paulo

..because I always drink on a Friday night, but I'm determined not to this evening.

But all I've heard so far today is people talking about going for a few beers after work or going out tonight to get drunk.

I popped out at lunch time and there were 3 homeless people sat on the wall outside my office drinking. THAT NEVER HAPPENS! Why today??

Feels like I'm being tested, but I'm feeling really confident that today, I'll win.

SSIL75

You're just obsessing. Totally normal! Like when I was trying to get pregnant... EVERYONE around me was pregnant etc.

Funny now that I have been sober for a while I notice that people hardly drink at all!! "Going out for a few drinks" almost seems like a figure of speech. Sometimes people don't even finish one.

paulo

You're probably right. Are you sure they haven't all got together and are trying to foil my plan?

freshstart57

It sounds to me as though you have chosen to present yourself with a clear and simple choice between two compelling images. The first is the commercial on the TV, laughing friends sharing company and camaraderie over a couple of drinks. The second image is what you see if you follow this choice to its end, people whose world has shrunk all the way down to the contents of a bottle inside a paper bag.

This test doesn't seem to be a difficult choice, but it is one that all of us at SR have made or will make. Your turn is now. What is your plan about your future use of alcohol?

Cardio

It's a conspiracy!! lol Actually, it's a celebration for all of us. It's DGDF! (Don't Get Drunk Friday!) A blogger who is somewhat recently sober has a weekly column dedicated to Friday nights

paulo

At the moment, my plan is I'm not drinking today.

freshstart57

Congratulations, that's where we start from, and a necessary beginning. But, do you have a plan for tomorrow? That one is more difficult.

A day is a long time, almost 100,000 seconds, and tomorrow is almost 100,000 seconds away, a long time too. That is a long time to stay sober.

There is a different way of looking at this, though. Since our experience is a series of 'now' moments, can you make a plan to 'not drink now', no matter how bad you feel, how angry, frustrated, lonely, depressed, anxious or guilty? This way, you only have to stay sober for this now moment, for this series of now moments.

soberred

With that kind of attitude, how could you go wrong. You can beat this.

Aegian

Ah, been there! Quit smoking and all of a sudden, everywhere you look, someone is smoking. Get ready to trade your vehicle for a different one, and everyone else seems to be driving that.

Means it is on your mind, and is to be expected. No worries - that won't last.

Heres to a safe and sober weekend!

paulo

See that still sounds so dull to me. Oh great, a sober weekend :-(

YVRguy

Hmm while Friday nights these days is not really different than other days for me , the constant barrage of places where you see alcohol promoted ( TV ads , radio ads , magazine ads etc ) especially if you watch any sport does start to stand out more once you turn toward not drinking.

So ya those ads of all that fun is a conspiracy to those selective people in the crowd who end up with alcoholism.

I have a good plan for my weekend and I will be avoiding any triggers for sure.

Have a good 24

horsekisses

I'm trying to remember how I felt last Saturday morning after my first sober Friday in many years and how awful I will feel if I give in. Sometimes I think its only been 11 days not much to lose and then start over. I don't know how many start overs I have. Would it be another 19 years. Id be in my 70's by then, so would there be any point if I were still alive by then. So its my choice which path to take, sure hope its the right one.

artsoul

Hi Paulo (and welcome to the forum, by the way!)

Instead of thinking about a boring, sober Friday night and everyone going out for a "few beers," try fast-forwarding through those first couple drinks and think about the reality: getting wasted, waking up tomorrow feeling like crap, and continuing to let alcohol pull the strings.

I didn't want to quit either and my first Friday night was tough (I spent it here on the forum), but I knew that I had to quit sometime, so why not get it over with and get on with my life? Give yourself some time to adjust. Think about how you'll feel tomorrow if you don't drink.......

micealc

Thats it....Whats on your Mind will be in your World....When I gave up Drink.......I noticed Ads everywhere,When I pushed a Pram/Buggy when the kids were Babies,I seen lots of people pushing buggys etc.If I took up cycling Im sure all Id see would be People on Bikes.
It will wear off Im sure.......Stay away from the Drink on Fridays...........Look forward to a good film,Concert,TV Show,Gym,Walk with a Sober friend...................Go Bowling,dancing...etc

Aegian

I used to think that too.

The things I did for fun and enjoyed used to include alcohol - but at some point, the activity became the secondary purpose and alcohol was first.

I knew I was there when I went from looking forward to things like a weekend boating on the lake to not wanting to do stuff unless booze was involved.

SoberRightNow

That reminded me of the ancient Oriental curse:

May you live in interesting times.

I'd personally take a dull, sober evening over an "exciting" drunk one any day of the week, but I guess my drinking got me to the point where my definition of the word "exciting" changed.

feralheart

This makes me realize how different it must be for people who went out to drink. I imagine it would be very hard to break off that part of the habit since you had a social life built around it. I have some friends who are going through this now and they started making plans with sober friends to go out and eat or watch movies or have a potluck dinner.

I was a "party of one" drinker, so I would basically just sit at home, get drunk and listen to music or try to read (until the words wouldn't stop moving on the page). Now I find myself doing the same thing sober and it was surprising to me that it was just as fun (and it's easier to read).

I'm actually more social now since I've made sober friends. Like, I already got 3 calls today from women in my group asking me what my plans are for tonight. A year ago I didn't know a single person in this town. It might not seem like it now but sober definitely doesn't have to mean boring.

SSIL75

That's also normal. You're behaving exactly like the alcoholic you are. I remember it well. I thought like that for 18 years. It'll pass as you recover, I promise.

I repeat. You're not thinking like a normal person. You're thinking like an alcoholic. As you heal your perspective will change. Do not panic. Do not drink