A Good Day 1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 770
A Good Day 1
Today is day 1 for me and it's going surprisingly well. I had 5 weeks sober and then the champagne on New Year's Eve triggered a 2 week binge. I could not see a way out, but thanks to the help of all you nice people, I quit today.
This morning I woke up feeling horrible. Hungover, not eaten for days and far too little water in my system. I couldn't imagine getting out of bed but decided I had to. You can do more than you think.
Showered and got groceries. Feeling horrible from not having eaten. Yet at the same time I didn't feel like eating because of the hangover. I was light-headed and forced myself to eat and drink a lot of water. Which worked miracles. Quickly I started to feel relatively good. Went for a walk. Did some cleaning. Which is a good day for someone who was very sick from a 2 week heavy binge.
I've been thinking about a plan and the fact that I had 5 weeks before, it's pretty easy to see where it might go wrong. I know I will be disgusted by alcohol for a while, but that will fade. Then come a couple of weeks of struggling. I need to use my willpower to power through that. Because at 5 weeks, alcohol will no longer be on my mind.
There are two places where it can go wrong:
1. During the struggling phase.
2. In a situation like a party. On NYE it went wrong because I thought a little bit couldn't hurt. It did.
My plan for those situations:
1. Do something else. Focus on something else. Post here.
2. Now I know I can never drink again, I will never think again that it can't hurt. And if it does get difficult, I will also post here.
It's great to have this place!
This morning I woke up feeling horrible. Hungover, not eaten for days and far too little water in my system. I couldn't imagine getting out of bed but decided I had to. You can do more than you think.
Showered and got groceries. Feeling horrible from not having eaten. Yet at the same time I didn't feel like eating because of the hangover. I was light-headed and forced myself to eat and drink a lot of water. Which worked miracles. Quickly I started to feel relatively good. Went for a walk. Did some cleaning. Which is a good day for someone who was very sick from a 2 week heavy binge.
I've been thinking about a plan and the fact that I had 5 weeks before, it's pretty easy to see where it might go wrong. I know I will be disgusted by alcohol for a while, but that will fade. Then come a couple of weeks of struggling. I need to use my willpower to power through that. Because at 5 weeks, alcohol will no longer be on my mind.
There are two places where it can go wrong:
1. During the struggling phase.
2. In a situation like a party. On NYE it went wrong because I thought a little bit couldn't hurt. It did.
My plan for those situations:
1. Do something else. Focus on something else. Post here.
2. Now I know I can never drink again, I will never think again that it can't hurt. And if it does get difficult, I will also post here.
It's great to have this place!
Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: MN
Posts: 8,704
Good to hear Mike. If I remember correctly, you are 34 (relatively young) and are financially stable yet socially awkward (according to you). I can get that, and its totally OK. Right now, alcohol I'm guessing is #1 on your priority list, and I am sure you can overcome it. It takes effort, it takes discipline, at times its not very comfortable. But the rewards far outweigh the blur of weeks of booze in your system. This is just my personal opinion, but don't get overexcited about getting sober, just take it one day at a time. Its a marathon, not a sprint. Things will come together. If you take your financial windfall and drink it away, the economy will love it, and you will be a casualty. You don't have to do that. Good job and keep us posted.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 801
Mike, hate to send you back out buy buy some Boost, it's what they often give you in Detox the first day or two when you are sick and man this stuff is really good for you and will give you energy fast.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 770
Thanks everyone! Day 2, still doing well. Had an absurdly long night's sleep. And I slept very well, apart from some restlessness. I have just a hint of heartburn left. And I'm tired.
But... I'm going to spend some time with family. This time it's not out of necessity, just to have a good time. And it's an alcohol-free zone.
I have to go to my family in a moment, so I'll quickly respond to the posts. And if I miss one, I apologize. It's because I'm in a hurry. But I am listening.
- thomas, yes. Getting rid of the booze is my priority. It contributes to my social anxiety. And many more bad things.
- ALinNS, thanks for the recommendation. I'll see if they sell it here. Right now I don't feel like I need it, but if it's good enough for alcohol detox, it might useful for a flue or cold as well I suppose.
- soberworlf, creating a plan is difficult I found. So far it's what I outlined in the first post of this thread. Since I'm going to family for a while and there not being alcohol, it would be a good idea to create a plan there. They're picking me up in a moment anyway.
- Dee, that feels much better now that I think about it. Acceptance. I have this illness which comes with restrictions. It's the way it is and there's nothing I can do about it. The illness will stay. Key is to not trigger it. That's just the way it is.
I hope I didn't overlook anyone. But I gotta run. I will be bringing my pc, so I can stay in touch.
But... I'm going to spend some time with family. This time it's not out of necessity, just to have a good time. And it's an alcohol-free zone.
I have to go to my family in a moment, so I'll quickly respond to the posts. And if I miss one, I apologize. It's because I'm in a hurry. But I am listening.
- thomas, yes. Getting rid of the booze is my priority. It contributes to my social anxiety. And many more bad things.
- ALinNS, thanks for the recommendation. I'll see if they sell it here. Right now I don't feel like I need it, but if it's good enough for alcohol detox, it might useful for a flue or cold as well I suppose.
- soberworlf, creating a plan is difficult I found. So far it's what I outlined in the first post of this thread. Since I'm going to family for a while and there not being alcohol, it would be a good idea to create a plan there. They're picking me up in a moment anyway.
- Dee, that feels much better now that I think about it. Acceptance. I have this illness which comes with restrictions. It's the way it is and there's nothing I can do about it. The illness will stay. Key is to not trigger it. That's just the way it is.
I hope I didn't overlook anyone. But I gotta run. I will be bringing my pc, so I can stay in touch.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 801
Good Morning Mike , thanks for the update and have a great day.
I personally had not herd of making a plan until three years ago, up to that point I had been in and out of detox numerous times, attended an out patient program in 1998 that never mentioned a plan (21 day) attended AA and had gone through two sponsors, both relapsed and I followed eventually. In short three years ago part of the program was taking a deep look inside, learned unhealthy behaviors as a kid (i.e. never talk about your problems, don't forgive get even etc) and what took place in my life based on them, when did I have my first drink and try to remember why, then through daily intense counseling with physiologists and physiatrist they would provide feedback to myself and a Clinical therapist I also saw daily, so we determined what most of the roots were, my plan is formulated around that in part, then we looked at why I relapsed and what I could do to ensure that did not happen again, I determined in Dec past this is when this forum, AA and AA Alive (online chat) helps me, AA because I can call people I have met anytime, I can call the hot line and have people come to my home any hour of the day or week or I can come here or as I mentioned AA online. Plus I have read and still read a pile of information and suggestions and take what I think will work for me, always being mindful and open minded.
We looked recently why I relapsed in November after making a plan and having over two years sobriety and added to the plan to ensure it never happens again.
To me the plan has two parts in my case one being dealing with unhealthy learned behaviors, unhealthy relationships/friends, dealing with traumatic events, being mindful of my AV and tricks it has used, mental relapse before I actually picked up and how to recognize it, reflect on every relapse I could think of and try to remember why after being sober for a period of time I started again for me I had to establish boundaries and make sure I stuck to them (I tend to work insane hours, become tired after doing 70+ hour weeks for weeks, then I become mentally tired and not following anything other than working, my AV brings up traumatic events in dreams and flashbacks and I would fall into the trap of drinking to escape to numb the pain and my life would totally fall apart. In summary get help from the past and establish boundaries are the foundation for me.
I hope maybe this will be helpful in your journey and wish you the very best
Andrew
I personally had not herd of making a plan until three years ago, up to that point I had been in and out of detox numerous times, attended an out patient program in 1998 that never mentioned a plan (21 day) attended AA and had gone through two sponsors, both relapsed and I followed eventually. In short three years ago part of the program was taking a deep look inside, learned unhealthy behaviors as a kid (i.e. never talk about your problems, don't forgive get even etc) and what took place in my life based on them, when did I have my first drink and try to remember why, then through daily intense counseling with physiologists and physiatrist they would provide feedback to myself and a Clinical therapist I also saw daily, so we determined what most of the roots were, my plan is formulated around that in part, then we looked at why I relapsed and what I could do to ensure that did not happen again, I determined in Dec past this is when this forum, AA and AA Alive (online chat) helps me, AA because I can call people I have met anytime, I can call the hot line and have people come to my home any hour of the day or week or I can come here or as I mentioned AA online. Plus I have read and still read a pile of information and suggestions and take what I think will work for me, always being mindful and open minded.
We looked recently why I relapsed in November after making a plan and having over two years sobriety and added to the plan to ensure it never happens again.
To me the plan has two parts in my case one being dealing with unhealthy learned behaviors, unhealthy relationships/friends, dealing with traumatic events, being mindful of my AV and tricks it has used, mental relapse before I actually picked up and how to recognize it, reflect on every relapse I could think of and try to remember why after being sober for a period of time I started again for me I had to establish boundaries and make sure I stuck to them (I tend to work insane hours, become tired after doing 70+ hour weeks for weeks, then I become mentally tired and not following anything other than working, my AV brings up traumatic events in dreams and flashbacks and I would fall into the trap of drinking to escape to numb the pain and my life would totally fall apart. In summary get help from the past and establish boundaries are the foundation for me.
I hope maybe this will be helpful in your journey and wish you the very best
Andrew
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