Here I go
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 59
Here I go
Well I didn't make it through last weekend. Once I got out of work Friday I was just thinking about drinking the whole way home. I knew my friend was having a graduation party on Saturday and the SuperBowl was on Sunday so I ended up drinking Friday through Sunday. Then I called in sick to work on Monday and drank on Monday also.
Friday is tomorrow and I promised myself I will make it through this weekend without drinking. There is nothing special going on and I have no excuses. I think tomorrow i'm going to turn my phone off so i'm not temped by friends calling me to meet up at happy hour or something.
Friday is tomorrow and I promised myself I will make it through this weekend without drinking. There is nothing special going on and I have no excuses. I think tomorrow i'm going to turn my phone off so i'm not temped by friends calling me to meet up at happy hour or something.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 59
I'm not really sure. I'm planning to get back into the gym. I really want to get rid of my extra 10 beer pounds and get back into shape. Plus I want to get back to waking up sober on the weekend and accomplishing productive things which feels so much better than waking up feeling crappy and start drinking to feel better. Also I would like to get back into church since I wont be waking up feeling like crap. I'm not sure if this is a plan??
Guest
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 4,580
Church is good...as I find my spiritual connection quite crucial to my sobriety. You need to replace your drinking with something else. I have found that answer in a support group commonly known as ....AA.
People feel one way or another on that topic ..so I won't jam in down your throat.. (GO, GO, GO, RUN, RUN...GET YOUR BLEEPIN SELF TO A MEETING...)..just joshin.
Welcome..this is a heck of ride and I find it a whole lot easier with like minds. You can find those here at SR. But...
It might be nice to find some non-drinking dudes to hang out with in the real world.
People feel one way or another on that topic ..so I won't jam in down your throat.. (GO, GO, GO, RUN, RUN...GET YOUR BLEEPIN SELF TO A MEETING...)..just joshin.
Welcome..this is a heck of ride and I find it a whole lot easier with like minds. You can find those here at SR. But...
It might be nice to find some non-drinking dudes to hang out with in the real world.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 59
Yea I understand about the AA thing but I have gone in the past and never really felt it was helpful for me. I actually find this website to be more helpful than AA.
I have some friends that dont drink as much but my problem seems to be when someone calls me and says there is a party or a BBQ, I always want to go cause I know it will be fun. Even though I could go and nobody would force me to drink but my will power isn't that strong. At least not yet.
I have some friends that dont drink as much but my problem seems to be when someone calls me and says there is a party or a BBQ, I always want to go cause I know it will be fun. Even though I could go and nobody would force me to drink but my will power isn't that strong. At least not yet.
Guest
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 4,580
To each his own...
I went to AA a couple times in my early 20's and hated it. I was only an infrequent binge drinker then. I knew something was wrong tho...cuz when I drank I drank to rather unattractive oblivion. It didn't fit for me then...so I understand. I just turned 40 and still sorta feel like one of the "young ones" there (tho that could be due in part to my arrested development). I went back a couple months ago and this time it felt right...of course I had evolved to daily drinker from my previous infrequent bingeing.
Wherever you find support...fantastic...as I truly think being able to find others to "relate" with is crucial to recovery. If you find that here....bang on.
Bright shiny blessings to ya,
T.
I went to AA a couple times in my early 20's and hated it. I was only an infrequent binge drinker then. I knew something was wrong tho...cuz when I drank I drank to rather unattractive oblivion. It didn't fit for me then...so I understand. I just turned 40 and still sorta feel like one of the "young ones" there (tho that could be due in part to my arrested development). I went back a couple months ago and this time it felt right...of course I had evolved to daily drinker from my previous infrequent bingeing.
Wherever you find support...fantastic...as I truly think being able to find others to "relate" with is crucial to recovery. If you find that here....bang on.
Bright shiny blessings to ya,
T.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 59
Here is another question. Lets say its a saturday and i'm working on my car all day. After a hard day working on my car theres nothing better than hanging out in the garage with some friends and drinking some beers.
How do you get around these kind of feelings. I cant imagine never doing such things ever again.
How do you get around these kind of feelings. I cant imagine never doing such things ever again.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Murfreesboro, TN
Posts: 595
Dude,
Glass make a very good point. How are you going to maintain your sobriety? My question is..."do you have any idea what being sober is?" If all AA did was remove my desire for drinking I'd be in deep ****. Imagine living your life the way you're living now but without alcohol. You'd still be you, with all the selfishness, fear, anxiety, and anger. "Men and women drink essentially because of the ease and comfort alcohol provides." A few hour of relief when I don't have to think about anything.
In the morning however, I wake up or come to and the problems I drank to forget about last night are still there. What I have to find is something else that will give me that same ease and comfort that alcohol gave me. That's what AA provides for me. You might not like the talk about "God" in AA meetings, but imagine having a "God" that's personal to you.
I would suggest this...If you were to be out shopping for "God" what would you want him/her/it to be? Write down those things you'd be looking for. Take a close look at them. These are the traits that your "God" has. You don't have to have the same "God" as I do, or anyone else for that matter. Your own conception of "God" will be good enough.
Glass make a very good point. How are you going to maintain your sobriety? My question is..."do you have any idea what being sober is?" If all AA did was remove my desire for drinking I'd be in deep ****. Imagine living your life the way you're living now but without alcohol. You'd still be you, with all the selfishness, fear, anxiety, and anger. "Men and women drink essentially because of the ease and comfort alcohol provides." A few hour of relief when I don't have to think about anything.
In the morning however, I wake up or come to and the problems I drank to forget about last night are still there. What I have to find is something else that will give me that same ease and comfort that alcohol gave me. That's what AA provides for me. You might not like the talk about "God" in AA meetings, but imagine having a "God" that's personal to you.
I would suggest this...If you were to be out shopping for "God" what would you want him/her/it to be? Write down those things you'd be looking for. Take a close look at them. These are the traits that your "God" has. You don't have to have the same "God" as I do, or anyone else for that matter. Your own conception of "God" will be good enough.
Awaiting Email Confirmation
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Worcester
Posts: 789
It looks like a big issue at this point is that your friends trigger your drinking. A fellowship like AA will provide you another set of friends who share the same interests as you. There are plenty of football fans and mechanics there. If you stick with those people you will be able to enjoy all your old activities, but with coffee rather than booze.
Today
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: The South
Posts: 20
Originally Posted by YaDude 
Here is another question. Lets say its a saturday and i'm working on my car all day. After a hard day working on my car theres nothing better than hanging out in the garage with some friends and drinking some beers.
How do you get around these kind of feelings. I cant imagine never doing such things ever again.
How do you get around these kind of feelings. I cant imagine never doing such things ever again.
Who ever said you can't hang out with you friends? Just don't drink the beer. If your friends are true, they will understand. If not, you've been wasting a lot of life on nothing.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Owensboro, KY
Posts: 66
Hiya Yadude. I hate to say it but I know as far as I am concerned I really had to stop hanging out and even talking to my friends who drink. I don't even answer the phone on the weekend because I know I can't refuse a good party. It is worth it though.
Getting exersize is a really good way to stay sober. It seems to put me in a good mood everyday and helps to keep me focused. I don't think I could survive with out it.
Church might be a good way to meet some somber, i mean, sober people to talk to aswell. One thing I am thinking of doing with my spare time now that I am trying to stay sober is some sort of community service.
Reading is another good thing to do while staying sober. I used to try and read while drinking and needless to say I didnt retain much information like that. Richard Dawkins new book "the god delusion" is a pretty interesting read, and it would give u some talking points to bring up at church
Anyways, for me the hardest part of getting sober is always the first 3 weekends. My drinking habbits are a lot like yours so hopefully if u can make it through the first few weekends things will get easier for you too.
Just remember when the weekend gets here that you know what its like to be drunk all weekend, that you've done it all before a thousand times. Nothing special about it this time so why not do some thing different for a change and stay sober. Just think about all the people around the world who dont drink and are perfectly happy with out it.You can be one of them too.
Getting exersize is a really good way to stay sober. It seems to put me in a good mood everyday and helps to keep me focused. I don't think I could survive with out it.
Church might be a good way to meet some somber, i mean, sober people to talk to aswell. One thing I am thinking of doing with my spare time now that I am trying to stay sober is some sort of community service.
Reading is another good thing to do while staying sober. I used to try and read while drinking and needless to say I didnt retain much information like that. Richard Dawkins new book "the god delusion" is a pretty interesting read, and it would give u some talking points to bring up at church
Anyways, for me the hardest part of getting sober is always the first 3 weekends. My drinking habbits are a lot like yours so hopefully if u can make it through the first few weekends things will get easier for you too.
Just remember when the weekend gets here that you know what its like to be drunk all weekend, that you've done it all before a thousand times. Nothing special about it this time so why not do some thing different for a change and stay sober. Just think about all the people around the world who dont drink and are perfectly happy with out it.You can be one of them too.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Blacksburg, VA
Posts: 191
Originally Posted by YaDude
Here is another question. Lets say its a saturday and i'm working on my car all day. After a hard day working on my car theres nothing better than hanging out in the garage with some friends and drinking some beers.
How do you get around these kind of feelings. I cant imagine never doing such things ever again.
How do you get around these kind of feelings. I cant imagine never doing such things ever again.
It works if YOU work it. good luck
Follow Directions!
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Fredericksburg, Va.
Posts: 9,730
I agree that this seems better than a meeting. I have never been to an AA but I have gone to an NA meeting and hated it.
I do have an observation, it seems to me the folks scared of AA or who have a dislike for AA try and retreat from the world to get sober.... cut off the phone, don't hang with friends, don't go out, stay home!
Why not call your friends, hang out with them, why not jump when the phone rings and answer it. Why don't you go to a party, or bowling, camping? In AA we do all of those things and more.
In AA and other recovery programs all of those things are done, the idea of getting sober is not to quit doing anything except drinking. The idea is to LIVE LIFE, not hide from it or quit it.!!!
Guest
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 4,580
I agree with Taz. The problem with cutting off your social ties and isolating yourself in fear of triggers...is that it is very lonely. I know that in my previous quits of both nicotine and alcohol that was my way of doing it. Guess what...I got real lonely and eventually rationalized that my isolating sober and/or nicotine free self was miserable and drinking and smoking would return me to life.
The thing about AA is it get ya out there connecting and meeting people and well out of the damn house. I know you are resistant but if not AA, I think it's imperative you seek out what AA offers...socialization with other people who don't drink. I'm lazy therefore AA is easiest way to do that. It's an hour a day at most....which ain't even a dent of the time boozin' consumes.
The thing about AA is it get ya out there connecting and meeting people and well out of the damn house. I know you are resistant but if not AA, I think it's imperative you seek out what AA offers...socialization with other people who don't drink. I'm lazy therefore AA is easiest way to do that. It's an hour a day at most....which ain't even a dent of the time boozin' consumes.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 59
I'm glad to say that I made it through this weekend without drinking at all. It was pretty hard cause I really wanted to drink. This is probably the first weekend I haven't drank in about six years and before that who knows.
I went to a friend's house and watched the Pro Bowl sober and he was even having a couple cocktails but didn't give me **** as he understands. Also, a friends band was playing at a bar and all my friends were going Saturday night and I could have gone but it would have been too much pressure and I know I would have ended up drinking.
But it feels really good to come into work today and not be hung over on a Monday.
I'm going to try again this weekend and see if I can do it again. A friend of mine says it gets easier so we'll see. My ultimate goal is to make it to St. Patrick's day. I'm looking to just keep my drinking to once and a while.
I went to a friend's house and watched the Pro Bowl sober and he was even having a couple cocktails but didn't give me **** as he understands. Also, a friends band was playing at a bar and all my friends were going Saturday night and I could have gone but it would have been too much pressure and I know I would have ended up drinking.
But it feels really good to come into work today and not be hung over on a Monday.
I'm going to try again this weekend and see if I can do it again. A friend of mine says it gets easier so we'll see. My ultimate goal is to make it to St. Patrick's day. I'm looking to just keep my drinking to once and a while.
dum vita est spes est
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: vita secundum nex
Posts: 287
.
Originally Posted by YaDude
I'm glad to say that I made it through this weekend without drinking at all. It was pretty hard cause I really wanted to drink. This is probably the first weekend I haven't drank in about six years and before that who knows.
I went to a friend's house and watched the Pro Bowl sober and he was even having a couple cocktails but didn't give me **** as he understands. Also, a friends band was playing at a bar and all my friends were going Saturday night and I could have gone but it would have been too much pressure and I know I would have ended up drinking.
But it feels really good to come into work today and not be hung over on a Monday.
I'm going to try again this weekend and see if I can do it again. A friend of mine says it gets easier so we'll see. My ultimate goal is to make it to St. Patrick's day. I'm looking to just keep my drinking to once and a while.
I went to a friend's house and watched the Pro Bowl sober and he was even having a couple cocktails but didn't give me **** as he understands. Also, a friends band was playing at a bar and all my friends were going Saturday night and I could have gone but it would have been too much pressure and I know I would have ended up drinking.
But it feels really good to come into work today and not be hung over on a Monday.
I'm going to try again this weekend and see if I can do it again. A friend of mine says it gets easier so we'll see. My ultimate goal is to make it to St. Patrick's day. I'm looking to just keep my drinking to once and a while.
I've been to NA meetings and AA meetings and I agree with the NA philosophy (an addict is an addict) I like the AA meetings much better - really not sure why?
Dude, I'm half Irish, half German and 100% alcoholic. Erin Go Bragh...give me strength for St. Patty's day. Remember man, what you think about you bring about.
PR
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
