Tips to help you remember why we are staying sober?
 

Hi there, I'm new to the forum and on god knows hitch attempt to stay sober.
My problem is weekend binge drinking. It's rearing up my relationship and is so unhealthy.
I am told I turn into a completely different person when I drink. And the day after I do I swear it off... But next weekend that feeling is forgotten as "just a beer " turns into a night of boozing and follows by guilt, regret and a very bad headache.

I guess I'm hoping for support to identify my problem, stay strong and most of all reach out to those of you who at in recovery for tips on how you remind yourself to stay sober when your problem is not as obvious as an everyday / lone drinker.
When I get started I can't stop and something deep in my head just tells me to get messed up.
So, does anyone have tips they can share that help them to stay on track?

Thank you.

This one. I hope it will be different

You could try writing/journalling your thoughts after you've been drinking and then pull it out before the next weekend to reread.

My suggestion would be to plan ahead and keep occupied doing different things on the weekend than you normally do. As recovering alcoholics, we need to make some big changes in our lives as to activities and friends.

I hope that you decide to stay around here and read and post.

I used to be the same way. I had a bunge drinking problem and people around me told me I was completely different drunk I wasnt a nice person at all. The binge drinking quickly progressed into daily drinking and started screwing up my life. I lost the people in my life and ended up in 5 psych wards in less than three months. How I got sober was I had to really want it even if I didnt know how to stay sober. I had to let go of the fact I could never drink again it didnt matter how much therapy I went through it would never change the fact I was an alcoholic and alcohol was an allergy and I would never be able to be a normal drinker. I was powerless over alcohol. Before, I would always relapse because I convinced myself each time would be different and I could control it but never could.

I started attending AA meetings. I just sat and listened to people talk. At first I refused to call myself an alcoholic but I could identify with so many in the room. Its good to reach out for help and try attending meetings and just sit back and listen with an open mind. The insanity of alcoholism will force us to believe we can continue to drink but if you arte truely an alcoholic the only way to control your drinking is through abstinence. Its not easy but its worth it not to wake up with hangovers and the guilt and shame of not knowing what we did or who we hurt the night before. Good luck. Welcome and keep on posting.

welcome Meesha :)

I think Anna's idea of journalling and being prepared before hand really helps...posting regularly on here doesn't hurt either :)

we have a monthly 'class' group for support too...you might want to check that out
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-2012-a-5.html

D

Thank you
 

Thank you so much for replying to my post. It makes me feel much better knowing that there's such strong support here. I think it will be a very important forum in my journey to recovery.

I will write a journal and make sure to revisit it next weekend. I'll keep it on my phone so it is with me.

Please any other suggestions please share.

I'm not sure I'm ready to attend a meeting but I think I will seek one on one therapy.

I really cannot thank you enough.

I will stay on this forum and I will get better. And so will you.

Thank you

I generally advise people to think carefully about what things you go to for a while...stay away for keggers, bars and the like....but there's no need to be a hermit - there's a lot of things to do that don't involve alcohol

If you simply can't avoid things where alcohol is present there are some good tips here - it's about thanksgiving but a lot of the tips apply to all social occasions :)

Crying Out Now: Thanksgiving Survival Guide

D

Welcome Meesha

I'd suggest that you have a good read on this forum...that in itself will help to guide you in the right direction.

When I quit, I wanted to be sober more than anything else and i was willing to go to ANY length to make that happen. In my opinion, you have to have had ENOUGH of how you are living.

You can do this Meesha. We're all here to support you

Big hugs

Welcome Meesha! If you have a smart phone you can sneak online and read this forum when you're feeling weak or tempted. I find that really helpful when I'm in social situations that trigger cravings :)

for me, there were a few things i did. i absolutely conceded that alcohol was the main problem in my life and it didnt help anything. the pain of getting drunk exceeded the pain of reality. i am very blessed that i didnt fry all my brain cells and i remembered a lot of the misery that alcohol was responsible. then i made a decision i was willing to do whatever was necessary to stop drinking and change me. it was a fight in the beginning. the craving, compulsion, and obsession were rather strong, but i knew where a drink was gonna take me. right back to the gloom dispair, and misery.

I could never recall my feelings because my addiction to alchohol and my dependence on it to center me far outweighed any piece of paper with words on it could. Now I just want to stay sober really bad. I want to grow as a person. I want to not embarass myself anymore.

Do everything people who have more time than you suggest that you do. As much as you want to take some and leave some, take it all!