8 months on Saturday
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 403
8 months on Saturday
Eight months ago on Saturday, I was admitted to the hospital and almost died. Mind you, I was not a lifelong drinker and I'm relatively young, but I did some real damage in 6 years of heavy drinking. I was highly functional as well.
Anyway, haven't looked back. Have done it without a support group (except here), meetings, etc. None of that helps in my case--certainly not saying it doesn't help some. I'm just determined not to check out early.
Of all the things that trigger me, it's the weirdest one. It's not football, parties, picnics (I quit right as summer started), it's the damn dive liquor store signs that I pass on the road. Not even my own stores I used to patronize. Just that neon-cheesy-70s-garish signage that makes me want to pull in and grab something. It's pretty maddening when I don't crave one at times you'd think, but only when I see those signs.
Hope everyone is doing well. My life is 100 percent better. Still crawling out from under the muck I created personally, but doing well. Things come back to haunt me regularly. For example, my child is raising awareness for a children's hospital as part of a general thing at school. She asked why we didn't participate last year. There are so many things that I wasn't on top of like that. I did get the main things done, and did well at my own position, but there's a lot of black holes in my memory, a lot of things that just didn't get done. Box tops, reading logs and all the extra stuff that wasn't completely critical. My youngest is young enough that this won't affect her, but the older two are still angry, rightfully so.
anyway, that's my update. Hope others are doing well.
Anyway, haven't looked back. Have done it without a support group (except here), meetings, etc. None of that helps in my case--certainly not saying it doesn't help some. I'm just determined not to check out early.
Of all the things that trigger me, it's the weirdest one. It's not football, parties, picnics (I quit right as summer started), it's the damn dive liquor store signs that I pass on the road. Not even my own stores I used to patronize. Just that neon-cheesy-70s-garish signage that makes me want to pull in and grab something. It's pretty maddening when I don't crave one at times you'd think, but only when I see those signs.
Hope everyone is doing well. My life is 100 percent better. Still crawling out from under the muck I created personally, but doing well. Things come back to haunt me regularly. For example, my child is raising awareness for a children's hospital as part of a general thing at school. She asked why we didn't participate last year. There are so many things that I wasn't on top of like that. I did get the main things done, and did well at my own position, but there's a lot of black holes in my memory, a lot of things that just didn't get done. Box tops, reading logs and all the extra stuff that wasn't completely critical. My youngest is young enough that this won't affect her, but the older two are still angry, rightfully so.
anyway, that's my update. Hope others are doing well.
All is Change
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,284
I want to say something cheerful and supportive, but man, you are setting yourself up. At least I did. My first stretch of sobriety was 6 months. I did it. Didn't need AA or anything like that. Oh dear. If you're having problems with signs you need help. You can do this but you seriously need to think about what you are doing.
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Join Date: May 2005
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
Posts: 184
Originally Posted by Grymt 
I want to say something cheerful and supportive, but man, you are setting yourself up. At least I did. My first stretch of sobriety was 6 months. I did it. Didn't need AA or anything like that. Oh dear. If you're having problems with signs you need help. You can do this but you seriously need to think about what you are doing.
To the OP, congrats. Sounds like you are doing all the right things for yourself and family.
Regards.
All is Change
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,284
Indeed, this is so. Since I stopped in2004, with a very brief lapse in 2008 I haven't been to an AA meeting. The OP's post talked about having trouble with booze signs. That rang a bell. I used to have to cross the road if I saw a pub ahead. It took many tries for me during which meetings was very important, about the only real help I had. If I felt I was in serious trouble I would go there. It can make things easier.
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Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: USA
Posts: 106
Congrats on 8 months!!!
Your post really hit a chord for me. I almost checked out a couple months back, due to drinking too much while on several medications (blood pressure pills and ADs). Killed off half of handle of Maker's Mark. Bad idea. I told my wife I was going to die and I that I was seeing lights. WTF was I doing? Then I survived and quit drinking a few months later.
But it was a wake up call and I eventually stopped -- now sober for a little over a month. Cannot imagine going two more months, much less 8.
Kids are a huge motivator. My son was born almost two years ago and I missed a lot of time with him while drinking, so I can understand what you posted. They can really help us when we are feeling weak. Hoping my son will not remember my binge drinking when he grows up. Trying to be someone he can look up to now.
Your post really hit a chord for me. I almost checked out a couple months back, due to drinking too much while on several medications (blood pressure pills and ADs). Killed off half of handle of Maker's Mark. Bad idea. I told my wife I was going to die and I that I was seeing lights. WTF was I doing? Then I survived and quit drinking a few months later.
But it was a wake up call and I eventually stopped -- now sober for a little over a month. Cannot imagine going two more months, much less 8.
Kids are a huge motivator. My son was born almost two years ago and I missed a lot of time with him while drinking, so I can understand what you posted. They can really help us when we are feeling weak. Hoping my son will not remember my binge drinking when he grows up. Trying to be someone he can look up to now.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 403
Originally Posted by thenewguy
There's many paths to reach extended sobriety. I'm at about 3 1/2 years and counting with few, if any meetings. There are others here with even longer sobriety who charted their own course in recovery.
To the OP, congrats. Sounds like you are doing all the right things for yourself and family.
Regards.
To the OP, congrats. Sounds like you are doing all the right things for yourself and family.
Regards.
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,416
Congrats notgonnastoptry 
As long as you don't pull into the shops, I hope your interest in them will fade and die like mine did
Drinking again offers us nothing but the hell we went through to get to this good place - keep moving forward
(and remember theres no shame in asking for help here...I couldn't have done it without this site)
D
As long as you don't pull into the shops, I hope your interest in them will fade and die like mine did
Drinking again offers us nothing but the hell we went through to get to this good place - keep moving forward
(and remember theres no shame in asking for help here...I couldn't have done it without this site)
D
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