Some advice that I hope will help those early on and others as well
I have 8 months sober. Lately, with summer coming and stuff stress in my life I have felt the urge to drink.
When I quit drinking, i had started writing in a journal. And I put it down and did not write for a really long time. I recently started again.
Let me tell you, I read the entry from the day after my first sober day on 10/12. And just reading that alone makes me recall how horrible I felt and is a real deterrant to drinking again. seeing my feelings in writing helps me remember all that more. I am grateful for it.
I am going to suggest to those of you still really early on and some that aren't even -write down those moments where you felt so horrible after drinking, your feelings, anything that will make you look back and reflect and realize how bad you felt when you drank.
Here is some of what I wrote - "I don't know if I can feel any worse about myself than I do now. Blacked out and woke up clueless. I hate that I am even writing this, it makes me sick and sad. I hate myself now for it".
And from an earlier exerpt - "I blew it. Drank last night and feel like crap this morning. I feel sick and I am depressed to the extreme. This is what I have to remember when I want a drink again! so said today, all because I drank".
These are from September and October yet when I read them the feelings are there. It has been so helpful.
Just a bit of advice. Hopefully it can help! :ghug3