MaryNoOne

Hello - I am trying to quit drinking. I am not a daily drinker, just someone who can overindulge on the weekends. I've tried to control it, but can't. I went to AA meetings years ago - and unfortunately, they only reinforced my feelings that "I'm not that bad." Many non-Christians simply feel that my drinking is only a problem when I view through the lens that Christ followers shouldn't drink. But I know I drink more than most females my age (53). So - any suggestions on staying sober on weekends, with a hubby who drinks and had no plans to give it up are welcome. We also have two kids at home, 19 and 21 - they don't drink or use drugs at all (praise God for a great Christian youth experience).

Mcribb

Thank you for posting. I found it helpful to get in a routine no matter what the day. Get up and ask God to keep you sober, write out what emotions you have to deal with during the day, then thank God for keeping you sober. For me the weekends were about cutting lose the stress and trash I got through the week, so I have to deal with the trash and stress as it comes in to cut down on the craving during the weekend. I would maybe set your alarm on your phone to come here during the weekend and research more during the times that you ususally drink. Keep in mind changing anything in your life can be painful, but the rewards for not drinking outweigh drinking. Give yourself a chance and you reap what you sow. Congrats for posting on the site.

doggonecarl

Welcome.

Then you have a problem with alcohol. It doesn't matter what AA reenforced about your drinking not being being a problem, it doesn't matter what other people say about your drinking or drinking in general. When you start drinking, you can't control it. That's a problem.

I suggest you don't pick up that first drink, no matter how much you tell yourself that this time it will be different, because it rarely is? Isn't it?

Then I suggest you read/research as much as you can about alcohol, its effects, about addiction and recovery. Then look at recovery options.

Rejecting AA didn't help you the last time, maybe a different outlook about your problem may lead to different results.

Good luck.

chicagoJ

My experiences with feeling like I can quit because I don't drink every day have not been successful. Today I know I have a problem that I need help to overcome. So, the first thing I would say is don't fall into the trap that I did where you feel like you can quit, but you just have to give the right effort and find the right situation. Then week after week goes by and you still haven't quit. It could turn into month after month, then year after year.

Maybe give it a shot to see if you can quit on your own by changing your routine on the weekends. Do something totally different if you can in an attempt to not drink. If it doesn't work within a few weeks then try and be honest with yourself about your association with alcohol.

least

I've been sober twenty months now with the great support I find here, and with my weekly counseling sessions with my addiction counselor. So yes, recovery without AA is possible. There are many people here who are happily recovered without AA.

PaperDolls

I can relate to you very much.

I didn't become a daily drinker.
It started out with just weekend binges, Friday and Saturday night.
Then the hangovers started lasting through Monday's so I'd miss work.
Then I started drinking Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.
It progressed from there.

I went to AA a few times during my drinking career. Listening to the stores and hearing only the differences. And thinking "Gee, I'm not like that! I would never do that! I'm not like these people." May be I wasn't like them at that point or may be I was just in denial, I don't know. But, many of those things I couldn't believe people did .... I ended up doing.

Fact was, even though I wasn't drinking on a daily basis yet, I was on that path.
One day it was like a light bulb went off and and I realized it.
I wanted to drink less but I couldn't.
I wanted to quit but I couldn't.
My drinking was affecting my job.
My drinking was affecting my relationship(s).
I tried stopping on my own and was never successful for very long and was still depressed.

There are many paths to recovery, AA is just one of them. I only have experience with AA so that's all I can share. Hopefully others here who have experience with other options will reply with their experiences.

If you do decide to try AA again, try to listen for the similarities and not the differences. That advice helped me.

Good luck to you on your journey!

nandm

There are many methods and programs of recovery. Here is a list of many of them.
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...formation.html

Soberpotamus

If you're interested in a technique and not a "program" PM me and I can send you some links. I've tried a few different programs and this technique is by far the simplest and most effective I've ever seen. Some do it on their own spontaneously (I did briefly), but the book I'm reading puts a name to the face, so to speak.

lund1982

If you want to stay sober you need to remain abstinent every day, not just weekends. I'd recommend giving AA another try with an open mind. There are many different recovery programs, even ones that claim that all you have to do is read a book, but, in my experience, the one thing that helped me the most is a 12 step oriented program. You don't have to do this alone. I wish you the best of luck!

CarolD

Welcome back to SR....

there are 2 Christians based programs listed in the link already shared ...please do check those out.

blessings to you and your husband

recoverywfaith

back to SR.

Zencat

Some info that may help Life Choices: Learned Helplessness, A Christan type insight into addiction...I like it.
Drug use "sensitizes" the brain, making recovering addicts vulnerable to relapse

As for a complete recovery program you might like to look into:

What is CBT
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) - Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
SMART Tools AA Books
SMART Recovery® - Tool Chest and Homework
SMART Recovery® - Articles and Essays
Alcoholics Anonymous : Click on the Book You Would Like to Read
I wish you well in all your recovery efforts.