Getting away
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 21
Getting away
I'm a alcoholic who has tried many times to quit without success. Usually I can only quit for a day or so, but I have made it a couple months a few months back.
I guess I would be considered a non-functional alcoholic. I haven't had a job for over a year. I can't even recall how long it's been... pretty pathetic!
I have no desire or drive to find work, and am almost looking forward to going broke so that I won't have the funds to buy beer.
I'm trying to quit again this week, and haven't drank for a couple days. I usually drink a twelve pack of IPA, or a 18 pack of regular beer a day.
I'm hoping to stay sober until I can plan a trip down to central or south america on my motorcycle. I figure if I can get on the road, I'll at least be occupied, and won't have time to sit around drinking all day.
Hopefully this will work, because nothing else I've tried has.
I guess I would be considered a non-functional alcoholic. I haven't had a job for over a year. I can't even recall how long it's been... pretty pathetic!
I have no desire or drive to find work, and am almost looking forward to going broke so that I won't have the funds to buy beer.
I'm trying to quit again this week, and haven't drank for a couple days. I usually drink a twelve pack of IPA, or a 18 pack of regular beer a day.
I'm hoping to stay sober until I can plan a trip down to central or south america on my motorcycle. I figure if I can get on the road, I'll at least be occupied, and won't have time to sit around drinking all day.
Hopefully this will work, because nothing else I've tried has.
Grateful to be free
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Arizona
Posts: 3,680
Changing behaviors and habits that we associate with drinking CAN help, but for most of us they are not enough to keep us sober long term. There are things in life we've been avoiding by hiding behind our drunkeness, we need to find other ways of dealing with life.
Running away geographically doesn't protect us from reality. It's STILL a form of running away from reality.And if we don't find a way to address reality, we turn to drinking again and again. For some of us the discomfort of detox is what we are trying to avoid dealing with, for many of us it's much more.
I am learning that moving towards something I truly want is a better approach than running from things I fear or find uncomfortable. It took me a long time and a lot of trying different approaches to life to get to a place of sobriety.
The only time we really fail in sobriety/recovery, is when we give up, walk away from it, and decide that we want to drink again. As long as we truly want to stop and are putting in effort and searching, we are working towards a better life. But this requires a deep level of honesty, because we can convince ourselves we are doing things towards recovery and use it as a cover to keep drinking. Meetings, books, chatting here can all be real assets to recovery, but the real story is inside ourselves and what we are doing to address our own reality. Busy work doesn't keep us sober.
The point of rehab, or getting away isn't JUST to keep us from having access to alcohol, it's also to create a foundation for real life change through changed behavior and thinking.
Running away geographically doesn't protect us from reality. It's STILL a form of running away from reality.And if we don't find a way to address reality, we turn to drinking again and again. For some of us the discomfort of detox is what we are trying to avoid dealing with, for many of us it's much more.
I am learning that moving towards something I truly want is a better approach than running from things I fear or find uncomfortable. It took me a long time and a lot of trying different approaches to life to get to a place of sobriety.
The only time we really fail in sobriety/recovery, is when we give up, walk away from it, and decide that we want to drink again. As long as we truly want to stop and are putting in effort and searching, we are working towards a better life. But this requires a deep level of honesty, because we can convince ourselves we are doing things towards recovery and use it as a cover to keep drinking. Meetings, books, chatting here can all be real assets to recovery, but the real story is inside ourselves and what we are doing to address our own reality. Busy work doesn't keep us sober.
The point of rehab, or getting away isn't JUST to keep us from having access to alcohol, it's also to create a foundation for real life change through changed behavior and thinking.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 21
Threshold,
Thanks for the reply.
I was doing OK today, then a friend came by this afternoon with some beers.
I resisted at first, then broke down and started drinking.
It was a conscious decision.... Admitting it does nothing for me, I'm aware of that.
My environment here is not conducive to maintaining a sober lifestyle. Of that, I am fully aware.
I will try again tomorrow...
Thanks for the reply.
I was doing OK today, then a friend came by this afternoon with some beers.
I resisted at first, then broke down and started drinking.
It was a conscious decision.... Admitting it does nothing for me, I'm aware of that.
My environment here is not conducive to maintaining a sober lifestyle. Of that, I am fully aware.
I will try again tomorrow...
Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: northern michigan. not the U.P.
Posts: 15,281
i had one major problem when i tried to do a geographical relocation to help: i took me and my thinking along.
i had to make a decision i wanted to stop drinking, was willing to go to any length to stop drinking, and would put in the footwork to change me and my thinking. i knew, by lookin at my past, just how good trying worked for me, which was NFS.
i hope you decide you want to get sober and will look for something to help you. you dont have to do it alone.
i had to make a decision i wanted to stop drinking, was willing to go to any length to stop drinking, and would put in the footwork to change me and my thinking. i knew, by lookin at my past, just how good trying worked for me, which was NFS.
i hope you decide you want to get sober and will look for something to help you. you dont have to do it alone.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,442
have you thought about maybe being a little more active in your recovery Tryer?
There's many different approaches and methods of recovery around - here's some links to some of the main players:
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...formation.html
I recommend you visit the Secular Connections forum if you think you may benefit from a non 12 step approach.
The main thing tho - whatever you decide to do - is do something.
In my experience, not doing anything much just leads to more drinking....
D
There's many different approaches and methods of recovery around - here's some links to some of the main players:
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...formation.html
I recommend you visit the Secular Connections forum if you think you may benefit from a non 12 step approach.
The main thing tho - whatever you decide to do - is do something.
In my experience, not doing anything much just leads to more drinking....
D
Groovy Dancer
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: The States
Posts: 4,751
Originally Posted by Threshold 
Running away geographically doesn't protect us from reality. It's STILL a form of running away from reality.And if we don't find a way to address reality, we turn to drinking again and again.
Tryer - I hope you can find what you need to get sober.
Forward we go...side by side-Rest In Peace
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Serene In Dixie
Posts: 36,740
Welcome back...
What specifically did you do during your earlier months of sobriety?
Perhaps that could be useful now? I hope so..
What specifically did you do during your earlier months of sobriety?
Perhaps that could be useful now? I hope so..
Last edited by CarolD; 11-01-2012 at 10:04 PM.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 21
Thanks Tomsteve and Ghostly,
Reminds me of Ubi ubi is, ibi es(wherever you go, there you are) My intention is leave the temptations I'm prone to face where I'm living here, close to a family with mostly alcoholics. PS big JT fan
D74 and CD,
When I was sober for the two months I didn't work, but I did exercise and use AVRT to help with the cravings, and felt much better. I'll try to reflect on that to provide mental strength when fighting the urges in the future...thanks
Reminds me of Ubi ubi is, ibi es(wherever you go, there you are) My intention is leave the temptations I'm prone to face where I'm living here, close to a family with mostly alcoholics. PS big JT fan
D74 and CD,
When I was sober for the two months I didn't work, but I did exercise and use AVRT to help with the cravings, and felt much better. I'll try to reflect on that to provide mental strength when fighting the urges in the future...thanks
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