Day 2 and going out of my mind already
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Midwest
Posts: 158
Day 2 and going out of my mind already
As the title says it's only been 24 hours without a drink and this morning I woke up craving Baileys on the rocks since it's my go to drink. I even looked up non alcoholic recipes for this, but as my friend warned it's too close to the real thing. I feel like a child throwing a fit because I want it so bad and now that it's no more it's making me go nuts. I wonder if the cravings will ever stop I don't know how I'm going to last an entire month this way. I feel like I will eventually crack and give in.
Canine Welfare Advocate
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Norfolk, VA
Posts: 10,962
Two days is awesome!
"I wonder if the cravings will ever stop"
Of course they stop, or else no one would be happy in recovery. But not in two days.
You need to put something in place to prevent you from giving in. A recovery plan. That's why face-to-face support is so often recommended. AA, for instance. Then someone can guide you though the recovery process. But if you are just going to sit there and white knuckle your way through sobriety, you are going to struggle.
"I wonder if the cravings will ever stop"
Of course they stop, or else no one would be happy in recovery. But not in two days.
You need to put something in place to prevent you from giving in. A recovery plan. That's why face-to-face support is so often recommended. AA, for instance. Then someone can guide you though the recovery process. But if you are just going to sit there and white knuckle your way through sobriety, you are going to struggle.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Posts: 4,053
I am proud of you for beginning your journey. I cannot promise you it will be easy but I can promise you it will be worth it. It is different for everybody but here is some information.
I can only share what others have shared with me because I never experienced the physical craving for alcohol that many of us have. Some say that exercise helps, also eating something sweet.
Here is some information on cravings you might find helpful:
Having stopped alcohol use, the frequency, intensity and duration of cravings differ from person to person. The bad news is they occur; the good news is that over time they generally lessen in frequency and duration.
The trick is to stay safe while riding out the wave. One way to view abstinence and sobriety is simply preparing for that moment when a craving occurs, nobody is watching, and nobody would know if you used, except you. What do you do?
What follows are some tips and tools that may get you through that moment of danger. Not all tips work for all people, the trick is to find the one that will work for you.
1. Buy yourself some time, distract yourself with exercise, work or cleaning, get busy. Put yourself in a safe place where alcohol is not available. Cravings pass with time.
2. Play the movie forward....remember that we are talking about 'just one'. Once you pick up, control goes out the window.
3. Talk to someone. This is the purpose of building a social network, utilize it. Go to a meeting, call your sponsor, best friend, relative or counselor. Talking it out with someone who really understands helps prevent a return to active alcoholism.
4. Pray or meditate. Ask for help in just getting through this. Use the Serenity Prayer. The point is to ask for help outside yourself.
5. Remember the pain and bad times, and the fact that you would be risking everything good that you have worked so hard for. Try focusing in the positive, not drinking and all the reasons you should not do it.
6. H.A.L.T. Hungry, angry, lonely, tired: If you are in any of these states, fix it. Eat, sleep, chill out, go visit someone.
7. Remember a craving will pass with time and when it's through, you come out on the other side even stronger.
Hopefully this information will help you. Just remember the craving will pass. I will be thinking of you.
I can only share what others have shared with me because I never experienced the physical craving for alcohol that many of us have. Some say that exercise helps, also eating something sweet.
Here is some information on cravings you might find helpful:
Having stopped alcohol use, the frequency, intensity and duration of cravings differ from person to person. The bad news is they occur; the good news is that over time they generally lessen in frequency and duration.
The trick is to stay safe while riding out the wave. One way to view abstinence and sobriety is simply preparing for that moment when a craving occurs, nobody is watching, and nobody would know if you used, except you. What do you do?
What follows are some tips and tools that may get you through that moment of danger. Not all tips work for all people, the trick is to find the one that will work for you.
1. Buy yourself some time, distract yourself with exercise, work or cleaning, get busy. Put yourself in a safe place where alcohol is not available. Cravings pass with time.
2. Play the movie forward....remember that we are talking about 'just one'. Once you pick up, control goes out the window.
3. Talk to someone. This is the purpose of building a social network, utilize it. Go to a meeting, call your sponsor, best friend, relative or counselor. Talking it out with someone who really understands helps prevent a return to active alcoholism.
4. Pray or meditate. Ask for help in just getting through this. Use the Serenity Prayer. The point is to ask for help outside yourself.
5. Remember the pain and bad times, and the fact that you would be risking everything good that you have worked so hard for. Try focusing in the positive, not drinking and all the reasons you should not do it.
6. H.A.L.T. Hungry, angry, lonely, tired: If you are in any of these states, fix it. Eat, sleep, chill out, go visit someone.
7. Remember a craving will pass with time and when it's through, you come out on the other side even stronger.
Hopefully this information will help you. Just remember the craving will pass. I will be thinking of you.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,550
Supports very important pinktee. Do you feel you have enough support?
I also think it's important to make changes - don't hang in bars for a while, don;t linger in the alcohol aisles at the supermarket - change your routine around the times you usually drank - you may even need to let a few drinking buddies go for a little while?
D
I also think it's important to make changes - don't hang in bars for a while, don;t linger in the alcohol aisles at the supermarket - change your routine around the times you usually drank - you may even need to let a few drinking buddies go for a little while?
D
Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Gulf Coast, Florida USA
Posts: 5,731
Originally Posted by pinktee18 
As the title says it's only been 24 hours without a drink and this morning I woke up craving Baileys on the rocks since it's my go to drink. I even looked up non alcoholic recipes for this, but as my friend warned it's too close to the real thing. I feel like a child throwing a fit because I want it so bad and now that it's no more it's making me go nuts. I wonder if the cravings will ever stop I don't know how I'm going to last an entire month this way. I feel like I will eventually crack and give in.
U look at any of the stuff I sent u?
Grateful to be free
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Arizona
Posts: 3,680
good news pinktee...rather than getting worse...sobriety gets better. So it's not like "oh no, today is so bad, I can't stand the rest of my life like this." the good news is, you don't have to. The rest of your life can get better and better and if you don't give in to today's lousy and drink...you don't have to go through withdrawal again!
Choosing to be clean today, makes for a BETTER tomorrow. Drinking today, means the whole mess starts again.
You can do it!
Choosing to be clean today, makes for a BETTER tomorrow. Drinking today, means the whole mess starts again.
You can do it!
Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Canada. About as far south as you can get
Posts: 4,768
Originally Posted by pinktee18
As the title says it's only been 24 hours without a drink and this morning I woke up craving Baileys on the rocks since it's my go to drink. I even looked up non alcoholic recipes for this, but as my friend warned it's too close to the real thing. I feel like a child throwing a fit because I want it so bad and now that it's no more it's making me go nuts. I wonder if the cravings will ever stop I don't know how I'm going to last an entire month this way. I feel like I will eventually crack and give in.
The only thing that I found that got me sober and keeps me sober is AA.
When I was younger I could quit for a day, a week, I even quit for 5 months one time .... but I couldn't STAY quit because I wasn't addressing my root problem(s).
I knew I was an alcoholic when I was 20 and came to AA at 45 yrs old. There was 25 yrs there that could have been a hell of a lot better.
Sobriety and problem addressing are handled in/by the program of AA.
If you can "try harder" and recover ... go for it.
If you can "make up your mind" and recover ... then do it.
If you are in the end "powerless" then come to AA with me and get sober, sane and content.
All the best.
Bob R
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Midwest
Posts: 158
I found some local AA meetings and I think I finally have the courage to attend one. My problem with groups is that it usually ends up being awkward for me because I'm usually the youngest one and it doesn't help that I look younger than my actual age which makes me feel even more out of place.
Community Greeter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,623
Hi pink. 
I'm sorry you're miserable, but as the others said it will definitely not stay this way! The anxiety will ease up. One day you'll wake up feeling calm and filled with hope. You can do this, pink. 
I'm sorry you're miserable, but as the others said it will definitely not stay this way! The anxiety will ease up. One day you'll wake up feeling calm and filled with hope. You can do this, pink. Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: northern michigan. not the U.P.
Posts: 15,281
when I got into recovery through AA, I didn't have a problem with the cravings, compulsion, or obsession at 1st. I was too dam miserable.
but it didn't take long and it started happening. 2 great things helped me:
I knew that a drink was no longer gonna help anything.
them people in AA helped me see that as longs as I wanted it and was willing to go to any length to get sober, the cravings,compulsion, and obsession would disappear.
the 1st day I made it 24 hours without even thinkin about having a drink was a freedom I had never experienced and left me wanting more!! it felt great!!!
but it didn't take long and it started happening. 2 great things helped me:
I knew that a drink was no longer gonna help anything.
them people in AA helped me see that as longs as I wanted it and was willing to go to any length to get sober, the cravings,compulsion, and obsession would disappear.
the 1st day I made it 24 hours without even thinkin about having a drink was a freedom I had never experienced and left me wanting more!! it felt great!!!
Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: northern michigan. not the U.P.
Posts: 15,281
Originally Posted by pinktee18
I found some local AA meetings and I think I finally have the courage to attend one. My problem with groups is that it usually ends up being awkward for me because I'm usually the youngest one and it doesn't help that I look younger than my actual age which makes me feel even more out of place.
we stopped drinkin and quite a few of us did it when we were young farts!
forgot to add:
look up YPAA:
YPAA.INFO = The International YPAA Intergroup
there could be meetings near ya.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Midwest
Posts: 158
It's just awkward because I don't feel I have much in common with those at group meetings who are in their 30s and beyond. It's just weird for me and for those who are 30 and older it's hard to fit in when you're 24 and on a whole different level than them. I'm not against checking it out, but if it's too awkward for me I'll find a different group or something. It makes me wish they had groups specifically for young adults because you're no longer a teenager, but are on a different level life wise compared to those who are a lot older. No offense to those on this board, but for me it's just a concern.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: northern michigan. not the U.P.
Posts: 15,281
Originally Posted by pinktee18
It's just awkward because I don't feel I have much in common with those at group meetings who are in their 30s and beyond. It's just weird for me and for those who are 30 and older it's hard to fit in when you're 24 and on a whole different level than them. I'm not against checking it out, but if it's too awkward for me I'll find a different group or something. It makes me wish they had groups specifically for young adults because you're no longer a teenager, but are on a different level life wise compared to those who are a lot older. No offense to those on this board, but for me it's just a concern.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Mid-Atlantic USA
Posts: 2,441
Originally Posted by pinktee18
It's just awkward because I don't feel I have much in common with those at group meetings who are in their 30s and beyond. It's just weird for me and for those who are 30 and older it's hard to fit in when you're 24 and on a whole different level than them. I'm not against checking it out, but if it's too awkward for me I'll find a different group or something. It makes me wish they had groups specifically for young adults because you're no longer a teenager, but are on a different level life wise compared to those who are a lot older. No offense to those on this board, but for me it's just a concern.
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