lucyloo14

Hi all, I have amazed myself staying sober and hadn't missed drinking too much either. But the last few days every time I see someone on the TV with a glass of wine I want one. Today I did the supermarket shop and whilst in previous weeks I have smugly ignored the wine shelves, today i stopped and lingered.... and I really wanted some. I didn't but all the way back I kept telling myself that surely I could just have a couple of glasses tonight to celebrate! what is happening to me? why is my resolve slipping? I felt so strong and in control and now I am seriously worried.. help

countrygirl2014

Get some cranberry juice and mix it with tonic water. Then go to bed early. That worked for me and I know some people will disagree with that method. I had to do the holidays with everyone enjoying wine. I put my cranberry/tonic in a wine glass and that is what got me through the cravings. Some people found this as a trigger. It worked for me. 5 months later and I don't have too many cravings anymore. I know what drinking will give me.

Jennifer

Nonsensical

Sometimes I want liquor, too. It's because I am an alcoholic. I am addicted to alcohol and it's allure is strong and defies rational explanation. In the past I have given in to that voice that says surely you've learned your lesson, surely this time will be different.

It is never different. That voice in my head is a liar. I stopped taking advice on things that are important to me from a liar and my life got better.

I had really good reasons to stop drinking. What are yours?

ReadyOrNot123

Think it through, and how sorry you will feel tomorrow. Or worse, that you'll feel like you've proved to yourself you can have only one or two - setting yourself up for worse later.

Two weeks ago, I essentially did the same thing. Started thinking about it Thursday, but bypassed the stores. Next day thought about it all day, finally went to the store, got some and the rest of the weekend was a blur of alcohol and the aftermath. By Monday night I was a mess, and Tuesday brought me here, ashamed, and full of self loathing. I don't want to go through that again but I will if I don't stop drinking entirely.

Good luck. It's hard.

doggonecarl

When you quit, was it for good? Did you vow never to drink again? Or are you 99% committed to sobriety, with 1% open to drinking if the conditions are right...say, you deserve to celebrate? Because I promise you, your addiction will leverage that 1% into a relapse if you let it.

countrygirl2014

Wow...well said my friend

Jennifer

lucyloo14

Bang on the money! when I joined this site I naively thought I would give it a month to get control of my daily drinking (1.5 bottles of wine). I then learnt that moderation would not work and read Alan Carr and Rational Recovery books and decided it best to stop totally. For all the right reasons we all know. I have been strong and thought I would be able to do this. I am now feeling a little vulnerable as despite knowing all this sensible stuff I have a huge urge to drink some wine. But I know I wont be able to stop at the glass and it will be the bottle then it might kick start all over again.. I need to get a grip and not waste these 28 days. I guess I had it pretty easy so far 28 days isn't long I know, but a lot to me. I must not blow this.

Stoogy

We are only human and we can get cravings from time to time, just stay close too SR or have a friend keep you company tonight, you can do this.

Mountainmanbob

I found out many years ago after several relapses that if I keep entertaining the thought of drinking, I end up with a drink in my hand.

If one wishes to stay sober, probably best to concentrate on something else ?

MM

Jupiters

can you get a plan in place for the weekend?

Esspee

You may have stopped and lingered in the wine aisle - but you came away without getting any. You deserve a huge well done for that

courage2

You can acknowledge the thought, but don't entertain it or let it in for company.

Yes, you no doubt want to drink. Getting sober means learning not to indulge "wants" that aren't good for you. Your mindset has been programmed by your history of drinking to want to drink for all kinds of reasons, and it takes time to unlearn that. The only way to unlearn the mindset is to starve both the body and the mind of the physical alcohol and the alcoholic thinking. IMO.

Onward. Focus on other things, like having a great life!

VikingGF

Go back and read your very first post here. It will remind you why you are here and how far you've come.

Do not give in, no matter what. You will only be regretful, and if you are lucky, you'll be back at the beginning. But, if you're not lucky, as so many of us are not, you could be gone again for days, months, even years. Alcohol is a sneaky, insipid foe, and it will take every advantage once it gets past your lips. But up until that point, it is powerless. You are stronger than that.

Make a strong plan for tonight that does not include drinking. Use all you have learned in your 28 days to stay clean and sober. You will feel like superwoman tomorrow.

Congrats on your 28 days!! That's fantastic!!

Ruby2

Ditto what VikingGF said. Go back to your first post here. Becoming and staying sober and living a life in recovery means that I cannot indulge in celebrating with alcohol. I have to deny myself that momentary and mostly non existent pleasure of drinking. For whatever reason. Have some ice cream to celebrate. Cranberry and soda as CG suggested.

Well done on 28 days. It's a great thing but celebrating now with alcohol will put you back at day one. Keep going and well done on passing by the alcohol without buying it.

Jillian2563

Do you really want to go on for years drinking? I know I don't. But I'm only on day 5 and know how the AV tells you it's not that bad. Great job on not getting the wine. Stay strong. Tomorrow is day 29. Then Sunday day 30. That's amazing right?!

Nowsthetime

Hello: so glad you didn't get the wine!!!

I learned here that thoughts are just thoughts... Put your AV on its place.

Use all the tools:

Read your past post.
Play tape.
Post here.
Do a list of pro-cons
Ride it out
Urge surf...

You get the picture.

It's not easy, but it's worth it.

YOU can do it!

Jillian2563

What's "play tape"?

Jen73

I think we will always have that craving for alcohol, however train your brain to see it something else. When I went to the restaurant the other day when my power went out, we all had a piece a pie and I had a glass tea to go with it. I seen so many waiters/waitresses have alcohol on their tray and I wanted one, and I am on my 24 days today.

What I did is I trained my brain to act like it was juice or something else then Alcohol and the craving and the I want went away.

Just my perspective how you can try to fool your brain.

Nowsthetime

Picture how it all going to work out. Be realistic. Step out of yourself and think it all the way through from opening the first drink, then getting another one, then getting 1 more, why not and then maybe one more and then you start getting blackout drunk and who knows what will happen and then the sun will rise and you will be hungover as hell, puking, feeling like $&@" because you don't remember or because you were a jacka$$, then the anxiety, sweaty palms... Tomorrow is also Saturday so imagine your entire day wasted in feeling like crap. Be realistic when you do this and try to remember your worst hangover, the taste, the pounding in your head . Things like that. We always think about how that first drink will be but don't think about the rest of the crap that comes with it.

I send you strength my friend.

anattaboy

Surely an occasional urge does not define you...nor me. You ARE a non-drinker. Now how's the weather? We have frigidity here with more ice on the way. Glad I paid the cable.