Zebra1275

Welcome back to SR! It sounds like you made it through the physical detox. Now what are you going to do to stay sober? I got desperate enough to try AA and that made a big difference for me.

cat1961

Thanks Zebra!

My trick to staying sober is not to drink. I have no stress in my life that would lead me to drink, nor do I have the desire to go down that path again. I'm going into day 4 and feel really good about myself and realize if I drink again, I'll be right back to square one.

My motivation to stay sober is I need a peaceful and prosperous life - that I will never have with alcohol.

Sapling

I guess the fair question to ask would be....What happens when something stressful does enter your life?

2granddaughters

Well cat, I hope you have 9 lives.

If you think you are out of the woods because you "made up your mind" I wish you the best.

Bob R

endlesspatience

Yes, Sapling's right. I think I'm doing on OK then I decide to compensate for a problem or celebrate a success and then I'm drunk again. It's a pattern.

MsJax

Hi Cat. How are you doing? This is kind of a little side-note, but something that helped me: I quit calling it "on the wagon". I think self-talk, self-perception if very important & calling sobriety "on the wagon" denotes a temporary situation, not a permanent way of life!

cat1961

Stress? Well, I had a bit of that while painting yesterday but just turned to my Mountain Dew - alcohol was the furthest from my mind although I was using the last of the empty 18 pks to protect surface areas. I'm sure the thought will cross and I will remind myself of the mess I've made of my life from drinking and it's a quick wake up call that alcohol will NOT solve my problems.

Thanks for your input Sapling, 2granddaughters and MsJax!

Sapling

Watch out for that Mountain Dew...It's like speed...I still think you should check out a meeting....But if you don't...At least read some of this...Even just The Doctor's Opinion and Chapter's one through three. What part of Florida are you from cat1961?

The text of Alcoholics Anonymous

cat1961

Thanks for your concern Sampling but I am doing just fine on my own. In the past I have gone to meetings and they made me feel uncomfortable while borderline depressed. My activities around my home and catching up on a weeks lost wages are keeping me sober and extremely content.

As far as the Dew, that just happens to be what I was refreshing myself with during the paint fiasco as I usually drink ice water.

Not to offend anyone, but I am not as fragile as some alcoholics are. About every other day I go to a store and pass up countless opportunities to buy beer and choose not to. Why, you ask? Because I am finally happy with myself and choose to have a fulfilling life of sobriety.

Thanks for the link - I've saved the bookmark and will start reading it.

BTW - I'm in the Fort Myers area.

Sapling

If you ever want to come down the road to Naples...I'll take you to a meeting.

Dee74

welcome back Cat

D