goose123

I am a long time alcoholic. I have tried to quit too many times. Las weekend I decided to try again to quit and wanted to do it on my own. After one day I was in the hospital for medically supervised detox. I am out now and it has been 6 days since I have had a drink. Today is really hard. I am starting to feel semi-okay (not sick) again and it is really nagging me. I am planning to spend the day cooking and working to try and keep my mind off the fact that all it takes is a quick trip around the corner. Any advice on how to get through this. I CANNOT fail this time.

Thanks.

huntress

Good morning, Goose!

I have some thoughts you're welcome to take or leave.

If you have medical supervision, you can discuss possible drug assistance with your doctor. This helps some people at least make a start of it (if not continue in their sobriety).

Do you have hobbies or other escapes--non-drug related--which can help distract you? I find it helpful to read or meditate or play music or draw or even color (hey! adult coloring books now! )

Consider joining a local sobriety group of some sort. If religion and AA is your thing, I'm sure there are many around who can help. They meet at various times, and you can get a mentor to help you through the tough times.

Sometimes, I find it helpful to just go to bed for a while when I feel like drinking. These are all cheesy "fixes," but each to his own.

Also...congrats on the 6 day mark!

d

Lance40

Hi Goose - those early days can be really tough. I don't have any special advice, but hang in there. Drinking has to be completely off the table, so do whatever it takes. Sometimes the best support is being in contact with other people whether that's on the phone, online chat, here at SR, meeting up with friends, going to an AA meeting, etc.

tommyinphilly

Everything huntress said with the addition of exercise. The first week was a little rough for me but now it's a really big part of my sobriety. Good luck

Reset

Yeah get some exercise. I started going to the gym around the hour I'd normally start drinking and that helped.

At night I drink a LOT of green tea. For some reason it kills desire for the taste of alcoholic beverages for me, like nothing alcoholic would mix well with it and it'll make me sick or something.

And I sometimes I try to remember how I'll feel tomorrow, both if I were to drink (disappointed in myself) and if not (happy to be clear headed).

BTW last night I thought I missed the taste of gin (blech, imagine that) but did not drink and I felt great today, so glad that I have another sober day under my belt.

Hope that helps.

huntress

I also find eating/drinking something sweet to help curb the desire to drink.

d

fini

welcome, goose.
joining with others has been instrumental to my ongoing sobriety. i spent years trying to do this by myself, to no avail.

you might find this thread useful:

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...at-we-did.html

SoberLeigh

Welcome, goose, to SR; glad you found us.

Great advice above.

May I add "Be kind to yourself. Be patient with yourself". Your mind, body and spirit are going through a major adjustment. Recovery takes time; believe in it, allow it to happen and never give up; its rewards are plentiful.

JimC60

Goose,

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your 6 days!

If you are interested, there are a lot of AA meetings on Saturday in the greater Baltimore area

Baltimore Intergroup Council

I'm not that well acquainted with the outlying towns and suburbs but it seems there are many options today. Might do some good to get out on this lousy weather day and find out who is really committed at these meetings.

Stay strong,

Jim

PurpleKnight

Welcome to the Forum Goose!!

The key is to keep changing up your plan, if the plan isn't working, nothing changes if nothing changes, so you know now doing it on your own isn't gonna work, and whether or not we want to use a particular method, that's not the priority, we gotta go with what WILL work!!

You can do this, and you'll find loads of support and advice here on SR to make it happen!!

ast1

Welcome to SR! Congratulations on 6 days!! Read around the forum lots of great advice!

Rar

HI Goose. Congratulations on your 6 days. I try everything in the book. If something doesn't work, I go on to the next suggestion until the craving goes away. Keeping busy seems to work most of the time, Sometimes, though I have things to do, but I'm in such a gloomy, anxious mood, it's hard to get going on those things. What REALLY helps during those times is to get on SR and read, read, read! Ask for help if you feel you might cave, or post to help someone else. My regular exercise class is in the morning, but I like Reset's idea of exercising during one's regular drinking hours. That would be a HUGE help, I think. You've already invested a lot in your detox. Keep on going. Do what it takes. Each day that goes by will get better. The awful parts will start getting farther and farther apart.

goose123

Thank you all of your advice. I am trying to stay busy to keep my mind off of the urge to drink (my normal weekend activity). I have been cooking all morning and have cooked enough food to feed an army. I have managed to find an outpatient program that I will be joining to help keep me going forward. I have a feeling I will be on this site a lot in the coming weeks! This is truly hard.

Thanks again.

Reset

Indeed. Eventually I'm gonna have to cut down on the ice cream but for now it's free reins.

Jsbodhi

I also cook enough to feed an army :/
Put it in containers and freeze it, then you'll have food all week xo

Soberwolf

Hi Goose

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ful-links.html

EMWEN

Congrats.... you can do this... and it's totally worth it.

Dee74

Welcome Goose - there's an amazing wealth of knowledge and support here - I'm glad you've joined us

D

emme99

Hi & welcome goose

least

Welcome to the family. I think you'll like the sober life. I sure do.