LowSpark

Hello everyone! I haven't posted in a few weeks however I still read here daily. I joined last month (even though I got sober Oct 19) because I didn't know anything about joining a group. I would like to stay active in the current months group, so would it be ok for me to join December? Today is day 50 for me and I contribute a lot of that to all of y'all. Reading everyones stories and little quips on staying positive has helped me everyday. Keep up the good work everyone and remember, One Day at a Time!

Dee74

Welcome lowspark

D

Rabbitgirl

Thanks everone, I really appreciate all the advice and support. I haven't drank any alcohol yet, but I still feel the same as well as hurting. Tonight and tomorrow will be telling as those are the times that I'll be around alcohol and around everyone drinking. xxx

Dee74

Hi Rabbitgirl

If you haven't seen it, this is a great link on dealing with cravings:

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-cravings.html

and this is a great link on dealing with social occasions

Crying Out Now: Thanksgiving Survival Guide

sameoldsameold

Some good stuff there Dee, thanks.

Day 5 for me. I skipped a social event last night that I had REALLY been looking forward to. There would have been alcohol there but that wasn't the attraction. I don't think I would have drunk.

I didn't go because I still feel flat from the last session...5 days ago!

I had some naughty snacks at home and an early night instead. But all the time I was thinking about all the good stuff I have missed over the years (decades, in fact) through alcohol and conversely, how much good stuff I could enjoy if I can make this change.

It was both sad and exciting in equal measure.

I still feel, if I am totally honest, that my chances of being sober for the rest of my life are about 5% best. I won't lie about that. BUT, I feel that my chances of not drinking today are about 99%. So I will stick with today...for today. Hopefully, over time, that 5% will start to rise! It is only day 5 after all.

Thanks everyone and best wishes to you all.

Dee74

I didn't really rate my long term chances either...but every day gave me a little more hope...and then about three months in, I became aware that my lack of confidence was alcohol driven....it lasted that long after I quit.

By 6 months I was well on the way to being anew person and alcoholisms grip has never been as tight since

D

sameoldsameold

That is exactly the kind of thing I hoped to hear here Dee! Thanks

quitter62

6:27am here and up and at another day. Feeling GREAT again. Soooooo HAPPY that I got over my foul mood yesterday and starting Day 6 feeling CONFIDENT!

Good Luck to all of you, one day at a time. When we break it up into small victories it adds up into a GIANT VICTORY over time!

Scruffanie

Today is day 1 for me. A difficult but truly remarkable day. Scary first weekend coming up. I am apprehensive but I have a plan to get me through.

I hope everyone here has a safe and positive weekend.

quitter62

Hey Scruff, you can do it! I can hardly give advice only being on Day 6 but you know what? Day 6 feels AWESOME to me because I don't even remember the last time I went that long being SOBER!
I remember on Day 1 thinking "Who are you kidding you drunk? Give up this stupid sobriety thing! You always drink, you can handle it!" etc. etc. etc.......
Now here I am with a whole new attitude and a few victories under my belt and feeling way more CONFIDENT!
The voice trying to talk me out of it all is still there for sure but easier to kick him to the curb now.
Good Luck to ALL! 24 hours at a time.

Fortress

Hi guys! Let's stay sober today! If you were sober yesterday, then you have that great feeling of Waking Up Not Hungover that I have, and, although the physical hangovers were horrible, I consider the shame, guilt and self-loathing part of the hangover, and that was the WORST... But I don't have that today, and, because I will be on SR a lot today, and praying, and playing the tape forward, and RECOGNIZING how awesome it is to NOT DRINK, there is a good chance I will be in the same cool spot tomorrow...

quitter62

Good point Fortress! I never really considered the non-physical aspects of the hangover! The guilt, shame, self-loathing, regret etc.....

I will add that to my toolbox if you don't mind! Thanks for that! I have picked up a lot of goodies from here.

BringingBackB

Quitter - massive well done for getting through your tough day yesterday.

Scruff - welcome to the group! You can get through day 1, then 2,3,4 & 5 etc. We're all here for each other.

Fortress - the mental side of the day after drinking is always by far the worst for me too. The shame and regret are killers.

Day 5 for me now and I'm keeping myself surrounded by people this weekend. Im also going to the football game tomorrow, which I'm looking forward to.

I'm really working on simply thinking of myself as a 'non drinker'. A chat I had on here with FreeOwl last night really struck a chord with me and has given me food for thought about how I see my drinking.

To be honest, a few weeks ago I had it in my head that it was impossible to avoid alcohol, so I had to find a way to manage it. But I have to accept that it's just never going to happen. It's time to move on and get on with my bloody life without the constant struggle of trying to maintain 'normal drinking', which as everyone would have predicted, ended in a huge bender.

SoberLeigh

FreeOwl is a wonderful partner-in-sobriety, BBB. He has such great insight into sobriety and recovery.

Hello, Class of December.

quitter62

Hey BBB, congrats on Day 5. I tried it all to be a 'normal' drinker. I was growing weary of planning everything in my life around not cutting into my drinking time at home. I quit drinking and driving 13 years ago (at risk of losing my GREAT JOB) so that left my only option as drinking at home.

I tried weekends only but felt I had to make up for the booze I missed out on and only drank more while the drinking was good on the weekends. Then just a 'few' on worknights turned into 'just a few EVERY night and sometimes too many!

I didn't want to be tied up or committed to any evening activities because it was cutting into my drinking time. Etc.........

Only 6 days in but man oh man can I already see how my life will be freed up if I just give up this damn drinking once and for all.

I have had MY SHARE of beer and a few other peoples share in my 50+ years.......ENOUGH!

kinzoku

Hello my classmates

Day 1 - kin

ChloeRose63

Hi, Classmates! Day 6 and back to "normal". So glad to have put the last week behind me. I've got a new attitude and outlook. I am positive I can be sober because I don't ever want to go back to where I was. That was then...this is now!! (Also, the title of a great movie) lol

BringingBackB

Hope everyone is having a nice sober Friday evening. Hang on in there troops.

Rabbitgirl

Thank you again for the kind words guys. My mind is really playing tricks on me tonight, thinking how can I want to give up all the fun involved in drinking and partying and I could easily go and do that tomorrow. I know it's a lie and I hope I don't give in. I have realized my drinking is linked to rejection and loss

ReadyAtLast

It feels great to wake up without a hangover. But I always think it feels extra special to wake on Saturday morning without one. Stay strong tonight classmates ☺