wellwisher

Hi Lawyer, and welcome to SR...

Just a little lawyer story to tell you. I have been involved in litigation for the past six a half years.

The defendants had me so frustrated at one point, that I turned to my lawyer and said, "These people are so lucky that the only pints I crack open these days is a pint of ice cream and not a pint of Jack Daniels". My lawyer cracked up, and shared that he was a friend of Bill W's.

I have to tell you, I will never have a different lawyer if ever I need one again!

He is smart, caring and was really instrumental in getting me through a trying time.

Incidentally, I won the case.

Glad to see you here on SR - sobriety rocks.

Hevyn

Hi lawyer! Be glad you are coming to this realization at 31, not 51. I drank almost my whole life and nearly destroyed myself insisting I could moderate. It never worked, even once. One drink and there was no telling where I would end up - a very dangerous situation. The last time I binged, it was the holidays & I had intended to have 2 egg nogs. Three weeks later I was walking to the liquor store in a blizzard, falling & crying - desperate to get my fix. Lovely! There was only one thing to do in the end, and that was to stop playing with it.

Shyness & self-consciousness only seems to be helped by drinking. I found that it actually held me back from growing and learning to interact normally with others. I hope you'll begin to feel free and happy without your "buffer" - and find that you no longer need it to enjoy life. It sounds like it's not fun or relaxing anymore for you. Let us know how it's going!

yogaisland

Welcome! You're at a good place now.

Maybe consider taking up running? If you change into your running clothes at work and run from there, you are less likely to want to drink after getting a good sweat on. I know joining a gym that's on my way home helped me immensely.

Terminally Unique

You certainly can beat it, but "hoping" never quite worked for me. You need to decide, without any reservation, what it is that you want to do - and I suggest quitting for good - and then do whatever you need to do to accomplish that.

BTW, you are correct about the legal field - I have seen many attorneys destroy themselves. You don't want to go there.

NoFireWater

Welcome Lawyer101. You've landed in a good place-excellent advice and support here. It's really hard to be a professional by day, and a drinker by night. Feels like you do everything "right" all day and everything "wrong" at night. Then the next morning you get to figure out the night before while prepping for important things you can't miss at work. Fun times indeed lol Best of luck in your efforts! You'll have to find activities to replace the after work routine quickly. Gym was a good suggestion, Netflix has helped me...

sugarbear1

Took me 25+ years, then I surrendered.

Lots of speakers online. Lots of programs. I use aa. Welcome home you aren't alone!

Opivotal

Welcome Lawyer! So happy you decided to join us and share your story. You will find tons of support and encouragement here.



Best Wishes To You!

artsoul

Welcome to the forum and congratulations for making a great decision. Just reaching out for help is a huge step and a smart one - most of us find that we can't do this on our own.

Take it one day at a time. You can do it. And it does get better!

Pigtails

Another attorney checking in. I can relate, and send you a private message. Wishing you all the best.

sobermax

Welcome lawyer.

sugarbear1

Alcohol does not discriminate nor prefer one profession over another.

sugarbear1

Desert in the sand search it on Google

Aa speakers. Give it a listen!

My AA friends:
Sponsor #1 rocket scientist/satellite engineer
Sponsor #2 govt employee
#3 census bureau
others:
Teachers, police officers, computer programmer, attorneys, maintenance, ATF, FBI, news reporters, doctors, CEO's, etc...

kiki5711

I use to work for an attorney that would come back from lunch so wasted, he put a big sign on his door/"don't bother me", and we couldn't pass on the calls, or bother him with any questions regarding any case matter until he woke up.

Another one I worked for, in his late 50s came back from every lunch stinking of alcohol, although you would not be able to tell immediately unless you knew him.

After work, on every Friday they had happy hour at "attorney's lounge". I came once and got so drunk. THere was a large painting in that "fancy lawyer" lounge and the senior partner was talking to a couple of us legal secretaries about it. I looked at it and said "you paid $10,000" for that piece of shi...t? Damn, I could have made a down payment on a house with that money.....I was really embarassed the next day.

To tell you the truth, the painting was actually REALLY cheap looking. I could't believe it cost that much.

So, yes, I know about all the happy hours, during lunch, after work and weekends.

Englishrose70

Welcome Lawyer, Day 22 sober for me, a previously unheard of record in a 10 year drinking career.

What happened to you was a massive wake up call, I dont need to point out how lucky you were and how different that scenario could have been and delighted you recognised that drinking like this is no life at all. This is the conclusion I came to.

I would highly recommend you go to the doctors and come off the drink under supervision. Sudden withdrawl can be highly dangerous. However, I PROMISE YOU, when you have gone through the initial symptoms, you will soon start feeling the benefits that the gift of sobriety gives you, the most precious gift you can give yourself, that of life and that of a future.

This forum is fantastic and the support I have received here, instrumental in my ongoing recovering.

Keep us posted and yes get your running gear on and whizz past those bars, exercise is a great idea.

Zencat

Being active here at SR is a good plan. Also filling up your time with healthy activities and endeavors is also good for being directed towards your goal of living a life without alcohol.

H3art

Hi Lawyer and Welcome!
I am also 31, highly educated and working on my fourth day now. I, like you also turn into a completely different person when I drink. Being and staying sober always feels so good after you get a week or two under your belt. I have a tendency to forget just how bad it is when I do drink and figure that I can control it this time. I have surrendered my power before, and selfishly taken it back many times.

We can all hold virtual hands and get through this together!

Over the last few days I have been grateful for this site, reading the posts and chatting has helped a lot.

H

Zebra1275

Welcome! Stick around SR and keep reading, it will help a lot.

endlesspatience

Good to have you on board. Really hope you'll spend some time reading as much as you can here and start a programme of recovery as soon as you can.

JobiWanKenobi

Lawyer, welcome to sobriety. With will, resolve & the AA guide you will surely grow rapidly. Keep it simple and focus on each day. Very shortly you will be walking past those clubs and they will seem like coffee shops or bookstores. We are a "we" program but it takes "you" to make this first leap. Before you know it, it will focus less on how to quit drinking and more on how to live sober.