JediTrey

I was 41 days sober, out on a date, ,and decided to have two glasses of wine. I don't really feel I fell off the bandwagon. This morning I feel fine, not gonna drink for a while, what does it mean if have have no regret, didnt get drunk, but have no urge, or craving to drink right now, I just decided to have a little wine, and I knew when to quit

WritingFromLife

Hi Jedi! I could probably do this for a couple of weeks, but would eventually end up back to overdrinking. Even when I was drinking, I was able to stop at just a couple glasses of wine on occasion; however, most times, i overdid it--and I know that this is progressive and that those few occasions would most likely disappear altogether.

Good luck with whatever path you decide to take with it!

Opivotal

It's your life and your decision to make. I guess my question is what made you stop drinking in the first place? Personally, I would be tempting fate if I fooled myself into thinking I could go back to drinking at all. However, your not me and if your okay with drinking on occasion and controlling your alcohol then I wish you the best.


Best Wishes To You

billsaintjames

In the past I could go for months on end, just having a couple drinks, one weekend night, once or twice a month. I didn't see anything wrong with that. Eventually that turned into allowing myself to have 5 or 6 drinks on a weekend night, once a month. I didn't see anything wrong with that either. That turned into allowing myself to have no limits, just once a month or every other month.

I continued adjusting my limitations, until I did something stupid, and then I would scale back or quit altogether (for a while). But then I'd jump right back in, patting myself on the back for controlling myself, allowing myself to drink more, doing something stupid, quitting again, rinse and repeat.

I am certain I could go the rest of my life doing this without completely effing my life up. I really doubt I would ever become a cautionary tale of full-blown alcoholism. But I also know there is a 100% chance I would repeat the aforementioned cycle for the rest of my days.

For me, it just came down to "What's the point of having a couple drinks at dinner?" There's just nothing to gain from it. I'd rather just save myself the time, money and energy of going through that cycle and have something non-alcoholic to drink.

If you don't have any regrets, you didn't get drunk, don't have any cravings and knew when to quit, why are you making the conscious decision to "not drink for awhile"? If you didn't have a problem, you wouldn't even have to think about that. Why not just drink the next time someone invites you out? Why even post this topic at all? What kind of response are you looking for?

Zencat

You offered me good description of an old relapse pattern of mine. Just a couple drinks or toots, stop and think nothing of it. But that just me, I understand its different for other people and maybe for yourself. I'm just putting it out there. I would suggest you be careful and rethink what you want for yourself, abstinence or moderation or what. Just do whats healthy really, no matter what you choose to do.

keithj

I've said it here a number of times, "What's the worst thing that can happen to an alcoholic who 'slips' and has a couple drinks?"

We think the worst thing is a raging bender, blackout drunk, land in jail sort of thing. But the worst thing is nothing.

Nothing happens. I get away with it and that little seed is planted that maybe, just maybe, I can control my drinking.

Fandy

and that "little seed" grows into a huge weed that entangles me in no time flat....but that's just me.

lilac0721

Boy, Jedi, I am glad you don't feel bad. But I've got to warn you that many of my multi-day binges have occurred after being able to have "just a couple."
That said, the direction you take is up to you!

Bikeguy

Sounds like a slippery slope, at least it would be for me. Once I give myself an inch with alcohol it takes a mile out of me.

EmeraldRose

Even though we are all alike in our quest for sobriety, everyone has to kick rocks in their path. I've kicked enough rocks to know that it leads to lying under a boulder. I won't expriment anymore. I know what happens to me. It could be a month, 6 months...but sooner or later I'm flat on my back under that rock. I don't play with fate.

FreeDance

Hi Jedi -- Weird conincidence. I too slipped and had two glasses of wine a couple of days ago (momentary stress, exhaustion, frustration, etc.).

But for me, that's often how I'd drink. Two glasses, stop. Then eventually, three or four. A few nights later, drinking whatever I could get my hands on. Then remorse, a few days off, and another few days of two glasses, stop...

I am sure I don't need to add to the warnings here. You know how it is. Anyway, personally, I like the feeling of freedom I have when I'm not drinking at all. I like not fretting about what time I'll start drinking, how I can "hide it" by having multiple bottles of wine open at a time, whether there's something going on early the next day or not, etc. etc. etc.

I love those few hours of a nice buzz, love the two glasses of wine, but the hours around those two hours are not worth it for me...

Anyway, glad you're back at it, and back here!! It's a good move to pick yourself up and keep going. Hang in there!!

doggonecarl

I think it means you forgot how scared you were when your labs tests came back showing abnormally high marks for liver disease.

Anna

It means that your addict-voice is speaking to you, and you're listening.

JediTrey

As far as my liver, Doc called and was excited to tell me that after 41 days sober, my liver was back to normal. AST: 27 ALT 36...AMAZING WHAT A MONTH CAN DO. I have no urge to drink, wont tonight, wont over the Holiday weekend, my whole point , or question I suppose, is : do you think easing back to being a light ( 2 glasses of win ON OCCASION) DRINKER, WHO DOESN'T HAVE THE URGE TO BLACK OUT, LIKE LAST NIGHT FOR ME, is possible? I'm starting to think I can, I'm confident of this...

bdiddy5522

If you are not completely convinced that you are an alcoholic, try some controlled drinking. See what happens. It it gets bad again you know you need to stop completely. I just pray that you are able to stop if you get started again.

As the saying goes.... all of us have one more drunk in us. But not sure about another sobriety left in us.

Zebra1275

I slipped last night, but feel ok, and confident

I don't know what it means for you, but here is what it would mean for me.

Here is the visual, King Alcohol is in the boat trolling for drunks, he throws the bait into the water and I nibble on it and set the hook. I might be pretty confident but it won't be long before I'm cooked.

LosingmyMisery

Perhaps you feel no regrets because the consequences haven't arrived, yet. They are waiting. That is how it works, unfortunately. I two have been able to have a few on occasion. Before I knew it, my drinking was out of control. It is trickery to lure us back into the insane cycle. Please be careful...

bcboy

Hey Jedi.

Your post concerns me. You are listening to that little voice in your head. This voice does not have your best interest at heart and has proven in the past to cause nothing but pain in your life. This voice is hiding behind all this and is now rearing its ugly head in trying to strike a deal with you.

This deal will only get worse as time goes by and before you know it you will be back to square 1.

Here is your first post to us all here.

"First Day..Scared

I've been drinking toooooo much since getting divorced last January, part of why we divorced, I think I've had three days of no drinking because I WAS SUPER SICK. I woke up today, feeling crummy, again, this morning and just said to myself this has to end TODAY, But I home restless and scared of bad withdrawal"

And your 3rd post

"Thanks for all the support all, I need it. My health and life are beginning to be on the line. I've done so many horrible things when I'm drunk, sometimes don't remember doing them. Sometimes I wake up nervous about who I called or texted and what I might have said. I feel ashamed , guilty, and that I've wasted years of my life....I believe everyone when they say it gets better, and, feel/look better. I just wanna get there now. Having a hard time."

These above words are your own words and not that little voice in your head.

Stop listening to that little voice in your head.

BHF

If I were looking at myself in the position and frame of mind that your in right now (been there multiple times), I would make myself reflect on my history of drinking. I can't personally recall when I was last a "light drinker"? Sure, every now and then I could do it, but there always came that time when I went onb a binge and blew it. For some that may have been every other week, every other month...but for me it was at least every weekend. If I kept putting alcohol in my system, eventually it was going to get the best of me again. I can't guarantee myself when that might happen. For me, it's no longer worth the risk.

More importantly, once I got sober, I realized that it was alot less stressful and more peaceful way to live. Nowhere near as many worries, troubles, difficulties. Mainly because I'm not creating those situations.

EmeraldRose

It wouldn't work for me...but you're not me. You do what YOU think you can do. I personally wouldn't take the chance and don't need booze in my life to make it more complicated.

When I used to stop drinking I'd go out to dinner and INSIST I could have a couple and be fine. And I was...but we'd either go out to dinner more often or I'd buy 'just a small bottle'...'just in case'. Nope...doesn't work.

I wouldn't put my liver through the ups and downs either. When we feel confident we also become complacent in our recovery and think if its ok then everything's ok, I'm ok, livers ok, drinking is ok...nope...again, doesn't work.