OneLessLonely

I was a weekend binger too. Told myself many Sundays that I needed to stop, and then told myself many Fridays that I didn't have a problem if it was only on the weekends, that I "deserve" it after working all week. When I came here and read that so many daily drinkers, so many hardcore alcoholics (please don't read derogatory into that), started out as weekend bingers, I snapped out of my cycle. I don't think most people get a warning notice that they're crossing from the weekend binger into the daily drinker, into the hardcore alcoholic. They wake up 10 years later with regret and no way of getting all that time back. I don't want to wake up in 10 years and regret that my life went the path of so many others. This forum was my warning notice and I am lucky to have found it. Please let this be your warning notice. Don't wake up in 10 years realizing lots of wasted time and an even more difficult time quitting. I'm only at 8 weeks, and I had a heck of a hard time this past weekend, but it is worth not continuing down the path of drinking. I realize I don't "deserve" a drink at the end of the week anymore, because it causes me lack of motivation, lack of being present in my life with my loved ones, guilt, anxiety, nausea, headaches. Do I really deserve all that after a workweek? Heck no! I've learned here about playing the tape through. When you think about that first drink, that first relaxation/enjoyment, play the tape through to the following morning of hangover,exhaustion, etc., and know that that is forever attached to the first feeling of relaxation/enjoyment from your first beer. I've also learned about the addictive voice here. (AV.) It is something in your psyche, something needing the alcohol and will go to any extent, tell you any lies, try to make you feel any feelings that make you give into it and drink. Well I'm a very competitive, control-freak type of person, and once I realized something else had control over me, I got bull! I started telling it to shut up or ignore it. Is alcoholism in your family? It is in mine and that was another tip of the scale toward stopping now. Good luck. Read here and post here and especially on Thursday, Friday, Saturday reach out here. I have a phone with the internet, and this place is always open in my browser. Just reading people's struggles and successes, knowing there are so many out there in the same boat as me, really helps and really gives me strength.

Count

On the same boat but got worse overtime. Once I've had one drink it turns into a full weekender and then every other day, blacking out and not knowing what had happened the days I had been drinking. Nearly been a week and just signed up yesterday, people seem nice and helpful. So just keep plugging away and hopefully you'll beat the urge and seems the perfect time just having a little one, just keep thinking of your baby and your wife and wanting to give them the best life you can. All the best !!!

Cinderblock18

I could have writtend OneLessLonely's post verbatim. I came to SR 5 weeks ago, after a Sunday of drinking with my family (kids and all), so hungover, ashamed, and scared. Remembering I woke up that Sunday with a hangover telling my husband and God, "I do not want to drink today." I could not do it. Even now, that inner demon is telling me, I could have done it...if I really wanted to....or if I tried a little harder that day. I know that is a lie.
Welcome, there is so much support here.

Ampsmarie

Some of the most painful moments were where my daughter asked why I drank beer all the time and told me she didn't like that I drank all the time because she worries about my health. She is going to be 9 in October... she's been telling me the same thing for the past 3 years. It's sad and I tried to quit over and over again. Congrats on day 2 and you can do this! Keep at it!

Stevie1

Welcome to SR, Elroy and congratulations on your new baby and your decision.

Some of my very earliest memories are of my father drinking and they are not good memories. Little bitty children see and understand more than we realise. And yet, I succumbed to alcoholism as well...being sober for your daughter and your marriage is so very important!

bbthumper

Didnt get a chance to read through everyone's responses here, but I am sure people mentioned that you dont need to drink every day to be an alcoholic. Its not about how much or how often, its what it does for you when you do drink.

The Big Book of AA has two very simple qualifiers that I think are essential to look at if you are wondering if you are an alcoholic. They involve choice and control. Neither of which I have as an alcoholic. The first of the two is if you find you cannot quit ENTIRELY when you honestly want to. The second is if when you do drink you have little or no control over how much you take. Ever set out to have just a few and end up hammered? The book says that this never occurs in the average drinker. If you meet these criteria, chances are you are an alcoholic.

The good news is there are other options. AA being one of them. Give it some thought.

Grateful Heart

Welcome to SR, Elroy. It's good to have you with us. Congrats on your new baby. You've recieved lots of great responses here. Please continue to post on the forum. Grateful Heart.