When you want a drink remember...
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Northern CA
Posts: 19
When you want a drink remember...
Hi all,
I'm new here and thought I'd share something I just created to help me on this journey. I've known I have a drinking problem for years now, but recently decided to confront it head on. I've attempted to stay sober in the past, but wasn't mentally ready. I truly feel this time is different. I wrote a list to myself to prevent me from picking up that first drink. Hope this helps someone else and feel free to add on your own!
When you want a drink remember:
DO NOT immediately give in. Wait. Read this…
You’re going to live a completely different life than you're used to, you’re going to find yourself, you’re going to lose some friends, you’re going to feel everything, you’re going to live a life you didn’t think you could, you’re going to feel anxious, uncomfortable, pissed off, left out and frustrated at times. That's okay.
You’ll never have to wake up not knowing where you are, what happened, how you acted, how you got home, or feel horrible guilt and regret.
Even when you drink moderately, you are constantly concerned with how much you’re drinking and if there is more available. It’s not even pleasant.
People keep saying you’ll feel so happy, content, energized, and healthy when you stop drinking. You want to feel like that.
You’ll no longer have horrible anxiety, crying spells, guilt, self-hatred, and panic for several days after drinking.
You’ll never have to go to work hungover, struggling to just make it through the day.
You’ll save a ton of calories and lose weight and not feel guilty the next morning about eating a bunch of junk.
You’ll save money and have some extra cash to spend on other things.
You’ll have so much more time to do stuff since you won’t be hungover.
You’ll be more productive and accomplish things you always said you'd get to someday.
The right guy will accept that you don’t drink, embrace it, and not make you feel bad about your decision. You want to find a guy who you love, can be yourself around, and have fun with while sober. No more drink ‘til he’s funny and cute.
You’ll lose some friends, but develop better, stronger, real connections with others. You probably couldn’t hold a pleasant sober conversation with many of your drinking buddies anyway and those are not real connections.
You’ll find out who you really are.
If you are shy and socially awkward in social situations, that’s okay.
You’ll remember all the events that you pay good money for.
You’ll be able to remember conversations you have.
You’ll never have to worry about getting home safely or driving drunk because you can always drive yourself.
You’ll save your mom a lot of worrying.
You’ll hopefully heal some, if not all, of your chronic pain and inflammation.
You’ll never wake up and wish that you had drank the night before.
You’ll likely end up in jail or dead if you keep drinking.
You’re not a normal drinker. You can’t have just one or two. And even if you somehow manage it by following others’ lead, you will not feel content and always want more.
Recall the stupid things you’ve done when drunk: DUI, injuring yourself, acting like an idiot and totally out of character, flirting excessively with guys that you don’t even like, kissing a married man, getting sick and having to have friends take care of you, having sex and wondering if you’re pregnant because you can’t remember if you were safe, eating a ton of junk food, getting in fights and saying things you normally wouldn’t, crashing your car and getting a violation of probation after a night of heavy drinking, hanging out with people you normally wouldn’t, blacking out, doing harder drugs when your inhibition is lowered, not knowing what you did for several hours at a time.
You’re only 25 and are lucky that you’ve realized you have a problem early. You have your whole life ahead of you and will accomplish great things if you can maintain sobriety.
There is nothing left in a drink for you.
You can do this. Stay strong.
I'm new here and thought I'd share something I just created to help me on this journey. I've known I have a drinking problem for years now, but recently decided to confront it head on. I've attempted to stay sober in the past, but wasn't mentally ready. I truly feel this time is different. I wrote a list to myself to prevent me from picking up that first drink. Hope this helps someone else and feel free to add on your own!
When you want a drink remember:
DO NOT immediately give in. Wait. Read this…
You’re going to live a completely different life than you're used to, you’re going to find yourself, you’re going to lose some friends, you’re going to feel everything, you’re going to live a life you didn’t think you could, you’re going to feel anxious, uncomfortable, pissed off, left out and frustrated at times. That's okay.
You’ll never have to wake up not knowing where you are, what happened, how you acted, how you got home, or feel horrible guilt and regret.
Even when you drink moderately, you are constantly concerned with how much you’re drinking and if there is more available. It’s not even pleasant.
People keep saying you’ll feel so happy, content, energized, and healthy when you stop drinking. You want to feel like that.
You’ll no longer have horrible anxiety, crying spells, guilt, self-hatred, and panic for several days after drinking.
You’ll never have to go to work hungover, struggling to just make it through the day.
You’ll save a ton of calories and lose weight and not feel guilty the next morning about eating a bunch of junk.
You’ll save money and have some extra cash to spend on other things.
You’ll have so much more time to do stuff since you won’t be hungover.
You’ll be more productive and accomplish things you always said you'd get to someday.
The right guy will accept that you don’t drink, embrace it, and not make you feel bad about your decision. You want to find a guy who you love, can be yourself around, and have fun with while sober. No more drink ‘til he’s funny and cute.
You’ll lose some friends, but develop better, stronger, real connections with others. You probably couldn’t hold a pleasant sober conversation with many of your drinking buddies anyway and those are not real connections.
You’ll find out who you really are.
If you are shy and socially awkward in social situations, that’s okay.
You’ll remember all the events that you pay good money for.
You’ll be able to remember conversations you have.
You’ll never have to worry about getting home safely or driving drunk because you can always drive yourself.
You’ll save your mom a lot of worrying.
You’ll hopefully heal some, if not all, of your chronic pain and inflammation.
You’ll never wake up and wish that you had drank the night before.
You’ll likely end up in jail or dead if you keep drinking.
You’re not a normal drinker. You can’t have just one or two. And even if you somehow manage it by following others’ lead, you will not feel content and always want more.
Recall the stupid things you’ve done when drunk: DUI, injuring yourself, acting like an idiot and totally out of character, flirting excessively with guys that you don’t even like, kissing a married man, getting sick and having to have friends take care of you, having sex and wondering if you’re pregnant because you can’t remember if you were safe, eating a ton of junk food, getting in fights and saying things you normally wouldn’t, crashing your car and getting a violation of probation after a night of heavy drinking, hanging out with people you normally wouldn’t, blacking out, doing harder drugs when your inhibition is lowered, not knowing what you did for several hours at a time.
You’re only 25 and are lucky that you’ve realized you have a problem early. You have your whole life ahead of you and will accomplish great things if you can maintain sobriety.
There is nothing left in a drink for you.
You can do this. Stay strong.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Texas
Posts: 67
I like that.... although I often relied on "til he's cute and funny" cuz I'm neither. My wife would argue that but I think she has vision & hearing issues 
All joking aside, we CAN do this, others have and we will too!
All joking aside, we CAN do this, others have and we will too!
Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Oregon
Posts: 13
Thank you so much for posting this.
This is amazing. I can't believe this was only posted today. I've been sober for more than 8 months now and lately have been thinking about drinking again. I relate to every single thing you wrote on that list. So thank you, thank you, thank you. I am going to paste this into a word doc and print it out so I alway have it on hand. I hope that's ok 
Just so you know, you helped at least one person today 
Just so you know, you helped at least one person today Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Center of Mass
Posts: 622
A good list worthy of my fridge.
Your imagination will set up scenarios where drinking just seems *so* wonderful. A warm Summer day having a drink with friends perhaps. In reality that drink is one of many that turns into a nightmare and ends up with a horrid hangover then next day.
Don't trust the lies your mind puts together when it comes to the perfect scenario.
Your imagination will set up scenarios where drinking just seems *so* wonderful. A warm Summer day having a drink with friends perhaps. In reality that drink is one of many that turns into a nightmare and ends up with a horrid hangover then next day.
Don't trust the lies your mind puts together when it comes to the perfect scenario.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Northern CA
Posts: 19
So happy that you all enjoyed this list! Hopefully it will come in handy in times of weakness. There is definitely comfort in the fact that others can relate to many of the points. It makes me feel less alone in taking on this monumental life change. I look forward to communicating with all of you in the future!
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