mr_clean

my struggle thus far:

7 days sober
1 day (evening) relapse
11 days sober
3 days (evenings) relapse
1 day sober (today)

19 vs. 4

I can win this if I don't give up.

I will stay sober for today, just one day at a time!

Tazman53

mr clean are you trying to do things the same way every time to stay sober?

I tried quitting for 10 years the same way..... my way, and I stayed drunk! It was not until I was able to admit that I needed help that I got sober and stayed sober, I finally was willing to do anything to stay sober, and the anything was not my way, but it worked!

Anna

Mr. Clean you can change this pattern.

I struggled with 3 days and 3 weeks and it took some soul-searching to find out what was stopping me from getting past that. In my case, I think I was afraid of succeeding. I had no idea what to expect. I had to deal with my fear and then I could carry on.

Jersey Nonny

I agree with Taz...I drank for 32 years, and "quit" at least twice a month...I guess I was what would be considered "a periodic"...once a week bender, then weekends, then the "dry days" became fewer and fewer, and the periods of drinking became closer and closer together. Voila! Daily drinker, virtually a daily drunk!

I had to wind up in detox/rehab and many AA meetings. I had "stopped" often enough that I knew how to stop...it was the staying stopped that I couldn't get a handle on...until AA became a big, important part of my life. I highly recommend it!

nandm

The obsession to drink can be overwhelming no matter how much we know we need to or want to stop. I just could not do it alone. I don't know of many who have been able to succeed on their own although I am sure they are out there. It might be worth considering looking into a program of recovery. There are many out there to choose from. A program of recovery gives you the benefit of experience of what works and what doesn't as well as many times a good support group. Here is a link to some recovery programs just in case you want to check them out.
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-programs.html

Alive

You got the will to do it. That's the starting point for recovery. Trying. And then one day at a time, there's a path...the one that works for you and from witch you grow as a person too...

nodrinkingzone

Good luck Mr Clean, you can do this. If it's not working for you on your own, you might need to consider asking for help.

It's amazing, AA and NA are free, which is a definite plus even if you're skeptical or reluctant, but there are literally millions of people employed in the field of addiction recovery and counselling.

They have jobs for a reason - think about it.

Also, good luck, congrats on your sober time, and keep us up to date with how you're going, what you feel like, what's going through your mind and what your triggers are. It'll help you understand them by writing it down, and it might help someone else too.

mr_clean

wow! thank you for all the positive feedback and support. It really feels good that there are people that actually care and often have gone through similiar experiences as yourself.

I stayed sober yesterday, so i'm back on track again!

After work I did some meditation to relax, after that I want to the gym to work out, and after that I played a really exciting game of chess against my (sober) neighbour (I won hehe). If I think back to it yesterday was a great day, and I will try really hard to make today at least as great.

tazmann 53:
I've been trying to quit my own way for about four years, wich clearly did not work haha. I'm really 'pounding' my ego lately, in order not to be a stuborn fool and try it in ways that truely have been proven to work for addictis. I don't have any AA or NA meetings nowere near I live, but I seek a lot of online support and guidance (12 steps, this forum etc.) + i read a lout of spirituality and religion such as buddhism.

51Anna: I don't know for sure if this is in my case the same. But i will sure do some serieus deep thinking about it. good suggestion.

all others posters, thank you!

mr_clean

my weekend was ok....smoked one joint tough

sunday I was sober, and today i'm sober so far...

I feel a bit dissapointed about myself that i did not manage to make it saturday, but I know that negative emotions won't help me to beat this addiction.

I have to look deeper then just how to stay sober...

ps. check out my avatar, i really like it!