sandpoint

I can honestly say that last week was my first real attempt to stop drinking. I was just motivated, and fatigued. My drinking on Friday was just as much a part of my quitting as the previous 5 days that I did not drink. Today I am more motivated. I believe this is a process that we have to go through. There are so many aspects of NOT drinking that are very exciting to me and motivating. The idea of continuing to drink is becoming very much a negative idea. Although, the addiction and compulsion are still there for now.
This seems to be such a strange situation, that in one minute, one can be 100% convinced that they do not want to and truly believe they will not drink again and the next minute fantasize about heading down to the bar and that fantasy if postively a fun idea and the 100% is no longer. And.. this happens many times a day... for me.

JKaren

I know we set out with the best of intentions....and then the urge hits and if I tell myself it's ok to drink tonight it just spirals from there and suddenly I have to drink.

I think if I can talk myself out of buying alcohol when the conversation in my head starts that will be a huge step.

I CAN DO IT! AND SO CAN YOU Sandpoint!!

Horselover

I hear ya, but that voice that keeps luring you back is the voice of addiction. Our mind is as addicted as our body in craving it. It waits until there is a moment of weakness then pounces. Every time you ignore the voice or put it off you become stronger and the voice loses its power.

thirtybubba

Me too. I know from lots of recent experience, that if this happens, whatever you do, *do not* move. I mean, do not get out of the chair or whatever, and start walking--'cause it's like that positive reinforcement or whatever... if you visualize the bar, you'll end up in it.

Then you end up doubting yourself more and more...

Then it gets easier to get to the bar.

Not sure where it leads after that, I'm trying to head this off at the pass...

You can learn it yourself, if you like, but I already learned it for you all... and it wasn't a fun lesson.


JK, try being busy already when it's that time, maybe? Pre-distracted... I don't know. I really don't, else I'd have a lot more days sober.

:ghug2

We all can do this...

Take care,
-TB

Ninsuna

I was in a CBT class for depression, and they taught us to make a list of pleasurable things you can do when you are feeling depressed. They call it "opposite to emotion" i.e. you want to crawl into bed at two in the afternoon, you go walk with your dog instead. I found this works just as well when I think about drinking. The key is to have the list made before the crisis, have things you actually like to do on it, and then when the time comes just will yourself to do it even if you don't feel like it. For me, the list also needs to have things I can do that cost no money or can be done late at night.

Hope this helps

Horselover

That's great Ninsuna!! Could you share what's on your list? Especially the ones that don't cost money. I would like to have something like that around. Maybe others could add to it. We could even start a new thread with that. What an awesome idea.

sandpoint

funny... good idea... DON'T GET OUT OF THE CHAIR!!!