Celticgirl

because I'm seeing a LOT of the same thing with the posts here and all the literature I've been reading. SO many of us (myself included) think we will able to control our drinking. "I can have one or two." "I'll just drink on the weekends."

We really can't drink at all, can we?

Soberjoy1

I can't! If I had a dollar for every time I tried to "cut back", I could buy a whole new wardrobe. Only 2, only on weekends, only beer, no more than 3 days a week, etc. Some people may be able to moderate, but I can't. That is what sets us apart, I guess.

MCAL880

I have tried desperately to moderate more times than I care to admit. I may succeed for a night and then the next day I'm on a full blown binge again. That's just the way it is for me, I'm just coming to accept the fact that I will never be able to drink normally again and that it's time to find some other healthy alternative to boozing it up 3-4 times a week. Moderation will never work for me, but knowing that fact certainly didn't prevent me from trying it a million times.

Ghostlight1

All I know and care about is that I can't just have one. I can neither control or compare myself to what others do.
Nope I can't have just one. Never saw the point of it. I was a drunk and drank to get as drunk as possible.
There are a whole lot of people with the same problem. I wish them the best, but I've got to take care of my own back yard on a daily basis to stay sober.

Hope4Life

I KNOW that if I have 1 beer..... IT'S ON!

I love my sober life and the meaningful relationships that I am developing with other sober people so I refuse to give that up.

1 beer = 1 life wasted.

PinkiGreen

I can't. I think I've FINALLY realized it. Not even 1. Not one sip. Just nada.

biminiblue

People who can control their alcohol don't have a little voice in their heads telling them they can.

They don't even think about it.

I've used every moderation trick in the book. It doesn't work.

Abstinence is much easier than moderation.

Nonsensical

No, but we can do anything else - which we can't do if we're drinking. It's a bargain if you think about it.

PurpleKnight

Once that penny finally dropped for me, life got a whole lot more straight forward!!

No more stressing about do I have enough alcohol for the evening, worrying about having only a few drinks, switching to beer, to wine, having 2 alcohol free days a week, 1 alcohol free day, trying to only drink at weekends!!

Just think of the things we can now achieve with the amount of effort, energy and creativity we put into trying to moderate!!

Tic127

I'm 100% sure that I Must never again let even a sip past my lips , I turned down steak and ale pie last night just incase! I felt stupid, but in a strange way proud of myself!

Hobbers

<----- 100% not special. Nor am I a unique snowflake.

LBrain

I don't know about anyone else, but for me it's a definite no. Not now, not never no how.

Soberwolf

First time being sober I'm not playing when I say its for life makes me happy but no I can't shoot laser beams from my eyes or shoot bolts of lightning from my ass I'm just human

It doesn't scare me being sober

I respect ppl with there path/choice of recovery pls respect mine

Celticgirl

I'm glad I'm not alone. I go through so many emotions every day - sadness, elation, excitement, anxiety, hope - it's kind of exhausting. I realize I'm less than two weeks sober, so I am hoping that all this settles down. Trying to figure out this new lifestyle and coming to terms with the end of my past life - a life that I enjoyed, for a while, until it all got out of hand.

I was always the last person to leave a party, you know what I mean?

Soberwolf

You never have to be alone again

For we are here

CAPTAINZING2000

Ah

I could drink alright, it was stopping that became the problem.

I view this the same as a person allergic to nuts. I can deny I'm allergic to alcohol and get the same results or, I can remain honest with myself and admit I'm allergic to alcohol

Meraviglioso

I read an interesting article once, I wish I could find it now, but can't even remember the keywords to google it. It was about the "dry January" phenomenon that is a big thing in the UK, but also catching on in the US. It talked about the fact that some people are so proud to make it through dry January while others can't be bothered. But it is actually the ones that can't be bothered who are healthier. They are the ones without a problem who don't drink every night or to excess when they do (and didn't in December, despite all the holiday parties) so why should they cut down or stop. I don't think I explained that too well, but the point was, those that have to consider moderating or taking breaks are doing so because they have a big problem. People without an alcohol problem don't have to think about alcohol that way.

firstymer

Nope. We can't. Not at all. Not ever. Period.

But, I can't slam dunk a basketball either. I have a 3 inch vertical jump and, every time I tried to slam dunk a basketball, I just ended up looking foolish - kind of like when I tried to moderate.

Accept the obvious. And move on. That's my philosophy.

~Lia~

Sober wolf, did you quote William Wallace from brave heart? Hahaha!! All kidding aside. So glad I found SR. Nice to check in a few times a day

Celticgirl

I know what you mean. One of my best friends is like that. We'll go out, she'll say she really needs a beer, orders one, and doesn't finish it. Or has one and forgets about drinking for the night. Meanwhile, I'm half-listening to her, waiting to order the next and the next and the next. She told me that she likes to drink, but she has an automatic shut-off. Apparently mine is broken.