Stiv

I feel the need to drink, but don't know why.

Dee74

Welcome back Stiv - I know you've tried to quit a few times...mostly on your own or with SR, yeah?

why not try something different this time?
any ideas?

D

instant

Feeling a need to drink is the core of the problem. It's what we do with it that counts. There is freedom in sobriety I never knew when I was drinking.

Soberwolf

Stiv have you tried mtns ?

IOAA2

Hi.
For me and many more that feeling comes because we are alcoholics. For me that means I cannot drink alcohol in safety. It’s that simple.

I was told by some and find it true to this day that if we are not committed to being sober as a #1 priority we are wasting our time and frustrations. When and if we ever get ready to want to be sober more than this day or week there are many programs that will work IF we work them.

This is serious and requires work and change.

Ready, set, GO!

BE WELL

desypete

are you sitting alone and doing nothing ? that could be a reason as to why, how about going out or contacting someone ? or try reading a book or cleaning up try anything other than sitting there alone just thinking about the drink

SoberLeigh

I felt the 'need' to drink, too, Stiv. I thought I needed it to get by, to get through, to survive the day.

It was my addiction talking and it was very convincing. But it was wrong, very wrong. There is so much more satisfaction and internal joy in sobriety than I could have ever imagined while in the grips of alcoholism.

Breaking the cycle of addiction while, by no means easy, is simple. Put down the drink and unequivocally commit to sobriety.

Build a plan for sobriety; fill your sobriety toolbox; utilize face to face support such as AA or counseling; investigate other techniques such as RR, AVRT; commit to utilizing SR to it's fullest - join the Class of December or the Class of January starting in a couple of days; read the threads - post, reply.

You can do this, Stiv - I promise.

Stiv

Hi everyone and sorry for the late reply, and for bringing up this older post but I have wanted to reply to say thanks, so thanks.
I’m just reading the date I last posted (December 28th) it’s now February the 5th. And my one line cry in the night “I feel the need to drink, but don't know why.”

I drank my last drink on Sunday February 1st, went to work Monday with a hangover, then felt the need to drink again that night, that’s when I remembered this thread, I feel the need to drink, but don't know why.

This is my 4th day without a drink, although my wife would correct me and say it’s only 3 so far because I only drink at night, and she would be right.

Anyway, I am going to plug in here more often and I have a friend that’s helping with support, I really want this to work, I feel great when I wake up after NOT drinking the night before.

Thank everyone for being here, even though I didn’t reply immediately, I have often thought about this thread.

LBrain

this may sound silly, but when I quit,
I actually felt the need to not drink.

So when your are ready to quit...

Stiv

I'm not sure what this means, if I feel the need to drink (have cravings) I'm not ready? Maybe you didn't have a problem, if i didn't feel the need to drink I wouldn't without effort.

ScottFromWI

My guess is because you are an alcoholic. Most of us are, and we also continued to drink even after we knew it was bad for us. The most difficult thing about alcoholism, and what I needed to accept, was that you most likely never will know "why" you are an alcoholic, or "why" you feel the need to drink - it just IS that way for us.

For some that acceptance comes in the form of a formal declaration, such as AA or NA. For others it comes through faith. Some find it through therapy or rehab. But the bottom line is you can't outsmart it, figure it out or cure it - you have to simply accept it and learn to live with it. I like to equate it to an allergy - we don't know why people have allergies, and we don't know how to cure them - so the solution is to avoid the allergen completely. And to learn to live without it - which is where recovery comes in.

Coming here more often sounds like a great idea, don't rule out local support too if you feel it would help.

zeppodog

I know if I don't stay busy with things I like to do that don't involve drinking and keep thinking of why I'm not drinking is when I'll drink, even after some long periods of sobriety. You can't let your guard down. You have to occupy yourself and find things to do that are fun and don't involve drinking.

LBrain

play on words - yes...

but the overall of it is that the desire to quit must be stronger than the desire to drink, whether it's a voluntary reaction or not.

trust me that I had a very difficult week giving up dip after almost 30 years of constant use - cold turkey. I sat on my couch with shivers and a blanket a couple days. even yesterday I really "needed" to go out and get some. but I didn't. Because my need to quit is stronger than my need to consume it.

Same thing with alcohol. Yeah, I KNOW it's a bitch. But if we continue to go on telling ourselves we can't do it be cause we "need" it, then we have already given up.

Soberwolf

Well done on day 3/4 Stiv

PurpleKnight

You can do this Stiv!!

Sounds like you're getting a plan in place with some support, that was important for me, as my mind wanted to drink because it was addicted, and so I needed something outside of my to give me a second opinion on things and keep me on track!!

Dee74

How are you doing now Stiv?

D

Stiv

LBrain, “play on words - yes...” again I do not know what this means, your play on words or mine, I’m really unsure.

My desire to drink is sometimes greater than the desire to quit, I guess I am not as lucky as you.

So when I’m ready to quit...

Thanks everyone else, I guess I’ll be back, maybe…

Dee, I am stuck in the middle, I am not drunk all the time, but I am drunk more than I want to be sometimes.

Wish I'd never posted...

Dee74

why, Stiv?

I'd hate anyone to leave here thinking they need to wait to be ready to quit.
I firmly believe that our 'bottom' is of our own choosing.

We can stop that runaway descending elevator anytime we like

At least a part of you wants to stop or you would not be here. Work on that part, encourage it/ What have you got to lose man - really?

the sooner you stop the less you'll lose, Stiv - it really boils down to that.

I know you can do this

D

MelindaFlowers

Keep coming back. You're right where you need to be. Part of me still wanted to drink when I stopped but more of me wanted to stop. I still didn't know if I could do it. I took it day by day and it finally stuck.

Stiv

Sorry guys,

Dang it man, I feel like I suffer from schizophrenia, I want to have a drink, A DRINK, but it’s never a drink. Then, I don’t want any drinks because I’ve abused drinking, drank too much.

My wife says I’m irritable, then she says she likes me better this way???
Seems she will take sober over anything else.

My insomnia and irritability has made me moody, sorry LBrain.

Thanks Dee, and everyone!