Day 1...This is going to be interesting.
 

I am new to the site and this is my first post on my hopefully my 1st Day not drinking.

Im 28, single and live alone so nobody really knew my issues. I tried quitting several times in the past. I wouldn't tell anyone and would try to fight these demons alone. I would loose this fight EVERYDAY!! I needed to let my close friends know so they could help out. These are close friends of mine that I ignore and never see anymore because I'm too pre-occupied with my drinking. Last night I got drunk and made a few phone calls to let them know my situation and asked for help. I wasn't really surprised when they were all for helping me out, but it was a hard call to make...Well not really, i was drunk. But I did almost tear up from the support...Almost.

4:50pm to 5:30pm today will be a crucial time for me. It's when I get out of work that I fight the demons before heading to the beer store. I asked my friend to intercept me at work so he can distract me. My distraction will be mountain biking, then hopefully a Jam Session with another friend. They can't babysit me all night, so hopefully i don't go nuts when left to my own devices...

Thats all i got for today...Hopefully tomorrow will be day 2...

Day 1 for me too.....again. Yeah that's my time too, when I get off work.

Good luck to you.

Hi Washburn

yeah thats the thing - we can't have friends distract us or babysit us 24/7 - but there's usually someone around here 24/7.

Have you thought about a recovery programme - AA etc? - that's another layer of support many here have chosen

Welcome aboard anyway :)

D

Congrats on Day 1. It doesn't seem like much, but when you realize that today is all you got to work with, you'll know that not drinking today is all you have to do (and the first today is the hardest). Hang in there.

Rev

Hi and Welcome!

It sounds like you have a good plan and it's great that your friends are supporting you.

You can do this :ring Read my signature for inspiration \/

Congrats on your decision to get sober!
My best advice is to sit and make a list of things that you can not or would not do when you were drinking and do those things! :)

I joined a gym and went there or an AA meeting after work for the first 45 days or so. I could NOT be in the house after work and cooking dinner cause that is when I used to drink. It was probably 2 months before I felt comfortable in that kitchen alone, lol.

Anyway, I read a lot about recovery and stayed busy.
Best of luck to you!

Hang in there. Im on day 5, and friday night is a huge drinking trigger for me. Its gonna be tough but we can both do this.

Washburn, welcome to SR and I hope no matter what you'll stick around and keep posting. I'm rooting for you on day number 2!!! :)

:welcome

Good to know you have friends willing to spend sober time with you.
Hanging out with friends who drank never worked for me.
By the time I decided to quit ...all my friends
were also excessive drinkers.

That's why I needed new sober friends and
I found them in AA meetings.....:yup:

Wash, sometimes I sign in here when I get that 5pm feeling (or Fri night, whatever you want to call it - that memory of cutting loose with the drinking). Other people say they do that too. I think it's all in watching how your mind works, and it sounds like you are doing that. That was a good idea to get that friend to meet up with you. You can create some devices to manipulate yourself into not giving in and build confidence in your skills at "babysitting yourself." I live alone and have to babysit myself too. Think of it this way, I am one example (of many) of an alcohol addict who had only himself to answer to and drank in private for years, and now the same person is not doing that. I had NO IDEA I could do it. You can do that too, it just takes getting it in the right gear. Don't be afraid to admit to any mistakes or fears or (on the positive end) to report on what you are proud of if you find yourself coming back into this site. People will be there to talk about it!

Dude, same here, although due to time differences I'll be on Day 2 when you read this. Also read the stuff about detox side-effects elsewhere on this forum and make your friends aware of them, just in case.

You're not alone!

I hope you are surviving! I am on day three and always jumping on here, you get thru the worst of things before you know it by emmergence in such a knowing world

Its great you have the courage to reach out, Im too shy to ask for the help I need from friends

Lets hope we are not going to lose the plot!

Welcome to SR!! Filling those voids with positive activities is a great way to keep your mind off of it and getting you through the day.

I always feel better when I am eating healthy and living healthy!!

You have plenty of support here and I am so glad to see that you reached out for support.

All the Best!!

Sorry about posting in the wrong spot and thanks Dee for moving it...

Day 1 and 2 was rough but I got threw them. Dee was completely right; you can't have babysitters. Both friends bailed on me. I planned ahead and brought my bike and riding gear to work so I didn't have to go home first. After work I headed straight for the trails and had a great ride. After, I went for an hour long drive figuring out which supermarket to get my food at. I settled for one 2 minutes from my house. Got home, cooked, ate and watched TV. Later an old friend called and wanted to hang out. She ends up coming over with a 6 pack!! She drank. I stayed strong and made sure she didn't leave and full beers in my fridge. I was very determined after making my problem known, and more importantly I didn't want to let myself down. She left around 11 and I spent the next 4 hours playing my guitar. I was absolouty dead tired so I woulnt have a problem falling to sleep (I've done this before so I knew what was coming).

It felt weird the next day waking up sober after so long. Im looking forward to when it feels good to wake up. Hopefully Tomorrow or Monday.

Today I had my Niece's B-Day party with the Family so I was busy for most of the day. NOT easy thou, my family are ALL drinkers. I played with my 2 year old niece the whole time blowing bubbles and pushing her around the yard in her new plastic 4 wheeler that i got her. I never had so much fun...No joke. I got home at 5 and have been playing the guitar ever since. Its amazing how much easier it is to learn new songs when your not drinking. Drinking has always prevented me from actually learning a complete song, start to finish.

My list to keep busy: Mountain Biking, Guitar, Reading, Rock Climbing, Working Out, and Walking. I have to keep moving Mentally and Physically. Did I mention I have ADD and can't sit still?

I don't have a specific plan yet for Day 3, but I have a feeling my body and finger tips will be in a lot of pain. Good Pain...not Hangover Pain. Remembering what I read will be also be a big plus too...

The feedback from my first post really overwhelmed me. I cant believe there is that much support here.

Thanks
Washburn

Congrats Washburn on keeping going. I identified a lot with your first post.

I kept trying to fight the battle alone and ended up with the same results. I told a couple of close friends as well and has really helped me take some steps that I needed to. It wasn't really anything that my friends did but just the fact that it wasn't my secret anymore.

Keep posting and letting us know how things are going.

Congrats to you! Stick close to SR....lots of support here!

Yes, there IS a lot of support and good advice here. :) We're all in the same boat and we understand your feelings. I hope this site will be as helpful to you as it has been to me. Welcome to SR! :welcome

Hey Wash we're on the same days. Tomorrow will be day 3 for me too which is always my hardest to get past. Hope we can both say on Monday that we did it.

Keep going...we can do it!!

Yeah, the support here really is great, isn't it? I'm glad that you're doing well and staying with it. Every success I read about here motivates me a little bit more to succeed myself.

You said it was strange waking up sober. I have noticed that, at times when I drank alot, then took a day off, I still woke up feeling hungover. It was like my body was so used to being hungover, that it habitually was (at least a little), whether I drank or not. Anyway, just thought I'd throw that out there. :)

Rev