Fatboyanon

Day 11. Very happy to have 11 days sober I feel pretty good. I have had one other stretch of 11 days in 9 years. I am working out everyday and working really late.come home and go to bed tired.
The cravings have been pretty intense but I am staing strong.
Does anyone else have this obsession just thinking about drinking all the time and does the obsession over alcohol and recovery consume your thoughts? Does this last forever?

August252015

Great job on 11 days.

I did indeed find that the desire to drink, my problem, has been removed; this is AA's program talk as I am a dedicated Aaer. For me, that happened pretty quickly and a vague desire- really just an unformulated plan crossing my mind- has only happened once in going on 11 mo. So, I believe it is possible to stop obsessing or even thinking (actively) about drinking.

What kind of program are you working this time?

Fatboyanon

I am not in AA but am using some of the tools from AA. One of the big tools is getting honest. I am getting completely honest with myself and am working on making my wife( a normal drinker) understand how I am suffering. I am also taking steps from SMART recovery.

Nowsthetime

The longer you starve it the easier it will get and the thoughts will stop.

I was also obsessed thinking about booze and quitting but with time it subsided.

Thoughts are only thoughts and we don't have to act in them. How's your plan looking?

totfit

I think if the obsession lasted forever, there would not be a support group as we would have all succumbed. What I found is that the other things you do become more important. Working out, family, community, work, and recreation become a core part of your life. Drinking as a passing thought became a ridiculous notion for me at some point. Works for some, just not for me. I don't "awfulize" drinking with the "insanity, jail, or death" notion, but instead look at the fact that it would prevent me from doing anything positive at all and enjoying the one shot at life that I have. Hopefully, as you do other things more and not drink, the obsession will sooner rather than later leave you be.

ARTEMIS

The obsession will not be with you forever. I worried about that also. You said you work out. I think it is similar to that. When you first start an exercise it is really hard. As you continue to do it, you become more familiar with the weight lifting or whatever you are doing and it becomes easier. Not easy, but easier than when you first picked up the weight.
You are in the hardest part, the beginning. Stay with it. These thoughts that are constantly on your mind about drinking will slowly fade. It does get so much better and you are one your way.

Maudcat

Yes. The desire to drink is huge when we first stop. Our brains and bodies have been conditioned through drinking to want the alcohol. They will diminish in time, so stay focused on your goal. Everyone's desire to drink is different. I had cravings for about 3 months after I stopped drinking. I am almost 4 years sober, and have not craved alcohol at all since the early days, save one time at a holiday party this year. I found myself staring at a row of open wine bottles somewhat longingly. I don't even care for wine! It was that darn addictive voice telling me that I could have one drink, just like everyone else. Except I know that one drink will turn into 20. Maybe not all that night, but definitely in time. Good luck.

entropy1964

I typed you a big ole post with BB quotes and all and poof, gone Oops.

So you're using the tools in AA. Have you read the Big Book?

As far as making your wife understand. Not sure that's possible. You can however try to understand your actions and how they've affected her. Making her understand you is tough. But if you attend AA meetings you'll be surrounded by people that understand you. Kinda like here but in flesh and blood.

nmd

Welcome and congratulations on 11 days!

I'm only three months sober myself. It took a month before I had my first day without cravings. It's one of those things you realize in hindsight. Waking up sober and realizing you got through a day without wanting to drink is a great feeling.
It took me about two months before I started stringing those days together and had more days of not craving than days I craved or obsessed about drinking. At 3 months, sober forever sounds wonderful and feels like a reality and not a dream.

Everyone is different of course. I had to let go of a lot of stuff in my head that kept dragging me back. Drinking made me sick, period. I had to let go of anything that led me to romanticize drinking: People, hobbies, and old stuff. Find a program that works for you, and defend your sobriety. Good luck :-)

tomsteve

as frick pointed out, don't think "making" your wife understand something you don't understand(yet) prolly isn't very wise. my own past experience is that people did want to hear it- they were tired of all of the deception, lies, and actions and didn't care why i did what i did. they just didn't want it around them any more.
i learned that trying to get others to understand was quite selfish and self centered-i wasn't looking at how THEY have suffered, just me,me,me.

as far as the mental obsession, i had it for quite some time. years and years of drinking, that obsession wasn't going to leave in a week or 2 and weren't going to leave without me working on me- finding causes and conditions for my actions and my thinking. then working at clearing away the wreckage i left in my wake and changing who i was.
eventually, the obsession was lifted- completely removed.

BlissWithin

I can say it got very manageable after 3 months abstinent, nowadays I may have 1 single craving every other week.

D122y

Fba,

I kindled hard and didn't know I was doing it for 15 years.

Off and on...binge....break..binge...etc.

When I learned...thanks sr..I experienced hellish paws for months....I'm still suffering a bit.

I still crave nearly daily at 20 months. Not as bad as 19 months..etc.

But, I know the outcome and know that booze is poison.

I am an addict for life.

I am drug free and in the best shape of my life.

Never drinking again. ...one day at a time.

Thanks.

site1Q84

I think the timing is different for everyone, but after about a month I stopped noticing it as much. I would still have cravings but they got less and less as time went on.

Fatboyanon

I do have the big book on audio and in hardback I listen everyday and read as much as I can!

teaorcoffee

The first days were hard for me, actually salivating next to the wine aisle, but it settled down quick quickly.
11 days is still quite early on as your body is still trying to get over what you've been doing to it for years.

january161992

my experience not my opinion

once i was regularly going to meetings, involved in service to others and the fellowship ...

the desire to drink ended

Dee74

Hi FBA

I obsessed about drinking, and then about not drinking...and then I got better and I stopped obsessing altogether., It's a process.

Hang in there - it will happen for you too

D

Mattq2

My journey is similar to dee's. First month or so I think I thought about drinking every minute of everyday. Eventually I obsessed over my sobriety. At over six months I still think about my sobriety everyday but feel it's becoming less obsession and more of a sense of accomplishment that makes me smile🤗. I don't think about drinking very much anymore but I still get a sense of anxiety when I know I'm going to be in a drinking situation. Maybe one day that will pass too.

site1Q84

I agree with Mattq2, but I went a little too far and stopped thinking about drinking and my sobriety and then I relapsed. It can be a blessing and a curse to get past the point where you think about it constantly!

saoutchik

I found that if a thought about something else the INSTANT that a craving struck then it did not have a chance to take root. It took a bit of practise but it made quitting easier