Made it through weekend, 1 week sober
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Virginia
Posts: 44
Made it through weekend, 1 week sober
yay!!
I am on my 8th day. Made it through a whole weekend. Even went to dinner (where booze is served) and had iced tea.
Last week was hell. I think I re-lived my whole life in dreams. I feel OK now.
I had some awful depression on the weekend and knew I could kill it with booze but fought it off. I just thought of the next days hangover and no f#cking way am I doing that to myself.
The worst thing is I can't really think of what there is to look forward to in life without being drunk at that time. I am not suicidal in the least, don't get me wrong. I just mean I think of something to look forward too like a tropical vacation and the first thing I think of is how I would always look forward to being hammered drunk that whole vacation and that was what I really looked forward to.
I hope in time I can have dreams of future things and not associate them with being drunk.
Thanks everyone.
I am on my 8th day. Made it through a whole weekend. Even went to dinner (where booze is served) and had iced tea.
Last week was hell. I think I re-lived my whole life in dreams. I feel OK now.
I had some awful depression on the weekend and knew I could kill it with booze but fought it off. I just thought of the next days hangover and no f#cking way am I doing that to myself.
The worst thing is I can't really think of what there is to look forward to in life without being drunk at that time. I am not suicidal in the least, don't get me wrong. I just mean I think of something to look forward too like a tropical vacation and the first thing I think of is how I would always look forward to being hammered drunk that whole vacation and that was what I really looked forward to.
I hope in time I can have dreams of future things and not associate them with being drunk.
Thanks everyone.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 91
Try not to think about situations in the future. I think it is pretty normal to feel the way you do in the beginning. I am not much further ahead than you. I am at day 21 and honestly thoughts thoughts don't bother me as much as they did at day 5. Just stay strong and focused on the day ahead of you. Great job on the making it through the weekend.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: somewhere, tx
Posts: 128
Congrats on 8 Days!!!
Hi- The thing about sobriety is that lots of people think ahead and try to picture their lives without drinking. I did it in my teens but learned through AA to try and stay sober just 24 hrs at a time. So anytime temptation came my way, I'd think about the next day hangover & the guilt I'd experienced while drinking and that would be enough to steer me towards soft drinks.
Keep it going!!
Keep it going!!
Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Il
Posts: 144
Congrats on the days in. look at the cup as half full you are a week in.
I am with you on the tropical vacation thing tuff to think of that without drinking. I leave for mine next week and I will enjoy it sober. I am far from experienced at this sobriety thing but one thing I have noticed is that I actually am beginning to enjoy things more being sober then I did drunk. And I'm not just saying that.
any way congrats on making it thru the weekend
I am with you on the tropical vacation thing tuff to think of that without drinking. I leave for mine next week and I will enjoy it sober. I am far from experienced at this sobriety thing but one thing I have noticed is that I actually am beginning to enjoy things more being sober then I did drunk. And I'm not just saying that.
any way congrats on making it thru the weekend
Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 62
Great job on day 8!! Such an accomplishment! 
I'm new to this as well, I'm thinking we just need to practice what it's like living sober. The more experience we have with it, the more we can envision enjoying things without the booze? Thats my hope at least anyway.
Recently I looked through all of the pictures that have been taken of fun events I have participated in for the past year or so. At least 85% of those times captured, were ended by me being a drunken fool. While I was looking through the pictures, I thought of the situations that followed... another night I had "ruined" or just felt plain crappy about afterward. Thinking about how others viewed it "yeah that's the night so and so did this after we saw the concert..." It makes me realised that the experience would have been better enjoyed had I just refrained from alcohol that day. I was embarassed that my drunken behaviour would always be attached to what should be a good memory. I don't know if it would work for you, but it has for me??
I'm new to this as well, I'm thinking we just need to practice what it's like living sober. The more experience we have with it, the more we can envision enjoying things without the booze? Thats my hope at least anyway.
Recently I looked through all of the pictures that have been taken of fun events I have participated in for the past year or so. At least 85% of those times captured, were ended by me being a drunken fool. While I was looking through the pictures, I thought of the situations that followed... another night I had "ruined" or just felt plain crappy about afterward. Thinking about how others viewed it "yeah that's the night so and so did this after we saw the concert..." It makes me realised that the experience would have been better enjoyed had I just refrained from alcohol that day. I was embarassed that my drunken behaviour would always be attached to what should be a good memory. I don't know if it would work for you, but it has for me??
Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Portland
Posts: 1,631
Congrats on the weekend! What an achievement. It's hard continuing your life and making changes at the same time!
I have been thinking about that not looking forward thing too. This is my Day 2 this round and I am a little cranky and just goin' through the motions man. I'll think more about reality tomorrow.
Keep at it and congratulations on the weekend!
I have been thinking about that not looking forward thing too. This is my Day 2 this round and I am a little cranky and just goin' through the motions man. I'll think more about reality tomorrow.
Keep at it and congratulations on the weekend!
SR Fan
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 7,910
Congrats on a week sober - that's great!
It's totally normal to wonder how things are going to be now that we're sober. I've found that it's definitely different - but that's not necessarily bad!
If I may, I'm going to just try something here and run a scenario:
Take your example of a tropical vacation....... It sounds really nice sitting out on a beautiful patio with the sound of the ocean and a bunch of drinks. More often though, the reality doesn't usually meet our expectations. It's just as likely that we'd be half-drunk by mid-afternoon, with a sunburn, decide to go take a nap in the hotel, get sand in the bed, wake up feeling groggy and get dragged by friends to a restaurant..... feel a little shaky so start drinking again..... end up in a bar just like any other bar anywhere, feel good for an hour or two before getting totally drunk and bumbling back to the hotel, ........crash, and wake up feeling half sick.
Now, let's say you're sober at the beach.... Maybe you read or build a sandcastle or swim or rent a jet ski, instead of sitting back and popping beers. You put on sunscreen so you don't get burnt, take photos of everyone having fun. Back at the hotel, you get all the sand off, take a nice long shower.... go out for seafood and walk along the pier or go to a local jazz club or a movie. Back to the hotel, good night's sleep......get up refreshed the next morning and decide to go running on the beach.
I think the only way to find out if we can have just as much fun sober is to keep an open mind and TRY it! It's not the same "feeling" as when we were drinking, but the sights/sounds/smells etc. are richer and our connection with the experience and with others is way, way superior...... so in a subtle, more content kind of way, life can be even more entertaining because we're really "there." Does that make sense?
Anyway, it does take some getting used to, but it's not all doom and gloom!:day6
It's totally normal to wonder how things are going to be now that we're sober. I've found that it's definitely different - but that's not necessarily bad!
If I may, I'm going to just try something here and run a scenario:
Take your example of a tropical vacation....... It sounds really nice sitting out on a beautiful patio with the sound of the ocean and a bunch of drinks. More often though, the reality doesn't usually meet our expectations. It's just as likely that we'd be half-drunk by mid-afternoon, with a sunburn, decide to go take a nap in the hotel, get sand in the bed, wake up feeling groggy and get dragged by friends to a restaurant..... feel a little shaky so start drinking again..... end up in a bar just like any other bar anywhere, feel good for an hour or two before getting totally drunk and bumbling back to the hotel, ........crash, and wake up feeling half sick.
Now, let's say you're sober at the beach.... Maybe you read or build a sandcastle or swim or rent a jet ski, instead of sitting back and popping beers. You put on sunscreen so you don't get burnt, take photos of everyone having fun. Back at the hotel, you get all the sand off, take a nice long shower.... go out for seafood and walk along the pier or go to a local jazz club or a movie. Back to the hotel, good night's sleep......get up refreshed the next morning and decide to go running on the beach.
I think the only way to find out if we can have just as much fun sober is to keep an open mind and TRY it! It's not the same "feeling" as when we were drinking, but the sights/sounds/smells etc. are richer and our connection with the experience and with others is way, way superior...... so in a subtle, more content kind of way, life can be even more entertaining because we're really "there." Does that make sense?
Anyway, it does take some getting used to, but it's not all doom and gloom!:day6
Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 29
Congratulations on staying sober! What an accomplishment....
You know, my family travels A LOT. At every single one of those "tropical" resorts, my kids manage to get the bartenders to make them all of those yummy drinks WITHOUT alcohol. Maybe you could look forward to that? I can't WAIT for the kids to share their "drinks" with me!
You know, my family travels A LOT. At every single one of those "tropical" resorts, my kids manage to get the bartenders to make them all of those yummy drinks WITHOUT alcohol. Maybe you could look forward to that? I can't WAIT for the kids to share their "drinks" with me!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Virginia
Posts: 44
Thanks for the great replies everyone. Artsoul makes an interesting point. Truth be told the drunk 24-7 vacation would actually be not so much fun. Kind of like when the weekend comes and I used to buy cheap champange for breakfast and cases of beer + beaucoup wine thinking I would have a fun awesomely drunk all the time weekend.
Usually by saturday I would be sulking to myself making promises to myself about quitting drinking (I would not keep) and all in all being a useless unhappy drunk.
I guess the drunk tropical vacation is just a fake delusion I looked forward to but reality is different.
Usually by saturday I would be sulking to myself making promises to myself about quitting drinking (I would not keep) and all in all being a useless unhappy drunk.
I guess the drunk tropical vacation is just a fake delusion I looked forward to but reality is different.
Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Canada
Posts: 232
Congrats on your sobertime..thats awesome!
A friendly word of caution..Be very careful, especially in the first stages of recovery putting yourself in situations like the dinner you attended where alchol was served. Congrats to you for choosing an ice tea! You have enough hard work though without testing yourself so early on.
Wish you the best!
A friendly word of caution..Be very careful, especially in the first stages of recovery putting yourself in situations like the dinner you attended where alchol was served. Congrats to you for choosing an ice tea! You have enough hard work though without testing yourself so early on.
Wish you the best!
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 6
Congrats
Omg, I myself am a week sober (actually a little over now, 9days) and I completely identified with the part where you talked about re living your whole life in dreams. I had the exact same thing. People I'd seen from childhood appeared, I was in places I had been when younger and relived some unresolved disputes I had with family and friends in the past. I feel it was reall cleansing in a way though. Anyhoo, congrats on your week, stay strong and keep it a day at a time.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Between Meetings
Posts: 8,997
Congrats on a week...Looking forward to getting hammered drunk on a vacation...When you really think about it....It's kind of sad. What can you do sober that you used to do drunk?....Everything. And be able to enjoy it. Try and think of reasons that made you want to quit to begin with....Not much fun. It's all about change....I needed to change everything...Alcohol did enough damage in my life....And I hurt a lot of people that cared about me. I'm actually enjoying living...For a change.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: UK
Posts: 5,678
Congratulations on the week soberforbaby
If you're anything like me you probably look forward to most occasions as a reason to get drunk...now I treat everything as exciting because it's the first time I've done it sober. It doesn't take long to realise that booze got in the way of these good times.
Well done and good luck x
If you're anything like me you probably look forward to most occasions as a reason to get drunk...now I treat everything as exciting because it's the first time I've done it sober. It doesn't take long to realise that booze got in the way of these good times.
Well done and good luck x
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