Mountainmanbob

There really has not been one reason for me to wish to take a drink for the past 10 years. There have been many times that I have thought to myself -- back in my old drinking days I would have got drunk over this but, not today because I no longer run to the bottle when things get rough. Thank God I came to the point in time where I Made A Firm Decision to never drink again for I had been burnt by the Liquid Devil enough.

Reason for this thread.
How many times when sober in the past did I talk myself back into drinking using some phoney excuse? Many, many, many.

Just for example.
Once I wanted to show my ex wife how displeased I was with her.
So I drank with close to three years sober.
That didn't turn out very well.

Another time I just didn't think of the consequences.
Talked myself into drinking.
Brought on more years of misery for myself and others.

Another time at a wedding reception I felt very tight.
I thought that just (a couple) of beers would help?
That was the beginning of yet another hard long run.

My list could go on for a while.
Would you feel free to add some phoney reasons to drink today.
May be of some help for someone?

Have a blessed sober day,
M-Bob

corriec

Because a half a dozen guys just walked past my townhouse with ice-cold beer/longnecks, and its about a 100 in the shade...

Bunny211

Because my coworkers are all my age and they all drink and go out to bars after work and I want to fit in.

Because I work hard and I'm stressed and I deserve it.

Because it will make dating a whole heck of a lot easier and more fun.

Because I am bored (sad, lonely, angry, happy....you name it).

Fusion

It's just the AV. Once the neuronal feedback loop circuits are laid down in the brain, due to excessive drinking, they remain, they just become overgrown, but they still exist, and might chirp up, even if it's only once every ten years. If you take away the AVs power, the AV is just like a fly, once you've gone through withdrawal, just swat it away. If you assign the AV a fear status, you'll struggle and fight and feed it like oxygen does a fire. Just swat and dismiss the AV.

Doug39

In 2013 I managed 4 months without a drink.

When I started up again it was the classic "this time it will be different" and I would only drink a few beers here and there, not get drunk, and only drink socially.

That plan lasted a few weeks and then I was back to constant drunkenness for 3 more years until I quit on 10/24/2016.

aasharon90

Over the past 27 yrs of continuous sobriety
I haven't found it necessary to pick up a drink
of poison or return to my alcohol addiction
or thought alcohol would make living life on
life's terms any better.

It has been thru the Grace of my Higher Power,
God of my understanding, folks like you here
in SR, and the program of AA that I continully
turn to, to help solve many of my life's situations,
no matter if it is mentally, emotionally, spiritually,
physically, financially, etc.

Today I know I can return to the basics of
my program as a healthy affective solution,
keeping it simple, remaining teachable
and helping others still struggling with
addiction to help me stay on track and
continue trudging this road of recovery
with humility, patience, kindness and
understanding.

Recovery is one heck of a gift filled
with many blessings that I am truly
grateful for.

The gift of life. A happy, free, honest life.

least

Yesterday I thought I was going to lose my sweet old man Jack. That would have been (in the past) a perfect "excuse" to drink. Not anymore. When I woke up this morning, he was fine and I was grateful to God for giving me more time with him.

ScottFromWI

Towards the end for me, i didn't even need an excuse - I just drank all day/every day. The people around me that cared gave up on even asking for me to provide one either as they knew it would just be another lie.

tomsteve

like scott, there was a point in my life i crossed the line into full blown alcoholism. i stopped coming up with reasons or excuses and drank because i couldnt not drink. no matter how much i didnt want to nor how much i fought, i couldnt not drink. i couldnt get rid of the mental obsession on my own.

ChloeRose63

I wanted to drink today so it would be more fun to get some holiday decorations out of the basement.

Then, I thought...those decorations can wait until I am really in the mood!

scaredikklegoth

All the usual crap really. I'm bored, I'm sad, I'm tired, I can't sleep, I'm annoyed, I'm having a nice day, on and on and on. It all seems so stupid now.

zjw

I have yet to act upon it but I've had that thought. I'll show her.. I'll start drinking again that'll show her...

Mountainmanbob

Those were my exact thoughts on that day. Self destruct -- self deception one more time.

M-Bob

ForestFrenzy

Because I am doing so well and things are looking great from every angle, drinking will be happy and enjoyable.

What a load of BS! I am doing so well that I must therefore sabotage the successes I worked so hard to earn?! Never mind how easily we forget that there is no such thing as one night of drinking - once we've awoken the monster it's a SOB to put back to sleep.

JScatt

In my last days my reason was pretty much "Well, its 6am, the liquor store is open"
I really never had any major triggers/reasons. I had an on/ off switch in my head, switch off I could do 3 or 4 months dry easy but then out of the blue the switch would be turned on and I'm "Welp, I'm gunna start up again"
I can say one thing, the more years I drank the longer the switched stayed on.

Grungehead

It will make all my problems go away.

For years alcohol was the solution to my problems, kind of like an aspirin is the solution to a toothache.

SteelRes211

Waking up every morning was a good enough reason for me to drink. Every situation I encountered was a reason to drink, good day/bad day it really did not matter.

Carlotta

I have been feelings overwhelmed lately (lots on my plate) and I also have been struggling with physical pain.
Those are not reasons to drink.
I am approaching 5 years sober (which is how long I was sober before my relapse) and I will be damned if I let my AV get the best of me.
Thankfully, I have no desire to drink but if the thought pops up I would definitely not cave in this time around. There are no good reasons to drink, just excuses.

waynetheking

I drank to escape reality. Thank God that's not how it is today.

Kost

I drank last night because the night before I drank quickly and early and as usual on an empty stomach, so I could get drunk quicker. It worked but I woke up at 2am and couldn't get back to sleep. Yesterday was Day 1 and I planned to go to the gym with some friends so I wouldn't go straight home from work and drink as normal.

I couldn't go to the gym yesterday as I was dog-tired and felt like ****. So, I drank early and on an empty stomach but had a reasonable night's sleep as I was so tired and today is Day 1 and am going to the gym.

The sheer madness of it.