Friday night horror
natalie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: perth western australia
Posts: 17
Friday night horror
Well its friday 4pm, usually iam drinking at this moment (I want to drink so much) only 4 days sober what a joke. I really want to drink I feel so angry I just want to go to the shop and have a couple of cans HELP. Iam so weak. The cravings for me are bad right now, my body is always being fed with alcohol right at this time. Would it be really that bad if I just have a couple
Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: The Field of Dreams
Posts: 7,249
Welcome back.Im glad your here.4 days is no joke.You are doing great.Hang in there.You dont have to drink.You can do this.Also,I hope you decide to try AA.Pick up the phone and call.What can it hurt?
Paused
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Washington
Posts: 5,093
Would it be really that bad if I just have a couple
LeAnne
Member
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Northern CA
Posts: 1,432
This is something I saved a while ago from an old SMART Recovery email list (now defunct)....these were made up by a group that was brainstorming about situations just like yours:
---------------
"Some tools to help fight urges/cravings.
Note: These are ONLY ideas. Some may help you.
They are not arranged in any order and only you can decide which one/s are
important to you. They are not in any order - nor are they expected to last
very long. Our group just wanted something to tide them over for a little
while.
A. Dealing with urges:
1)mantra(a slogan repeated over and over)
2)chew a piece of gum(eat something)
3)drink something cold(lemonade, soda?),iced tea,iced coffee,milk
4)exercise - go for a run? Do some push ups?
5)yell
6)eat something
7)start something that requires concentration.
8)go to a meeting
9)phone a friend
10)write in a journal
11)take some vitamins
12)think: what will obeying the urge COST me? - what will obeying the urge - do FOR me? Is it really worth the cost?
13)take a nap.
14)drink some (a lot) of something non-alcoholic
15)practice using a different word than drink...see how quickly you can name 10 drinks that don't have alcohol.
16)do not use the words drunk, alcoholic,or any slang words that are substitutes.
17)write a note to the voice that is telling you to use. Review why you wanted to quit. Tell it about it.
18)argue with the voice.Tell it that you are in charge.
19)Create a new reward for yourself another than using.
20)Remind yourself: the urge will go away in a little while.
21)Take a shower.
22)Have sex.
23)Avoid using phrases or words that are associated with using your drug/alcohol - alcoholic, addict, drunk-a-log, dry drunk, sloshed,any "code words" or phrases that refer to drug/alcohol using.
24)Remind yourself: you are breaking a habit or learning an alternative behavior to cope with stress.
25)do a chore
26)stretch
27)think back to your last success event.
28)review why you quit.
29)drink something hot - coffee, tea, chocolate, ovaltine
30)postpone dealing with the urge for five minutes
Hey - some of these may seem strange but they were all suggested by group
members who expressed a concern that sometimes the urges seem so STRONG that it seems impossible to deal with them. You can probably add to the list - it is not carved in stone!"
---------------
"Some tools to help fight urges/cravings.
Note: These are ONLY ideas. Some may help you.
They are not arranged in any order and only you can decide which one/s are
important to you. They are not in any order - nor are they expected to last
very long. Our group just wanted something to tide them over for a little
while.
A. Dealing with urges:
1)mantra(a slogan repeated over and over)
2)chew a piece of gum(eat something)
3)drink something cold(lemonade, soda?),iced tea,iced coffee,milk
4)exercise - go for a run? Do some push ups?
5)yell
6)eat something
7)start something that requires concentration.
8)go to a meeting
9)phone a friend
10)write in a journal
11)take some vitamins
12)think: what will obeying the urge COST me? - what will obeying the urge - do FOR me? Is it really worth the cost?
13)take a nap.
14)drink some (a lot) of something non-alcoholic
15)practice using a different word than drink...see how quickly you can name 10 drinks that don't have alcohol.
16)do not use the words drunk, alcoholic,or any slang words that are substitutes.
17)write a note to the voice that is telling you to use. Review why you wanted to quit. Tell it about it.
18)argue with the voice.Tell it that you are in charge.
19)Create a new reward for yourself another than using.
20)Remind yourself: the urge will go away in a little while.
21)Take a shower.
22)Have sex.
23)Avoid using phrases or words that are associated with using your drug/alcohol - alcoholic, addict, drunk-a-log, dry drunk, sloshed,any "code words" or phrases that refer to drug/alcohol using.
24)Remind yourself: you are breaking a habit or learning an alternative behavior to cope with stress.
25)do a chore
26)stretch
27)think back to your last success event.
28)review why you quit.
29)drink something hot - coffee, tea, chocolate, ovaltine
30)postpone dealing with the urge for five minutes
Hey - some of these may seem strange but they were all suggested by group
members who expressed a concern that sometimes the urges seem so STRONG that it seems impossible to deal with them. You can probably add to the list - it is not carved in stone!"
Member
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Northern CA
Posts: 1,432
Here's another list. The idea is...urges will pass. If you do something else, you may be surprised to find the time has passed and so has the urge.
Take care,
Don S
----------------
100 things to do instead of drinking
1. Read a book
2. Take a walk
3. Play a musical instrument
4. Knit
5. Clean your closets
6. Research your genealogy
7. Cook a gourmet dinner
8. Write an article for your local newspaper
9. Go take some pictures
10. Clean the mildew in your bathroom
11. Start writing that book you've been planning
12. Plan a garden
13. Plant a garden
14. Play with a pet
15. Read to a child
16. Visit someone in an old folks' home
17. Watch a news special on TV
18. Set up a family budget
19. Make a web site
20. Take up archery
21. Exercise
22. Go to an online SMART meeting
23. Surf the internet
24. Call your mom
25. Learn a foreign language
26. Write a poem
27. Play golf
28. Take a bubble bath
29. Draw
30. Teach a parakeet to whistle
31. Take a nap
32. Listen to music
33. Paint
34. Clean your desk
35. Start a stamp collection
36. Go window shopping
37. Browse in a book store
38. Go to an art gallery
39. Go for a drive
40. Paint a room
41. Watch the clouds go by
42. Play darts
43. Do target shooting
44. Do home repairs
45. Clean your garage
46. Sort your photographs
47. Make a scrapbook
48. Climb a tree
49. Plant a tree
50. Make marmalade
51. Make a list of things to do
52. Write a letter to the editor
53. Volunteer somewhere
54. Take a hike
55. Take a college class
56. Try yoga
57. Meditate
58. Get a massage
59. Make fruit smoothies
60. Bake cookies
61. Do a crossword puzzle
62. Go to the gym
63. Plant a color bowl
64. Sharpen your pruning tools
65. Change your engine oil
66. Sew
67. Groom your dog
68. Go see a play
69. Write a sonnet
70. Sort your recipes
71. Play solitaire
72. Go bird watching
73. Write a letter to a friend
74. Read poetry
75. Repot your house plants
76. Go to a movie
77. Mow your lawn
78. Take down your Christmas lights
79. Make pickles
80. Go jogging
81. Watch sitcoms
82. Plan menus for a diet
83. Do a jigsaw puzzle
84. Play chess
85. Write a country-western song
86. Watch a video
87. Go for a bike ride
88. Plant an herb garden
89. Start an online journal
90. Dye your hair
91. Go to a restaurant
92. Lift weights
93. Bake some bread
94. Learn a martial art
95. Polish the furniture
96. Make a flower arrangement
97. Read the newspaper
98. Start some seeds
99. Sort your magazines
100. Go to bed.
Take care,
Don S
----------------
100 things to do instead of drinking
1. Read a book
2. Take a walk
3. Play a musical instrument
4. Knit
5. Clean your closets
6. Research your genealogy
7. Cook a gourmet dinner
8. Write an article for your local newspaper
9. Go take some pictures
10. Clean the mildew in your bathroom
11. Start writing that book you've been planning
12. Plan a garden
13. Plant a garden
14. Play with a pet
15. Read to a child
16. Visit someone in an old folks' home
17. Watch a news special on TV
18. Set up a family budget
19. Make a web site
20. Take up archery
21. Exercise
22. Go to an online SMART meeting
23. Surf the internet
24. Call your mom
25. Learn a foreign language
26. Write a poem
27. Play golf
28. Take a bubble bath
29. Draw
30. Teach a parakeet to whistle
31. Take a nap
32. Listen to music
33. Paint
34. Clean your desk
35. Start a stamp collection
36. Go window shopping
37. Browse in a book store
38. Go to an art gallery
39. Go for a drive
40. Paint a room
41. Watch the clouds go by
42. Play darts
43. Do target shooting
44. Do home repairs
45. Clean your garage
46. Sort your photographs
47. Make a scrapbook
48. Climb a tree
49. Plant a tree
50. Make marmalade
51. Make a list of things to do
52. Write a letter to the editor
53. Volunteer somewhere
54. Take a hike
55. Take a college class
56. Try yoga
57. Meditate
58. Get a massage
59. Make fruit smoothies
60. Bake cookies
61. Do a crossword puzzle
62. Go to the gym
63. Plant a color bowl
64. Sharpen your pruning tools
65. Change your engine oil
66. Sew
67. Groom your dog
68. Go see a play
69. Write a sonnet
70. Sort your recipes
71. Play solitaire
72. Go bird watching
73. Write a letter to a friend
74. Read poetry
75. Repot your house plants
76. Go to a movie
77. Mow your lawn
78. Take down your Christmas lights
79. Make pickles
80. Go jogging
81. Watch sitcoms
82. Plan menus for a diet
83. Do a jigsaw puzzle
84. Play chess
85. Write a country-western song
86. Watch a video
87. Go for a bike ride
88. Plant an herb garden
89. Start an online journal
90. Dye your hair
91. Go to a restaurant
92. Lift weights
93. Bake some bread
94. Learn a martial art
95. Polish the furniture
96. Make a flower arrangement
97. Read the newspaper
98. Start some seeds
99. Sort your magazines
100. Go to bed.
Member
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Northern CA
Posts: 1,432
Also, keep in mind that your blood sugar and eating cycles are off, especially after a couple of days without alcohol. Drink some fruit juice, eat light meals and snacks, be careful about sugar and caffeine, and some exercise is often helpful.
And keep posting....
Don
And keep posting....
Don
natalie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: perth western australia
Posts: 17
Thankyou so much don but I know I can beat this. I dont want to be known as "Natalie is a drunk" anymore. I want to become a person of good health and a person known for something better.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: The Field of Dreams
Posts: 7,249
Originally Posted by Don S
This is something I saved a while ago from an old SMART Recovery email list (now defunct)....these were made up by a group that was brainstorming about situations just like yours:
---------------
"Some tools to help fight urges/cravings.
Note: These are ONLY ideas. Some may help you.
They are not arranged in any order and only you can decide which one/s are
important to you. They are not in any order - nor are they expected to last
very long. Our group just wanted something to tide them over for a little
while.
A. Dealing with urges:
1)mantra(a slogan repeated over and over)
2)chew a piece of gum(eat something)
3)drink something cold(lemonade, soda?),iced tea,iced coffee,milk
4)exercise - go for a run? Do some push ups?
5)yell
6)eat something
7)start something that requires concentration.
8)go to a meeting
9)phone a friend
10)write in a journal
11)take some vitamins
12)think: what will obeying the urge COST me? - what will obeying the urge - do FOR me? Is it really worth the cost?
13)take a nap.
14)drink some (a lot) of something non-alcoholic
15)practice using a different word than drink...see how quickly you can name 10 drinks that don't have alcohol.
16)do not use the words drunk, alcoholic,or any slang words that are substitutes.
17)write a note to the voice that is telling you to use. Review why you wanted to quit. Tell it about it.
18)argue with the voice.Tell it that you are in charge.
19)Create a new reward for yourself another than using.
20)Remind yourself: the urge will go away in a little while.
21)Take a shower.
22)Have sex.
23)Avoid using phrases or words that are associated with using your drug/alcohol - alcoholic, addict, drunk-a-log, dry drunk, sloshed,any "code words" or phrases that refer to drug/alcohol using.
24)Remind yourself: you are breaking a habit or learning an alternative behavior to cope with stress.
25)do a chore
26)stretch
27)think back to your last success event.
28)review why you quit.
29)drink something hot - coffee, tea, chocolate, ovaltine
30)postpone dealing with the urge for five minutes
Hey - some of these may seem strange but they were all suggested by group
members who expressed a concern that sometimes the urges seem so STRONG that it seems impossible to deal with them. You can probably add to the list - it is not carved in stone!"
---------------
"Some tools to help fight urges/cravings.
Note: These are ONLY ideas. Some may help you.
They are not arranged in any order and only you can decide which one/s are
important to you. They are not in any order - nor are they expected to last
very long. Our group just wanted something to tide them over for a little
while.
A. Dealing with urges:
1)mantra(a slogan repeated over and over)
2)chew a piece of gum(eat something)
3)drink something cold(lemonade, soda?),iced tea,iced coffee,milk
4)exercise - go for a run? Do some push ups?
5)yell
6)eat something
7)start something that requires concentration.
8)go to a meeting
9)phone a friend
10)write in a journal
11)take some vitamins
12)think: what will obeying the urge COST me? - what will obeying the urge - do FOR me? Is it really worth the cost?
13)take a nap.
14)drink some (a lot) of something non-alcoholic
15)practice using a different word than drink...see how quickly you can name 10 drinks that don't have alcohol.
16)do not use the words drunk, alcoholic,or any slang words that are substitutes.
17)write a note to the voice that is telling you to use. Review why you wanted to quit. Tell it about it.
18)argue with the voice.Tell it that you are in charge.
19)Create a new reward for yourself another than using.
20)Remind yourself: the urge will go away in a little while.
21)Take a shower.
22)Have sex.
23)Avoid using phrases or words that are associated with using your drug/alcohol - alcoholic, addict, drunk-a-log, dry drunk, sloshed,any "code words" or phrases that refer to drug/alcohol using.
24)Remind yourself: you are breaking a habit or learning an alternative behavior to cope with stress.
25)do a chore
26)stretch
27)think back to your last success event.
28)review why you quit.
29)drink something hot - coffee, tea, chocolate, ovaltine
30)postpone dealing with the urge for five minutes
Hey - some of these may seem strange but they were all suggested by group
members who expressed a concern that sometimes the urges seem so STRONG that it seems impossible to deal with them. You can probably add to the list - it is not carved in stone!"
Member
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: England
Posts: 108
Hi Natalie,
Friday night is always my most trying night. Ive got 5 days and starting number 6 (again!) and with you being 12 hours ahead my Friday night is still ahead of me. These guys are right , keep busy do anything to keep your mind active and away from those cr**py thoughts. Boring tho it sounds its the first drink that does the harm. Just keep doing anything.......except drink, thats just tooooooooooo easy!
This WILL pass
Good luck
Pete
p.s Have an ice cream, I hear its good in Aus!
Friday night is always my most trying night. Ive got 5 days and starting number 6 (again!) and with you being 12 hours ahead my Friday night is still ahead of me. These guys are right , keep busy do anything to keep your mind active and away from those cr**py thoughts. Boring tho it sounds its the first drink that does the harm. Just keep doing anything.......except drink, thats just tooooooooooo easy!
This WILL pass
Good luck
Pete
p.s Have an ice cream, I hear its good in Aus!
Member
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Northern CA
Posts: 1,432
I don't know, I was thinking #21 might be in order!
Hey, Natalie, good health is one of the great benefits of quitting. I mentioned the diet thing because it's amazing how many calories, and how much sugar in some cases, we consume when we drink heavily. 1000 or more a day in many cases, and of course we have certain times of day when we were expecting a pretty big dose of those calories. I went through about a half-gallon of cranberry juice a day at first. I used to mix it with seltzer water in tumblers, partly to substitute for the 'feel' of my previous drinking and partly to keep my blood sugar on an even keel.
I also had difficulty sleeping at first, so I drank herbal teas--chamomile, and valerian (which tastes awful but is a natural sleep aid). I noticed that my sleep was better, though, and learned I could get by with a lot fewer hours than I used to 'need'.
Planning ahead for those old drinking times is important--planning your diet, planning for your moods, and planning how to fill the time. Restlessness and boredom can be real problems. Drinking is a remarkably passive activity for most people.
To repeat something I've posted elsewhere: people who achieve longterm sobriety have three characteristics in common.
They make a firm commitment to abstinence.
They make lifestyle changes to enhance that commitment.
They plan and practice for urges.
Lapses are not inevitable, but they usually can be prevented by focusing on those three areas of change.
Take care, and keep posting!
Don S
Hey, Natalie, good health is one of the great benefits of quitting. I mentioned the diet thing because it's amazing how many calories, and how much sugar in some cases, we consume when we drink heavily. 1000 or more a day in many cases, and of course we have certain times of day when we were expecting a pretty big dose of those calories. I went through about a half-gallon of cranberry juice a day at first. I used to mix it with seltzer water in tumblers, partly to substitute for the 'feel' of my previous drinking and partly to keep my blood sugar on an even keel.
I also had difficulty sleeping at first, so I drank herbal teas--chamomile, and valerian (which tastes awful but is a natural sleep aid). I noticed that my sleep was better, though, and learned I could get by with a lot fewer hours than I used to 'need'.
Planning ahead for those old drinking times is important--planning your diet, planning for your moods, and planning how to fill the time. Restlessness and boredom can be real problems. Drinking is a remarkably passive activity for most people.
To repeat something I've posted elsewhere: people who achieve longterm sobriety have three characteristics in common.
They make a firm commitment to abstinence.
They make lifestyle changes to enhance that commitment.
They plan and practice for urges.
Lapses are not inevitable, but they usually can be prevented by focusing on those three areas of change.
Take care, and keep posting!
Don S
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