RecoRenee

So tomorrow is my first day of sobriety!!! I never drank daily, or at home. I'm classified as a social weekend binge drinker. I typically go out with friends and drink 7 or 8 drinks on Friday and 7 or 8 drinks on Saturday, then Sunday through Thursdays I'm busy working and stuff and not partying so I don't drink at all. But after learning the toxic effects of alcohol (and feeling them) I've decided to quite altogether. The big text will come once the weekend hits, since I never drink during the week anyway. I imagine it's going to be hard to resist the invitations to party this weekend. I'm going to have to get new friends though because my friends don't engage in activities that don't involve alcohol. So I'm going to go on meetup.com and go to some recreational groups, surfing, hiking etc and try to make some new friends who do healthy activities.

Live2Run25

I too drank just like you.. and then I started going out on thursdays...and drinking sundays... it will catch up to you. Bad things started happening for me, and I knew alcohol had to go. It will be really hard, and the first 30 days are the most critical. Tell you friends you can't come out.. if your head really isn't in the game, you will go right back. I wish the best of luck to you.

RecoRenee

I started drinking in college at age 22 and have been binging on weekends ever since. 8 years total. Never drank on Sundays or Thursdays or any time during the week. I am a managing editor and I work 12 hour days for a high circulation magazine. I wake up at 6 am to start my day and am in bed by 10 pm during the week. No time and no desire to be out drinking during the week. I love my job too much and I have no desire to party during the week. But 8 years of weekend benders have caught up. My brain chemistry seems permanently altered and extremely sensitive to the presence of alcohol even in small quantities so the gig is up for me. I told my friends I can't go out and now I'm focusing on recreational activities, hiking, snorkeling stuff like that. I've got to switch my social life from "unhealthy" to "healthy" or I'll never make it. A friend tried to woo me out over the holiday weekend to party but I said no, as hard as that was. Then had to hear them talk about how much fun they had and which celebrities they bumped into (we live in Hollywood) so that makes me feel left out, but whatever. I have to do what's best for me.

MrsKing

I was the same. It was difficult at first to turn down party invitations and to get used to being the 'boring' (not true) one who was at home whilst everyone was out drinking and dancing. It did take a while for me to be at peace with my decision to avoid those events and distance myself from that way of life, but now I'm so pleased that I did and realise that my weekends are FAR more fun and fulfilling than my friends' who still drink every weekend.

You can do this believe in yourself and remember that you are stronger than any craving.

In a few weeks time you'll feel so many benefits of sobriety, I promise. It is so very worth it!

RecoRenee

Thanks! Today is day 1 and it was quite uneventful. I don't drink during the week so I don't feel tested yet. Friday will be a huge test. I've decided to go to dinner and a late movie with a friend (midnight show) So that I'm out doing something at night but not partying and drinking like my other friends.

Mcribb

I drank on the weekends at first, then it progressed to everyday. Soon I was lost and had to get help.

RecoRenee

I drank on weekends for 8 years and decided I need to stop. Even though I've never had the time or desire to drink during the week. I am a managing editor for a high circulation magazine. Up at 6 am and asleep by 10 am and I work 7 am to 7 pm. No time. No desire to be drinking during the week. Ever. But I'm still quitting just because binging on the weekends is not good either.

artsoul

I think the first weekend is always the hardest for us. If you have any "down time," come here and read. It helped me immensely, especially when that voice in your head starts rationalizing that things weren't THAT bad, maybe just one or two drinks.......

The hangovers/sensitivity does get worse over time, so you're doing the right thing to quit now. Congrats on day 1 and welcome!

RecoRenee

Thanks! Yes the sensitivity to the presence of alcohol has definitely made permanent changes in my brain chemistry. Even as little as 4 drinks can wreak havoc on me the next day. Ugh. The doctor said since my GABA receptors have down regulated to compensate for the alcohol it lowers the seizure threshold. So everytime I binge on the weekend and abstain during the week, I'm at risk for seizures. It's def time to stop.