worried6666

Nearly 9 months ago I joined this forum. Sobriety has been awesome. I remember reading posts from people sober this long and I couldn't wait to be one of them.

I have no problems being around alcohol, however, I have to admit this weekend was hard. I was at a wine tasting (of all things) for a ladies afternoon put on by my husband's local community men's group. Again, I drank my water and laughed and socialized with everyone, but no booze.

But holy....I'm craving alcohol now. The wine tasting was a couple days ago but it's obviously still in the back of my mind.

It's times like these that I'm very aware that I'm addicted....even when I'm not using.

Off to make another cup of tea....

PurpleKnight

Hang in there!! 8 Months is fantastic!!

Soberwolf

8.5 months is brilliant Worried

Ionray

Strong work, but not surprising given the environment you were in. I'm at a little over a year and am still uncomfortable in situations where the main focus of the event is drinking. I suspect that will always be the case with me.

I have friends whom I love dearly, but if its something like a wine or bourbon tasting, I take a pass.

Ionray

I know opinions on AA vary in here, but in AA there is a distinction made between physical craving and mental obsession. The physical craving can only be triggered by having alcohol in your system (which leads AAs to lose control over the amount they take once they start). So if youre at 8.5 months sober, you're past physical craving and now have the mental obsession to deal with, which can take a lot longer. Its all semantics I suppose but by AA standards you're dealing with the mental obsession (thinking about drinking), not craving. It is a helpful distinction for me...

Anna

Worried, you're doing great.

I was at the 10-month point before I felt comfortable around alcohol.

least

Congrats on the past eight and a half months sober!

gleefan

I have just about 8 months sober, too, and I have a hard time saying no to events that are for organizations that my husband and I support, that everyone I know is attending, because it might look bad.

I'm getting tired of the backsliding that happens to me as a result of participating in those types of activities. Like you, I haven't drank in those situations yet, but I'm reaching a point where I value the joy, happiness, and freedom of recovery so much more than white knuckling a party.

If only all the alkies could gather for big netflix and popcorn bashes on Saturday nights!

silentrun

Congrats on 8.5 months! Some of us have experienced turbulence around milestones like 6 and 9 months. Whatever it is it will pass.

MIRecovery

Your story is why I avoid drinking situations. At 5 years sober I will not drink in any situation but being around a lot of drinking bothers me and will reduce my serenity for a few days.

I'm of the opinion let the drinkers drink but I just don't need to be part of it. If I'm not enjoying something why would I want to be there.

Every once in a while I will have a pity party for myself but 99% of this sober life is fantastic so I just live with the 1% I choose not to engage in

ru12

No way I would want to be at a wine tasting. Kind of like a vegan at a pig roast.

MIRecovery

Love it. Vegan at a pig roast.

The difference is Pork is not deadly to a Vegan

downtown3

jeez a wine tasting - i know some situations are hard to avoid but that would have been one i skipped. Sounds like the start of a bad joke - an alcoholic goes to a wine tasting...
On the bright side you passed your trial by wine and have 9 months sober so good for you!

fantail

Last time I slipped at 8 months... and on Monday I went to a meeting and met a woman who has 8 months and is really struggling.

I've spent a lot of time living in foreign countries and I think I learned some things from my own experience and from those of my friends that apply to sobriety. When you move someplace really different, the first month is hard but really exciting, all of your energy is focused on learning the new place. Then after that you kind of hit a lull/depression where you start to get bored & feel uncomfortable, so you dig in deeper and get more situated (hobbies, friends) so that by around 6 months you're feeling really good and acclimated. But then around 8 - 9 months, everything kind of falls apart again. You've built a kind of life but you're still in an unfamiliar setting and you start to miss things that would be available to you in your home country. Often the culture you're living in starts to bug you. A lot, LOT of people move home at that stage.

I know my eight months sober felt a lot like that, same kind of stages.

I didn't make it past 8 months sober but I know when living places, when I get past the 8/9 month crisis, I come out feeling grounded and more at home than before. Stick it out, hopefully my theory works and you'll be feeling great soon.

waynetheking

Worried you know without a doubt that drinking will ruin your life. And then possibly take it. Why even think drinking is an option anymore? Its not. Your an alcoholic. You can't drink again. And thats ok. "The illusion of drinking has nothing to do with the reality of it"....tell yourself that. You've been sober 8 months, let me tell you. It keeps getting better. That wine tasting party will seem like a joke to you later on.
Hang in there. Thanks for sharing!