Originally Posted by littlefish

I hear myself in lots of your comments, Daphne. I thought the sober life would be boring. I also was a drinker for 30 years, longer really. I am 56 and started drinking "abnormally" when I was in my teens. I began heavy weekend drinking in my mid-20's.

It is true in my case at least that it just steadily progressed - for the worse. By my mid-30's I was a daily drinker, after work and then followed by heavy weekend drinking. By my mid 40's when I progressed to the chronic stage I moved on to daily all-day drinking, starting in the mornings. I added binge drinking to this.
I was terrified to stop drinking. It is scary to contemplate never drinking again when you have been drinking for a long time.
But, once I started recovery I saw that I could live a different way, and think differently. There is a reason why we use the phrase "One day at a time", it is a tool. If it is frightening to contemplate a lifetime, try one day at a time.

I didn't really understand this concept when I started my program, (AA, but there are others you can choose from), but it works. I don't have to think about the rest of my life, just one day.