Hi
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 75
Hi
Hi, I'm back again. Since new year I've had a lot more sober days than drunk. I first posted on this forum mid last year and I'm in a much better place than I was then but I hadn't been able to stop completely and still drinking weekends, I might do two weeks sober then drink again.
So yesterday everything went in the bin so no alcohol in the house.
So yesterday everything went in the bin so no alcohol in the house.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 75
I honestly don't know. I'm trying to do the mind set that rather than quitting drinking that I'm gaining sobriety rather than "losing" alcohol from my life.
I've thought about things a lot and I use alcohol as a reward to myself so if we've been out on a long day I feel I deserve/earned a drink. I also drink from boredom and to be honest after 20 years it's so ingrained in my routine that it's difficult to change a habit.
I've thought about things a lot and I use alcohol as a reward to myself so if we've been out on a long day I feel I deserve/earned a drink. I also drink from boredom and to be honest after 20 years it's so ingrained in my routine that it's difficult to change a habit.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,444
Difficult but not impossible 
There's some really good ideas in this link - its well worth a read
https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...very-plan.html (What exactly is a recovery plan?)
why not join the 'Class of March' support thread as well?
https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...art-one-3.html
D
There's some really good ideas in this link - its well worth a read
https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...very-plan.html (What exactly is a recovery plan?)
why not join the 'Class of March' support thread as well?
https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...art-one-3.html
D
Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: New Mexico
Posts: 1,339
Even after I had stopped drinking ridiculous amounts of alcohol, I was also in a place of trying to beat the habit of drinking on a regular basis. My space was not informed by being able to reward myself, as I didn't have anything happening in my life that merited that response, nor was anything catastrophic occurring. I was just continuing what I did, I drank.
Only when I worked on filling that space with strategies, with new ventures, and by coming to terms with my alcohol abuse through addiction therapy and hard work has it let up. I am still addressing all of those things now and will be for the foreseeable future. I had starts and fits over a period of time before I got to where I feel better about things now. Addictive thinking and the behaviors that come along with it are a hard thing to shake off. I would have picked back up if I didn't work on my recovery all the time.
Dee is right, that not having the alcohol in immediate reach is a good way to affirm you are on a change. I also urge you to write down what else you plan to do to give up the habit and act upon those things daily. AA is great for some people, other programs, too. I mentioned my therapy/counseling that was my path, and some others just use SR as their primary support. These are all systems that can benefit anyone in recovery in a large way, use one or more of them to your benefit.
I am of the belief that we can change how we think and therefore feel. It is not an even course for me, but I am not drinking now. I am working toward what some people here have found in the statement simply as, "I don't drink". Now, that will be real freedom to have.
Only when I worked on filling that space with strategies, with new ventures, and by coming to terms with my alcohol abuse through addiction therapy and hard work has it let up. I am still addressing all of those things now and will be for the foreseeable future. I had starts and fits over a period of time before I got to where I feel better about things now. Addictive thinking and the behaviors that come along with it are a hard thing to shake off. I would have picked back up if I didn't work on my recovery all the time.
Dee is right, that not having the alcohol in immediate reach is a good way to affirm you are on a change. I also urge you to write down what else you plan to do to give up the habit and act upon those things daily. AA is great for some people, other programs, too. I mentioned my therapy/counseling that was my path, and some others just use SR as their primary support. These are all systems that can benefit anyone in recovery in a large way, use one or more of them to your benefit.
I am of the belief that we can change how we think and therefore feel. It is not an even course for me, but I am not drinking now. I am working toward what some people here have found in the statement simply as, "I don't drink". Now, that will be real freedom to have.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 252
I agree with Guener. I had to replace the "habit" that alcohol had become for me. It was my go to thing. Have a good day? Start drinking. Have a bad day? Start drinking. It's Tuesday morning at 9 o'clock and we had a foot of snow? Start drinking.
I had to find new activities to replace all of that, and it wasn't easy. The alcoholic voice would call to me and try and seduce me back in, in so many ways. I exercise. I cook. I clean house. I'm not quite sure how to put this, but if I'm in a pretty good place in my head I read. If I'm not in a good place I stay physically active and don't read a book or post or read much online. For a lot of years I drank and read, so very much still working on that one and as much as I love to read I'm careful with it.
I like the mindset of you're gaining sobriety instead of losing drinking. I have had so many negative consequences from alcohol that it isn't a loss for me and I didn't have to go there, but I like it.
Post here often. Read here more often. If you can at all, get some people you can call and actually talk to when that AV gets loud in your head. Then actually call them. Taking action was key for me. I wish you the best.
I had to find new activities to replace all of that, and it wasn't easy. The alcoholic voice would call to me and try and seduce me back in, in so many ways. I exercise. I cook. I clean house. I'm not quite sure how to put this, but if I'm in a pretty good place in my head I read. If I'm not in a good place I stay physically active and don't read a book or post or read much online. For a lot of years I drank and read, so very much still working on that one and as much as I love to read I'm careful with it.
I like the mindset of you're gaining sobriety instead of losing drinking. I have had so many negative consequences from alcohol that it isn't a loss for me and I didn't have to go there, but I like it.
Post here often. Read here more often. If you can at all, get some people you can call and actually talk to when that AV gets loud in your head. Then actually call them. Taking action was key for me. I wish you the best.
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,512
Welcome back!
If you want to work on 'breaking the habit' part of sobriety, you could try to focus on the time of day you usually drink and be sure to have something specific planned for that time of day. For me, early evening was the toughest. So, I set out to take a long walk at that time of the day. It really helped in so many ways.
If you want to work on 'breaking the habit' part of sobriety, you could try to focus on the time of day you usually drink and be sure to have something specific planned for that time of day. For me, early evening was the toughest. So, I set out to take a long walk at that time of the day. It really helped in so many ways.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 75
This time I've deleted the quit drinking app. I found I'd get to 7 or 14 days and then think to myself I had got to that many days so I'd earned a drink. I'm going to take it one day at a time, not count days as I was using the app like a countdown to the weekend.
I've already signed up for a 10k run for later in the year so running training can get started. I can't run like I want to if I'm drinking like I do.
The time of day is 4pm when I usually drink. I've actually thought if hypnosis would help me stop and break this cycle.
I've already signed up for a 10k run for later in the year so running training can get started. I can't run like I want to if I'm drinking like I do.
The time of day is 4pm when I usually drink. I've actually thought if hypnosis would help me stop and break this cycle.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Big City
Posts: 3,895
Originally Posted by Longlady 
This time I've deleted the quit drinking app. I found I'd get to 7 or 14 days and then think to myself I had got to that many days so I'd earned a drink. I'm going to take it one day at a time, not count days as I was using the app like a countdown to the weekend.
I've already signed up for a 10k run for later in the year so running training can get started. I can't run like I want to if I'm drinking like I do.
The time of day is 4pm when I usually drink. I've actually thought if hypnosis would help me stop and break this cycle.
I've already signed up for a 10k run for later in the year so running training can get started. I can't run like I want to if I'm drinking like I do.
The time of day is 4pm when I usually drink. I've actually thought if hypnosis would help me stop and break this cycle.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 75
You're not being a pain, I need telling it how it is. This is what I do, I trivialise my drinking and think to myself it's ok.
Yeah, it's the one I signed up for a few months ago. I do races anyway but I want to get good time and get to marathon distances and push myself further.
I've known for a while I can't drink without getting wrecked every time I do. It's going to put me in an early grave or give me health problems.
Yeah, it's the one I signed up for a few months ago. I do races anyway but I want to get good time and get to marathon distances and push myself further.
I've known for a while I can't drink without getting wrecked every time I do. It's going to put me in an early grave or give me health problems.
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