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-   -   When you are too confident? (https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/newcomers-recovery/233207-when-you-too-confident.html)

Fallow 08-02-2011 05:58 PM

When you are too confident?
 
So here I sit at 22 days sober. I have been thinking about this idea since week 1 of sobriety. I have attempted sobriety twice in the past but never surrendered, did no work, had no sponsor, and always held onto the lurking notion that I could socially drink in the future. This time its been totally different. I fully admitted myself to be an alcoholic/addict, surrendered and determined I must stay 100 percent sober, quit smoking dope, and dedicated myself to get a sponsor and work the steps. Of course I havent been through the work yet, but through a conversation with an AA member a suppressed memory came to me which I truly believe is a sign from my HP that I will be granted reprieve from my addictions. Im taking things a day at a time, but since this spiritual experience like nothing ive ever felt...Ive not had one craving or thought of drinking or drugging. This has led me to be super confident that my years of addiction are finally behind me. Im still going to go through the work of course. Just wondering if anyone else has felt so confident they will indeed maintain sobriety this early? And if you did what effect did it have on your eventual sobriety or relapse?

Soberpotamus 08-02-2011 06:05 PM

I'm 100% confident I won't ever drink again. I committed to long-term (permanent) abstinence and that was 6/28/11. I'm not "working" anything and I certainly haven't "surrendered" to anything. So far, so good... no real urges. Just flashes here and there of wine (taste, smell, images...) and I use AVRT to kill it.

MycoolFitz 08-02-2011 06:16 PM

For me there's a need to differeniate between confident and complacent. Its a line I don't want to cross.I am sober now and I don't look into tomorrow, its too distant to see.

Dee74 08-02-2011 06:40 PM

When drinking I was always confident that this time would be the last time - but it was a confidence without action, or a confidence based on doing exactly the same things I'd done before....

I (eventually) learned I needed to work hard, especially in the early days, if I wanted to stay sober.

Watch those cravings for example - it's my experience they do return - usually when we least expect them.

I think as long as you're working hard, prepared for anything, and you remember where you've been, you need have no fear of getting over confident :)

Eventually I found my thoughts shifted from 'I'll never drink again' to 'I really like my life now - I don't want to lose this'....for me it was a subtle but important change :)

D

farmer 08-02-2011 06:56 PM

I have had no real craving but several thoughts in 4 months. I believe the spiritual experience CAN alleviate the mental obsession.

It has worked so far. Your message makes me feel good.

Keep up the good work one day at a time. The steps and thesponsor and the meetings and the phone numbers really work.

mhealer3 08-02-2011 06:59 PM

too good 2 b true...
 
yep, it's awesome how God answers prayer & frees us from bondages instantly friend.
He's a Good God & Loves us very much.
i encourage you to give God the credit & Glory 4 your 'nearly too-good' beginnings.
it's safe for us to trust in Him,
:scoregood but not safe 4 us 2 trust in ourselves.
please increase your spiritual life so that you build inner strength for any unforseen stumblingblocks.
your continued success depends on it. God has a great plan 4 your lfe.
blessings from new york:)

Terminally Unique 08-02-2011 07:43 PM

I am pristinely confident that I will never drink again, and that I will never change my mind. However, my abstinence is not contingent on the absence of desire, cravings, or triggers. In fact, I expect the cravings to come back at any time, and I am never afraid of them. If they don't return, I simply consider that good fortune.

If you hope for the best and prepare for the worst, you will never be caught off guard.

DisplacedGRITS 08-02-2011 08:06 PM

I have to believe that I'm 100% because if I don't, that 1% will hunt me down eventually and kill me.

Symmetry 08-02-2011 08:51 PM

I totally believe you because I believe in myself.

DayTrader 08-02-2011 09:06 PM

heh.......I can get myself absolutely confident that I can keep myself sober. It's totally logical and makes complete sense.

The only problem with that line of thought though, is that I've had it hundreds of times before and never was able to pull it off.

Many can....but many can't. It seems to depend upon how "alcoholic" you are - and nobody can tell you where you stand.

MY history is pretty clear...... lots of moments of supreme confidence - almost always followed by another drunken escapade that I didn't really want to be on.

There's no permanent line that can be drawn...it's different for everybody. The only litmus tests I know of are try it out and see what happens......or look into your past and see if there were other times of complete confidence and study how they turned out.

LaFemme 08-02-2011 09:16 PM

I knew almost at once that this time was different than the other attempts. By the time unmade double digits I was pretty confident (although still scared)...I'd never made it past day 5/6 before.

I went my own way but I have worked hard on myself. I knew that it wasn't enough not to want to drink.... I also had to learn to want to live....that was considerably harder!

Supercrew 08-02-2011 09:40 PM

I'm confident because I finally got to a point where I don't want to drink ever again, and I am happy about it.

In the past it was always in the back of my mind that sooner or later I was gonna drink, because subconsciously I missed it and still wanted it.

The thought of drinking alcohol to me is right up there with the thought of drinking warm urine. I'll pass.

newwings 08-02-2011 09:54 PM


Originally Posted by Supercrew (Post 3057536)
I'm confident because I finally got to a point where I don't want to drink ever again, and I am happy about it.


Gosh, yes, this is me, too. I am delighted I don't drink anymore. And when I have an image in my head of me doing so, it's quite shocking to me...like 'YUK!!'. So very different from the last time I quit.

This time I'm 100% HAPPY to be sober!


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