Room1

I couldn't decide whether to post a thread or not, I have said the same things so many times before it seems kinda futile. However, I though if nothing else at least you would all know I am still alive.

I was thinking about addictions the other day, I see people say "you have to be ready" and "you have to really want it" and that. I was thiinking about when I finally quit smoking, it took 4 years of trying but then one day I just got it, I was ready, I haven't smoked a cigarette in over 5 months and I never want to.

I have been trying to quit alcohol for about 4 years aswell, I just hope this time I am ready. I really am sick of it. I feel ready. I figured if I use the same approach as I did to quit smoking I can make it, they are both addictions right?

Dee74

Hi Sax - good to see you

I tried for years - but I never gave up hope I'd get it - in the end I realised I hadn;t ever gone 100% - I needed to be prepared for a lot of work, a lot of changes, and a lot of ups and downs...but the last time, I was ready to stop and willing to do whatever I needed to do. That was the difference.

I hope this is your time too.

D

stone

Hi Sax, I am glad to see you!


You know my story and my struggles, I am 89 days sober today and I believe it is because I had enough this time. I think at some point it just happens but it is important to keep trying and trying so it can happen, hopefully it also speeds up the arrival of that point. It is also necessary to do all you can to keep it going, I use AA but I don't believe it is the only way.

Trying again and posting about it is never futile, most of the people here with significant sober-time had to try and try again. (some of them forget that.....)

Believe808

Hi Sax, so happy to see you here, damn I missed you so much.

Sax, only you know if you are ready honey. It took me many attempts and I too kept failing, I know now I just wasn't ready, but thank God I was given another chance, some don't get that.

Keep trying, I know you can beat this. Just do it a day at a time, hell, maybe even an hour at a time. You deserve to be happy and sober.

I'm here if you need me. Great to see you.

bohemianzen

sax you never fail until you stay down. as long as you keep getting up again and again you are still trying. and how do you know how close you are to succeeding each time? this really could be the last time.
unfortunately a dui has me taking it very seriously this time - i'm going to do whatever it takes. i'm trying to put my sobriety into a positive spin instead of a negative one (that i have to quit or i will die, i will get a serious illness, etc). i'm trying to think of it as an adventure to finding me. i've been drinking since the age of 16 so i don't think i know who that really is. i've been able to use drinking as an excuse for not doing better in my life. well i guess i don't have that excuse any more. so what would you do if you didn't have that excuse? i hope you can focus not on your failures at quitting but any days that you don't drink. sending my support bo

CarolD

Welcome back Sax.....

I too often returned to drinking after I decided to quit.
After about 4 years of various short term sobriety

I read this book....."Under The Influence"

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...influence.html

I re-connected to God and AA....I've not had another drink

Please do keep trying.....good to see you...

Wartrace

That is the right attitude, that you are sick of drinking. That's how I finally decided I needed to stop, I was sick and tired of drinking every night. I think you are right, that drinking & smoking are very similar and if you use the same approach you should do fine.

I will be praying for your success Saxony. I do not know to what degree you drink but I have found sobriety to be a great way of life. There was so much I missed in life because of my drinking.

P.S.- I admire the fact that you were able to quit smoking while still drinking. I tried but every time I drank I could always talk myself into a smoke. I'm on my sixth day without cigarettes & that too is a wonderful feeling. If I were to drink though, I believe I would probably cave in and smoke.

Nevertheless

Hello Saxony
I also agree quitting drinking is a lot like quitting smoking.
They are both very difficult for one thing. I quit smoking about 12 years ago. I had quit many times before. But the last time I was about 4 days into quitting and I knew I had it beat.
I have also tried to quit drinking many times. But this last time I knew I had it beat also. But the difference is the amount of time (to me).
It took about 4 days for the cravings to get tolerable with smoking where alcohol to me takes a lot longer. About 3 weeks.(you gotta watch out, a craving will sneak up on you) And still about once a month like clockwork I(maybe just me) get the desire to drink. I know it's coming and I know I can deal with it, and the "desire" gets less and less every month. But if you make up your mind that drinking isn't an option, you can do it.
Fred

tommyk

I could avoid people who were drinking A LOT easier than I could avoid people who were smoking.

Drinking might even be easier to quit than smoking.

Give it a shot.

Easier, harder, whatever, just do it.