New and ready for sobriety
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London
Posts: 6
New and ready for sobriety
Hello there. I just found this site and it looks great, congratulations to the administrator/s.
I have been misusing alcohol for around 8 years and have tried many different methods of quitting, obviously non of them have worked. This is mainly as i haven't put my faith in some of these methods. I do however believe in a cognitive behavioural approach, but again this hasn't worked. I have been suffering from depression for longer than i have been a problem drinker and yesterday i was given a higher dose of the medication i am on, so it is extremely important that i quit alcohol ASAP, hopefully today.
Can i ask, of all the threads on this site, where is the best place to set up my own sobriety diary?
Thanks for reading
Greg
I have been misusing alcohol for around 8 years and have tried many different methods of quitting, obviously non of them have worked. This is mainly as i haven't put my faith in some of these methods. I do however believe in a cognitive behavioural approach, but again this hasn't worked. I have been suffering from depression for longer than i have been a problem drinker and yesterday i was given a higher dose of the medication i am on, so it is extremely important that i quit alcohol ASAP, hopefully today.
Can i ask, of all the threads on this site, where is the best place to set up my own sobriety diary?
Thanks for reading
Greg
Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: TX
Posts: 542
Hey Greg, welcome to SR. You are right this site is awsome full of some great caring people. Glad you found us. Keep us posted on your progress. I too suffer from depression. I used to use alcohol to self medicate. Which would not have been too bad if it were not for the fact that I'm an alcoholic. Because of this fact once alcohol enters me I lose any ability to control what happens next. The only solutioin for me is no alcohol at all. If you are an alcoholic you should be able to relate. Millions of alcoholics have been able to achieve sobriety, you can be part of that group if you want it bad enough.
Dan
Dan
Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: uk
Posts: 157
hi greg- im new too, not to attempting sobriety (been at that for 6 months or so) but to the forum. so welcome from one newbie to another.
I fell off the wagon again this week but generelly my periods of abstinence are now longer than my periods of drunkeness- id just prefer it if i could find a way of not drinking at all- ever.
Kind of recogising myself that i too have to try something different if i want to achieve LASTING sobriety, i hope joining this is the first step.
Maybe AA on monday another one.good luck.
sn.
I fell off the wagon again this week but generelly my periods of abstinence are now longer than my periods of drunkeness- id just prefer it if i could find a way of not drinking at all- ever.
Kind of recogising myself that i too have to try something different if i want to achieve LASTING sobriety, i hope joining this is the first step.
Maybe AA on monday another one.good luck.
sn.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London
Posts: 6
Thanks fpr the replies. I have had too many painful things happen to me as a result of my drinking and i've had enough these attempts to quit. I lost count years ago of the amount of times i've tried and failed to quit. I will not give in to these irrational thoughts that make drinking seem like a positive. Actions speak louder than words and my action in the past have made me a very isolted person. I have driven many people away from me. I've been in trouble with work, though fortunately i have not been fired. My relationship with my family is now on the rocks. All this mess has been from one culprit, alcohol. I virtually have no self control when alcohol enters my bloodstream. I've had enough of the pain and today i quit, that's it!!!
No one answered my question about the best place to write a diary on here, anyone know?
No one answered my question about the best place to write a diary on here, anyone know?
Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Medina, Ohio
Posts: 372
Greg,
You'll probably hear it a bunch of times but, when you are ready, you should find a local AA meeting and go to it. You will be amazed by the unconditional love shown at these meetings, everyone there is equal, noone is better and noone is worse than you. Go soon and don't rob yourself of anymore of your life or sobriety. I waited a long time and probably, depending on God's will, lost the greatest human being in my life not to mention a lot of good times with my kids. Good luck, John
You'll probably hear it a bunch of times but, when you are ready, you should find a local AA meeting and go to it. You will be amazed by the unconditional love shown at these meetings, everyone there is equal, noone is better and noone is worse than you. Go soon and don't rob yourself of anymore of your life or sobriety. I waited a long time and probably, depending on God's will, lost the greatest human being in my life not to mention a lot of good times with my kids. Good luck, John
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London
Posts: 6
Ok thanks for the support guys. I would like to point one thing out however. I have no problem with whatever path someone chooses to take in their sobriety, but to me i will not go to another AA meeting. I feel that it didn't help me and i don't like the 12 step system. I don't hold the view that alcoholism is a disease and we are somehow have a physical and mental defect to other drinkers. I have no problem with people beliving in their philosphy or using them to get sober. I have come to this site as an alternative and also the SMART recovery.
You are not alone, it will get better I promise, just do not pick up.Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 486
Welcome to SR and keep on posting.
Think about why the methods you have tried are not working. Do they all involve complete abstinance from alcohol?
My toughest dilemna was actually accepting that I cannot drink alcohol because it creates a negative reaction in my mind and body. I tried everything I could possibly try, short of abstinance. I even started to see a psychologist to find the reason that I drank. The pattern that I fell into is that I still wanted to control the situation so I wouldnt have to quit drinking completely. I ended up telling the psychologist everything short of the depth of my alcohol abuse, after all, I just needed the right approach to get me back to being a civilized normal drinker.
Didn't Happen, I can't drink
I finally let go of that false sense of control and started seeking out and listening to people who have successfully stayed sober. I became willing to do whatever it took to not drink.
No matter what recovery plan you come up with, in my experience, it should have some sort of consistant follow up involving other people, it should involve total abstinance, and it should equip you with tools to not pick up a drink.
Good luck in your sobriety and thank you for posting.
Think about why the methods you have tried are not working. Do they all involve complete abstinance from alcohol?
My toughest dilemna was actually accepting that I cannot drink alcohol because it creates a negative reaction in my mind and body. I tried everything I could possibly try, short of abstinance. I even started to see a psychologist to find the reason that I drank. The pattern that I fell into is that I still wanted to control the situation so I wouldnt have to quit drinking completely. I ended up telling the psychologist everything short of the depth of my alcohol abuse, after all, I just needed the right approach to get me back to being a civilized normal drinker.
Didn't Happen, I can't drink
I finally let go of that false sense of control and started seeking out and listening to people who have successfully stayed sober. I became willing to do whatever it took to not drink.
No matter what recovery plan you come up with, in my experience, it should have some sort of consistant follow up involving other people, it should involve total abstinance, and it should equip you with tools to not pick up a drink.
Good luck in your sobriety and thank you for posting.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London
Posts: 6
My goal is total abstinence and it has been for quite a while. The trouble is is that after a few days or weeks without drinking i start to feel a complete abyss in my life, total emptiness and no matter what i try and put in the place of alcohol, it doesn't seem to work. I see alcohol very much in the same light as an abusive relationship. Alcohol has hurt me and destroyed me and i know i'm better off without it, but i'm still in love with it and can't let it go. I don't think there's a better definition of an abusive relationship than that.
1 bite&all resistance crumbles
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: IRELAND
Posts: 2,208
Originally Posted by greggorious 
Ok thanks for the support guys. I would like to point one thing out however. I have no problem with whatever path someone chooses to take in their sobriety, but to me i will not go to another AA meeting. I feel that it didn't help me and i don't like the 12 step system. I don't hold the view that alcoholism is a disease and we are somehow have a physical and mental defect to other drinkers. I have no problem with people beliving in their philosphy or using them to get sober. I have come to this site as an alternative and also the SMART recovery.
It's interesting that you don't believe int he disease model - yet you say in your thread that something happens once alcohol gets into your bloodstream...you lose control. For me that sums up the 'disease' model - our bodies (alcoholics) process alcohol differently - nothing happens to 'normal' drinkers when alcohol gets into their bloodstream apart from a bit of a queasy feeling that's why they put the drinks down!
No trying to convince you otherwise but it appears you do believe that alcohol reacts and makes you into something once it enters your bloodstream which really for me is the 'allergic reaction to alcohol' that AA speaks about. That coupled with the mental obsession "this time it will be different" (sound familiar) are the 2 tenets of alcoholism as described in AA's big book. I think it's fascinating and can definitely relate.Whatever you try - don't try, DO! I believe any program will work if you work it, none if you don't! Simple hey!
Cathy31
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