You’re going great Bonnie
6 months is a great achievement, and even more so in a challenging home environment. I’m at 13 months and I still have moments where I wonder if I can keep this up. My partner also drinks, most days, although not as much as he used to when I was drinking. He’s able to control how often and how much he drinks, unlike me. There are some great responses to your post here, and I thank everyone for your words, as it helps me too.
I think taking it one day at a time is my best tool. When I think about the future and future temptations I often feel like I won’t be able to resist the temptation to drink. But if I stick to just not drinking now, today, I seem to be able to not drink today. Even when the AV monster strikes, when cravings wash over me, I just make the decision to not drink now, not drink today. And I’m always relieved the next day when I wake up sober.
I think a good deterrent for me is reminding myself of the consequences of giving in to the urge to drink, that unlike normies, I’d be straight back into that vicious cycle of drink lots, hangover, drink lots more to cope with the hangover, worse hangover, drink again.... and on it would go, day after day. That reminder to myself that I wouldn’t just have one or two and then that would be it, that’s what stops me from joining my partner, or my friends, in “just one”. For me, it never ever was just one. I don’t have an off switch when it comes to alcohol, just a “lets speed things up” switch.
So for me, it’s one day at a time, and playing the tape forward to the consequences that keeps me sober.
I know you can do this