CurioAndTheCat

I have an entire wine rack in my basement. There are three unopened beers in the kitchen left over from the party we had over the weekend (not my beer, obviously, but others'). You'd think that'd be temptation, that I'd want to go in and sneak a couple drinks, but I think it actually helps me not want it. Kind of like how people say, "You only miss it when it's gone," but it's not really gone. It's just ... not something I want to be a part of anymore.

Anyone else had this experience? That seeing alcohol around you actually makes your cravings less intense? They don't look like bottles of fun to me anymore; they look like bottles of guilt and regret and waste.

Music

Keep patting yourself on the back and it won't be long before it's time to celebrate.

Tazman53

In early sobriety the last thing I needed was it there and available, I went through some really cocky periods early on and then would find myself more then willing to pop a top if it was right there, the only things that kept me from drinking was having to get dressed and driving to the store and calling some one else in the program to help me get through it.

Today is a totally different story, if I find a full one or 2 in an old hidey hole I simply pick them up and throw them out.

Just me but, if I don't want to get bit by a snake I don't keep them in the house with me. There were 2 out on my deck for months, I knew they were there, but I am on solid ground in my sobriety today, when I cleaned my deck I threw them out, no reason to keep them except if I am going to drink them, so I threw them out.

Paulos

Most alcoholics... if it's in the house, it's going to get drank.

Rimmy

My girl still drinks most nights. If she leaves no cold ones in the fridge when she goes to bed, I am fine if they are in the house (warm in the case). I used to drink them warm, cold, 1/2 frozen.... it didn't matter. Now, it's just the cold ones in the fridge in the morning that drive me a little nuts. Scary that I want to pop one for breakfast, but that's where I was at. Anyway, she's polite and that rarely happens. When she chills them at night for herself, it doesn't really bother me. My memorys of bad times I hold close.

chip

Hi CurioAndTheCat
I'm sure you've been welcomed here already, but I'd like to extend my own welcome to this site and this forum.

The next drink is only as far away as we can reach. Alcohol is all around us in society. It's as close as the nearest bar or liquor store. It's as close as the wine rack downstairs.

I think you are on to something when you say you see the bottles as filled with guilt, regret and waste. This is true for any alcoholic regardless of the location of the bottles.

I've been sober for a while, and I have booze in my house. I also work in a bar. I don't think I'm any more vulurnable to relapse because of my physical proximity to liquor. I think relapse can be avoided by staying spiritualy fit. If I'm spiritualy fit, I can mix drinks for other people without even having a thought about drinking myself.

If you see it for what it is, it's possible to stay away from having that first drink.
chip

1day

I have had similar experiences. My wife and I went on a Mexican holiday to an all inclusive resort - the booze started flowing at 9:00am and dint really stop for those who wanted it. I watched people consume and consume and consume until they were ill. It reinforced my choice to not take the 1st drink.

That said, I attrubute my sobriety today to the fact that I rigorously work my program of recovery. This means a minimum of 2 meetings per week and a period of daily reflection.

Since I have done this all desire to drink has been removed. That is a miracle! I'm not sure that "it" would stay removed If I stopped working my program.

Thats how it works for me today. I'll worry about tomorrow when it rolls around.

regards.

CarolD

As I am a non drinker....
you will not find drinking alcohol in my home.

My friends who do drink
do not drink in my home.

lostmdboy

When I was drinking I would wake up every morning, and sware off alcohol. By lunch I was only going to have a couple. That is the same mind I have today. I need to keep a little distence between it and myself. I just feel more comfortable that way. To me if you keep a bunch of rattle snakes around eventually you will get bit.

unigirl

Hi Curioandthe cat,
I have a lot of alcohol where i live as i'm in student accomm- so i live with 10 others who all drink- ALOT lol. Theres always alcohol in the fridge and around and about- however most of the time it doesnt bother me. I can avoid it - and get on with doing what im doing. At work i am sometimes around it -and, again, it can bother me- other times it doesn't. I think strong smells of it are worse than just looking at it. So i can get a lil tetchy if there is red wine about...

I think it all depends on how im feeling that day- as chip said- how 'spiritually fit' i am. Im aware tho - that this is a cunning, baffling and powerful disease i have. I know where my head can take me. So i never get too laidback - it's still ealry days for me.

reed

if its there I'm probably gonna drink it,

Dee74

I could never NOT drink anything that was there - sometimes even if it wasn't *exactly* mine.

Maybe it'd be different now...but I've no desire or need to find out...

I don't play on the freeway either.

D

29a

Why tempt the devil? If you have the option of not having it around, don't.

MNGirlyGirl

You may feel strong now, but what happens if you have a moment of weakness? Some things work for some people and not others. You just need to keep being honest with yourself.

NOMOMERLOTMAMMA

Ya know, this issue comes up every now and then, and this is the first time that I thought while reading about having alcohol in the house: "Yeah, it could be here, wouldn't bother me". That's a first. I'm grateful for that.

There's no booze in our house as we're both in recovery. I wouldn't stop a friend from bringing it with them if we entertained, but as most of our friends are either in recovery or know that we are, I don't think that they would.

Pick-a-name

Well,that's how I quit smoking............kinda like a daily "incentive"; to see it as old dried leaves that I did not control me when I took the steps I needed to beat it.

Don't know how that works with alcohol and alcoholism. (it would scare me to try,I think)

One difference was the time I quit and stayed quit; I decided that there would be no more "reasons" to maybe slip and then quit again,or "try" to quit. I knew I needed to quit,and then did what I had to do to quit. Nothing looming out in the future of even one smoke. I think that mindset was key.

p.s. I did throw them away.

Was it really my denial keeping them around "just in case" or not........who really knows? That was 30yrs ago and I'm still not smoking, but those first weeks or months may have been something I convinced myself was something entirely different than the reality of the situation.

Why borrow trouble if you don't have to? (except for the fact,that as a human,I do)

good luck to you

Zoobear

Should a recovering crackhead carry a little crack with him?
What good will come of this?

collinsmi

There are some promises in the BB at the end of the chapter "Working with others", as well as a little earlier where the book talks about the 11th step. If I fulfill the conditions for those promises, then they will be true. Don't have any alcohol in the apartment as a rule, seldom have drinkers over so no reason to keep any. I do know one guy who keeps it in his house - his wife drinks. Not a problem for him as I understand. He fulfills the conditions.

I've found if I've worked (gone through a good solid set of steps) and continue to work (more step work) a good strong program, there's no slippery places. If I don't do these things it doesn't matter where I am either, every place is slippery.

1963comet

I can see what you are saying. I hate alcohol as well. I hate it so much I don't want it in my house.

DKS

I would get it out of the house if at all possible. Why tempt yourself? I am so grateful my husband stopped drinking too, so neither of us has to be tempted by the other drinking and bringing alcohol into the home.