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65 days and slipping!

Old 10-07-2013, 05:52 PM
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65 days and slipping!


Hi I have been sober for 65 days and I feel like I am slipping. The last few days I have almost had a drink. Not sure if I can continue to fight this urge. Any suggestions?
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Old 10-07-2013, 05:59 PM
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Hi Dolphin
what kind of support network do you have?

D
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Old 10-07-2013, 05:59 PM
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Dolphin, 65 days sober is FANTASTIC. Congratulations. Just suffer through it, tough it out. The cravings will go away. Rootin for ya.
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Old 10-07-2013, 06:07 PM
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Don't play with the thoughts. Don't fantasize about it. You can do this. Keep goin'!
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Old 10-07-2013, 06:09 PM
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Think about all the reasons you decided to stop. Think of where that one drink could take you. The urge will pass... The resultant binge may not...
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Old 10-07-2013, 06:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Dolphin79 View Post

Hi I have been sober for 65 days and I feel like I am slipping. The last few days I have almost had a drink. Not sure if I can continue to fight this urge. Any suggestions?
Welcome Dolphin, how bad are the urges? I have 66 days today and I have no urge to drink, and I've not had any urges for at least the last couple of weeks. Try to turn your thoughts to something else. Watch TV, walk, eat, whatever. The urges will subside with time, but you will have to ride them out.

And keep posting here.
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Old 10-07-2013, 06:10 PM
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The thing is....if you are an alcoholic, the reality is that you will have to get sober at some point. Either you will have an awakening of some sort, or a medical or legal intervention. Mine was medical. I had to learn that if I continue to drink bad things will continue to happen. Nothing positive ever came out of my drinking. I had to learn to not pick up a drink.....no matter what. Do whatever it is that you need to do so that you don't pick up that drink.
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Old 10-07-2013, 06:18 PM
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Dolphin,

You're doing great and I know that you can get through this!
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Old 10-07-2013, 07:00 PM
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AA worked for me because I had a support network of sober friends to talk to and do things with. The meetings helped strengthen my resolve on a daily basis. For me will power alone was never enough.
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Old 10-07-2013, 07:01 PM
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First, congratulations on the 65 days! Next, I'm glad you came here to post because you needed help.

On and off you've had urges correct? Realistically speaking you haven't craved alcohol every single waking moment for 65 days have you? This stuff comes in waves and you know that it goes away. Sometimes it can be pretty overpowering but when it is do just what you did come here. This too shall pass!

65 days is awesome, you CAN get past this! Do whatever is necessary to take your mind off of it.
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Old 10-07-2013, 07:50 PM
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Originally Posted by Dee74 View Post
Hi Dolphin
what kind of support network do you have?

D
I don't have a support network unfortunately. Majority of ppl in my life are drinkers!
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Old 10-07-2013, 07:54 PM
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Originally Posted by FeenixxRising View Post
Welcome Dolphin, how bad are the urges? I have 66 days today and I have no urge to drink, and I've not had any urges for at least the last couple of weeks. Try to turn your thoughts to something else. Watch TV, walk, eat, whatever. The urges will subside with time, but you will have to ride them out.

And keep posting here.
Urges come and go. some days they are bad. I can be find and watching tv, see ppl having drinks on tv and start having cravings.
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Old 10-07-2013, 07:57 PM
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Originally Posted by wakko View Post
AA worked for me because I had a support network of sober friends to talk to and do things with. The meetings helped strengthen my resolve on a daily basis. For me will power alone was never enough.
I will try AA. Thanks maybe that will help.
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Old 10-07-2013, 07:59 PM
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Originally Posted by LadyBlue0527 View Post
First, congratulations on the 65 days! Next, I'm glad you came here to post because you needed help.

On and off you've had urges correct? Realistically speaking you haven't craved alcohol every single waking moment for 65 days have you? This stuff comes in waves and you know that it goes away. Sometimes it can be pretty overpowering but when it is do just what you did come here. This too shall pass!

65 days is awesome, you CAN get past this! Do whatever is necessary to take your mind off of it.
Yes my cravings are on and off. I know the cravings will pass but sometimes its harder to realize that. Thanks!
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Old 10-07-2013, 08:12 PM
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When you say: "I'm not sure if I can continue to fight this urge.", you are giving power to your alcoholic voice.
Even after 16 months, I have the occasional "urge". Every time, I just say to it, "No way, no how! Ain't gonna happen." You would be amazed at how fast that "urge" disappears when that is the only response it ever gets. The doubt is telling that urge that maybe next time I will push just the right buttons. A sure recipe for it to be back very soon and carrying a big stick. Certainly go to AA if it is available, the support will help. Also, look up AVRT. I found it very helpful.
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Old 10-07-2013, 08:20 PM
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Originally Posted by Dolphin79 View Post
Urges come and go. some days they are bad. I can be find and watching tv, see ppl having drinks on tv and start having cravings.
A few things...

1. Confine your thoughts to the present. The most important day to remain clean and sober will always be today, and today only.

2. Each time you defeat a craving, your addiction becomes weaker. Thus, the last thing you want to do to debilitate your resolve is drink. Drinking strengthens the beast inside of you. So does excessive noise, which includes watching too much television when you could be fertilizing your mind with far more stimulative things such as fresh air, peace, quiet, soft music, or self educational reading.

When in doubt remember Drinking does not make things better.
Never has. Never will.

Good luck and God Bless
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Old 10-07-2013, 08:23 PM
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Fan flippin' tasktic on the 65 days!! WOOT WOOT!!

I have good news and bad news: You never had to drink again if you don't want to.

Well, here is the deal. If an alcoholic stops drinking and creates a support network, finds new solutions to old problems (drinking is the duck tape solution to problems) then those cravings leave and become few and far in between. A support network could be A.A., a basketball team that doesn't drink, neighbors that don't drink, sober co-workers, family, ministers, etc.

Face it - if we hang out at the barbershop long enough, we'll get a haircut.

Best of everything!

.
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Old 10-07-2013, 09:33 PM
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First off, congrats Dolphin! You've made it over two months so obviously you're doing something right. Sometimes we get too overconfident when things are going well. The thing to remember is that you're in charge! You're driving the bus. Your addiction is just a voice in a cage; it has no power to compel you to do anything. It has only guile, but beware of it! It can be very subtle, very tricky. Its voice sounds eerily like your own. But what it feels is good to it is poison to you. It doesn't care about you, just its next fix.

If you think AA will help, try AA. Maybe you would like to try the chat room here for live support. How about next time you feel a powerful urge to drink, stop by SR and post instead?
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Old 10-07-2013, 09:34 PM
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Originally Posted by duane1 View Post
When you say: "I'm not sure if I can continue to fight this urge.", you are giving power to your alcoholic voice.
Even after 16 months, I have the occasional "urge". Every time, I just say to it, "No way, no how! Ain't gonna happen." You would be amazed at how fast that "urge" disappears when that is the only response it ever gets. The doubt is telling that urge that maybe next time I will push just the right buttons. A sure recipe for it to be back very soon and carrying a big stick. Certainly go to AA if it is available, the support will help. Also, look up AVRT. I found it very helpful.
I completely agree with this. I used to slip up after the urge would come on and I would "entertain" the thought, and mull over the consequences. Eventually I would convince myself it was ok. Now, as soon as the thought pops into my head, I just shut it right down and mentally change the subject. If I were to think about it even briefly I will begin to rationalize a drink. Ain't gonna happen this time.
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Old 10-08-2013, 05:12 AM
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Thanks all for reminding me that the contemplation of the pleasure is a bad habit - I've learned to run done the list of what will really happen if I drink or use today....
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