Hunter101

I said I wasnt going to stop at that store last night and I did!! Then I said, well it's ok, I will only have four. Then after the fourth one I said ehh, just a few more. Next thing you know 12! WTF! I tried, but the danm urge to have a nice cold one, ughh.
Anyway, today I am going to try again!
If I worked 24 hours a day, then I wouldnt drink. LOL!

hypochondriac

Work was the only thing that stopped me drinking too Hunter. But eventually my drinking started effecting my work and then it had to go. It's hard to resist that urge but it is possible. There are lots of people here who can attest to that. Can you do things like avoid going home via places where you can buy alcohol?

Weasel1966

The idea of continually starting over is one that's hard for me to swallow. If I mess up I look at it as I will continue what I already started.

Any sober time is time gained. Count it as a blessing and continue to add to it.

Best to you.

TorontoGuy28

Hunter - find a meeting right after work and go there instead... You need to break your pattern, develop a new habit during that time... Dust yourself off and get to it !

Hunter101

Thanks guys! Its just dumb. Like if I dont stop, something bad is going to happen. Or if I dont have my beer at home, what happens if I want one later and the stores are closed?
Just a feeling, got to learn to think with the mind!

Sapling

That's not dumb...That's the truth.

Hunter101

I can try, but anywhere you go theres going to be a store. I just got to break the pattern!!!

Steve07

Find the positive in the experience and grow from it, we all know to well how strong that urge can be and how it has taken us into the store or bar numerous time for just "a few." I almost had the same thing happen last night on my way home, the wife told me to pick up some dinner and I started thinking of all the resturants I could go to with the AV going "you can have just one while you wait." I stopped myself and said the only reason I want to go to all those places is because they have a bar where 1 will turn into many. So I had to really struggle to fight the urge and go to the Subway right by the house where I can get in and out and get home to the family. Were behind you Hunter stay positive.

Hunter101

Steve, Thats exactly what happens!

Sapling

It's all about changing Hunter....Changing people, places and things....If you have to change how you go home...Do it...If you have to change who you hang out with and where you hang out...Do it....If nothing changes...Nothing changes. It's as simple as that.

Steve07

I hear you Hunter, I can't tell you how many times that has happened to me, and I can't say it's not going to happen to me again where I give in. As I've learned around here you have to take one moment at a time and that cannot be understated. Not to get spiritual, but I'm going to only because it helps me and if it can help you or anyone else I'm happy to share. In Buddhism there is what's called the point of contact, it's the point or moment when a person is confronted with an event/thought/action that creates an emotion/desire/want and at that point the person has to make a decision of how they want to respond to that emotion/desire/want that has risen up. Do they want to give in to the desire/want/emotion or do they want to let it go sort of speak. I have been using this lately when I feel that overpowering urge to go to the store or bar where as soon as I feel the urge or that thought rises in my head I stop and question myself, "why do I want to go to place 'X'" and I look for the real reason why. For instance, do I really want to go to the store on the way home to get ice cream and flowers for the wife or is that an excuse to wander over to the booze section and just "take a look." When you find what works for you please share so we can all learn how you deal with those cravings and urges that rise up from within.

soberbrooke

Every time I think with my mind, I get into trouble. That is what got me into this much trouble in the first place, MY MIND!!!

I had to get out of my mind, and start using the Will of my Higher Power to guide me in my life. The only way I could do that was in AA. Others do it different ways, but I couldn't. I tried to taper it, I tried switching drinks, I tried antabuse, I tried everything I could think of in my mind!

My Higher Powers mind is so much greater than my mind. It has gotten me sober 6 months, and I am so grateful for that. So every time I am trying to solve something in MY mind, I need to step back and ask my Higher Power to solve it for me!!

freshstart57

The act of drinking yourself to death is not thinking, in my opinion. If you actually use your mind to think instead of react, it will save your bacon.

Hunter101

How many first days did you guys have??

Anna

I know that changing patterns really helped me.

Early evening was a very hard time for me to get through. I would get agitated and depressed and it was not fun. I did everything I could - exercise, music, getting outside and walking, whatever I could think of. And, it didn't take long before my thought patterns changed.

You can do this.

hypochondriac

There is no replacement for making the decision to quit and sticking to it. How you get to making that decision varies immensely. For me it was a hell of a lot of procrastination and excuses why tomorrow would be better. For others it took loosing their job/family/health. But still usually with a period of procrastination afterwards I gave up every day for 3 years and it was very tiring.

Once you have made that decision, there is no reason why you should make it difficult on yourself by being confronted by temptation. I did little things to break those old habits, like shopping in a different place, changing my route to and from work, changing what I ate. Even just changing little things which had nothing to do with my drinking habits made me feel different and less likely to go back to old patterns.

Also, look up 'urge surfing' and 'thinking the drink through'. There are lots of little tricks which can help stop you picking up a beer.

Michael66

Loads, but all half-hearted. Many times I didn't really want to give up, but felt I ought to. Quite a few, in retrospect, were an excuse to have one 'last' good night of beer (then another one a week or so later, and then.....).

But I got to the point where I was genuinely happy to put the beer behind me. It's still early days for me (~80 days) but it's different this time.

IndaMiricale

To many to count. The only that matters to me is my last. As for staying away from stores I would hide at meetings they dont sell booze. I would stay till it was to late to buy.

freshstart57

How many first days did I have? One. I drank hard until I stopped. What got me through the WD was the knowledge that I would never need to go through that again. And once was plenty.

bloss

Good question, I lost count