What do you do instead?
Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 174
I was exactly the same. Pretty much every time I left the house to do something besides work etc it was to drink. Eventually (I'm not sure exactly when, it just seemed to happen) NOT drinking becomes the norm. It really is weird, because you can't really feel it happening but you know when you're there.
I think "What am I going to do tonight" in a productive sense instead of "Oh crap, I can't drink, I have nothing to do tonight".
Just this afternoon on facebook chat two old friends asked me was I still off the sauce, followed by "....but what do you do instead?". It's weird because I couldn't really answer them off-hand. It's become so normal to me. I just said "...you know...all the other stuff".
*You just need to hang in there until this happens*
I think "What am I going to do tonight" in a productive sense instead of "Oh crap, I can't drink, I have nothing to do tonight".
Just this afternoon on facebook chat two old friends asked me was I still off the sauce, followed by "....but what do you do instead?". It's weird because I couldn't really answer them off-hand. It's become so normal to me. I just said "...you know...all the other stuff".
*You just need to hang in there until this happens*
Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 302
Originally Posted by generalzod 
Thanks to all of your for your fantastic replies!
@Melinda: That all struck a note for sure. 6pm is my witching hour. I'm actually fine all day but in the evening I love editing my photos while drinking. I actually become more creative. It's the fidget I get if I dont drink...I'm like 'what else am I going to do?'.
@LaFemme: I used to go skateboarding, meet up with friends a lot. A lot of my friends are too busy/lazy to even meet up. Thats part of the problem. I do have lots of other things I enjoy, weights/gym, etc. I just find the idea of drinking more appealing. Would you believe I used to be a fitness model!!! I'd love to get back into that sort of shape. I could do it 6 months if I was focused. Problem is, I;ve not managed a week off the bottle in the last 3 years now.
@ Everyone else. Tonight will be the first night, probably since I had a cold or whatever that I've not drunk. I'm pretty sure 1 night will be ok, maybe even 2. If I make it to this time next week without a drop, I'll be OVER THE MOON. Fingers crossed, here goes...
gz
@Melinda: That all struck a note for sure. 6pm is my witching hour. I'm actually fine all day but in the evening I love editing my photos while drinking. I actually become more creative. It's the fidget I get if I dont drink...I'm like 'what else am I going to do?'.
@LaFemme: I used to go skateboarding, meet up with friends a lot. A lot of my friends are too busy/lazy to even meet up. Thats part of the problem. I do have lots of other things I enjoy, weights/gym, etc. I just find the idea of drinking more appealing. Would you believe I used to be a fitness model!!! I'd love to get back into that sort of shape. I could do it 6 months if I was focused. Problem is, I;ve not managed a week off the bottle in the last 3 years now.
@ Everyone else. Tonight will be the first night, probably since I had a cold or whatever that I've not drunk. I'm pretty sure 1 night will be ok, maybe even 2. If I make it to this time next week without a drop, I'll be OVER THE MOON. Fingers crossed, here goes...
gz
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: New England
Posts: 5,285
Last night I took my dogs to the dog park, I talked with people and didn't worry about being hungover or rushing home to drink. It was a beautiful night and a massive perfect rainbow came to top it off.
More often then not I opted to stay home and drink rather than taking my dogs to the park.
More often then not I opted to stay home and drink rather than taking my dogs to the park.
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: The Present
Posts: 425
La Femme, your answer resonated with me because sobriety has brought back the extraordinary love for life itself that was so precious in childhood. Running through woods, climbing mountains, listening to the stars (and yes, the stars do sing!). Years down the line I am seeing life in so many new ways. And like you, Ninja, i can be alone without the loneliness of wasted nights.
GeneralZod, like you, I could find no reason to give up drinking, because a good part of my life was spent in evaluating how close to death i was with each new hangover. It was only when someone pointed out to me that to give up drinking, you have to change your mindset from "What am I going to do without alcohol?" to "What I am going to do without alcohol."
GeneralZod, like you, I could find no reason to give up drinking, because a good part of my life was spent in evaluating how close to death i was with each new hangover. It was only when someone pointed out to me that to give up drinking, you have to change your mindset from "What am I going to do without alcohol?" to "What I am going to do without alcohol."
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