No offence taken whatsoever :) and thank you again

Welcome Phils former beer drinker here as well, rounding out my second first week since I started trying to quit 4 months ago. Don't let my faliures desuade you though, no where is it written that you can't get it right, right now! If you need any advice feel free to ask or start your own thread. You will get all you can handle and more here at SR I know I did.

Welcome Itchy!

DS... Hope your sleep straightens out soon.

Tobo... That would be a good time for me ;) Now for what I wrote earlier....
I started my journey here in Oct 2010. Made it almost 8 mos. Know how I fell? It was 'oh, I can have a drink or two... I'm over getting drunk and all that'. Got some beer with less alcohol... worked for about a week... then I was drinking more of it and just went back to the 'real' stuff. That's been my problem for the last several years. I quit and then I think I can do it this time I can drink responsibly.... NOT. Each and every time I went back down the rabbit hole.
This time I gave my husband my keys and money and credit cards, took a couple days off work and chilled out and prayed. I was getting concerned because I gained 30 pounds in six months.... was feeling really yucky.... blood pressure was high... and my liver was actually starting to burn a few times a week.
So, the first day (march 1) was so-so... the second day. I felt fine - which was really weird. That morning I reached in the cabinet to get some toilet paper ... and an unopened 24oz. Bud Light Lime!! I looked at it and said, 'how did YOU get in there?' then I said, 'I don't even WANT you.' AND I MEANT IT!! Took a marker and marked March 1, 2012 on it and where the Big B and L were for Bud Light... I wrote under under the B to say Big and under the L to say Lie!!! One top I wrote In case of emergency pray or call someone. The first days back to work I wanted a drink afterwards, but I told myself that if I still wanted one when I got home, there was one (or two) there. By the time I got home, I didn't want it.
It's settled with me now. I can't drink. I don't want to drink.

It's entirely do-able and I know I'll never regret my decision.
Have a great sober St. Patrick's Day everyone.... be blessed!

Really4real, thank you sonmuch for taking the time to retype your post. That was really nice of you. I really LOL when I read the part about the bud light bottle. I'm not sure I could have not drank that! Also your experience with the craving at work goes to show that if we can put some time between our intense cravings and getting to the drink we get some will power to say no. Damn, I sound like nancy Reagan "kids just say no!" keep up the good work

I spent most of the day watching a DUI marathon on tlc. Was very interesting. Def helped discourage me for today. Gonna hit an meeting in a little. Even tho I'm not buying into the whole aa way, it does make me less likely to drink for the day

Even though I had decided this a couple of days ago I officially just made my Big Plan announcement!
I Never Drink, and I Will Never Change My Mind!
I am happy!

Day 12
 

Tried to quit many other times, wean down, moderate. Finally came to the place where I realize I cannot do this to myself or my life anymore. And I cannot do it alone, as I thought before. I need people who have been there and back, God (as I understand IT), 12-step meetings and forums like this which has helped SO much. Have learned, gleaned and gathered SO much from these posts so thank you, SR.
Today has been full of emotions, pissiness, still the headache of withdrawal and I'm SO tired all the time but I realize this is a process and am asking for patience, guidance and peace until it passes on to the next episode.
Grateful to have access to such an encouraging place. I feel ready this time to get serious about this and do the work. Peace, EveryOne

Hello Brothers and Sisters! Happy St. Patties day! First time posting, so a little shy. I'd like to start out by saying thanks to Dee74, you have been a great inspiration to a lot of people, I've read many posts, some dating back a few years and you've been in the middle of most of them. I'm 47 and am tired of wasting my life drinking, which I've done most of my life. I have tried to quit before and don't really dig the AA thing. Besides a couple of DUI's I've been lucky. But if I don't change may ways I'm afraid it will kill me. I experience heart flutters (afib) that I can attribute to alcohol. Anyway, I had my second day hangover this morning and I'm feeling better and more encouraged now that I've read hours of posts. I'm looking forward to this newly found fellowship as I guess I'm now a class of March 2012. I wish everyone out there success with their fight. Thanks for all the sharing and posts! Berndog.

Welcome to Ttrn54 and to Berndog! I am glad to have you join us!!! SR really is a terrific resource.

INH: way to go on the Big Plan. How do you feel now?

Day 9 today. Feels good. Have felt a little tempted both today and yesterday, but got through it. Today I got through it by going to the gym. Now i am grateful to be clear-headed while I watch college basketball!

INH, I made that plan today too. I wrote it in my journal this morning. The important part for me is, "...and I'm not going to change my mind."

I have tried the "I'm never going to drink again" thing several times and I always allowed myself to go back to it. Now, I can cling to the fact that I will not change my mind. Like you, I feel very happy today.

Lilac, glad you're doing well and not giving in to the cravings.

Tobo, well done with the race!

Cardiff, thinking of you.

R4R, Great post. Alcohol really is a Big Lie. I'm with you, I just can't drink. No matter how hard I try to moderate, I always end up back in the same position; miserable.

Welcome, Ttrn!

Happy Saturday, friends.

Happy St. Patty's day ex-boozies.. :) I hope you all have a wonderful evening. Tonight will be my first attempt hitting up a club without drinking alcohol. My side gig is club promotion so I have to enter the bar sober or not. There won't be a boozie kitty here tonight! :)

At this moment kinda freaking out a little bita wave of anxiety hit me, a reminder I guess that not everything goes away with alcohol. It is work related, I have spent to much time either drinking or trying to quit drinking these last few months and work has suffered accordingly. The calming thing is that no matter what the world keeps turning and even if the worst should occure, my knowledge that I have stopped drinking no matter what is uplifting. I should be okay, but next week is going to be stressfull as hell. I am trying to now prepare instead of reading on SR I have let this site become to much of an addiction. Oh well I quit drinking that is the main thing.

I hope everyone else is having a good day!

Hey INH I hope your having a good evening! Positive sober thoughts.

welcome Ttrn and welcome and thanks Berndog :)
Congrats on new beginnings INH and Sarah! :scoregood

D

I know, I know I post a lot but hell I don't have anyone else to talk to so I come here. I did just think of a capital idea. I have been unable to call my sister because the vonage line we have here just wont reach for one reason or another. So I am going to try to get a phone card and call her that way, hopefully it works. It sucks living on a different continent from all the people you know and, well I hesitate to use the word love but why not. That is one of the reasons that my drinking picked up when I came here, no friends no family, so I drank. Going to have to figure out something to pass my time now. and this is it so unless the Mods tell me to shut up you all are stuck with me

:c031:

3 weeks, seems like a long time since I had a beer (or10) :) , even though it isn't. No coffee today, less aniexty! Going to try out some herbal tea instead I think. Still plowing along. Even though money isn't as important as health, it's still nice to buy phsyical items from the money I would have pissed down the toilet. Hope everyone is doing ok

I think that would be misusing my position INH :)
Phone cards are great IMO :)

D

HAHAHA well that settles it you all are stuck :)

What kind of online calling card purchase takes two hours to confirm? that is ridiculious. I thought online purchases were practically instant? Oh well I don't think my sister will mind if I wake her up over the weekend.

Yes I agree... I just put in one of the most productive weeks I've had in a long long time (since last time I stopped drinking for a little while). I've got all this extra money to go buy some new clothes with and it's only been two weeks since my last drink. It feels good.

Hey MARCHERS. Today is day 7 and I'm feeling good. I went out with some friends tonight and didn't feel tempted to drink... I felt more aware of my surroundings than normal. I'm realizing how I haven't paid attention to me in a long time. I am fully committed to not drinking just by the mere fact of how much healthier I feel, more money in my pocket and I am getting things done. I do feel however less social in public enviroments where there is alchohol but I guess i need to get used to that fact. I hope everyones St. Patty's day was a healthy and happy one.

INH: One part of the anxiety after making your Big Plan could also be the Beast freaking out that it's not gonna get what it wants (alcohol). That's one of the things I've read about on the AVRT thread and in the RR book.

I also understand the work-related anxiety. My last binge (drinking 2-3 days in a row, heavily, and not working or dealing with work-related stuff) lasted almost 2 months. I drank because I was so anxious and mostly about work. Now I am getting ready to start a new position (provided the contract is issued...I'm freaking out about that a bit) and trying to wind down my other client work. Ugh. And wondering how many people I pissed off during my last anxiety/hide from the world and drink til numb phase.
Just put one foot in front of the other. Like you said, no matter what happens you've quit drinking. And whatever happens, your sober self will be far more capable of handling it!!!

Starsnskies, way to go on going out without drinking. I have noticed that I have no interest in bars/clubs when I'm not drinking. I think I used alcohol to help me be a more extroverted person and be more social back in the day. But the "real" me would much rather be home reading a book than having meaningless interactions with people in a loud boozy place. You'll adjust to being out without alcohol, I'm sure.

Jobei: nice job on the productive week. Feels good, doesn't it?

Tryingtoquit: 3 weeks is no small feat! Good job!

Oh, and it looks like I missed a new person in my last post, so WELCOME PHILS!!!

Well, day 10. 10? Really? For me, it's a huge small victory (provided I make it through the day). In the past year, I haven't made it more than 4 days at all. Maybe once. 10 is big for me. Yesterday I thought about drinking, and actually the thoughts made me a little nauseous. Like the thought of alcohol is giving me negative physical responses. That's great! Today is gonna be dicey. It's supposed to snow, and for some reason snow makes me want to drink. I'll drink herbal tea instead.

I'm debating on whether to go to an AA meeting or church this morning. Last Sunday, I went to AA. There is only one AA meeting here on Sundays and it's at 10am, right in the middle of church services! Geez. Wish I didn't have to choose, but I think either way I'll be spiritually nourished.

Have a great day, everyone!