Facing my second weekend
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 16
Facing my second weekend
I'm on day 12 of sobriety today. Withdrawal symptoms seem to be behind me. Despite my wife still drinking every day, I have not had any cravings like I was having at first. I get home from work, I find something to keep me busy and I stick to it.
So, tonight is Friday and I woke up in the middle of my slumber with a thought that I should get drunk tonight. Just tonight, of course, I told myself. Then I started to envision my evening and I realized something: the actual thought of getting drunk displeased me, maybe for the first time ever in my life. I was able to put myself mentally into the situation as if I were actually living it, and I was surprised that I felt nearly repulsed by it. However, what did appeal to me was the routine itself. I'm probably not explaining this in a way that makes sense or that you can relate to, but what I'm trying to say is that I seem to be yearning for the routine, not the experience itself.
I intend to conquer this evening just as I have the prior 11 evenings. I did not type this in the desperate hope that one of you would give me a hall pass to get drunk tonight. I'm just putting my thoughts and feelings out there. Maybe someone can relate.
So, tonight is Friday and I woke up in the middle of my slumber with a thought that I should get drunk tonight. Just tonight, of course, I told myself. Then I started to envision my evening and I realized something: the actual thought of getting drunk displeased me, maybe for the first time ever in my life. I was able to put myself mentally into the situation as if I were actually living it, and I was surprised that I felt nearly repulsed by it. However, what did appeal to me was the routine itself. I'm probably not explaining this in a way that makes sense or that you can relate to, but what I'm trying to say is that I seem to be yearning for the routine, not the experience itself.
I intend to conquer this evening just as I have the prior 11 evenings. I did not type this in the desperate hope that one of you would give me a hall pass to get drunk tonight. I'm just putting my thoughts and feelings out there. Maybe someone can relate.
Guest
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: UK
Posts: 2,256
I can relate nileruns!
We have to accept that by drinking for a long time we've built up some strong habits around drinking. I read somewhere that it takes 3 weeks for our brain to break a habit. Not sure if that's true and I can't remember exactly when my drinking habits got broken but the important thing is that they did. You just need to carry on doing what you're doing, stay strong and form new habits.
And well done for playing the tape forward and feeling repulsed by the thought of drinking tonight. That's awesome. Keep going. All my best friday nights have been the sober ones
We have to accept that by drinking for a long time we've built up some strong habits around drinking. I read somewhere that it takes 3 weeks for our brain to break a habit. Not sure if that's true and I can't remember exactly when my drinking habits got broken but the important thing is that they did. You just need to carry on doing what you're doing, stay strong and form new habits.
And well done for playing the tape forward and feeling repulsed by the thought of drinking tonight. That's awesome. Keep going. All my best friday nights have been the sober ones
Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: London
Posts: 2,040
Hi nileruns,
Well done on Day 12...Day 11 here. I get what you're saying...although I have no desire to drink I am finding certain days, routines, places and people have been triggering the thought to drink...and like you I have no desire to actually drink so I am just dismissing the thoughts and ploughing ahead with making new associations with these things/people etc.
Wishing you well on the rest of your recovery journey x
Well done on Day 12...Day 11 here. I get what you're saying...although I have no desire to drink I am finding certain days, routines, places and people have been triggering the thought to drink...and like you I have no desire to actually drink so I am just dismissing the thoughts and ploughing ahead with making new associations with these things/people etc.
Wishing you well on the rest of your recovery journey x
Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Adelaide, Australia
Posts: 28,668
The ritual of drinking- getting there is half the fun. Like Christmas- the actual day is just 24 hours-0 but the hype- the family bit- tress, church- whatever...
Booze- for me- getting the booze, setting up my drinking area, making sure I would not be disturbed...
Booze- for me- getting the booze, setting up my drinking area, making sure I would not be disturbed...
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,438
Then I started to envision my evening and I realized something: the actual thought of getting drunk displeased me, maybe for the first time ever in my life. I was able to put myself mentally into the situation as if I were actually living it, and I was surprised that I felt nearly repulsed by it.
Make new healthy and life affirming routines - you'll learn to love those too
D
Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,298
I know your AV is chirping at you, but there is no way I'd want to redo those twelve days. Those are the toughest and you are well on your way to getting past the initial nasties. Stick with it! You won't regret it. Giving up 12 days, well that we all would regret. Stay strong!! Be here, post, read, wake up sober!
Hillbilly Girl
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: In my Garden
Posts: 3,953
Your doing great nileruns! I reminesed earlier this week about the last couple weeks I spent drinking & it wasn't appealing to me either.....I think we need to do that sometimes to remind ourselves what it's really like. Have a GOOD weekend
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