jhonnyspa

Hi all,
I am feeling very tempted to drink today and with St Paddy's day tomorrow it is adding to the temptation feel like I am missing out any advice, tips welcome.

ChloeRose63

There has to be something other than alcohol that you can crave. Treat yourself to a great dinner, enjoy a dessert that you really love to endulge in. Take the money you would waste on booze and buy something special for someone. Just don't drink. Take that off the table! Keep reading posts especially the ones where people are back on Day 1. Remember how terrible it is to have to go thru withdrawls that may kill you because each detox gets worse and worse. Your body can only take so much. There is a point of no return. I would be thinking about how serious that drink could become. Not so much fun when what you are craving is poison.

doggonecarl

You made a thirty day promise to not drink...or you'd go to rehab.

So is that your plan if you drink today? Rehab? Or just the cycle of guilt, anger and remorse?

Might be better to just keep going. It's 100 times easier than starting at day 1.

soberista

It sounds like your AV is having a little chatter in your head right now. You say you are tempted to drink today and with St Paddys tomorrow ...that sounds like an AV lining you up for a drinking weekend if you are not careful. It would seem to be saying "Why not drink today because you are sure as hell going to drink tomorrow with it being St Paddys day and all that".. Well thing is this. You are going to get these temptations otherwise you wouldnt be here in the first place. It is how you manage them that counts now. DO NOT DRINK! Is the first part of the plan. Go to an AA meeting, sit on here and read posts etc, go watch a movie, anything just don't drink and let yourself go back 3 weeks. You can do it and you want to wake up on Sunday morning hangover free and being able to pat yourself on the back.

All the best

Midwest1981

my advice is to join the weekend thread on here if you haven't already! Stay close to SR and have a plan for tomorrow.

Rar

Well, drinking is what you should NOT do. Perhaps start new traditions for yourself. As Chloe recommends, maybe a nice dinner, movie. Make that day special for yourself without alcohol. You can do it. Stay close to the weekender thread. You will wake up sober and won't be on Day 1 again. Hang in there.

IdesofMarch

Three weeks in and bet you're feeling pretty well physically and sharper mentally than in a long time. You may even think you can handle a few celebratory drinks and be just fine. The baffling part is that you may. The reality is you just don't know and the probability is even if you handle it well when you go back out this time or next, you'll soon be back where you were 3 weeks ago. Yesterday was my day 1 again and believe me, you don't want to go through that again! Awhile back, I had almost 6 weeks. It started with 2 drinks, the next night was 4. The next was a drink and a bottle of wine, etc. By 2 weeks back, I was day drinking. I pray this doesn't happen to you, Johnny, or anyone else here who anticipates a possible slip.

Nonsensical

I am feeling very tempted to hit my neighbor in the head and steal his car.

Good thing we don't have to do everything we feel tempted to do. Some of those things are really bad ideas.

Rar

I laughed out loud at this.

tnek97

Yeah, you're going to miss out. On an unrelenting hangover, on guilt and sadness, on shame and misery. When my AV would speak up, and my FOMO would kick in, this is the line of thinking that would work for me.

You're clear headed right now, use that power of foresight to see where those drinks will lead.

biminiblue

There is always going to be an excuse to drink.

It will not end with flowers and puppy-dogs, of that we can assure you.

At some point it has to be over, and new ways to celebrate holidays have to take over. How about baking a green cake? Taking someone you love on a road trip?

Do anything OTHER than put alcohol in your mouth.

Bird615

Yes, thinking it through in detail all the way to the ugly remorse-filled end works for me. After that exercise, it's not too hard to say no to temptation.

MyLittleHorsie

Me Too!

One of my kids wrote a story about St. Patrick's Day, and luck and if you don't have good luck, at least be sportsman like - I love my kids minds... I see we are revisiting the origins of St. Patrick's Day this year, just as we did last year, when same child proudly announced we celebrate St Patrick's Day because Ireland is green and it's spring here and we want everything green too.

I wondered how folks on here would do, especially since we have so many from across the pond. Certainly a larger celebration there.

I don't know about where you are, but there are lots of ways to celebrate that are alcohol free. The local community centres and churches, our church has a stew fest and soda bread dinner with a male singing chorus.

Tell your alcoholic thoughts to vamoose and enjoy what looks like it will be a great weekend, spring for some of us is just around the corner! For others, enjoying the last few weekends of summer Always something positive and I personally find, alcoholic thoughts hate positive thoughts, so I fill my head with one, to keep the other out.

Anna

One thing I learned is that if you get through this tough craving and St. Patrick's Day, you will be stronger and your journey will be easier. That's how it works, and I know you can do this.

Hats

In all honesty, you need to change the way you think....
You feel like your missing out because that's what your brain is telling you. Change your thinking. Turn it into a positive. Truth be told, your not missing out; your gaining. Just think about it, even write down the benefits of not drinking.
One positive is you wont wake up hang over.

J50

I think its important to keep in mind that while we may feel good after a few drinks, the day is a good example of how bad things can get. Even for the casual or normal drinker.

The all day drinking/partying leads to people passing out, throwing up, fights, dwi's, mugshot photos, hospital visits... Doesn't sound so fun anymore, does it?

jhonnyspa

Thanks guys for all your support it really means a lot,I will fight this minute by minute hour by hour and I will go to an online AA meeting today and drive 1 and a half to a face to face meeting tomorrow as all you have reminded me that I needed it.Doggonecarl thanks for reminding me of my 30 day promise this has given me strength,Soberista its like you read my mind when you say my AV is lining me up for a weekend of drinking,Mylittlehorse I am from Ireland, you gave me an idea that I should drive through the town at night to see all the drunk people falling around getting arrested and pucking this should remind me of the destruction that alcohol: causes and where it leads.Thanks everyone

MyLittleHorsie

That's not exactly what I meant - but if it works for you - do it!

I was googling around and found this, not sure if you are near Belfast or Dublin, but they do have events for St. Patrick's Day. Might even be an interesting group to get involved with next year. SOBER ST PATRICKS DAY - BELFAST

jhonnyspa

Thanks for this mylittlehorse I know you did not mean drive to town to see the drunks. The poem just triggered an idea in my head to see first hand why I am not missing out drinking.I am 3 hours from Dublin, and 4 from Belfast, but thanks for the help God knows I need it.

Dee74

re-read all your old posts.

Read some other peoples struggles.
Post to some of them.

Think past Saturday and think long term. It's never just one drink with us, or one night.

The price is too high.

There is a time when everyone is tempted in some way or another.

Recovery's not about never being tempted - it's about facing that desire - and making the right choices anyway.

whats your recovery action plan look like Jhonny?

https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...very-plan.html (What exactly is a recovery plan?)

https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...-recovery.html (101 Helpful Hints For Recovery)

D