bmwcycle

I have not had a drink all year. Been struggling for a few years before that, been in a good place recently had now an incredible urge to drink tomorrow.

It has not easy but well worth it maintaining not drinking, it took a while to adjust socially, but I have been strong and have reached out to many friends that are sober who have been a tremendous help.

All that being said- with basketball starting and St. Paddy's day I am obsessed with having a drink or three.

I know all the reasons why I shouldn't, go over them in head constantly.

Need to be able to get through this day,

Kjell

All year as in 365 days-in-a-row without alcohol?

I only say this b/c if you've been sober for a year, then hopefully the obession to drink would have been removed by now?

By working the steps of AA, the obsession has been removed, but I'm not special. It can work for you too.

Kjell~

ZZworldontheweb

Yeah, the goal is to develop a worldview where good times do not seem like they would be enhanced by alcohol. There are plenty of people who live this way.

bmwcycle

It has been just so far this year.

ImReadyToQuit

Enjoy the good things about St Pattys... Like..

suki44883

You've got a good start on sobriety, and don't forget...you quit drinking for a reason. It only takes a split second for something to go horribly wrong. St. Patrick's day, nor basketball are good enough reasons to risk it.

Rift

St. Patty's Day is actually kinda stupid in my opinion. What's the big deal? You dress up in green and drink green beer or other drinks and just get *********. Can't you do that on any other day if you want to drink? I just don't see the big deal. I wouldn't drink if I was you. If you have significant sober time down don't do it. So not worth it. Then you will have to deal with your hangover the next day and recouperate.

GodsHolyWill

Hang in there!!! Don't do anything you know you will regret!!

MsCooterBrown

Wait..if it has only been this year..then this will be your first holiday. I don't know what your sober plan is but it is for sure the best idea not to expose yourself to drinking environments for awhile.
It only takes a split second for something to go horribly wrong.
Suki speaks the truth! Don't want to end up in the ER or with a DUI..Keep thinking of all the reasons you shouldn't drink. You know it will not be A DRINK...That is why we are all here. Hope you make the right choice.

Kjell

Congrats on your sober time for sure!

Being sober so far this year is GREAT.

It sounds like you're already sort of, kind of, giving yourself permission to drink. Only you know for sure, but here's where it gets tricky b/c sometimes we are also tricking ourselves.

I'd find some sober folks and stick to them over the next few days.

Also, do something, anything, everything different.

Be proud of your sober time and tomorrow is really just another day. If you were like me, it didn't take St Patty's day to make drinking attractive.

Kjell~

Dee74

some great advice here bmwcycle....

I'm more than half way through Thursday March 17...it's another day...it needn't be any more and any less that that

we're open 24/7 if you need more support.

D

tallcactus

Play it all completely thur your head what could happen if you drink.
There is a reason why you quit in the first place.
Do not romantize it. You are missing nothing!
You will not regret that you didn't drink.

ozbloke

Solo Lemon/Lime soft drink is doing it for me today It's a green.. uh.. can?? ;-)
Just remember how it felt when you first stopped drinking and try not to put it at risk by having "just one".. we all know what "just one" means. :-)

Good luck and well done on a dry 2011!

bmwcycle

Thanks for all the support and wise advise. Woke up this morning and worked out now of to work. So far the cravings have gone away. I know it will be tough to maintain all day but I am up for the task.

I am planning on going to an outdoor party that will have booze, but they also have club soda and a great band and good friends will be there. I know that some on this board will frown on this, but I have quit drinking not my life or my friends. Friends are important to me, some of them drink, some don't, some have issues that could be related to their drinking, others just have issues, my point being is that I do not want to remove myself from these situations b/c I have stopped drinking. I am not trying to say that I am right about this and I know what the common theme here is that you must remove your self from this situations and for some that might be the only way to be able to maintain but for me it would and has caused more frustrations and anger about what I am trying to accomplish. I do not want to become a "dry drunk" and resent my progress so far, and have the same shame and regret of not drinking that was the motivation for stopping. Maybe this is a lesson that I need to learn myself and it could be that I am under minding myself but I am up for the challenge.

I do know that I can not go back to drinking in moderation, and am not fooling my self, a close friend who has been sober for years said it best to me "Once you are a pickle it is almost impossible to become a cucumber again" that was my "ah ha" moment about quitting vs cutting back. He was also was the one who told me "you do not have to go to the bottom of the ocean to know there is sand" which made me realize you do not have to hit rock bottom to know that you need to change you ways.

Happy and a sober St. Paddy's day and I look forward to posting later after the party, tired from dancing, my face hurting form laughing too much and sober as a judge.

From not afraid by Eminem:

I'm not afraid to take a stand
Everybody come take my hand
We'll walk this road together, through the storm
Whatever weather, cold or warm
Just let you know that, you're not alone
Holla if you feel that you've been down the same road

And I just can't keep living this way
So starting today, I'm breaking out of this cage
I'm standing up, Imma face my demons
I'm manning up, Imma hold my ground
I've had enough, now I'm so fed up
Time to put my life back together right now

OklaBH

This will be my 1st sober St Pats day in 11 years! I'm actually going to an AA meeting. I never wouldve dreamt in a million years.......but I'm happy

gravity

I'm 1/2 Irish and could not care less if it's St. Patrick's Day. What is really cool is that today is 39 months sober for me! Gonna celebrate that instead.

Note: If I started drinking today, I would be out of control and blacked out for 3 days. I would probably spend $1,000 and seriously risk losing my 50/50 joint custody of my kids. I'd lose my girlfriend. After 3 days, I would "come to" shaking, throwing up, and mentally f***ed.

Hey! I love my kids, my sobriety, and my life. Not gonna lose that for green beer...

ANEWAUGUST

When you get down to it...St. Patricks Day is just another 24 hours that you need to stay sober.

So, just for today, don't drink.

dairo

Just go get **** faced. In the morning you will remember why you quit, it's a good wake up call. Like me. I had 80 days yesterday and went out and got a 6 pack of keystone ice pounders. All the smells and feelings came back, and I didn't even enjoy it. I'm happy though, I woke up and I had that feeling to run down to the store, but I didn't, AA and this site have ruined drinking for me, but I'm glad I did what I did, I was close to being sucked right back down the path of hell, but meh, just not worth it I can cleary see now days. They even went down rough and I felt sick until i got 4 of em down, just not worth it anymore. Sometimes just giving in can help you see things a little more clearly. Just my opinion, im sure others Strongly disagree, but i dont care.

yeahgr8

Can't really relate as in the end i was a daily drinker so everyday was st paddy's day for me lol Hope you find some peace:-)

"AA and this site have ruined drinking for me" - the quote of the week!

I went out and had another 6 weeks drinking after a 12 step rehab before getting really into AA...that 12 step rehab ruined drinking for me...i think it was meeting all those guys and girls with worse stories than mine who had been happy and sober for years since and i basically was shown, so there could be no more doubt in my mind, that there was a solution and i was choosing not to take it!!!!!!!

Do not go to AA if you want to keep drinking lol

bmwcycle

Home safe and sober. Had a great evening all around and didn't really think about it other than when others asked me why I wasn't drinking, which is still a little bit strange to answer and I answer different almost every time for not particular reason.

Thanks again for the encouragement,