littlegirllost7

I bought a bottle of wine yesterday, have no idea why. Drank that and then got into some vodka I had hidden. I don't remember half the night, how I got up to my bed, nothing. I was doing well for a couple of months and hadn't had anything to drink at the house, only a beer or two if I had lunch out on the weekends and was fine with that. I don't know what triggered this again where it is every single day now and nothing but regrets about it. I did wake up this morning and dumped out the rest of the vodka so there is no alcohol in the house right now. I want to not feel the need to do this over and over. How do you get through each day sober?

Dee74

Hi littlegirllost

I couldn't do this alone.

I needed support. For me that was reading and posting here every day.

For others, it means face to face support like AA or another recovery group, or maybe some counselling or some form of inpatient or outpatient rehab.

I needed to support of others to get through the tough times...I also needed the guidance of others to set me on the right path and get rid of some non helpful ideas I had.

here's a link to some of the main recovery players:
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...formation.html

D

guyinyvr

Hi little

I am not sure there is one answer to that question otherwise I think we would all be using that answer.

I relapsed after my mom died last month but now have nearing 4 weeks clean and I just found something inside me and reached out ...AA , counseling , friends , whatever but not what was not working.....

I guess for myself right now I just need to have some inner strength and I am finding it as the estate goes to the lawyers. In fact for some strange reason I seem more resilient yet completely vulnerable to the lure of dreaded drink.

There is a lot of wisdom here in these forums and I read a lot posts. Finding the peace people who have found in long term recovery sure seems so appealing and I am ready to do the work.

Stay strong and stay here and wherever you can find support.

CarolD

Glad to see you posting about this...

I too was a blackout drinker...it was a frightening way to live.
Depression was daily...I detested myself.
I did returned to drinking...after decideing to stop.

I read the book "Under The Influence" by Milam & Ketcham.
I took the info that applied to me....and then

reconnected to God and AA....
When I began my AA Steps ..I felt a shift
from shakey sobriety into solid recovery.

Hope this helps...Yes! you too can win over alcohol.

FrothyJay

For me, it meant recognizing that I was powerless over alcohol, and that I should stop being surprised when I drank again. I was going to do it over and over again.

So I had to have a personality change sufficient to solve my problem-- and I did it by working the 12 steps of AA.

Willpower did not work.

AmericanGirl

Hi LGL There is good advice here. SR was my main help in my early days and is my main community still, too. In my first days, it was also helpful to immerse myself totally in learning about recovery (and myself) through books and counseling. I hope you can find something that can be a part of your daily life to help, too.

The title of your post is about getting through each day and I think that's important -- if it seems too overwhelming to never drink again, you can think about doing it one day at a time, or even an hour at a time if a day seems too overwhelming. It will get easier.

EmeraldRose

It's not easy to get through each day sober -sometimes it has to be each minute. It takes alot of preplanning to keep your head one step ahead of booze.
My reasoning was that I wanted to live the rest of my adult life sober. I never did that before for very long...a few months, maybe a year? But most of my adult life included alcohol to some degree. I wanted to get to know myself and what I'm really capable of, what I can really do in life. I have put alcohol first so many times for so many reasons that it was time I put myself first. And I must say, I like me a whole lot better than the booze. Life is good.
I hope you can grasp that inner strength you need to overcome your powerlessness.

coffeenut

In those early days, you don't get through the day, you get through the moment. Somedays, it's just to hard to think of making it through the whole day.

Stick close to SR. Keep reading and posting.

ACT10Npack

Keep yourself busy throughout the day. Get into good habits like working out or cleaning up your place. If you found yourself bored or nothing to do then fill that time up with something you enough. The longer you work at it then the less likely you will want to drink to avoid that emptiness.

artsoul

As others have said you just start with the first day or hour...... do whatever it takes to not pick up a drink. If you have to come here 20 times and read posts, or sip on milkshakes all day or work on projects..... just do it. Each day you get through means healing for your body and mind, you'll feel stronger and alcohol will have less of a hold on you.

Lots of resources and programs out there too, but in the end (like Dee said), we just can't expect to stop drinking without support.

LSNP

I'm a newbie. Wanted to drink last night again. What stopped me and has helped me is this thought: "There are a LOT of people out there who live their entire lives without drinking alcohol. This is their entire life. And they are just fine."

I don't know why this helps me. It just does.

FBL

I needed to think short-term at first. My alcohol-soaked brain couldn't grasp the concept of quitting for good, so I started each morning with the thought of just getting through today. I did this for several months and then something started to happen. The fog started to lift and I started to see that I could get through life without that crutch that I carried around for nearly 30 years. I began to examine what led me to need to escape reality in the first place. That was nearly 2 years ago. My mental obsession with alcohol has been removed and it all started with that first day, that first week, that first month. This addiction can be overcome, there's lots of proof right here at SR!

Turtle228

LGL, Have quit many times, but only lasted a few days. On day six now. When I get the desire to have a drink I don't deny myself as much as I want, just the first one. Guess it relieves the sense of loss of an old, but deadly, friend. Good luck. Keep reading and posting.

Zencat

What helps me stay sober is knowing I have a choice. I can either practice recovery or participate in drinking. As time has gone on, the choices become clearer as what to do.

opmloser

Hey- Everyone who posted has stolen my thunder and that's fine with me. Okay so you bought a bottle and drank your "emergency" stash. So right now you feel guilty.
Today's a new day and tomorrow it'll get better; please don't beat yourself up over this. Just move forward and stay on SR til your eyes hurt if that is what it takes to keep you out of the liquor store.
All the best to you!

littlegirllost7

Thank you all so much! Great advice from each of you! I really appreciate it. I never thought of it like LSNP put it...Some people go their entire life without drinking. So true. I had many family members who did just that. Never thought of it that way. Thanks again!

OklaBH

Im chiming in late.

Its no shock you drank or want to drink. You are an alcoholic. Its 8 in the morning here and alcohol has crossed my mind several times. Why? Because its raining outside and i like to drink when it rains. LOL

How are you doing today? That is what is important. How are you handling the desire to drink TODAY?

SSIL75

The first days feel like that 'getting through the day'. But recovery for me has been building a whole new life. There is no void where alcohol was anymore.

Alcohol is central to your life because you're an alcoholic. In time it'll become peripheral. Or that's how it has been for me anyway.

Last night I had a stressful situation. Just a normal kid thing. Tired, hungry children freaking out about something stupid. My husband had a glass of wine and jokingly mimicked necking it. The whole situation is a total trigger for me. I always crave alcohol when I'm anxious. But yesterday I felt nothing. Really, nothing. I laughed at his joke and it was over.

So I would say get through these days but know that building a new life that you LOVE is where it's at for me anyway.

eaglette

I agree with AG--One of the things which has helped me the most so far is the whole "One day at a time" mentality. To think of a sober month or year, or even a sober week, is daunting. But if you wake up every day and decide that THAT DAY you are going to be sober and live life as purely as you can, it makes it a lot easier. I recently got a sponsor, and she gave me a journal in which to write a gratitude list every day. At the beginning of each list I am supposed to write 'sobriety' (although sometimes I forget to write it right away and it ends up further down on the list). I have found that it helps me to write the number of days I have achieved so far as well (i.e. at the top I write "Today I am grateful for..." and then #1 is 26 days of sobriety).