Day 12...challenges ahead...
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Join Date: May 2019
Location: Montana
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Day 12...challenges ahead...
Today is day 12. About to head out to the annual company picnic in a bit. I'll be around hundreds of merry people drinking and offering me drinks as well. This is definitely going to feel strange and will be stressful, but I can do it. It'll be my first social setting involving alcohol since I quit. I'm nervous as all get out and my heart is racing, but I'm confident I've got this. Hope the food is good at least!
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Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 1,312
Yikes, that may be a difficult situation to navigate. Have you given any thought to escape plans? Have you planned/rehearsed any explanations you feel you want/need?
For what it’s worth: you don’t have to stay for a long time. An hour or less is perfectly acceptable. You don’t even have to go - that is perfectly acceptable as well.
Protect your sobriety fiercely today. I’ll be thinking of you.
For what it’s worth: you don’t have to stay for a long time. An hour or less is perfectly acceptable. You don’t even have to go - that is perfectly acceptable as well.
Protect your sobriety fiercely today. I’ll be thinking of you.
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Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 25,373
Practice what you'll say when offered a drink.
I hope you are driving yourself, if not have an early escape plan.
Company picnics can be tough, depending on your company's culture.
I never really liked company parties even when drinking so I stopped going to them.
I hope you are driving yourself, if not have an early escape plan.
Company picnics can be tough, depending on your company's culture.
I never really liked company parties even when drinking so I stopped going to them.
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 8,674
Originally Posted by Atlast9999 
Yikes, that may be a difficult situation to navigate. Have you given any thought to escape plans? Have you planned/rehearsed any explanations you feel you want/need?
For what it’s worth: you don’t have to stay for a long time. An hour or less is perfectly acceptable. You don’t even have to go - that is perfectly acceptable as well.
Protect your sobriety fiercely today. I’ll be thinking of you.
For what it’s worth: you don’t have to stay for a long time. An hour or less is perfectly acceptable. You don’t even have to go - that is perfectly acceptable as well.
Protect your sobriety fiercely today. I’ll be thinking of you.
I am firmly in the camp of NOTHING is required, especially in early sobriety.
That said- having a plan like your own ride, keeping a bottle of water in hand (it's a picnic so that's normal!), sit down with some food, having someone to text or better yet, stick near someone who doesn't drink a lot if you know one- and truthfully, I'd suggest making one round, touching base with anyone important- and leaving with proper thanks.
I promise you that the only thing anyone might possible wonder is something like how they missed talking to you- but my money is on the fact they won't, and you've gotten thru a drinking scenario in VERY early sobriety.
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Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 388
Great job making it through the picnic! For me, the more often I made it through these types of difficult situations the easier they became.
My day 12 was Halloween. We had people over for pizza and drinks. I knew if I could make it through the party then I could make it through future drinking events sober. I have heard some people on this forum call it building sober muscles. I call it retraining my brain. My brain needed to relearn how to do things sober, that it has only known how to do drunk for 20 plus years. Hang in there it will get easier and easier.
My day 12 was Halloween. We had people over for pizza and drinks. I knew if I could make it through the party then I could make it through future drinking events sober. I have heard some people on this forum call it building sober muscles. I call it retraining my brain. My brain needed to relearn how to do things sober, that it has only known how to do drunk for 20 plus years. Hang in there it will get easier and easier.
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 8,674
Great job Billy!!
And, respectfully and cuz I always do this - 2 things:
Today is day 13, and tomorrow can be 14. Take it easy on yourself, do "safe" things you enjoy, and focus on this day.
And, really important - many of us find that AFTER a successful sober event we worried would challenge us, especially so early, is when we need to up the self-care and focus on what we are doing to be sober. Now is the time to "up" your guard, not let it down bc you conquered an event w alcohol. I've heard many people talk about that sneaking up on them in a week or at the next event or....
And practically speaking? Echo myself that NO is always an answer to a (future) invite, and taking a plan into it is always the best idea.
Glad you are here!
And, respectfully and cuz I always do this - 2 things:
Today is day 13, and tomorrow can be 14. Take it easy on yourself, do "safe" things you enjoy, and focus on this day.
And, really important - many of us find that AFTER a successful sober event we worried would challenge us, especially so early, is when we need to up the self-care and focus on what we are doing to be sober. Now is the time to "up" your guard, not let it down bc you conquered an event w alcohol. I've heard many people talk about that sneaking up on them in a week or at the next event or....
And practically speaking? Echo myself that NO is always an answer to a (future) invite, and taking a plan into it is always the best idea.
Glad you are here!
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