small success - thank you SR
zen alien
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: houston, tx
Posts: 13
small success - thank you SR
wasn't quite sure how i'd handle my first friday night since i decided to stop & was making all kinds of excuses for why it would be "ok" to knock back a couple after a hard week as i was driving home. by the time i got here i was thinking i would pretty much go ahead and open up those Dox XXs rolling around in the bottom of the fridge, but I checked here first. new as i am, still had several messages waiting to wish me luck and strength, & that helped me say "no" at that point.
around 6, though, my wife got home and reminded me that we were headed back out the door to spend the evening with several friends to celebrate one's new house, and i knew i was sunk...those gatherings have always centered around copious amounts of alcohol and i knew tonight wasnt going to be an exception. it wasn't. i'd guess that the average number of drinks consumed between 7pm and midnight was something like 9 per person.
...except for me. i had club soda, and that was it. and i'm really kind of emotional about it. i've never, ever done that before, in my entire adult life. i've never been the only one who didn't....and i'm grateful to the people here at SR, who, with just a little personal...human contact, have already made a difference for me. just the little bit of kindness and shared experience i've known here this week (not to mention shared accountability) helped me do something that, without a doubt, would've just gotten a 'fuggit' from me a week ago.
going to bed, now, sober. thank you.
around 6, though, my wife got home and reminded me that we were headed back out the door to spend the evening with several friends to celebrate one's new house, and i knew i was sunk...those gatherings have always centered around copious amounts of alcohol and i knew tonight wasnt going to be an exception. it wasn't. i'd guess that the average number of drinks consumed between 7pm and midnight was something like 9 per person.
...except for me. i had club soda, and that was it. and i'm really kind of emotional about it. i've never, ever done that before, in my entire adult life. i've never been the only one who didn't....and i'm grateful to the people here at SR, who, with just a little personal...human contact, have already made a difference for me. just the little bit of kindness and shared experience i've known here this week (not to mention shared accountability) helped me do something that, without a doubt, would've just gotten a 'fuggit' from me a week ago.
going to bed, now, sober. thank you.
Thanks for sharing. 
its tough being around drunk people when your not drunk yourself. 
Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: WA Perth
Posts: 168
woohoo good stuf Driftwood,, im where you were right now,, people down the back drinking and the usual ********,,,, day 6 for me and its tough being here in this situation,,, but after reading your post it has made me dig my heels in more....
so thanks for that...
so thanks for that...
it's all happening
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Ann Arbor, Mich.
Posts: 125
WOW -- good for you. I'm really impressed. I was invited to an Oktoberfest party tonight (yes, in September) and canceled instead of going. I just didn't want to put myself in that situation, this early in. So I'm incredibly impressed that you made it through without drinking!
How was the party, sober? And is your not drinking changing any of the dynamics with you and your wife?
How was the party, sober? And is your not drinking changing any of the dynamics with you and your wife?
zen alien
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: houston, tx
Posts: 13
thanks, guys. you guys' kudos feel just as good as managing to do it at all
Penny - weirdly, the party wasn't really any less fun for the lack of alcohol, maybe a little strange at first because it was a different vibe for me than i'm used to. found myself a lot more engaged in what's going on with other people, though, instead of using "sip time" as just a break between periods of trying to get people to hear my perspective, was a lot easier & more natural to just listen to someone else.
as it got later though, it got a lot more interesting for me...i can state from experience, now, that those really intense, "deep" conversations that tend to occur as a party tends toward late aren't nearly as intense or deep from a sober perspective. they're just a lot louder and more random. interesting to witness from a new point of view!
Penny - weirdly, the party wasn't really any less fun for the lack of alcohol, maybe a little strange at first because it was a different vibe for me than i'm used to. found myself a lot more engaged in what's going on with other people, though, instead of using "sip time" as just a break between periods of trying to get people to hear my perspective, was a lot easier & more natural to just listen to someone else.
as it got later though, it got a lot more interesting for me...i can state from experience, now, that those really intense, "deep" conversations that tend to occur as a party tends toward late aren't nearly as intense or deep from a sober perspective. they're just a lot louder and more random. interesting to witness from a new point of view!
Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 248
Very inspirational! I passed up a party my other half went to last weekend but I was afraid I couldn't do it without drinking. I too would have been the only sober one but was afraid I may not stay that way.
Next time I will think of your post and know it can be done. I am sure it wasn't easy for you but great job!
Next time I will think of your post and know it can be done. I am sure it wasn't easy for you but great job!
Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Bowling Green KY
Posts: 275
driftwood....that is one awesome testimony my brutha. too many triggers for me. i have attended football tailgating this year and was able to overcome it. and it was tough. but i really enjoyed the game being straight and able to remember it on sunday.
i love your newfound perspective of the 'deep conversations'. lol. again, great job.
i love your newfound perspective of the 'deep conversations'. lol. again, great job.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 60
Congrats Driftwood! Great show of determination early on. I am only 25 days sober and I had tickets to Cheech and Chong my first Saturday night. Didn't feel I had the strength to do Cheech and Chong sober so I didn't go. You rock - you went and did it sober!!!
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