Sapling

One of the reasons I got into AA was I saw people like Sharon with 20+ years that were happy living without alcohol...That's all I wanted....At 14 months I can now see that if I just keep doing the simple things I do every day I can reach that length of time...And be happy while I do it....Not bad for a program that didn't cost me anything.

GirlFromCO

Hey Fdm! Great to see you

Fdm

Long time, no see. I was thinking of you yesterday. Thanks for stopping by. How are you?

candi7

Blessings on your Journey!

jaz06

Thx Readyandable for the comment about getting the really important stuff back. For waaayyyy too long it has felt like I have to let a 'good friend' go, when all that so called good friend has brought into my life is trouble.

bigjim89

I know how you feel.. my downfall is also the love of great beer and the drunk feeling.

katan

For me it is scotch; and I love the taste, the buzz..everything about it.

Dee74

Whenever I though about alcohol in terms of what I was missing, it only made it harder.

For one thing I was competing against a fantasy, not reality - I'd never remember the bad times, only the rosy glow.

I can get good times back. I've never been happier, sober.

All I really lost out of my life by not drinking was a lot of pain and misery.

Don't let your addiction lie to you, guys.

D

Fdm

Man, I'm a loser.

I've been back to drinking those craft beers for days now. Here I am, stricken with a kick ass cold, reading all of my threads. I had it going on in the early Spring of 2012, then the wheels fell off.

I think I'll hang around today and see if I can find some inspiration in the forum.

Dee74

You're not a loser FDM - we've all been there, knowing we have to act but putting it off.

If you want change, you need to make changes - we just have to accept the reality, and gear ourselves up for real lasting change.

D

Fdm

Dee, browsing through the posts, I find a lot in common with my issue of what I call, my "Pringles" effect. 1 beer is never enough, especially at home. I can moderate at restaurants,
but I crank it up at home.

Auvers

Fdm. Despair and self loathing are allies of addiction. I "loved" the drunken buzz many years and could not see that the changes it made in me were the very ones I was eager to get away from with a lovely buzz. Hoping you find the spark that will ignite your commitment to make changes you want.

Dee74

and if you're like me everytime you 'successfully' moderate in public it feeds that little flame of desire that maybe you can do this your way.

My pride kept me from getting 'too drunk' in public for a lot of years...until I lost that capability completely too...

but that same pride also kept me from admitting the truth - I was an alcoholic and I kept on getting worse.

I'm glad you've decided you won't be going down the road as far as I did, FDM

D

Veggiejojo

Hi FDM,

Like you, I'm fine in restaurants, on holiday, etc, it's just at home that 1 glass is never enough. We can beat this together, the support on here has been fantastic. Keep strong,

x

freshstart57

FDM, there are a lot of people here who have a secure, permanent sobriety, one that is conditional on absolutely nothing other than their demand for a full and complete life, one that can only be experienced without an alcohol addiction. Find people who have what you want and ask questions.

Believe in yourself and your ability to choose and attain the life you want. You can get and stay sober, you really can.

Threshold

My personal progression,

Nah, no thanks. no drink for me

hey, I'm a grown up I can drink!

Sure, I'll have one

What a day, I think I'll have a drink

I just want a drink

I feel like I'm going crazy. I need a drink

Glug glug glug

I'm drinking too much

glug glug glug

I think I have a problem

Man, this is out of hand

I can't drink

glug glug glug

glug glug glug

I don't give a *uc* I'm having a drink

I NEED to stop this

I won't drink

boing boing boing

My name is Threshold and I'm an addict

boo hoo hoo, sniff sniff

hey, I don't NEED a drink

I never have to drink again

I don't drink


For ME. "I can't drink." wasn't the end. I got to " I don't drink"...hanging out here was one thing that really helped me get there.

nonblondechef

Threshold, you just penned my drinking career. Not a pretty poem at the beginning, but the ending portion is pretty awesome!

GirlFromCO

Pretty well, actually. Reached one year back in June. Quitting was the best decision I ever made but also one of the hardest. Best to you.

flachead

What is the saying - One is too many and a thousand is never enough..?

FDM - most importantly your back and you realize.....that drinking is a problem for you....!

Fdm

I poured it out again, but I cheated with a farewell drink.

Bring on the wet noodles. I have an awful cold, so I can take the flogging.