autan

My mentor is 14 years sober and has assured me the compulsion to drink does fade and that being sober does certainly bring happiness.

When you feel like you want a drink and the Alcoholic Voice start yamming in your ear, he said; mentally take a step back and just say "cant be ar5ed"
or words to that effect and then get on with whatever you were doing.

He did say what out for the bad days, when something bad happens, on these days get yourself to AA quick or be with non-drinking friends. Otherwise you wont need much encouragement to pick up a drink.

After 14 years sober, he said that you still have to take it a step at a time, a day at a time and be careful who you hang out with.

For me at least, I have told myself "I dont drink".

Now I have to prove it to myself by getting to one week, a day at a time.

wakko

If there's one piece of advice I can give any newcommer is to find someone with long-term sobriety and then do what they do. Sounds like you've already figured this out

youbetcha

Sounds like good stuff, best wishes.

TexasMichael

Congratulations on 4 Days autan.

That's great advise.

What helps me is coming to SR. I read posts on here for two months before I became a member.

I also like Dee's advise of "Playing the story to the end." If I have a craving I know the end of the story is going to be waking up at 3 am with a pounding heart, and racing mind, with a hangover from hell. I don't ever want to feel that way again.

Always good advise here, 24 hours a day.