corriec

So, I was in the shower half an hour back, and suddenly this little voice says : "you're having visitors next weekend, you know. And you have to show them that you're well on the road to being clean and sober. So this might be the last chance in a long time you can have a drink. Go get yourself a bottle, man. There's ice in the freezer, just waiting to be used. One bottle; half tonight and half tomorrow....
So what did I do? Well, here I am, reading threads and posts on SR, while my mouth waters for a shot or a beer. Waiting for 20H00, which is the time the Liquor stores here close. (it's now 18H30, so an hour and a half to go). Fighting it and knowing that this time at least, I'm going to win

biminiblue

I swear, that AV is sneaky! At your most vulnerable shower-time.

I say prayers in the shower. Or recite poetry. It creates orderly thinking.

Have you eaten? I find food always stops the voice, too.

Darth Paul

Take a walk or watch a movie.Coffee, strong coffee helps me.

Leeloo

Can you go for a run or do another form of exercise? Shuts my AV right up. If not a really good movie will bring you right to 20H

PeacefulWater12

I find food is a great cravings buster along with plenty of na drinks. Sometimes a nap does the trick.

The cravings always pass. They do not have to be acted on. hang in there.

Done4today

did you make it?

Stayingsassy

Go for an autumn walk. It’s so beautiful outside this time of year.

Then make yourself some bacon and eggs.

Then finish up some projects around your house or apartment: things you’ve neglected. Clean the bathrooms really well, put out some good towels, buy some candles. Plan an appetizer menu, some good mineral waters. Your visitors will like it.

Take an epsom salt bath. Yeah eve though you’ve had a shower.

Binge on some Netflix or hbo tonight, then get to bed early.

Have a good weekend!

corriec

I totally agree, Bimini. Food, even a drink of water helps. I think it has to do with filling that space in your stomach the AV has reserved for alcohol...

corriec

Watching a movie is no good, Darth. That is one of the times I really enjoy a drink: on the couch with a cold one...

biminiblue

Well, the science of it is that under-eating is a stress for the body. Stress causes a cortisol release. Cortisol is a stress hormone and it increases antsiness, irritability, anxiety among other things - it is Nature's encouragement to go get some food! It's a survival response. It's also why so many people react to stress by eating. It's a fine-tuned system.

Food = Good.

corriec

8H49Pm here, Done4today. Thanks for caring. I sure did. Day thirteen done with, and sober and feeling better all the time. No urge to go out drinking somewhere either; never been much of a pub/party guy after my younger years, which I suppose is something to be grateful for...

PeacefulWater12

Very well done.

corriec

Hi, Stayingsassy. It's Spring in South Africa. And I've just had some buttermilk chicken and greenbeans and carrots mashed with potatoes. Iced water with lemon juice. Watched "Kingsman" and "Taken 3". Had a thunder shower and it's almost time for bed. No bad sweats or insomnia, no bad dreams, no dry mouth and terrible thirst; no hangover tomorrow morning... Thanks for sharing/caring.

corriec

Bimini, I hear you on the food thing, but I think that's one place I'm lucky in. Instead of "fetching" food, I do my own. I love cooking (yes, I'm a straight male - ha,ha); and if there is one thing that really takes the mind of things (like alcohol), it is working with food and cooking...

Stayingsassy

Perfect!

Yeah it helps a lot to remember that very, very rarely did we wake up after drinking feeling good.

We’ve accomplished something awesome. We faced our fears, stepped away from drinking and chose a completely different life. We really are very strong people. People who don’t have the problem we have will never get that, not on the primitive level that we do.