InWriting

It's only day 2, but I can already feel the stress here at the office eating away at me. I am holding strong, but I don't fully trust myself today. Work stress is my worst trigger. As my day progresses, and the stress gets thicker I can only begin to plan my sneak drinks for the drive home. Wish me luck, friends. I can do this. I can do this.

SoberBike

Just fight through it Inwriting, for me it was very tough in the first few days, trust me in saying it gets easier with time. I did everything possible to not drink after work, especially the stressful days. Try keeping some seltzer water with you at work and have one of those on the way home, that is what I have done and it worked for me. Good Luck and you can do this!

Jupiters

just keep telling yourself this. on REPEAT.
we are used to the broken record technique, try and use it for good this time

Mabel4

InWriting, I know all about work stress and have had problems with it too. Have you tried writing a list or making sticky notes of what you need to get done at work today and then put some stuff off for tomorrow? I used to write down things on my desk calendar for the next day if I felt like my plate was getting overloaded. It helps just to organize your tasks and then just take them one at a time.

You CAN do this. I am cheering you on!

doggonecarl

I won't say you aren't going through stress, but I know that my alcoholic mind tended to exaggerate the stress I was going through (so I could drink) and underestimate my ability to cope with it (again, so I could drink).

There are lots of ways to relieve stress without drinking...but it take a little more effort than pouring a drink down your throat.

Stay strong.

JD4010

What doggonecarl said.

My problems at work are more "surmountable" than I thought when I was in the depths of heavy drinking. They still suck, of course, but they are more manageable without a hangover.

PurpleKnight

Have you come up with other ways of dealing with stress? simply doing what we always do after work except the drinking is never going to work, we need knew techniques, whether its exercise, a long walk in the fresh air, meditation etc etc!!

There will always be stress in life, we just need to find a way to deal with it without alcohol!!

ElleDee

You and me both. A rough day at work usually makes me want to stop at the liquor store on the way home. Hold strong. Drinking will not make our stress at work any better... and probably worse. I know those days I came in after "drinking away my stress" the night before caused more stress because I felt like kitty poo and couldn't concentrate on anything to save my soul.

I don't want to feel like that anymore.

RevivingOphelia

Me too. Work stress was one of my main excuses to drink hard a few times a week.

However, tackling the work issues without a hangover/anxiety is well worth it.

InWriting

Everyone is so honest, and understanding in here. It's refreshing. I find myself coming back more often than I thought I would, mostly for the encouragement. It's nice to not feel so alone. Thank you all for the support.

Dee74

Find other ways to deal with stress - exercise is really good...hobbies and interests too.

Change your routine up too...drive home a different way...eat dinner earlier or later...make things different..

think of other things to look forward to.

If the stress continues you may want to think about why work stresses you out so much, and look at ways you can react differently?

D

Croissant

Your post brought back memories of when I first got sober.

I worked in a high stress environment (with highly strung people and egos), and huge deadlines usually on a weekly and daily basis.

Early sobriety was difficult, but not impossible. Think about how stressful it was waking up with a banging headache, sick, tired and useless....it takes a while to get out of the "imagined" cycle of paranoia we have that adds to our stress.

I think I was so used to 'worrying' it added to the whole 'drama' of the day that led to the crescendo at the end of the day in drinking.

Even now when I am stressed, I think - hey, is this really as stressful as being drunk at 2am and having to get up at 6.30am to get ready for work, ummmm no, not really.

Keep going! Good on you for posting.

Hevyn

Hi InWriting. I'm glad you wanted to discuss how you're feeling. That's what I love about SR - everyone gets it, and jumps in to help.

Good stuff has been said already. I just want to show some support and to say - I know you can rise above this and not drink. It's so easy to cave early on, but you won't get the relief you're seeking. Drinking calms us down for a bit, but actually adds to our anxiety and stress. You'll be so glad when you wake up tomorrow clear headed. This all gets a bit easier each day. You won't always feel this fragile. You're gaining strength and courage.

SoberHoopsFan

Look at it this way, think about how much harder and more stressful your day will be tomorrow if you go into the office hungover. I've never been at work without a hangover and said to myself "I would feel so much less stressed today if I had drank last night"... not once. I got so bad the days I was in the office not hungover were becoming rarities. I was convinced I couldn't hack it at my job anymore but how would I have even have known? I was hungover half the time, I never gave myself a chance to succeed or excel. You can do this man.

escapist

It's a strange truth about drinking. My threshold for stress diminished when I was drinking. I spent three years drinking in my office. I would have a drink before talking to people. I believed I couldn't handle communicating without a buzz. My "cure" quickly became my demise. You are right.. you can do it. Yes, you sure can and you will regain your strength.