maz36

Hello everyone,
I'm new here. This is my first night without alcohol in a long time.
I usually drink a bottle of wine every night.
I haven't got any wine for tonight so I envisage a long night.
My plan is to not have any booze in the house (if there was wine here I'd be talking myself into drinking it right now) so I'm worried about fighting temptation not to pick up a bottle of wine tomorrow at the shops. Come 8pm I find I'm able to talk myself into drinking wine, no matter how strong my resolve was that morning.
Any advice/encouragement would be greatly appreciated. And I would of course be happy to offer my support in return.

On The Road

Maz - take it one day at a time. Make sure you go to bed sober tonight.

Then tomorrow, maybe alter your route home so that you don't pass by the liquor store?

Stay around here, lots of good advice. Begin researching how you can develop a sobriety plan for yourself.

IcedVoVo

Hi Maz,

It's my first night, as well. I don't have any advice but want you to know I will be thinking of you. Let's do this--we deserve a better life. It will get a little better each day. It will feel so wonderful to wake up to Day 2.

Thinking of you; stay strong, and I will too.

RBerry

Opivotal

Welcome maz!

I can so relate to your post. I had to remove all alcohol, and not drink no matter what. Change your route home, change what you normally do in the evenings.

Log on here for support, start a new hobby or exercise program. Accept you'll be pretty antsy the first week or so. I was taking it literally minute by minute my first day. I read the forums here, until I was exhausted enough to sleep. I also researched the programs available to help me succeed.

If you haven't seen your Doctor, I would suggest doing that. He can help you get through withdrawal safely.

SoberJohn

Keep your belly full. Have some ice cream available to enjoy.

Take it slow and good luck

ScottFromWI

Welcome maz! There's really 2 things to consider...the immediate one being detox from alcohol. Have you ever quit or gone without drinking for several days in the recent past? If not you may want to check with a doctor to assure a safe detox.

The second part is recovery/sobriety....or how to live without drinking. It's entirely possible of course, and very satistying to boot. Have you considered a formal plan like AA, rehab, counseling, etc?

maz36

Thank you very much for your support. I have not involved my doctor. I am a nurse in a very small community and it would be mortifying. I have read elsewhere that it is very unlikely to have seizures/hallucinations when detoxing from 1 bottle wine a night?

maz36

Thank you. I have never heard of a sobriety plan so I will have to research it.

snarky

NHello there! I too, am a wine person. This girl loved her wine. It didn't love me back, that's for sure. Try not to look at the as "what you're denying yiurself", but rather, what you are gaining. For me, it's gaining freedom from guilt and misery and demons and depression and gaining sun and joy. It's really important to have a plan too. I'm new, but many of our vets have posted some great ideas in the sticky threads. Finally, I strongly suggest finding an aa meeting to go to. One last piece of advice that works for me, take it one day at a time.

zjw

first night i went to bed early. not that i slept but i saw no sense ins taying awake if i coudlnt drink and I figured it'd make it easier to get through that first night and it did .

Hevyn

Hey there Maz - it's wonderful to have you with us.

I was the same when I first quit - very apprehensive about my first days without it. I knew I had to do it - I was far too dependent on it, & drinking every day. After the initial strange feeling, I began to love being free of it. Keeping busy is key - and posting here really helped me. I was jittery and restless, but it all got better. You're doing a great thing.

On The Road

Basically a recovery plan is a list of things you will do to help you stop drinking and remain sober. Things like exercise and hobbies should be a part of just about every recovery plan - but I really believe we also need to specifically address the drinking too. Think about changes you need to make to your life. Not only what you do for fun, the places you hang out and who you hang with, but also deeper change. Try to determine why you drink - stress or boredom, anger, joy, physical or emotional pain, you need new coping mechanisms to deal with all those things. you also need to anticipate those times when you will want to drink or when drink/drugs will be offered to you. Have a strategy in place for dealing with those situations. Ask for help here if you're not sure what to do or how to do it All this can be difficult - which is why support is so important. It might be a Dr or a counsellor, or a group like AA SMART LifeRing or some other alternative...it might be outpatient or inpatient rehab - it might just be SR and other forums/chat rooms... Find a level of support that works for you, and that you are willing to reach out when you're in trouble. Cover these bases, and you'll have the beginnings of a great plan.

Somebody here will post a link for you....

Mountainmanbob

We have to want not to drink more than we want to drink today.
Making a decision to do what's best for ourselves and others.
Truly, if one is a drunk we know that drinking strips us of the good life.
Chose the good life.
MB

REsoberALITY

Welcome Maz36. Always tons of great advice here, you're in the right place. Keep remembering, one day at a time. By this time tomorrow you can say, "I did it the first night, I can do it again." You CAN do this, it's baby steps.

One thing I also found that helped (which I still do) is to keep a bottle of water or cup of coffee with me at all times. I was so used to having a drink in my hand and this seemed to help during the times I was normally drinking.

Wishing you strength and patience tonight.

Soberwolf

Welcome Maz

esoxlucius

Great advice above. One thing that always helps me is looking forward to being clear headed and no hangover in the morning. That way my focus is how good I'm going to feel in the morning.