I had a great urge to have a drink today..
 

I am not going to lie.. I am on day three and I found myself doing my usual weekend routine. As I ran an errand near the liquor store I found myself wanting to pick up a bottle of wine. I was trying to make a deal with myself... THERE ARE NO DEALS...

I distracted myself and I did not pick it up. I came home and started to read this book about someones journey on how they got sober. I tried to tell myself how the nights events would lead if I drank today. I told myself that tomorrow I will be so disappointed in myself and I will be so depressed and feel 100 times worse. I hope I don’t get the bug again tonight. I just pray I have the strength to stay strong…I still haven't picked up a drink... but I am feeling a moment of of weakness..

People have different ways to combat the urge to drink. What works for me is asking myself two questions: one, will drinking improve the situation? And two, do I want to wake up tomorrow full of regret and self hatred and feeling sick? So far that's stopped me from drinking.

Some people get relief by going to meetings. If you haven't tried AA it might be worth a try. :)

Thank you for your reply.. It was helpful.

I tried AA and it wasnt for me. A friend of mine that has been sober for a year recommed this site. I have been on it for a few days.. It has been so helpful for me. I have also found that reading has helped.

Good luck with your sobriety!

Another thing that helps me stay sober is coming here and helping the newcomers. When I do that my urge to drink goes away. Try it! Encourage someone else in their sobriety and it can help strengthen your resolve to stay sober yourself.:)

Hi,

I tried to avoid the wine and beer aisle in the supermarket in early recovery, just so I didn't have to have those conversations with myself.

Getting through an urge is powerful and will help you the next time.

Congrats on 3 days sobertime, I found it's always good to change old habits and make new routines. Hang in there, sobertime, It gets easier. One day, or hour, or minute at a time. Whatever you need to break it down to. Your doing great, Keep Strong!!

Hey it's midnight here, So let me be the first to say Congrats on day 4!! My friend :c031:

Take Care..

You are in the initial de tox part of your sobriety.
The urges will get less intense as you continue to
be a non drinker.

Prayer helps me overcome bad moments.

Good job on resisting ..sobriety is worth the effort....:yup:

...hey Sobertime,

Did you make it through yesterday?

Hope you did and continue to take it one day at a time.

I did make it through... I went through the samething again today.. But I still havent had a drink... Thank you for asking. And I hope things are going well with you sobriety..

As Carol said, at three days, you are detoxing from alcohol, and the cravings you are experiencing are a consequence of that. It does get better. That first week I stopped drinking, I had to distract myself into doing other things and I had to change some of my habits so that I wasn't exposed to potential triggers.

As time progressed, I have found that supporting and encouraging others in their sobriety journey gets my mind off of me and off of thoughts of drinking.

The thought about drinking is just a thought. I've learned that I can let that thought go and that I don't have to act upon it. The more I resist the thought or shame myself about having the thoughts, the worse it is for me. This is a great website. There is a lot of support to be found here, as apparently you are discovering. SusanLauren

Congrats on your decision to get sober:c011:. Keep up the good work and many good things will come your way.

Congrats!!! My drink of choice was wine too, here in Canada we don't have them in our supermarkets, but there is cold beer and wine stores on every corner!! in the early stages of my soberity I just stayed clear of them, didn't go to bars, and I'm still not socializing like I did before but I really enjoy it..it's been 71 days for me and the cravings really do subside..I had a craving yesterday, but just "played the tape forward" and then drank lots of water!
Keep up the great work!!!

Congratulations to you! Getting sober is the best decision you will ever make :)