Day 11...bump in the road
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 30
Day 11...bump in the road
Everyone has triggers, but for me, nice weather really does it. Normally I drink alone but I haven't been tempted to do that at all strangely enough.
Today though, a coworker asked me as we were leaving work if I wanted to get a drink...pathetically, I caved. I only had three beers so I didn't completely lose control, but still I an embarrassed and disappointed with myself. Why is this do damn hard?
Today though, a coworker asked me as we were leaving work if I wanted to get a drink...pathetically, I caved. I only had three beers so I didn't completely lose control, but still I an embarrassed and disappointed with myself. Why is this do damn hard?
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Florida., USA
Posts: 3,252
Nice weather is also a huge trigger for me. I'm also early in my sobriety, so it's fortunate for me we don't have nice weather here yet. I'm sorry you drank. However you learned how much of a trigger it is for you. Next time you will be ready for the AV. Dust yourself off and hop back on the wagon. 
12 Step Recovered Alcoholic
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 6,613
My main trigger was consciousness. As long as I wasn't conscious I had no trouble not drinking.
I learned that my reason for drinking was not related to any external circumstance. I learned that through the geographical, getting away from all the people, places and things that made me drink, and still I got drunk. There was no way to arrange my life so I would not have to drink.
It's fair enough to avoid certain triggering situations like bars and parties in early sobriety. You might just avoid a slip and be sober for one more day. But it is not a long term solution, it can never be a permanent way of living. Imagine spending the rest of your life running from triggers?
The problem is internal. Alcoholism. It is not caused by outside events, though it can be aggravated by them. It usually requires a lot of effort to recover.
Just not drinking and trying to avoid triggers doesn't seem to be enough to bring about permanent recovery.
I learned that my reason for drinking was not related to any external circumstance. I learned that through the geographical, getting away from all the people, places and things that made me drink, and still I got drunk. There was no way to arrange my life so I would not have to drink.
It's fair enough to avoid certain triggering situations like bars and parties in early sobriety. You might just avoid a slip and be sober for one more day. But it is not a long term solution, it can never be a permanent way of living. Imagine spending the rest of your life running from triggers?
The problem is internal. Alcoholism. It is not caused by outside events, though it can be aggravated by them. It usually requires a lot of effort to recover.
Just not drinking and trying to avoid triggers doesn't seem to be enough to bring about permanent recovery.
12 Step Recovered Alcoholic
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 6,613
Just thinking about the three beers. The alcoholic mind will be saying I had three and it didn't seem to do any harm. Maybe I can control it afterall. Perhaps next time I'll try four.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 272
Sorry it happened, Carbonite. You had a close call yesterday with a similar situation. What do you think might help you the next time?
It is super hard. But yet we're trying - that must mean we want this badly. We just have to remember how bad we want this when those moments hit. I'm telling myself this constantly.
It is super hard. But yet we're trying - that must mean we want this badly. We just have to remember how bad we want this when those moments hit. I'm telling myself this constantly.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 30
I'm on a trip to Boston this weekend. I plan on staying sober. We told our friends I can't drink due to medication issues, so that should help ease the pressure now that the expectation is set.
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