The Occasional Celebration Drink
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: San Francisco, California
Posts: 217
The Occasional Celebration Drink
Hi everyone. Just a word of caution. I was with the class of March 2011 for 3 months and doing great. So great that I decided to treat myself to a Margarita on my birthday just to find myself back at square one and starting over now. I guess the last year has proved I cannot have the occasional drink. It feels a bit scary to start over this time than the first time because I now know how easy it is to fall back into bad habits and how fragile sobriety is. But I have to do this. Yoda: "There is no try, there is only do." Best wishes to everyone. Nice to be back.
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Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Toronto,Ontario
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What will you do differently to stay sober this time around ?
I would view my relapses as an opportunity to learn from them, but eventually - there was nothing NEW to learn from. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, yet - expecting a different result.
I would view my relapses as an opportunity to learn from them, but eventually - there was nothing NEW to learn from. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, yet - expecting a different result.
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: New York
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Welcome back yoli! That first drink did me in plenty of times, always led me to disaster. Glad you're here and starting again. That's the way to do it. 
Do you have a plan this time?
Best Wishes To You!
Do you have a plan this time?Best Wishes To You!
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,581
(((Yoli)))!! We've thought of you often, so good to see you. Glad to hear you're gettin back on that bus! You can do it, I know you can. You've learned over the last year. I did the same thing a few years ago, and came back ready to do this thing. You can, too.
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: San Francisco, California
Posts: 217
Thanks bunches for the encouragement, guys. I don't know how my plan will be different. I need to be more careful. I proved to myself in the last year I cannot allow that one drink to crack the dam. It results in a horrible flood. I recently went to the SMART program, but didn't feel it was right for me. May look into going to AA. I know SR is very important for me and I have a great therapist. I do well alone I think for now.
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: New England
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Good on you!! Messing up is no reason to just collapse and give up.. you know? Maybe insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result. But that won't keep me from getting up, dusting off, and getting back on the sober horse! :-) I don't know how many times it takes- but I don't think anyone here has done this on round one. It's encouraging to hear your experience. Keep fighting the good fight! <3
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: UK
Posts: 1,145
Thanks for sharing - it seems many people feel as though they can just have 1 and it ends right back at where it was before. I know that would be the same for me, too.
Welcome back. Wishing you all the best.
Welcome back. Wishing you all the best.
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 26,425
Originally Posted by yoli 
Hi everyone. Just a word of caution. I was with the class of March 2011 for 3 months and doing great. So great that I decided to treat myself to a Margarita on my birthday just to find myself back at square one and starting over now. I guess the last year has proved I cannot have the occasional drink. It feels a bit scary to start over this time than the first time because I now know how easy it is to fall back into bad habits and how fragile sobriety is. But I have to do this. Yoda: "There is no try, there is only do." Best wishes to everyone. Nice to be back.
I'm on my first full day sober after drinking again. I am going with the "just do it" for now and using SR. I find the courage to get up and try again to be very difficult. I'm centered today but, like you, am very aware of how that one time drink just never works out for me. The just do it approach is one I tried years ago and had more long term sucess than with other approaches...but I'm not stuck on the idea of one path. I'll do anything that helps me maintain sobriety and remember clearly what things helped me before.
You might try to think some on the things that helped you before...might be some jewels that can help you this time as well.
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: San Francisco, California
Posts: 217
I know one thing that puts me over the edge is doing too many chores.
I'll do this, then that, then that and then I feel upset and need a drink. I need to recognize when to stop before I get to that point so I can avoid being upset.
I plan to bathe and change my clothes once a month, wait for the dust to become piles so I can manually pick them up, all of my meals will be a stick of salami and I will just chew off what I need to keep going. LOL!
I'll do this, then that, then that and then I feel upset and need a drink. I need to recognize when to stop before I get to that point so I can avoid being upset.
I plan to bathe and change my clothes once a month, wait for the dust to become piles so I can manually pick them up, all of my meals will be a stick of salami and I will just chew off what I need to keep going. LOL!
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,193
Thank you for sharing. I too was doing well with sobriety but often thought that maybe eventually I could just drink now and again. I too drank (but for the opposite reason-- to deal with a painful situation) and found myself spiraling quite quickly back to where I was before I ever stopped drinking. I was ignoring responsibilities, making stupid choices, driving while intoxicated (I wouldn't say "drunk" but IMO I shouldn't even be driving if I am even slightly impaired), fighting with my boyfriend and having big crying fits for no reason, feeling hungover the next day, drinking way too much in one sitting and/or drinking way too often/daily, staying out much later than I had planned and always wanting the party to continue/calling up people to get coke (luckily this didn't end up working out), drinking during the day/while working.... it was crazy. Yeah I told myself I wasn't "that bad as before" but honestly a big part of it was that I'm in a relationship and last time I was single and very lonely. And whose to say I wouldn't have spiraled back down to the same place and then I would have done things that were destructive not only to myself but also to the guy I love. Anyway it did show me that I am not at all a normal drinker and there is no way I can ever have just one, or just sometimes in moderation. That is not my style. And I don't want that kind of crazy life anymore. Thanks again for sharing and keep going strong once again, that's all we can do.
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 21
The last time I broke down and started to drink again, I was aware that I was going to binge and end up wanting to quit again. At least Albert Einstein wouldn't classify me as crazy, because I didn't expect a different result!
I'm still trying to quit now....
Last Sunday at noon, I passed out, and hit my head on the way to the floor. My carpet was bloody, as well as my pillow. I didn't realize I had done that until the next day.
That should be a good enough reason to quit, but I don't have the will power.
Don't end up like me! One thing I've learned is it doesn't get better when drinking.
I'm still trying to quit now....
Last Sunday at noon, I passed out, and hit my head on the way to the floor. My carpet was bloody, as well as my pillow. I didn't realize I had done that until the next day.
That should be a good enough reason to quit, but I don't have the will power.
Don't end up like me! One thing I've learned is it doesn't get better when drinking.
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