MsCooterBrown

Good morning. Off to work I go in a few minutes! I am on a good run for no alcohol. Actually the thought of it repulses me at this point. BUT I noticed yesterday that I still ALWAYS have something to drink next to me. Be it coffee..water...tea..whatever -I am always drinking. I got to thinking about this. I have been actually a drinker for so many years that now that I quit..I am not sure if perhaps I was like this before..or ..is it a habit of drinking days? I guess who cares. All that matters is that it is anything but alcohol. Anyway..time for me to go to work. I am wishing you all a great happy peaceful day. Later.

mayson28

Hmmm, I can relate, but I don't know why I am doing this also? I had coffee around 2 , a tea at 3, milk at supper, another tea at 8... Weird observation...

artsoul

me too - usually have coffee AND Diet Rite going at the same time. Lately have added water too, so that's 3 drinks at once. Always been that way. Hmm....

ImReadyToQuit

I drink all day everyday (no alcohol for me either).. It's been my nature for a long time tho.. It's only water for me.. And sometimes club soda..

Anna

Yes, I always have hard candies, usually Werthers, nearby.

Glad you're doing well!

loveon2legs

Me too!! the first few months of sobriety I drank alot of coke!! now I drink water all day.....and have coke as a special treat... but there is something comforting about having something to drink.....especially if you are in a situation where others are drinking....I find it manditory!!

DayTrader

I think it's worth taking a look at Cooter......
(and I do the same thing with Coke and/or water myself).

I'm an alcoholic - no question about that. Well, alcohol consumption was a problem but I believe the problem for the alcoholic centers in the mind - not in the bottle.

I also believe that "just not drinking" solves only my alcohol consumption issues but does nothing to treat the REAL problem - my thinking, my false ego, my over sensitivity, my indecision, my anger, etc etc etc.....
---To wit, anytime I'm able to see myself practicing active addiction, I know it's something I darn well better be taking a look at. Just because the manifestation (drinking soda) is more socially acceptable than killing yourself with booze, it's still addiction and it's still a warning flag that deserves some consideration.

Active addiction, to me, is an indication that I'm NOT centered, that I'm not on the spiritual path, and that I AM practicing the worship of comfort and/or avoidance of something I don't like. To me, that's not being truly sober.... at least not at the level I want to be at.... Anytime I've taken my addictive actions like that to prayer, I've come back with the understanding that, while better than drinking booze, it's still something I need to address if I want to remain spiritually healthy.

Dee74

I think sometimes recovering alcoholics/addicts can obsess too much - about everything - and strive for perfection, at the cost of equanimity, health and peace of mind...and I speak from some considerable experience

Balance is important - in all things IMO.
D

MsCooterBrown

Yes but I am becoming a whizard Dee. Get it? Hahaha..I slay myself.

Mark75

I drank all the time early one... seriously, as long as I wasn't sleeping, I had to be drinking something... diet coke, coffee, tea, whatever

AmericanGirl

Yup. Similar experience. I seem to be a thirstier person than most and have always drank all beverages faster and in greater quantities than most people. (not diabetic.)

I've seen a lot of people on this board express similar experiences with that. I would not be surprised if there were a physiological link.

WakeUp

Let me throw in a twist here. They say most Americans are chronically dehydrated. For me, in early sobriety, one of the best parts about being sober was the feeling of being hydrated. I remember so many times waking up from a night of boozing feeling terribly dehydrated.
Drink 64 oz of water a day, it's great for the body. Lay off the sugary sodas, excessive caffeine.

Itchy

I too always had a drink in my hand. As a child I drank 2 to 3 quarts/litres of Koolaid from age 8 on! Back then they used calcium cyclamates to sweeten them and then pulled that from the market saying it could cause cancer. 50 years later so far so good.

Later it was coffee, about 20 cups a day, and diet drinks, much diet coke.

Then it was beer. Now it is diet drinks, tap water, Ice tea, and just 4 mugs of coffee a day. No more diet coke. But I have always been a Whizard too!

And no I am not diabetic, been checked for that all my life. Just thirsty. And now itchy too!

Kmber2010

I wouldn't think about it so much....I try and keep life simple in recovery and not over analyze things. I found that dwelling on things had a tendency to work me up...lol. As I said to my counselor one day....I am feeling anxious for xyz. He says....are you anxious or perhaps just feeling sad? Sometimes things are that simple and I have been working on not creating much more then what things are.

You are doing great!!

Live

I have always wanted more to drink than the others around me, it is not something I worry about. I too think that I need to stay hydrated and I do believe many americans are prone to dehydration.
I keep decaf iced tea at hand at all times.
and sometimes I really love a glass of milk..and milk does a body good. LOL