A rattlesnake in my hand!
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A rattlesnake in my hand!
That's literally how I felt today when I was handed a beer at a party. It was a feeling of panic like I haven't had since my last hangover when I realized it was time to quit, 15 days ago. I said thank you to the person who gave it to me, carried it outside to the yard and left it there on a table. Somebody else drank it later. After about a half hour I felt much better and in fact, I was able to have a lot of fun without drinking a drop of alcohol. Imagine that! 
Getting sober can be a rollercoaster ride, but the moments of peace and joy grow each day and are so much sweeter each time.
I do think the panic was a fear of drinking because I'm holding on to my 15 sober days like they're made of gold, and really, for me they're much more valuable than all the gold in the world.
Hope everyone is having a great, sober weekend,
June
Getting sober can be a rollercoaster ride, but the moments of peace and joy grow each day and are so much sweeter each time. I do think the panic was a fear of drinking because I'm holding on to my 15 sober days like they're made of gold, and really, for me they're much more valuable than all the gold in the world.
Hope everyone is having a great, sober weekend,
June
That's the way it works successfully, one day, moment at a time. BE WELL
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: UK
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Well done. That’s exactly the way.
Have to ask though, what were you thinking being at a party where there was booze being served?
The brain is a devious tool. To get what it wants it will lie to you, it will guide you to places you don’t want to go, it will manipulate your conscious decision making in ways you really can’t imagine.
Well done avoiding the snake, but next time, stay away from snakes in the first place. If booze is not available you can be as tempted as you like and there is no harm can be done.
15 days is awesome. keep racking them up.
Have to ask though, what were you thinking being at a party where there was booze being served?
The brain is a devious tool. To get what it wants it will lie to you, it will guide you to places you don’t want to go, it will manipulate your conscious decision making in ways you really can’t imagine.
Well done avoiding the snake, but next time, stay away from snakes in the first place. If booze is not available you can be as tempted as you like and there is no harm can be done.
15 days is awesome. keep racking them up.
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Thanks, everyone! I do feel like it was a small victory against the alcohol monster.
Degadar, it was my sister's party, so I couldn't really say no since we're a pretty tight family. I do have a drinking family, so I have to learn how to be around their drinking. I didn't really go to parties or bars anyway, other than my family's. My drinking was done mostly at home, in hiding pretty much...so that's been my biggest challenge in quitting- not stopping by the liquor store on the way home on Thursday and Friday nights...
June
Degadar, it was my sister's party, so I couldn't really say no since we're a pretty tight family. I do have a drinking family, so I have to learn how to be around their drinking. I didn't really go to parties or bars anyway, other than my family's. My drinking was done mostly at home, in hiding pretty much...so that's been my biggest challenge in quitting- not stopping by the liquor store on the way home on Thursday and Friday nights...
June
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Originally Posted by Junegirl 
Thanks, everyone! I do feel like it was a small victory against the alcohol monster.
Degadar, it was my sister's party, so I couldn't really say no since we're a pretty tight family. I do have a drinking family, so I have to learn how to be around their drinking. I didn't really go to parties or bars anyway, other than my family's. My drinking was done mostly at home, in hiding pretty much...so that's been my biggest challenge in quitting- not stopping by the liquor store on the way home on Thursday and Friday nights...
June
Degadar, it was my sister's party, so I couldn't really say no since we're a pretty tight family. I do have a drinking family, so I have to learn how to be around their drinking. I didn't really go to parties or bars anyway, other than my family's. My drinking was done mostly at home, in hiding pretty much...so that's been my biggest challenge in quitting- not stopping by the liquor store on the way home on Thursday and Friday nights...
June
Change your route home so you avoid your familiar liquor store completely. Or maybe swap the stop off at Starbucks (other coffee shops are available) in stead so you can hijack the bad routine and turn it into something else.
Your alcoholic brain will be planning on making you run out of something innocent that you can pick up on the way home to get you back into the liquor store. Being ready for it makes it possible to avoid slipping.
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Thanks for the great advice, Degadar! You really get it. My alcoholic brain does scream when I drive by the many different liquor stores I used to visit (I made sure to rotate a lot so the store clerks wouldn't get to know me too much. Crazy what alcoholics do!!) So I'm learning the tricks to not listen to it. There's definitely some legwork in quitting, but I'm finding the changes refreshing. My life had turned into a drunk version of the Groundhog's Day movie. Pathetic!!
June
June
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Originally Posted by Junegirl
My alcoholic brain does scream when I drive by the many different liquor stores I used to visit (I made sure to rotate a lot so the store clerks wouldn't get to know me too much. Crazy what alcoholics do!!) So I'm learning the tricks to not listen to it.
Congratulations to you.
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A year after I quit my mother gave me a bottle of beer for Christmas. Just in case I "fancied a small one”.
You can tell people you’ve quit but that doesn’t mean they’ll necessarily understand. We have to make the journey ourselves and certainly can’t rely on others or blame them if we fail.
You can tell people you’ve quit but that doesn’t mean they’ll necessarily understand. We have to make the journey ourselves and certainly can’t rely on others or blame them if we fail.
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ClearLight,
I've been saying no to my family and friends, but as Degadar said, some of them just don't seem to understand. I think it's because this person, who basically shoved the beer into my hand when I'd just walked in, has a drinking problem himself. He's my sister's partner, so I can't avoid him altogether, but I know now to stay away as much as possible, especially right now when it's still so early in my sobriety. Aahhh, this is definitely work...
June
I've been saying no to my family and friends, but as Degadar said, some of them just don't seem to understand. I think it's because this person, who basically shoved the beer into my hand when I'd just walked in, has a drinking problem himself. He's my sister's partner, so I can't avoid him altogether, but I know now to stay away as much as possible, especially right now when it's still so early in my sobriety. Aahhh, this is definitely work...
June
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Beautiful job. I've had to be around alcohol a couple of times in my "baby sobriety"...cuz well, I can't go live in a cave (if I did, well I'd have to get drunk).
I get so darn happy when I ENJOY myself at social events WITHOUT alcohol..it's like I'm cheating the system! Wahoo!! Look at me having fun for free!!! No hangover..no making an idiot of myself...no danger...yadda yadda. "Do other people know about this???" ..you don't need to drink!!! It's awesome.
Good job.
I get so darn happy when I ENJOY myself at social events WITHOUT alcohol..it's like I'm cheating the system! Wahoo!! Look at me having fun for free!!! No hangover..no making an idiot of myself...no danger...yadda yadda. "Do other people know about this???" ..you don't need to drink!!! It's awesome.
Good job.
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Junegirl, you are FANTASTIC, you didn't drink it. Good for you, proud of ya. Early on I told everybody I quit and went I meet new people I hurt their ears with in the hopes they will leave me alone, and believe me Junegirl there are plenty of people out there who will go out of there way to trip you up, including friends and family members, so do your best to stay away from the rattlesnakes. Rootin or ya.
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Nuudawn, lol! That pretty much says it. Fun without a hefty price to pay! Who knew? Not me. Just finding out now. 
Yes, Nefer, I agree that whenever possible, it's best to just choose healthier environments altogether. I don't think anyone around me is trying to trip me up out of malice, but I'm not taking chances...if you see a pot of crazy, don't go over to it and stir it up, right?
June
Yes, Nefer, I agree that whenever possible, it's best to just choose healthier environments altogether. I don't think anyone around me is trying to trip me up out of malice, but I'm not taking chances...if you see a pot of crazy, don't go over to it and stir it up, right?
June
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