Eihwaz

How did you prepare for day 1 ? How did you get through it ?

sugarbear1

one minute at a time....

you CAN do this!

biminiblue

Sleep, food, Netflix. I joined this site on my first day, too.

There have been times when it was tough, but it's been mostly easy after that first month. The first month is difficult, no two ways around it. One day, one hour, one minute - just like sugarbear said

LBrain

just make sure there is nothing within reach that can take you down
avoidance, lock yourself in your room if you have to...
and just keep posting here when you feel the need.

luvmygirls

I've had quite a bit of experience with Day 1s! My advice would be this: Just take it easy. Don't try to fix everything that's "wrong with you" all at once. Get some ice cream, drink a ton of water (with lots of lemon juice if possible), load up your Netflix, hang out here, and relax. Go easy on yourself. And GOOD LUCK. We are here to support you.

P.S. You should join us on the Class of November thread. It's a very supportive and active group.

strategery

I think it depends on the person and what they're going through. Some of my day 1s have been spent feeling awful about the previous night to where getting through it wasn't as hard since it's a powerful motivator to not drink. The last time I relapsed, I didn't go crazy with the alcohol, but had to recommit to getting sober, which was harder.
I have teas and flavored seltzer water. However, if I'm really struggling, I have to get out of the house to keep myself distracted and do something that does not involve drinking or triggers it.

Ruby2

A lot of distraction and support. And the determination that no matter what I was not going to have a drink, run out to buy alcohol. No "I'll have one and start day one tomorrow."

Preparing for it? Didn't have any alcohol in the house. Being mentally prepared to know that I would certainly have urges and that they are normal but that I could get through them.

You can do this.

IOAA2

As stated "one minute at a time" IN A ROW!

BE WELL

Thepatman

I second every post.

If I may add, try to be positive, not easy I know,'but if you convince yourself that the day will be hellish, it will more then likely be. Instead, let go, and do exactly what our friends said, eat a bit, some water, Movies. This is a YOU day, be kind to yourself.

paloverde

I went to an AA meeting at 8am, one at 12 noon, and one at 5:30pm. It was the only way I could get through that first day.

Soberwolf

Mood swings from wanting to to not wanting to

For the first day, minutes seconds heartbeats breaths

Soberpotamus

I wasn't aware day 1 was "Day #1" until midways through. However, I remember waking up in a mindset of desiring change. I wanted things to be different. I think I was challenging myself. It was like an internal dare. Just do it. Don't look back and don't think too hard. Just do it. Those were the kinds of thoughts I must've had that day.

Fly N Buy

God, I simply cannot do this without help. I may or may not believe in you - but, if there is a spirit or universal " truth " that can help me, please make them or it know to me. I do not want to drink or die from this deadly malady.......

Then, eat an arse load of high sugar snacks, ice cream etc to replace the sugar we loose from the booze.......

Good news! You can do this, many have......

Really Glad you are here, friend

Some members have found this thread helpful to remind us of WHY we don't drink TODAY
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ink-today.html
FlyN

Hope4Life

All these post's contain great advice. The main thing is just DO NOT pick up that 1st drink. Come here and ask for help BEFORE you do!

Get to your local AA fellowship ASAP. Explain your on day 1 and ask for phone numbers and here is the key...... USE THEM!

Get a Big Book and read the first 164 pages.

Sleep.... a lot!

Good Luck! We are ALL rooting for you!

desypete

for me it was aa meetings that i had to focus on, the very act of going out and getting to one took a lot of time, then the meeting itself were i would get hope from hearing others, i would go home from a meeting feeling so much better, then i would go again in the night time
i did this for a good while as i started to enjoy being around the people and i got to know them as friends
but the help they gave me by just being there was huge,
i had no wife or kids to go home to just an empty lonely flat, i had no computer nor internet so there was nothing i could do in the flat to take my mind off anything other than clean my flat, clean my shoes go for a walk, do anything to take my mind off the thought of a drink

if i sat still and did nothing then all i would be doing is torturing my mind about drink so i had to keep busy busy busy
when i started to do things it is amazing how i would forget about the time or forget about a need for a drink

but again if i sit there doing nothing then i am letting that need for a drink start to grow legs

so the key is for me to keep busy all day long if thats what it takes

in the end after time there will be no need to have to work as hard as the early days

but for me aa shown me how to get through a day and kept me company as well so i wasnt on my own getting through it all

my only problem was when i went to an aa meeting i never wanted them to end as i felt safe there with other people and i hated being on my own in my flat

i know if i had a computer back then and if this site was around i would of been on that site in early years to keep me company for when i couldnt get to aa meetings either that or maybe the computer life would of took hold of me and i might end up not going out at all and stay at home feeling empty but surviving via a computer

i have balence today in all things so i can go to aa and come online without either one of them taking over my life completely
i have to work, rest, play, and aa

i dont need anything more in my life than to look after those 4 areas of my life if i work on them i can find a balance for my life that will bring me peace
but if i do to much of one thing and cut out the other areas then i am in a little bit of trouble with myself

but in early days balence doesnt matter focus on anything that will just take you out of yourself for the time being
so keep busy and good luck to you

JanieJ

Hi Eihwaz,

I can't over state the importance of sugar ! We are not filling our bodies with empty alcohol calories and your body will crave sugar, mine did for about two weeks.

Anything that works for you, do it.

Good luck, and as others have said, post here rather than drink.

Carlotta

You got a lot of good advice here.
Make sure you are stocked up on snacks, Gatorade (or other sport drink) to stop dehydratation, TP (detoxing can have unpleasant side effects). Have a couple of clean Tshirts handy (you might sweat) and stay tuned to SR.
Break your time in smaller increments (taking it one hour at a time if needed be) and most important of all, if you start seeing or hearing things or feel any numbness or concerning symptoms call 911 or have a friend drive you to the ER.
Check out this thread about urge surfing too
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...e-surfing.html

SnowDawg

The last day one I spent two hours in the Emergency Room where I was closely monitored and obtained medicine to keep me from having bad things happen. Sent home, took meds and slept. And did I mention, one minute at a time?
Good luck!