Abugslife

Did you have a routine? Did you avoid certain situations? What did you do when the cravings were overwhelming? How did you gain sobriety?

Anna

Hi Abugslife,

My routine was to change my routine. For me, I had to change the normal patterns and routines of my day. I had to purposely be doing something else at the time when I would normally be drinking. I would go for long walks, take a bubble bath, anything that was different. And, I did avoid certain situations too. I chose to not be around alcohol. In fact, after 3 1/2 sober years, I still prefer to not be around alcohol, but it doesn't really bother me now. Early on, I found it too stressful to be too close to people drinking. Do whatever you need to do to become sober. It's worth it.

Love, Anna

Dan

Don't know that I have a routine. I do avoid certain situations and people, inasmuch as they may represent unnecessary triggers. Sobriety does require deep, fundamental changes in behavior. I was a solitary abuser, and therefore most of the changes I needed to make involved a lot of introspection and honesty. Sitting in a restaurant close to the beer taps doesn't bother me or trigger any desires. But sitting alone at home, procastinating, and spending too much time with myself is something I have to be careful with. We are all different. I view cravings for what they really are. Whispers from a past way of living that I have abandonned. I am learning to give them less and less power as I progress in recovery. And I gain sobriety the old fashionned way. One day at a time. With the help of my peers in AA and NA.

best

Fear ... to put in in one word...Fear
Was enough to help me overcome, even in touchy situations. (at a party with others drinking)
The looking back at my past. The not liking what I was seeing. The knowledge that if I continue as I was, my behaviors will also continue.
So the fear of continueing as I was in my past is what helped me stop.
What brought me to the understanding that my drinking wasn't a good idea to continue... The gentle support and truth that was given me by a AA member. That along with a few close calls to help open my eyes wider.
Handing the keys over to someone on a permit with just a few hours of driving time. I was not in a condition to drive. 3 month old daughter in the car. Rainy night, car goes on the sidewalk. I laugh thinking it was funny. Wake the next morning realized I had put my baby daughter at risk. That was the last of many close calls. Made a commitment that day as a dad... She is my daughter, I should act like a responceable dad. From that point it still took me almost two years to fully stop. Till the full stop I would make sure I would not be in a position that I would put my daughter in harms way. (as if I had control over that?) never know when as a dad that your child will need you. Behaviors and a lost job put the final finish on my drinking life style.
That was someplace about 25 years ago.

1Marty

Yes, I have a routine. It is definatly important for me to have one to stay sober. In place of my normal drinking nights, I placed an AA meeting. On Sunday morning in place of my hangover, a placed a visit to my church.

Don S

I came to a belief that there was nothing in my life that alcohol made better, that there were many things that it made worse, and that it would be simplest to not drink again.
I made a promise to my children that "there will be no alcohol in my house or in my body. You will never see me influenced by alcohol again."
Ironclad, verifiable, and supremely motivating.
Don S

mackat

i pretty much tied myself to AA- during rehab- meetings every day, sponsor and step work, coffee shop informal meetings, a bunch of service work, when i got out of rehab i cranked up a youth sobriety coffee shop in my home town,did at least four meetings a week, when i went back to work it was for and with sober folk...somewhere in there, i learned to love myself enough...

Abugslife

Thanks for your input.