Class of September 2016 Support Thread Part 1
Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Iowa
Posts: 627
Hello September class! I'm stopping by from the August class to say hi and welcome all of the newcomers...Welcome! 
I am on day 37 and so grateful to be sober. Like many of you I have been on a roller coaster of trying to quit drinking. Sometimes it seems impossible and it can feel like the AV has all the power over you. I want each of you to know that you CAN do this, you can take control of your life and your AV simply by choosing not to drink today. That's all we alcoholics have is today. Don't worry about tomorrow, or next week, or next year. Just today.
The best advice I can give is to have a plan. Be ready for cravings and know ahead of time how you plan to beat the cravings. My little secret was to have plenty of chocolate on hand
I'm praying for each of you.
I am on day 37 and so grateful to be sober. Like many of you I have been on a roller coaster of trying to quit drinking. Sometimes it seems impossible and it can feel like the AV has all the power over you. I want each of you to know that you CAN do this, you can take control of your life and your AV simply by choosing not to drink today. That's all we alcoholics have is today. Don't worry about tomorrow, or next week, or next year. Just today.
The best advice I can give is to have a plan. Be ready for cravings and know ahead of time how you plan to beat the cravings. My little secret was to have plenty of chocolate on hand
I'm praying for each of you.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: UK
Posts: 269
Originally Posted by Dee74 
Welcome DG3000 - some great cravings tips here:
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-cravings.html
and for anyone struggling or drinking again I really can't over emphasise the importance of making a plan highly enough
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ery-plans.html
D
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-cravings.html
and for anyone struggling or drinking again I really can't over emphasise the importance of making a plan highly enough
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ery-plans.html
D
Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Sheffield, United Kingdom
Posts: 208
Well I had gotten to day 51. Then had this crazy idea that I could just cut down and didn't need to stop completely. That I wasn't really an alcoholic.
Fast forward a week and I've lost nights and days drinking. Had the worst hangover yesterday and realised that I had just gone back to how I always was and nothing had changed I still have a problem.
Reread my plan and trying to work out how I can stop drinking without the complacency and the AV getting the better of me. So feeling down but determined.
Fast forward a week and I've lost nights and days drinking. Had the worst hangover yesterday and realised that I had just gone back to how I always was and nothing had changed I still have a problem.
Reread my plan and trying to work out how I can stop drinking without the complacency and the AV getting the better of me. So feeling down but determined.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 38
Day 3 for me. Not going too bad. Fog has lifted and concentrating at work. Eating plan is back on track as I double binged on fry up and macds on Sunday to cope with hangover. No plan set yet but have some strong ideas. Sun us shining here in the UK and feeling good to be alive and thankful. Sending love to rest of the group. x
Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Lincolnshire, UK
Posts: 440
Cross with myself.
Back to day 1. A friend of ours died a couple of weeks back. He was diagnosed with brain cancer almost exactly a year ago. In the spring he opted to stop having treatment as it was only extending his life by months and it was making him too ill to enjoy the time he had left.
A couple of months back they had a tribute concert to him to raise funds for McMillan nurses and also the local theatre - of which he was a director and where we know him from. He picked songs from shows he had been in and directed.
When he stood up to make a speech you would not have thought there was anything wrong with him. He looked healthy and had everyone rolling in the aisles with laughter.
Anyway, as I say he died a couple of weeks back and his funeral was 11:30 today. I went to the funeral, bypassed the cremation (the church was heaving so would have been no room at the crematorium) but went to the wake which was at the theatre (in fact it will probably go on for hours yet).
I was talking to some friends when the wine tray came round and I had one. Actually I had three. At that point I knew for my own sake I had to come away otherwise I would carry on imbibing. It's only 2:40pm but I've showered, changed into PJs and asked my son to pop in on his way home from school to 'represent' us for a bit longer.
I knew I shouldn't but I stuck my spoilt brat head on: (WHY shouldn't I be allowed to have a drink at a funeral! Mentally stamp foot). I'm a 'tiny bit' pleased that I had the sense to come away but would have been happier to have just had an OJ !
Back to day 1. A friend of ours died a couple of weeks back. He was diagnosed with brain cancer almost exactly a year ago. In the spring he opted to stop having treatment as it was only extending his life by months and it was making him too ill to enjoy the time he had left.
A couple of months back they had a tribute concert to him to raise funds for McMillan nurses and also the local theatre - of which he was a director and where we know him from. He picked songs from shows he had been in and directed.
When he stood up to make a speech you would not have thought there was anything wrong with him. He looked healthy and had everyone rolling in the aisles with laughter.
Anyway, as I say he died a couple of weeks back and his funeral was 11:30 today. I went to the funeral, bypassed the cremation (the church was heaving so would have been no room at the crematorium) but went to the wake which was at the theatre (in fact it will probably go on for hours yet).
I was talking to some friends when the wine tray came round and I had one. Actually I had three. At that point I knew for my own sake I had to come away otherwise I would carry on imbibing. It's only 2:40pm but I've showered, changed into PJs and asked my son to pop in on his way home from school to 'represent' us for a bit longer.
I knew I shouldn't but I stuck my spoilt brat head on: (WHY shouldn't I be allowed to have a drink at a funeral! Mentally stamp foot). I'm a 'tiny bit' pleased that I had the sense to come away but would have been happier to have just had an OJ !
Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 55
Quick check in as I have to head to work. Read everyone's posts and will comment later today. Had a "flash" craving yesterday as I used to have a few after work but quickly thought about how much happier I am sober, not having regretful moments and hangovers anymore and the urges went away.
Strength to everyone today! We all deserve to have wonderful lives-we just gotta try harder.
Day 10 check, hello day 11!
Strength to everyone today! We all deserve to have wonderful lives-we just gotta try harder.
Day 10 check, hello day 11!
Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Southern Cali
Posts: 1,356
Originally Posted by strugglingJim
I really though I was over the hump with this, but my anxiety today is at an all time high! All I had was 3-4 drinks a day for a week, this is crazy! Would not wish it on my worst enemy.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Southern Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,618
Well, I relapsed yesterday. I had been a nervous wreck after finding my lover cheating, and it's been hard with the death of my grandmother. But my biggest mistake yesterday was not picking up that phone and calling my sponsor. Lesson learned. Day One again after three weeks of sobriety 
Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 1,188
@strugglingJim - same thing I experience, I drank 3-5 beers a day for I think 5 days out of a week. Then found out I got accepted to my study programme, but if I felt anything at all (because it was rather like total emptiness), then it was a nagging anxiety. More as to why I wasn't feeling overjoyed rather than the new chapter in my life.
Day 13 has come to an end for me. Was a rather unproductive day, I have to admit. Lots of dealing with things that could be done so much easier, but aren't because of bureaucracy.
Hope everyone is doing okay. Stay strong - even if the relapse happened. As long as you keep your eye on the mountain top and work towards it, you won't mind the bruised knees when you finally get there.
Day 13 has come to an end for me. Was a rather unproductive day, I have to admit. Lots of dealing with things that could be done so much easier, but aren't because of bureaucracy.
Hope everyone is doing okay. Stay strong - even if the relapse happened. As long as you keep your eye on the mountain top and work towards it, you won't mind the bruised knees when you finally get there.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 248
Hello September peeps,
Day 14 for me and although I haven't been very productive, at least I'm sober! Just wanted to mention five things that are helping me, in case they're useful to anyone else -
1. Not thinking beyond the day I'm in or - at most - the next day. The question of whether or not I'll ever drink again feels like too much for me to face this early in my sobriety, so I'm just committing to each day as it comes.
2. A book I saw discussed on these forums called This Naked Mind by Annie Grace. Am half way through, taking a couple of chapters each day - and it seems very good and down to earth. It basically breaks down your ingrained beliefs about alcohol - shows you how your unconscious mind is running the show and how to re-set it.
3. Getting outside. I have a dog to walk, and getting out with her is really helping me.
4. Alcohol Mastery TV on YouTube - an Irish guy hiking through the Spanish hills and talking about his journey to sobriety. Very smart and straight-talking - I really like him and his videos have made me feel quite excited about the life I could build for myself without alcohol. Thanks again BehindtheLens for the suggestion!
5. A whole host of fruit juices mixed with sparkling water. I hate sugary soft drinks, but a bit of fruit juice mixed with water seems to hit the spot.
Still finding it hard and the scale of my problem is only just hitting me - keep coming up against places / events and realising "Yup, I would've had a drink right now".
Hope you're all doing OK.
x
Day 14 for me and although I haven't been very productive, at least I'm sober! Just wanted to mention five things that are helping me, in case they're useful to anyone else -
1. Not thinking beyond the day I'm in or - at most - the next day. The question of whether or not I'll ever drink again feels like too much for me to face this early in my sobriety, so I'm just committing to each day as it comes.
2. A book I saw discussed on these forums called This Naked Mind by Annie Grace. Am half way through, taking a couple of chapters each day - and it seems very good and down to earth. It basically breaks down your ingrained beliefs about alcohol - shows you how your unconscious mind is running the show and how to re-set it.
3. Getting outside. I have a dog to walk, and getting out with her is really helping me.
4. Alcohol Mastery TV on YouTube - an Irish guy hiking through the Spanish hills and talking about his journey to sobriety. Very smart and straight-talking - I really like him and his videos have made me feel quite excited about the life I could build for myself without alcohol. Thanks again BehindtheLens for the suggestion!
5. A whole host of fruit juices mixed with sparkling water. I hate sugary soft drinks, but a bit of fruit juice mixed with water seems to hit the spot.
Still finding it hard and the scale of my problem is only just hitting me - keep coming up against places / events and realising "Yup, I would've had a drink right now".
Hope you're all doing OK.
x
Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 118
Hello everyone, day 2 for me. I was able to stay sober for about 40 days from the middle of June through July using SR. But then i started drinking again, mainly because of boredom and loneliness. Haven't been bingeing but having a few drinks on my off days. I'm powerless over alcohol, and I can tell it's really starting to give me heart problems and the inability to have meaningful relationships. But that hasn't stopped me.
So I was thinking of trying this again.
So I was thinking of trying this again.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 1,188
Originally Posted by SomeSortOfHuman
Hello September peeps,
Day 14 for me and although I haven't been very productive, at least I'm sober! Just wanted to mention five things that are helping me, in case they're useful to anyone else -
1. Not thinking beyond the day I'm in or - at most - the next day. The question of whether or not I'll ever drink again feels like too much for me to face this early in my sobriety, so I'm just committing to each day as it comes.
2. A book I saw discussed on these forums called This Naked Mind by Annie Grace. Am half way through, taking a couple of chapters each day - and it seems very good and down to earth. It basically breaks down your ingrained beliefs about alcohol - shows you how your unconscious mind is running the show and how to re-set it.
Day 14 for me and although I haven't been very productive, at least I'm sober! Just wanted to mention five things that are helping me, in case they're useful to anyone else -
1. Not thinking beyond the day I'm in or - at most - the next day. The question of whether or not I'll ever drink again feels like too much for me to face this early in my sobriety, so I'm just committing to each day as it comes.
2. A book I saw discussed on these forums called This Naked Mind by Annie Grace. Am half way through, taking a couple of chapters each day - and it seems very good and down to earth. It basically breaks down your ingrained beliefs about alcohol - shows you how your unconscious mind is running the show and how to re-set it.
I'm waiting for my copy of This Naked Mind as well. Had to recheck with the people I ordered from, there was some mix-up, but now they've shipped it. Hope it gets here soon.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: UK
Posts: 269
On day 2, not feeling too good. The nights are the worst, not for cravings but depression. Same negative thinking thinking nobody is ever going to employ me.
It's a vicious circle. I drank because I was depressed and I was depressed because I have little employment history.
The only thing keeping me going right now is my sister and parents.
It's a vicious circle. I drank because I was depressed and I was depressed because I have little employment history.
The only thing keeping me going right now is my sister and parents.
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