lastchance4me

I am determined not to let this disease beat me.
I am sooooo tired of hurting people by drinking.
My question to those who have been successful is. How do you keep on track daily? Eating properly, praying, journal writing and other necessary means to sobriety? What have you found to be helpful? I do well for a week or so and then forget to eat. Drink too much caffeine etc.
Question 2. How do you stay positive in your recovery and be proud of yourself with out screwing up? Whenever I count my days or my husband tells me I am doing good I fail.
I had 10 days, have never felt better and then messed up last night. Have no idea why and am pissed at myself.
I am looking for serious skills etc. that you have found helpful.
Thanks in advance

least

For me, it was because I felt so badly about my drinking self. I never again wanted to be that person. I was so sick and tired of waking up feeling like hell and hating myself. I knew I couldn't continue that way.

That was nearly five years ago and I haven't had a drink since. I wanted sobriety so bad that it became my main focus in life.

sugarbear1

help another person

work with a sponsor who is truly spiritual and helpful

keep a network of close friends

it takes time to keep up with everything, but eventually, it all comes together

Anna

For me, it's balance and it's something I strive for every day.

As far as messing up when you think you're doing well, I did that too. I was the queen of self-sabotage. I realized I was quite afraid to succeed. Where would that lead me? I had no idea at the time and it was easier to fail. Believe that you deserve a good life.

AdmimalBlueEyes

All I can say is if you mess up yournot entitled to nor are yoq obligated to go on a binge. Good luck 10/11 days sober is a start

Wastinglife

Well, I just don't let alcohol be an option anymore. I tell myself I can do whatever I want but just no booze. It's kind of simple but once I take drinking off the table I think of something else to do. Nights after 6pm are when the AV starts talking. When I really crave a drink, I will treat myself in another way like order a pizza with 5 toppings and stuff my face. With a belly full of pizza, booze is the last thing I want.

Of course, I don't keep alcohol in the house ever. I don't go near liquor stores. If you keep it in the house then you are asking for trouble.

lastchance4me

Anna. How did you do this? How did you make yourself believe you were/are worth being happy?

lastchance4me

Thanks Admiral. I do not binge for days. I drink hard one day and then don't touch it for a week or two.
Left over alcohol went in the trash.

Hawks

I go after the AA program with everything I can.

The obsession to drink has been removed.

I can go where I like... a free man.

It's not easy but it is worth it.

Fly N Buy

After many years of trying and failing with various methods I finally reached the jumping off pint. As least posted I simply became sick of who I had become. But I needed a structured program of recovery to supplant the time I took up planning and drinking

I started AA and went to 100+ meetings in 90 days. I listened to others with long term sobriety and looked for similarities , not differences. I became willing to try anything that might potentially help.

Around 30 days the obsession to drink was removed. At times thoughts still pop up but I learned they are just thoughts. I don't act on them by using tools I have learned.

I needed a program that could help me stop but more importantly stay stopped. Today is day 169 and the longest sobriety I have ever had since I began drinking at around 16 years old.

I love SR as well, but needed f2f support.
This is what my experience has been. To each his own - many use other methods.

Kind regards
FlyN

Fly N Buy

Duplicate

PurpleKnight

Building regular support into my daily routine was important.

Logging into SR when I woke up, during my lunch break at work, when I got home from work and before I went to bed, this kept my focus on the task at hand.

The danger is only using support and SR when things are not going well, but in fact we need support during the good times too to not get complacent, drifting away from SR only to return with a relapse thread.

JanieJ

I can only speak from experience, but for me, just quitting in itself has made me feel like a better person. The fact that for once in my life I'm doing something worthwhile that requires determination and humility seems to be having a positive effect on how I view myself.

Dee74

It took me a long time to accept I was worth it and deserving of good things...until I really believed it, I took it on faith.

It was a lot easier to accept I was worth it when I was sober and was building a life full of meaning....and like Anna says, balance.

You need some down time too - and finding healthy positive ways to relax....I find playing my guitar or listening to music is more and more my default for that these days. Exercise is good too...or housecleaning LOL

D

Soberwolf

A journal really helped me i agree with Anna & D

AdmimalBlueEyes

100% agree , I relapse everytime I'm sober and stop doing the work, this time I'm going to. Try a diffrent aproach and keep up with it

Mountainmanbob

getting stroked may puff us up (we don't need that)

pride before the fall (stay humble)

keep an eye on the one in the mirror (they have deceived us many times)

MM