Pock89

How does everyone get through this day without wanting to drink? 4th of July used to be a huge drinking holiday for me with the BBQs and day drinking. I went to an alcothon this morning for a few hours and did feel a little better but now I'm back home and kind of throwing myself a pity party because I know everyone is out drinking and I'm not. I know I can't go to any BBQs or anything like that because it's too much of a trigger in my early sobriety but I'm just feeling like I'm missing out.
I'm planning on going back to the alcothon later.

Never realized how hard holidays really are...

desertsong

I read in another post that the two holidays where alcoholics are most likely to relapse are 4th of July and Christmas. Funny, I don't have any desire to drink today, and last Christmas I was so drunk that I fell and broke some ribs. I don't think I'll be wanting to drink on Christmas this year either.

It's hard when so many holidays involve drinking, but you'll get used to the idea of doing them sober. They are so much more fun that way. I know that here, tonight, people are going to be hitting the bars HARD because we have a high fire danger here and there will be no fireworks. So after the picnics, parades, etc., the bars will be filling up. I'm glad I will be safe at home and not waking up with a hangover .... remember how that felt?

There IS life after alcohol. Really. And it's so much better. Just remind yourself of what your last drunk felt like ... that's always a good reminder for me about why I'd rather be sober today than drunk.

Hang in there.

brdlvr

I totally understand. I went to meeting today. Still want to drink. Went to get some NA beer and steamed shrimp to take to cookout. Wow, seeing the liquor store so crowded and everyone stocking up..I'm having a poor me, why did I try to stop before the holiday. Let hope we all can make it thru today

aeo1313

You can get through today sober! I just keep reminding myself how last 4th of July went and how I felt July 5th. I can't go through that again.

Vlst

Last 4th I was in SD staying with friends of my wife and I. They have a beautiful home that they had just bought with an awesome pool and patio, grill, and tons of booze. So they had a party. By the middle of it I was doing cannonballs and by the end I was apparently chit chatting with some girl (no idea what about). The next morning I felt like a sack of as@#$% and we had to drive home. My wife ended up driving us so I could try to sleep a little more. I ended up getting a sinus infection from the cannonballs, which I should know by now since it's happened to me since I was 5 years old. So A)make a fool of myself, check. B)not remember talking to some woman who is not my wife, check. C)not be able to drive us back to AZ, check. D)miss work for being sick, check! It's raining here today and I have to work, so it's just another Wednesday as far as I'm concerned (sans booze), and that sounds awesome compared to piecing together a night of idiocy.

CarolD

To those newly sober....Well done.....


Any and all holidays can be a grand time w/o drinking
I've gone thru many and not had to drink..

I suggest you make a point of beginning a new tradition
to celebrate the new you.

Something simple will do......especially if your finances are streched

Children involved? Rent a kids movie...pop some corn..snuggle with them

Go to a homeless or animal shelter and lend them a hand.

Double up on meetings if you use AA

Call someone who would want to hear from you

Come here and share with us..

Eat Ice Cream or make a meal you really like.

Invite other sober people to share your new tradition with


All sorts of things you can now do and enjoy with sobreity
You never have to feel alone and drunk again

Wow! What an awesome concept

.

CactusJill

Yeah, the 4th is hard for me too. I got to spend it alone because I have no family here and my BF had to work. So yeah... but this too will pass.

aeo1313

I am siting in our circle watching kids light fireworks. Between by drunk husband and friend

BoozeFree

I chose to stay home by myself so that I wouldn't be tempted to drink. First sober 4th in 11 years!

lillyknitting

You are missing out, big time:

Pounding head
Feeling sick
Racing heart in your chest, like your going to die
Palpitations
Paranoia
Blackout, loss of memory
Shakes
Stomach pains
Pains in chest, aching all over,
Feelings of remorse (what did I say? What did I do) omg, not again
Can't eat, cant drink, head thumping and fuzzy

Anyone want to add more lol, now the party's over

Gourd

Don't feel bad. Got ********* tonight and I'm no better for it. Had an incident, wasn't pleasant, the family pretended their way through it like usual and we're all back to 'normal' again.

Alcohol is an ugly, useless drug. No bones about it.

F355

I'm with you on this one. Funny thing is, though, that due to a severe anxiety attack I had last night, i was so wiped out today that i was barely able to crawl out of bed in time for fireworks. Still wanted to drink though, but didn't.

Maybe the anxiety attack was a blessing in disguise?

Taking5

Pock-

Where are you on the steps? At a certain point in the steps, with me it was after my fifth step, I lost any desire to drink. As the big book puts it:

If you are still fighting the urge to drink, please examine where you are in the program. Your sponsor should be able to help.

Pock89

Only on step 2. I'm really trying to get through the step work. People keep telling me the racing thoughts, and sleepless nights will fade the further along in the steps I am.

Tough time right now.