Hello,
I am a member of the August 2014 team, and today is the first anniversary of my sobriety.
I had been drinking alcoholically for about 25 years, and I had been a rather heavy social drinker since college.
I have figured that I have had more than 1000 Day Ones...always after a horrible drunk.
The things that helped me the most were sticking close to my August team and analyzing HALT. It made me realize that I started drinking or wanting a drink when I was either hungry or thirsty. I would start drinking, then forget about cooking dinner, then order in pizza or Chinese food. The next morning I would normally have a greasy drive-thru breakfast - if I was able to get out of bed. I had many nights of crazy thoughts with my heart pounding, weird songs stuck in my head, etc., followed by mornings wondering if I had texted, phoned or emailed anyone and what I had said.
Occasionally I could stay sober for a few days, then decide I was fine and could moderate - one drink would turn into many.
For the first few months, I really babied myself. I had facials, mani-pedis, massages, ice cream and gourmet chocolate....that helped me past the cravings. I upped my exercise and lost the fat and bloat - I went down 30 pounds, from a size 16 to an 8.
I feel and look better than I have in years. I am more relaxed and content. Everything in my home is in its place - I decorated for every holiday this past year.
I spent so much wasted time worrying that I was drinking too fast in front of others, that I was drinking too much, if anyone could tell I had had a few before joining them, hoping I had enough to get through the night, praying I would not get pulled over.....drinking took up way too much of my time and my mind. I canceled many weekend plans because I was too hungover.
Now, the difference is night and day.
I urge you to keep on. The first 30 days are really tough; it became routine for me around Day 90. I still occasionally have a visit by my av (I refuse to capitalize it) but most are from habit, not from desire. For instance, when I was reaching my six month mark, my first thought was that I should buy a bottle of champagne to celebrate! How crazy is that? It was just that part of my routine in the past would have been to do that.
Well, I just want to tell you that if I have managed to stop drinking, I think any person can do it.
Take care, and good luck!
ScooterBoo