anchorbird

I stupidly let stress take over and drank yesterday. I would have been 5 weeks sober today. I feel like crap this morning, but I won't give up!

Kissimee54

Boy don't I know about starting over. I was always staying sober for everyone else, but now I'm doing it for me. After several weeks sober I'm starting to like myself again. I'm here if you need to vent. I'm going on week 5 myself.

Leana

Anchorbird
Ok well it's day 1. A fresh start, a new day, a lousy hangover but still a new day. Glad you're not giving up.

mecanix

We've been given the gift of a new day today ,

we can make a change for ourselves and in the world of others, start over if needs be .

Nice to have you back

Like learning to ride a bike , falling off isn't desirable but it teaches you a lesson if you wanna learn it (ouch)

m

Hawkeye13

Hi Anchorbird.

You already have five weeks sober time. You haven't given up.
Today is the gift of a new day, like mecanix says. Look forward and not back :-)

Deleteda

Hi Anchorbird, don't beat yourself up, just start over again, you've done great by just coming straight back on here X

Anna

Anchorbird, try to figure out what triggered you to drink and know that it doesn't have to happen again.

I'm so glad you're back.

ScottFromWI

Glad you are back, as others have mentioned you know you can do this with 5 weeks under your belt, so retool your plan and move forward.

As far as letting stress take over, remember that you are the one that voluntarily made the conscious decision to drink. The key is having a plan in place to deal with your "trigger" which includes actions you can take instead of drinking. Whether that action is an AA meeting or phone call, a prayer, a trip to the gym, a walk, meditation, doesn't really matter. It's all about choices.

chaili05

I agree. Something I wish I would have done when I was doing my back and forth with drinking and sobriety is make a list or a narrative of my relapse- that way I could see clearly what happened and why I chose to drink. Be very specific... because it could even be something as simple as the time of day that triggers you after years of conditioning.

Also, don't forget that most relapses start *days* before the drinking. Your thoughts tend to change and you can almost notice it in your brain... just something to think about

Good for you, anchorbird, coming right back and starting again. One day isn't the end of the world and it seems you know that.

ImperfectlyMe

It would be helpful for you as well as anyone contimplating taking that first drink today, to acknowledge what it was/is that made you stumble.

Great job on picking yourself back up, starting over and trying something that might work better!

doggonecarl

One of the mantras of SR is "You need a plan." For many, the only plan they have is they won't drink. And that's a fine plan...until it isn't. A recovery plan must include ways to address the things that prompt us to drink.

For you, this time, it was stress. So your plan needs to include ways of reducing stress or providing a healthy way to deal with stress and stress inducers.

Good luck.

neferkamichael

Anchorbird, I feel like crap this morning, but I won't give up? You are FANTASTIC, rootin for ya.

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Dee74

I'm sorry to hear that anchorbord - I agree with the others here - think about what happened and why...how can you better deal with stress this time around?

D