dragon12

Thanks, yes I know I have to get control NOW! Alcohol does terrible things to the way we look, I have what I call my wine belly. Sometimes vanity is not such a bad thing because I would love to look as good as I did a few years ago.

Junebugapril

Hi Dragon,
Me too on being a wine drinker. I started out with a glass or two not every day. It worked up to a whole bottle or more of my lovely red wine every night. I used to start drinking at 7pm, and it worked itself down earlier and earlier every day.

Funny, I thought just drinking wine and not hard liquor was never going to be a problem. I did realize it was a problem, and I am glad I stopped. It's really hard, I still want to drink, but I know I shouldn't. Best of luck to you. I have not had a drink in 9 days. I do feel a little better, can think clearer. I hope you get to that point soon.

Best wishes and all the best to you

JunebugApril

dragon12

Thank you so much for your kind wishes. Yes, it's amazing how the amount and frequency just creeps up until you reach the problem where you have a problem. Well done on reaching 9 days.....I've never gone that long in a long time without a glass of wine although I have tried! I have just got to remain committed and determined!

Delilah1

Welcome Dragon and Romando,

Day one is hard, but it gets easier every day. Wine was part of my nightly ritual as well, and like both of you my glass led to a bottle, and then a large bottle. Today is day 46 for me, which is the longest since having my son five years ago.

On of you mentioned having a support plan in place, and I think that is really important. I saw a doctor when I first stopped, have attended an education series, and went to a few meetings, I have also been reading a lot if memoirs in recovery, and exercising almost every day.

Today was a stressful day at work and rather than rush to get wine, I flew into the house with enough time to throw on my gym clothes and get to yoga. SR is a great resource, and you can get on here 24/7.

Read around and keep posting, you will find lots of support and inspiration.

romando

I appreciate the advice and good to have people with many similar feelings. Most mornings I wake up feeling that I won't want to drink but by the time the afternoon rolls around and I'm heading home, I try not to think to stop myself. That feeling is coming again, so thankfully, I left my wallet at home.

Delilah1

I am sure there are several local stores wondering why their wine sales have decreased over the past six and a half weeks!!!

romando

Plan failed... delivery is too easy of a temptation. The way of trying again tomorrow seems too easy.

romando

How'd you go, dragon12?

Steinway1998

I had a friend who died a few years back, he died sober with 43 years continuous sobriety. It took him 13 years in AA to sober up in the beginning. Dont give up.

romando

Sorry to hear that. I won't, just I'll try again. Just I'm not too sure what to do after I finish work. I have that feeling too much everyday.

dragon12

Didn't have a drink this evening......2 days without. But now it's12.30 and I can't sleep.....is this normal?

phoebe64

Very normal. When I was drinking most days, if I went 2 days or 3, without, I was restless and wakeful. It takes some time to get into a good sleep cycle without the sedation of alcohol. But the sleep you get on alcohol is not good sleep anyway.

Good job on two days. You can do it. I am on day 5. No veteran, but had 4 or so months sober once and found I was restless sleeping for a week or so. But then, sober sleep is so much better!

Junebugapril

Good going on two days! Yes it is normal. My sleeping habits are still off. I think my body is still detoxing even though the alcohol must be out of my system by now.

The hardest thing for me was that "It's the end of the day and I get to relax with my glass of wine" feeling. It went away after three or four days. Now it just happens once in a while, not even every day. It hits me by surprise, because I am not expecting the craving.

I also have back pain. I started enjoying wine more and more, because my back pain went away when I was drinking.

I still have to deal with being resentful that I can't drink and everyone else in the world seems to be able to drink. I know AA has been helpful for some people. I have been to a few meetings, and it doesn't sit right with me. But I do like reading the Big Book online here Big Book On Line (Linked with the permission of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.)

dragon12

Well done on Day 5! Yes tomorrow will be challenging but I'm determined to do this. If you did it for 4 months you can do it again......I suppose it's like when I gave up smoking many years ago - it took a number of tries.

MIRecovery

What are you going to do differently this time? What is you plan to stay sober?

If you always do, what you always did, you will always get, what you always got.

dragon12

Thanks Junebugapril,
I know what you mean about everyone else being able to drink and being resentful that you can't. I used to be able to drink in moderation but somewhere along the way I went over the edge and became dependent. I've tried so many times to drink responsibly but after one or two drinks I want more. I'm really angry with myself that I am at this stage because it didn't happen overnight! I've never been to AA but I've looked up the meetings close to where I live and I'm thinking about trying it out.

dragon12

Well that's a good question. To start with I plan on replacing a drink with something to eat. I managed this successfully tonight and drank lots of water and tea. The biggest challenge will be not to participate when my husband opens a bottle of wine. I'm thinking about going out for a walk in the evening at the time when I would normally start drinking.

MIRecovery

I think I would have a heart to heart with your husband about your desire to stop drinking and have an alcohol free house for an extended period of time. This is something that definately would be different

There are multiple paths to sobriety but AA worked for me when I had run out of options

dragon12

I have spoken to him many times....he doesn't think that he has a problem and that we can drink moderately....which we can't. Therefore, I have got to go it alone. Now that is different because in the past I have always tried to persuade him too and then held him to some degree responsible when things went wrong....I must stop doing that.

MIRecovery

I have no experience with living with an active alcoholic. I can not speak for you but I would have to find another place to live until I had significant sobriety. This may be an isssue to post in the family section of SR