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Old 12-17-2015, 05:32 AM
  # 161 (permalink)  
Saskia
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: US East Coast
Posts: 14,280
Key, that's great!

KIR, several things I did (and am prepared to do again if needed):

1. If I have an urge, I "think it through to the end". This means that I think something like the following - I really want a drink. If I have a drink, I'll get back into my old cycle. What happens then? I'll feel badly about myself, my health will be seriously affected, my finances will be impacted, my world will shrink ....... Etc etc. By the time I get to the end of that thought train, the urge has passed :-)

2. For the first months I avoided any activities that I associated with drinking. That especially included going out to dinner with friends who drink.

3. For the first months I committed myself to accomplish one thing and one thing only - staying sober.

4. I went to AA meetings and had phone numbers of several AA members in my contact list. I initially did call some of them - not in an urgent situation but to practice calling so I'd feel more comfortable if I got into a bad spot.

I did whatever it took. Going back to drinking was such a bad option that I simply couldn't stay on that road.

It really does get easier but I definitely do recall how bad those early cravings could be. If you feel you are at risk of drinking, best thing I learned in IOP and AA was to get in touch with someone you trust and talk about it.
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