Originally Posted by
Murray4x5 
I experienced the same sensation of peace when I came to the same decision.
I'd often thought about quitting for a year, but knew that would be impossible. When I did quit, the first month or so was a roller coaster of doubt and fear...until deciding upon complete abstinence for Life gave me a sense of peace. There were the same urges and intrusive thoughts about drinking (and at 13 months they still make infrequent appearances) but they became so much easier to shrug off and flick away.
Quitting "one day at a time, and only for today" or on a trial basis is simply procrastinating. It delays the anxiety temporarily, to be sure, but in exchange for that reprieve, you pay a heavy price. The anxiety, though milder, is drawn out, and that feeling of uncertainty - essentially the fear of relapse - may never go away. Quitting unconditionally for life brings forth the anxiety all at once, but it also allows you to quickly get past it and to move on with living.