Up and down!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Cape Town South Africa
Posts: 2
Up and down!
I have for years fooled myself for years into believing that I am not an alcoholic.....
A few years back I had a vision of loosing everything, my family, my business and even my life as a result of alcohol.
The terrible thing is that whenever there is a disaster in my life it has been a result of alcohol.
I am 6 days sober. Where my real problem lies is that I fool myself into thinking that I am not a soak.
All my soak friends tell me that I am being silly when I say this.
When I have been sober for a bit of time I feel that I am cured and as such end up back to the 6 beers a day and bottle of wine down and where hangovers no longer hurt and that grey cloud in the morning is just all part of the day.
Last night I was meant to go out and see a band playing but declined as I said I did not feel strong enough....this did not go down well with the guy who I was meant to go out with but I attained this hurdle as I knew it would be an evening of beers and shooters.
I am to attend an out of town work conference/**** up next week where I will meet with clients and peers many of who are alcoholics.
From years of attending these functions I know that it ends up being a very drunken affair with the free drinks etc.
I have to attend it for work resons but am thinking how I am I going to cope. Yes I know?
Just don't have a drink but what do I say? and how do I get around it? I am strong here at 8 am in the morning but when the free icy ales are flowing and the music is beating it is not that easy!
Part of me thinks of slipping away early and going to a movie or attending my first ever alcoholics meeting?
A few years back I had a vision of loosing everything, my family, my business and even my life as a result of alcohol.
The terrible thing is that whenever there is a disaster in my life it has been a result of alcohol.
I am 6 days sober. Where my real problem lies is that I fool myself into thinking that I am not a soak.
All my soak friends tell me that I am being silly when I say this.
When I have been sober for a bit of time I feel that I am cured and as such end up back to the 6 beers a day and bottle of wine down and where hangovers no longer hurt and that grey cloud in the morning is just all part of the day.
Last night I was meant to go out and see a band playing but declined as I said I did not feel strong enough....this did not go down well with the guy who I was meant to go out with but I attained this hurdle as I knew it would be an evening of beers and shooters.
I am to attend an out of town work conference/**** up next week where I will meet with clients and peers many of who are alcoholics.
From years of attending these functions I know that it ends up being a very drunken affair with the free drinks etc.
I have to attend it for work resons but am thinking how I am I going to cope. Yes I know?
Just don't have a drink but what do I say? and how do I get around it? I am strong here at 8 am in the morning but when the free icy ales are flowing and the music is beating it is not that easy!
Part of me thinks of slipping away early and going to a movie or attending my first ever alcoholics meeting?
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,386
Hi Coasting
Welcome to SR
I had much the same problem - I was a musician - I felt it impossible for me to refuse the ales...I'd always intend to sit on one or two all night but of course it never worked out like that.
I'd get myself into all manner of strife...but still I could not refuse those offers.
I kept drinking as the years went by..eventually I lost my career, a lot of friends and all my self respect...I nearly lost my life.
Alcoholism really is progressive.
I wish I could go back 10, 15 years and just say 'no thanks mate - I don't drink' 'or no thanks - I'm not drinking'.
You have that chance, Coasting.
Sounds to me you know what drinking does to you, and you know what you should do.
An AA meeting sounds like a great idea too - what have you got to lose?
D
Welcome to SR
I had much the same problem - I was a musician - I felt it impossible for me to refuse the ales...I'd always intend to sit on one or two all night but of course it never worked out like that.
I'd get myself into all manner of strife...but still I could not refuse those offers.
I kept drinking as the years went by..eventually I lost my career, a lot of friends and all my self respect...I nearly lost my life.
Alcoholism really is progressive.
I wish I could go back 10, 15 years and just say 'no thanks mate - I don't drink' 'or no thanks - I'm not drinking'.
You have that chance, Coasting.
Sounds to me you know what drinking does to you, and you know what you should do.
An AA meeting sounds like a great idea too - what have you got to lose?
D
Last edited by Dee74; 05-01-2010 at 12:12 AM.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,279
Originally Posted by Coasting 
I have for years fooled myself for years into believing that I am not an alcoholic.....
A few years back I had a vision of loosing everything, my family, my business and even my life as a result of alcohol.
The terrible thing is that whenever there is a disaster in my life it has been a result of alcohol.
I am 6 days sober. Where my real problem lies is that I fool myself into thinking that I am not a soak.
All my soak friends tell me that I am being silly when I say this.
When I have been sober for a bit of time I feel that I am cured and as such end up back to the 6 beers a day and bottle of wine down and where hangovers no longer hurt and that grey cloud in the morning is just all part of the day.
Last night I was meant to go out and see a band playing but declined as I said I did not feel strong enough....this did not go down well with the guy who I was meant to go out with but I attained this hurdle as I knew it would be an evening of beers and shooters.
I am to attend an out of town work conference/**** up next week where I will meet with clients and peers many of who are alcoholics.
From years of attending these functions I know that it ends up being a very drunken affair with the free drinks etc.
I have to attend it for work resons but am thinking how I am I going to cope. Yes I know?
Just don't have a drink but what do I say? and how do I get around it? I am strong here at 8 am in the morning but when the free icy ales are flowing and the music is beating it is not that easy!
Part of me thinks of slipping away early and going to a movie or attending my first ever alcoholics meeting?
A few years back I had a vision of loosing everything, my family, my business and even my life as a result of alcohol.
The terrible thing is that whenever there is a disaster in my life it has been a result of alcohol.
I am 6 days sober. Where my real problem lies is that I fool myself into thinking that I am not a soak.
All my soak friends tell me that I am being silly when I say this.
When I have been sober for a bit of time I feel that I am cured and as such end up back to the 6 beers a day and bottle of wine down and where hangovers no longer hurt and that grey cloud in the morning is just all part of the day.
Last night I was meant to go out and see a band playing but declined as I said I did not feel strong enough....this did not go down well with the guy who I was meant to go out with but I attained this hurdle as I knew it would be an evening of beers and shooters.
I am to attend an out of town work conference/**** up next week where I will meet with clients and peers many of who are alcoholics.
From years of attending these functions I know that it ends up being a very drunken affair with the free drinks etc.
I have to attend it for work resons but am thinking how I am I going to cope. Yes I know?
Just don't have a drink but what do I say? and how do I get around it? I am strong here at 8 am in the morning but when the free icy ales are flowing and the music is beating it is not that easy!
Part of me thinks of slipping away early and going to a movie or attending my first ever alcoholics meeting?
Part of me thinks of slipping away early and going to a movie or attending my first ever alcoholics meeting?
Use whatever excuse you need to for now, health reasons usually does the trick.
Take Care,
NB
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Cape Town South Africa
Posts: 2
Thank you so much for the support....
I have contacted an AA meeting support group and am going to sneak off half way through the evening to it. It will mean that I stay sober for the first few hours of the event and then when I return I can show my face and will be able to leave as nobody will bey that stage be remebering anything.
Phew this road is going to be hard.
I have contacted an AA meeting support group and am going to sneak off half way through the evening to it. It will mean that I stay sober for the first few hours of the event and then when I return I can show my face and will be able to leave as nobody will bey that stage be remebering anything.
Phew this road is going to be hard.
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,761
Part of me thinks of slipping away early and going to a movie or attending my first ever alcoholics meeting
And as to why you're not drinking, just say "no thanks, not tonight" and leave it at that. It's no one's business, after all.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,279
Originally Posted by coffeenut
The road is hard....at first. Then, you can't imagine how you lived like that. Really.
Welcome to SR.
Welcome to SR.
You can do this Coasting, we are all here with you. As you move forward & work on recovery you will start to feel much better.
Keep us updated on how it goes
Take Care,
NB
SR Fan
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 7,910
Hi Coasting - I understand your fear. I'm really scared myself as I approach the end of my first day of commitment to sobriety. I have some functions to go to next week as well. I plan to stay only as long as I must and have a nonalcoholic drink in hand to keep me occupied. I wish you the very best and hope you'll feel relieved and proud for getting through this!
Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Illinois
Posts: 19
I don't do the business related social activities anymore. Too much drinking and not enough business.
Since you're early in your recovery, probably the worst thing for you is to hang with folks who are downing shooters. No excuses are needed, but if it makes you more comfortable, tell your colleagues that you have work to catch up on or that you're not up for partying. This is not to say that you can't have dinner with these folks and duck out early... Having to travel for business and meeting colleagues is hard on one's recovery. Wish you the best on this road!
Since you're early in your recovery, probably the worst thing for you is to hang with folks who are downing shooters. No excuses are needed, but if it makes you more comfortable, tell your colleagues that you have work to catch up on or that you're not up for partying. This is not to say that you can't have dinner with these folks and duck out early... Having to travel for business and meeting colleagues is hard on one's recovery. Wish you the best on this road!
Coasting
Location: Cape Town South Africa
Question Up and down!
Location: Cape Town South Africa
Question Up and down!
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