Lisbon

Hello Everyone,

Today, after months of consideration, ive decided to work toward sobriety. All of the major problems in my life can be directly related to alcohol. I dont drink during the week, i never crave alcohol, but it is easily 90% of my social life. I get absolutely hammered almost every single Friday and Saturday and im over it, i find myself having less and less fun and my problems getting worse.

I have started to develop anxiety, and it is amplified when im hungover. I am unhealthy and i can feel my body yelling at me every morning after. I also spend a ton of money when im out drinking, i spent over 200 bucks this weekend on nothing of substance. I have also developed a violent streak when im drunk and try to start fights. All of this needs to go!

Giving up the actual drinking isnt the challenge for me, i have done 40 day stints in the past. Its tackling how to have a social life when basically everything i do for fun involves drinking. This marks day 1 wish me luck!!!

-Lisbon

Dee74

Hi and welcome Lisbon

for me the social life thing came after I committed to not drinking. That meant making quite a few changes about what I did socially and who I did it with.

The good news is I rediscovered a me and a life I'd forgotten about - I found there's a lot more things to do in life that prop up a bar or sit in front of a TV drinking, and I found friends whose friendships weren't based on a mutual love of drinking.

All that can take a little while, but I never regretted doinmg it. My drinking was killing me, soul first...

You will find a lot of support here too

D

MyTime86

Hey. I have the same problem, try to stay away from drinking events for awhile get some sober time in. Then once your ready you will see that hanging out with drunk people sucks because they are unbelievably annoying. The unfortunate thing is that you will fine you may need new friends

Marcher13

Welcome Lisbon. I found after an initial shaky start socially that I actually have a better time when I'm sober -- strange but true.

least

Welcome to the family. You've come to a good place for support and useful info. I'm glad you decided to stop drinking and join us.

SoberLeigh

Welcome, Lisbon.

Socially, you may have to cast your net a little wider initially - find sober activities and events to avoid triggering friends/circumstances and hopefully make a sober friend or two in the process.

Again, welcome.

joyfullysober

Welcome. In addition to widening your social net, you may find that some of your current pals would be happily willing to do non-drinking activities with you. You could do some excercise or catch a movie. Just make sure not to hit the bar afterwards.

Lisbon

Excellent advice already, and thank you for the warm welcomes!

Cinco de Mayo today, def a drinking holiday. Is there such thing as a virgin margarita?

unchartedxo

Virgin margaritas
Virgin cosmos

About Virgin everything. Hell, I've even ordered a kiddie cocktail in the past.

Don't get wrapped up in made up reasons to drink. I too am only a weekend drinker and get totally smashed either on Friday or Saturday (and not even every weekend!) but I too feel the sorrow, regret and unhealthy pains in my body.

Stick to it. When you have a good amount of sobriety under your belt it's so refreshing to wake up EVERY MORNING and know you will not have a hangover that day.

Friday night will be my last binge. Let's do this together!

SoulKat

I realized that instead of staying up late doing the things I love, I was passing out on the couch every night. That was no way to live. I'd rather be sober.

LBrain

Welcome Lisbon.

You will find that life without alcohol is quite enjoyable. You will also discover there are very many people who have been enjoying life without alcohol for quite some time. Even folks who will occasionally imbibe do also lead a fun and enjoyable existence without it. Sometimes they drink, sometimes they don't. So it is clear to see that enjoyment from life is clearly not centered around alcohol for far many more people than those of us who relied upon it for so many years have come to assume. Try to decipher that run-on sentence. ha ha
As many here discovered, not as many people need alcohol to have a good time as we thought. yeah, that's better.

Welcome aboard.

christyham

Glad to read someone with same problem. I had been off drink for 4 months and got pushed into going to a stag party. I thought I could handle a few beers but 3 days later and now I have that drink depression guilt embarrassment and feeling like I have let myself and my family down. I don't think I can ever beat this.

Lisbon

Not to mention the dumbass text messages that are evidence of my drunken stupidity. Nothing worse than reading what you sent people when you were blackout.

I think im gonna go see some movies this weekend. I cant remember the last time i did. I also blow it off saying "movies are so damn expensive" haha yeah right. They are 2 drinks tops! Cab+ cover + booze + late night drunk food + cab again + fast food for breakfast because you feel like crap = like the entire StarWars and Harry Potter Series on the IMAX in 3D!!!

Carlotta

Weasel66 also has a week end support thread that he starts on Fridays for those who struggle during week ends. Look it up, it s a great thread where people check basis, tell each others what they are doing and support those who are considering picking up.
This was last week end's to give you an idea http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...5-2-5-4-a.html