Final Day One
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: LA, CA
Posts: 55
Final Day One
Hi all,
What was different about your Final Day One, that finally made you stop drinking/using? I have never had a real, written plan and I am finally working on a plan. I am hoping that this will be the difference for me, but the guilt is making my progress very slow. I got further in the AVRT crash course than I have in the past, but I just can't quite finish it. I have tried AA, but I am not able to get to meetings often enough. I can't stomach the Big Book, but maybe I will try it again when I am not feeling so guilty and anxious. I always say that I will check in here everyday, but stop after a few weeks and eventually start drinking again. I am thinking of setting reminders on my phone to check in and when there are online meetings. I don't know why I'm going on and on...
What was different about your Final Day One, that finally made you stop drinking/using? I have never had a real, written plan and I am finally working on a plan. I am hoping that this will be the difference for me, but the guilt is making my progress very slow. I got further in the AVRT crash course than I have in the past, but I just can't quite finish it. I have tried AA, but I am not able to get to meetings often enough. I can't stomach the Big Book, but maybe I will try it again when I am not feeling so guilty and anxious. I always say that I will check in here everyday, but stop after a few weeks and eventually start drinking again. I am thinking of setting reminders on my phone to check in and when there are online meetings. I don't know why I'm going on and on...
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,427
I didn't know it was my Final Day One...but I wanted it to be .
For me I went farther than I'd ever gone before to safeguard my recovery...I found SR and I started making changes in my lifestyle and the way I deal with 'stuff'
D
For me I went farther than I'd ever gone before to safeguard my recovery...I found SR and I started making changes in my lifestyle and the way I deal with 'stuff'
D
Trudgin
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 6,348
After a very long drinking career and slightly over one year of sobriety, I am hopeful I had my last day one. But I've read enough relapse stories to simply say - I am sober today, by grace.
What is different this time is I put sobriety above all else - I had to. At other times I desired quitting but never truly came to grips with the depth of my problem and circumstances.
Once I really accepted this I became willing to change and do whatever I needed to do.
Glad you're here, I don't know your story - but usually it's a process getting ready and accepting. However, I look back and fully understand I was playing Russian roulette. It's a gamble if we get second, third of forth chances........
What is different this time is I put sobriety above all else - I had to. At other times I desired quitting but never truly came to grips with the depth of my problem and circumstances.
Once I really accepted this I became willing to change and do whatever I needed to do.
Glad you're here, I don't know your story - but usually it's a process getting ready and accepting. However, I look back and fully understand I was playing Russian roulette. It's a gamble if we get second, third of forth chances........
Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
When I got more focused on the goodness of sobriety than the 'loss' of having to quit...
When I made it my daily focus to see how much better life could be without alcohol and drugs...
When I gave myself totally to taking ACTION and making CHANGE to support sobriety - even on days I didn't really feel like it....
When I intentionally made myself focus on being being a sober, Non-drinker.... And began to be proud of that and celebrate it rather than be bummed about it...
It worked
When I made it my daily focus to see how much better life could be without alcohol and drugs...
When I gave myself totally to taking ACTION and making CHANGE to support sobriety - even on days I didn't really feel like it....
When I intentionally made myself focus on being being a sober, Non-drinker.... And began to be proud of that and celebrate it rather than be bummed about it...
It worked
Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 5,937
Originally Posted by Ceedaily 
Hi all,
What was different about your Final Day One, that finally made you stop drinking/using? I have never had a real, written plan and I am finally working on a plan. I am hoping that this will be the difference for me, but the guilt is making my progress very slow. I got further in the AVRT crash course than I have in the past, but I just can't quite finish it.
What was different about your Final Day One, that finally made you stop drinking/using? I have never had a real, written plan and I am finally working on a plan. I am hoping that this will be the difference for me, but the guilt is making my progress very slow. I got further in the AVRT crash course than I have in the past, but I just can't quite finish it.
I've discussed my decision to stop before. Ultimately it wasn't one thing, just came to a point where the fear of not drinking paled next to the weariness of going on like I had been. It was about a year after my dad died and my drinking- always heavy- had spiraled out of control, even for me. I was getting up a 3:00 pm for work, still drunk. And occasionally I'd wake up early in the morning and have half a bottle of wine to get back to sleep. I physically ached all the time and looked like hell. I never knew if I was sick or just perpetually hung over.
I planned my last drinking day. Since I knew I would have to stop or die I waited til the day before my day off and decided to drink everything I had in the house. That wound up being four bottles of wine. The hangover was horrible and I was sick for a couple days. But I was free; I knew it was going to be the last hangover I'd ever have. And it has been, going on almost three years now.
AVRT was all I needed. That and the support of SR.
Re-Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: USA
Posts: 7,909
I'm like Dee--I didn't know my final day one was going to be that. I thought it was just another empty hungover promise to myself that I was never drinking again.
Becoming a very active member here on SR has been the cornerstone of my sobriety so far. I am finishing week nine today. I have started attending AA again a couple of times a week. Like you, I always looked down on some of the writing in the Big Book before. It's very antiquated in parts and over-written and just plain cheesy at times. But there's a lot of wisdom in there too. This time I'm trying to focus on the message and not the method of delivery. All I know is that it's helped thousands upon thousands of people change their lives and stop drinking. I can use that.
Becoming a very active member here on SR has been the cornerstone of my sobriety so far. I am finishing week nine today. I have started attending AA again a couple of times a week. Like you, I always looked down on some of the writing in the Big Book before. It's very antiquated in parts and over-written and just plain cheesy at times. But there's a lot of wisdom in there too. This time I'm trying to focus on the message and not the method of delivery. All I know is that it's helped thousands upon thousands of people change their lives and stop drinking. I can use that.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Ireland
Posts: 25,826
I stopped with the good intentions, relying on my own willpower or hoping that things would be different this time!!
Instead I got proactive, changed up my actions, changed up my routines, practically made Sobriety happen, whatever that took!!
Instead I got proactive, changed up my actions, changed up my routines, practically made Sobriety happen, whatever that took!!
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