100 Days!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 513
100 Days!
Hi everyone,
I am currently on vacation in Japan and thanks to this forum I am 100 days sober!
I joined in February, worried there was danger in my weekend binge drink cycles. They'd start with me socially drinking on a Friday and going overboard. This would follow with two or three days of me drinking heavily at home and dealing with crippling anxiety and depression on a Monday or Tuesday.
Like many here, a few days sober and I'd be back at it again, stupidly thinking that because I can moderate on lots of occasions, I can moderate on all. After testing this, I realized I cannot moderate all the time and if I need to try to moderate, then I shouldn't be drinking at all. Normal people don't need to try.
Thanks to advice from members on this forum plus reading other people's posts, I've happily maintained sobriety for the past few months. There are occasions I miss alcohol. Normally I'd be enjoying beer and saké in Japan in moderation for the taste, not to get drunk. Sadly if I drink sensibly here, it opens the door for me to plunge into dangerous drinking when I'm back home. They have plenty of delicious non alcoholic drinks for me to enjoy!
I've felt so much healthier, more productive and less worried about things that usually terrified me after days of binging. I'd like to thank you SR members for helping me change things with your advice and personal stories. I wish you all the best of luck, whatever stage you are in recovery!
I am currently on vacation in Japan and thanks to this forum I am 100 days sober!
I joined in February, worried there was danger in my weekend binge drink cycles. They'd start with me socially drinking on a Friday and going overboard. This would follow with two or three days of me drinking heavily at home and dealing with crippling anxiety and depression on a Monday or Tuesday.
Like many here, a few days sober and I'd be back at it again, stupidly thinking that because I can moderate on lots of occasions, I can moderate on all. After testing this, I realized I cannot moderate all the time and if I need to try to moderate, then I shouldn't be drinking at all. Normal people don't need to try.
Thanks to advice from members on this forum plus reading other people's posts, I've happily maintained sobriety for the past few months. There are occasions I miss alcohol. Normally I'd be enjoying beer and saké in Japan in moderation for the taste, not to get drunk. Sadly if I drink sensibly here, it opens the door for me to plunge into dangerous drinking when I'm back home. They have plenty of delicious non alcoholic drinks for me to enjoy!
I've felt so much healthier, more productive and less worried about things that usually terrified me after days of binging. I'd like to thank you SR members for helping me change things with your advice and personal stories. I wish you all the best of luck, whatever stage you are in recovery!
Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 96
Way to go Nerf Congratulations on 100 days
That is terrific
I am on day 37 myself and had many of your same tendencies of binge drinking
I can moderate also at times but cannot moderate all the time which as you say if you must moderate at all you should not be drinking. That makes allot of sense. Hope I can make it to 100 days Thanks for the post
That is terrific
I am on day 37 myself and had many of your same tendencies of binge drinking
I can moderate also at times but cannot moderate all the time which as you say if you must moderate at all you should not be drinking. That makes allot of sense. Hope I can make it to 100 days Thanks for the post
Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 543
Originally Posted by Spiritman 
Way to go Nerf Congratulations on 100 days
That is terrific
I am on day 37 myself and had many of your same tendencies of binge drinking
I can moderate also at times but cannot moderate all the time which as you say if you must moderate at all you should not be drinking. That makes allot of sense. Hope I can make it to 100 days Thanks for the post
That is terrific
I am on day 37 myself and had many of your same tendencies of binge drinking
I can moderate also at times but cannot moderate all the time which as you say if you must moderate at all you should not be drinking. That makes allot of sense. Hope I can make it to 100 days Thanks for the post
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 513
Thank you all for your kind words!
Spiritman: That's fantastic! You'll definitely make it. Sometimes it really feels like it can't be done, but you will overcome the challenges and it will get easier as time goes on, despite ups and downs along the way.
Gerard52: I'm currently still working on my portfolio (aiming towards character design for animated shows) as I'd saved a decent amount from my previous game illustration job giving me this chance to work on my skills. During employment I lost my love of art and my progress ground to a halt, but since leaving the job I've come on a lot better with drawing and abandoning alcohol has helped a great deal! I'm looking to start in freelance in January, although a few friends are already passing on my portfolio as they have friends working in animated tv
Spiritman: That's fantastic! You'll definitely make it. Sometimes it really feels like it can't be done, but you will overcome the challenges and it will get easier as time goes on, despite ups and downs along the way.
Gerard52: I'm currently still working on my portfolio (aiming towards character design for animated shows) as I'd saved a decent amount from my previous game illustration job giving me this chance to work on my skills. During employment I lost my love of art and my progress ground to a halt, but since leaving the job I've come on a lot better with drawing and abandoning alcohol has helped a great deal! I'm looking to start in freelance in January, although a few friends are already passing on my portfolio as they have friends working in animated tv
Guest
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 8,674
Great work and thanks for sharing!! Hitting 100 was a good forward jump for me in a lot of ways, and having the 100s add up (in 10s made me especially happy 
) was just awesome.
Keep going! Pretty cool to being enjoying an amazing country sober, I bet!
) was just awesome.Keep going! Pretty cool to being enjoying an amazing country sober, I bet!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 513
Thanks guys! I appreciate the messages and am feeling so much better than I did when I first joined these boards a few months ago. The support from you all has been invaluable to me.
August252015 -It was fantastic to enjoy it sober! We've been a few times before and I don't drink heavily when I'm over there and usually never during the day, but to be COMPLETELY sober from start to finish and take everything in with a clear mind was amazing.
I think for recovering alcoholics there is always a fear when going on holiday, but I have to say Japan is actually a fantastic place to enjoy without drinking! Obviously there is drinking going on in places like Izakayas and other bars at night, but during our short time in Okinawa for example, we noticed that a lot of the salary men and other people around our age were drinking all the extravagant non alcoholic drinks on offer. I definitely did not feel out of place by not drinking while travelling across Japan.
August252015 -It was fantastic to enjoy it sober! We've been a few times before and I don't drink heavily when I'm over there and usually never during the day, but to be COMPLETELY sober from start to finish and take everything in with a clear mind was amazing.
I think for recovering alcoholics there is always a fear when going on holiday, but I have to say Japan is actually a fantastic place to enjoy without drinking! Obviously there is drinking going on in places like Izakayas and other bars at night, but during our short time in Okinawa for example, we noticed that a lot of the salary men and other people around our age were drinking all the extravagant non alcoholic drinks on offer. I definitely did not feel out of place by not drinking while travelling across Japan.
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