We go on 3-day hunting trips; several of us drink heavily in the evenings and these 2 guys are just fine. I asked if they were OK w/it, and they both told me they are solid: it was something they learned to live with long ago. We have a great time together. Also, I think they enjoy watching some of us suffer the next morning  

Hello All!

Thank you again so much for all your support, it is greatly appreciated.

As some of you know, I had a slip up last Thursday night.  I beat myself over it for the next few days pretty bad, but I am moving on.  I found another AA meeting that I went to last night...It was good.  Might have to go to that one again.

Figured I would update you all, this may be my place to vent if needed as well.

I was wondering how you were doing, please do keep us posted. I imagine the accountability will help, too.

Keep on keepin' on

no biggie

get back on that horse...

First, get off the a** kicking machine. It's pointless. Guilt is a mechanisim to help us improve. We do something, we feel bad, we stop doing it, we feel better. It is not meant for punishment and torture. Use it for what it is intended for.

Second, if you say you are going to stop, and then you don't, all that means is that you need to work harder at it. We learn as we go, and that is true for everyone. Identify what you could have done better, and do it. If what you could have done better was better initial planning or decisions, then good. We learn. Keep at it.

I'll will help you out a bit though... what you are doing right is seeking advice, asking from those that know, admitting you need a change, and admitting when things went wrong. All very good things. By all means... keep doing those things and you will go far.

{{MELON PRESS}}

That is all. I really admire your courage to put this out in the open.

As my AA sponsor used to say, "Don't beat yourself up ... you're depriving us of the pleasure!"

Just another random nugget that crossed my mind, may be helpful or relevant to some or none (I actually was thinking of this thread, and what I'm about to post, much earlier in the day ... glad to see this resurrected!).

Some people have a problem with alcohol. They also have a problem with quitting alcohol. But when they quit, their problems do go away.

Some people have a problem with alcoholism. This is an illness of which drinking is a symptom. Merely quitting alcohol is not going to make their problems go away; in many cases, it makes it worse.

Part of the process of becoming sober is to figure out which of these (or anything else) you might be, and if the latter, which solutions allow you to deal with the illness and live a healthy life.

I still think it is hilarious (well, tragic then, funny now because both of us are much better) that you and I both drank the same way, in the same small town, often in the same small REALLY dive bar, and NEVER HAD A CLUE WHO THE OTHER WAS. Talk about oblivion.

And a small world, and happy endings (no, not THOSE kind, unless you were up to things in Bali I did not know about, hmmm?) when the brain is cleared of the blur of booze.

Glad to hear your update!

I heard this in AA - Alcoholism is 5% drinking and 95% thinking. Meetings are a great place to 'get out of your head'. 

Also this nugget - the the disease of alcoholism leaves us with a feeling of "dis ease" with the ability to live life on life terms. Sobriety leads us back to a fulfilling and meaningful life. 

7 Days!!

Kind of a big deal for me, so sorry for the bragging..

7 days is huge!!!

That's infinitely more time sober than you had before, if you think about it ... but don't. Just for today ...

Congratulations.

Congrats brother! Keep at it.