The specifics of a drink/drunk
lillyknitting
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Loughton, Essex, England
Posts: 638
The specifics of a drink/drunk
I thought I would share this as it's very important to my recovery a) in realizing the pattern is exactly the same each time and b) the denial in believing there will be a different ending.
The thought of a drink can manifest itself in more or less three ways: the thought of getting dressed up, ready for the social occasion & just a couple of wines, no more! Just to relax me after a hard working week and that I deserve this lovely time. The second way would be a desire for a drink, craving! The third would be totally caught unawares, a craving, desire which I would usually give in to. Once I have the first drink I want another. Then with the second follows the third. By this time it's usually too late and all reasoning has gone out the window, but there's also the feeling that if I stop here what am I left with? Actually nothing but a headache and feeling lousy. So instead of stopping I would carry on with the resulting ending which was always the same. Hell, horror and hangovers like nervous breakdowns.
All I have to do is smash the thought in my mind right at the very beginning of the desire, the craving, if I smash this to the curb I'm safe. I've won the day this time. It does get easier. Each time I socialize without booze I feel and think what the hell is it all about and why do we need this poison in our lives anyway. Maybe for the majority who can have a drink or two and leave it at that, my husband being one of them, but for a massive part of society it causes terrible problems.
I must also add that a lot of the so-called socializing that I used to do was just an excuse to booze and so therefore I don't do the things or go to the places that I used to. Nor do I mix with the crowd that I used to which was predominantly a booze up. I feel one hundred million times better for it. For surely I would by now have made myself very, very ill indeed, or dead!!! Thoughts please!
The thought of a drink can manifest itself in more or less three ways: the thought of getting dressed up, ready for the social occasion & just a couple of wines, no more! Just to relax me after a hard working week and that I deserve this lovely time. The second way would be a desire for a drink, craving! The third would be totally caught unawares, a craving, desire which I would usually give in to. Once I have the first drink I want another. Then with the second follows the third. By this time it's usually too late and all reasoning has gone out the window, but there's also the feeling that if I stop here what am I left with? Actually nothing but a headache and feeling lousy. So instead of stopping I would carry on with the resulting ending which was always the same. Hell, horror and hangovers like nervous breakdowns.
All I have to do is smash the thought in my mind right at the very beginning of the desire, the craving, if I smash this to the curb I'm safe. I've won the day this time. It does get easier. Each time I socialize without booze I feel and think what the hell is it all about and why do we need this poison in our lives anyway. Maybe for the majority who can have a drink or two and leave it at that, my husband being one of them, but for a massive part of society it causes terrible problems.
I must also add that a lot of the so-called socializing that I used to do was just an excuse to booze and so therefore I don't do the things or go to the places that I used to. Nor do I mix with the crowd that I used to which was predominantly a booze up. I feel one hundred million times better for it. For surely I would by now have made myself very, very ill indeed, or dead!!! Thoughts please!
Forum Leader
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
Good job for thinking it through and staying sober Lily. I would agree that many of my past social activities were merely an excuse to be aound others that were drinking, thus giving me a free pass to drink as much as I pleased. I have been to a few of those places since getting clean, and there is really nothing there for me anymore.
Matt M
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 490
For me, I used to drink because it made me more relaxed, more confident and sociable etc.
But for the past two years, the only reason I drank was to stop the withdrawals, that was it. I know if I kept drinking, the withdrawals would go away.
But obviously it ends up being a never ending downward spiral when that happens.
But for the past two years, the only reason I drank was to stop the withdrawals, that was it. I know if I kept drinking, the withdrawals would go away.
But obviously it ends up being a never ending downward spiral when that happens.
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
