Originally Posted by
Skydawg 
Thanks man but I am in no way in denial. Quite the opposite. I was surprised by a relative with tickets to a great show Friday which I immediately accepted. I didn't mean I planned to drink at all. What I actually meant was I wouldn't let something as trivial as a beer or cocktail interfere with my ability to enjoy a music show SOBER (those just happened to be my old vices). I loved music long before the poison ever crossed my lips and I do not plan on getting sober so I can live in a bubble and avoid things I love. See the difference is that this me talking not alcohol and it's not BS as you stated. I'm not delusional, in fact I must be pretty darn strong seeing as how everyone seems to think a slow gradual taper is impossible when in fact it has been relatively easy compared to the horror I read here daily. When I think about the YEARS I invested in becoming addicted six weeks is a relatively short window of time don't you think. I did the taper to give my body more than adequate time to adjust to my new way of thinking and living. I chose that over RX meds and so far it works. I simply cannot afford the cold turkey shakes, fogginess and nausea so often associated with stopping. Any way I hope this explains my post. I have zero interest in the powerless preaching of AA.
Got your message. First of all, I think I misunderstood a bit of your post - it wasn't completely clear to me when I read it. Now I realize that you said that you weren't going to let the *appearance* of a drink or beer keep you away from the concert. You are planning to go because you enjoy music, and just because there is alcohol there that will not stop you.
Okay.
As for the other stuff. I am NOT active in AA. There are plenty of things I do not like and I do not regularly attend meetings and normally I do not recommend it. However, in my first days of sobriety it was very helpful for me. I realized quickly that it was "not for me" long-term, but it was indeed something I think everyone should attend, at least once.
I was not trying to be "combative", but I see a lot of my old reasoning in your words. Do you know that when I quit cold turkey and had seizures? And ended up in the hospital? I should have gone to a detox center, but I didn't. And I paid the price. Could I have tapered? I guess I tried...but it was bad for me to view a beer as "medicine". Telling folks "I have to drink, this is good for me" is simply a bad way to go about it. Tapering for six weeks is a long time. It just seems like you're hanging on.
And I still don't think you should go to that concert. It's simply not something that you do in early recovery - go out and be among drinkers in a social situation. It's not a good idea, man. Because I've been there. Do you know where I had my first meal after I got out of treatment? A bar. Know why? Because I thought "I'm still going to be in bars, so I might as well learn how to have lunch and be here while sober". I wanted to face my fears and get right back into the belly of the beast.
It was a bad idea. I never drank but I could have very well been back to square one. Thing is, you have to change EVERYTHING. Or, I did. New friends, new hobbies, new place to live - the whole nine yards. There is MUCH more to this whole thing than "not drinking". It's about finding new hobbies and creating new ways to have fun. But you aren't even to the "not drinking" part yet. I would suggest you focus on that, and staying close to home and getting support - in some form - would be a great start.
I'm just trying to help, pal - you can do what you want. I do wish you luck. Take what you will from my recommendations, it's only a suggestion. It's your life, you are in charge of what you do. Good luck, I mean it!