Hello from a newbie to the forum
 

Hi everyone,

I'm new to posting on these forums, though I've been dipping in and out to read others' posts for a while.

I've been drinking since I was fifteen, almost 30 years. For the last 10 years I've kept it down to semi-moderate - but still too much for me, I think - levels. Before that it was wild party night every night, waking up in the oddest places with a spike-between-the-eyes hangover and big blank holes in my memory about the night before.

I now drink about 4 or 5 cans of beer a night, every night, sometimes a couple more. I know I'm pretty lucky - that last can makes me too drowsy to stay awake, so my drinking now is sort of self-moderating. and I know I'd drink a lot more if that last can didn't hit the 'sleep' button quite so effectively.

Every day, I wake up and think, 'I won't drink today. It's just one day, I can manage that, and just take it from there.' By 5 or 6 o'clock every evening, I've weakened and popped out to the shops to get a few beers.

I have managed to go a week or two very occasionally without drinking, and I've felt like a whole new, sparkly woman. The apathy goes away, the moodiness, the depression; my ever-present sinusitis clears up, and a hundred other little things - but although I know all of this, and long for it, I crave those couple of hours in the evening having a few drinks and watching TV.

My partner drinks too, and we prop up each other's bad habits. We've tried to quit together before, but one of us always fails - and when one fails, the other always succumbs to temptation.

So that's where I'm up to right now. After lurking for so long, and gathering the will-power to set a quit day - today's the day for me and I wanted to say hello and good luck to you (us) all.

Welcome to SR Julie :)

This community made a real difference for me - I know it can for you too :)

D

Hi Dee :)
Just lurking and reading other people's stories helped me make the decision :)

Welcome!

ForMing new routines has been working for me! I know you said that by five or six you're kind of getting that urge to drink and I've actually been cooking big, elaborate dinners every night and participating in this forum during that hour or
So.

You said yourself you feel good when you don't drink, and as each day goes past, you're going to feel better and better :-)

Welcome to SR. Julie.

Hi JaneLane and 48health :)

Jane - you must be psychic! I got in a load of shopping yesterday ready to make one of my fave meals this evening. Cunningly, I also got up this morning at about 4am so that I'd be too tired to even think about going to the shops later; just have to avoid the temptation for an afternoon nap...

A lot of my alcohol cravings have been because I'm hungry, so your dinner plans sound ideal!

You're not going to nap?! Oh my gosh, good luck! If I were you I'd be in bed by 6pm haha.

Hello and welcome!!!!

Welcome to the family! :) I hope the support here can help you get sober for good. :hug:

Welcoome Julie

Welcome Julie

Welcome to the Forum Julie!! :wave:

Thanks for the welcome everyone :) I managed to not drink last night, though there was a hairy moment at just gone 5, when my partner said, sleepily, 'Oh, there's only one thing that's going to keep us awake tonight, do you want to go for some?'

But I didn't. And he didn't either (though he did grouse about it a couple of times, but I gave him The Look and he stopped)

I did eat the equivalent of my own body weight in crisps, chocolate and cakes, then went to bed at 7 and didn't wake up til 9 hours later. Not even to use the loo half a dozen times, which is a first, and it's a good 4 or 5 hours more than I usually sleep.

So now I'm just waiting for sunrise, then I'm going for a run.

Hope everyone had as good a night as I did; thank you all for your support.

One night down, one night to go. I just have to keep that up for the rest of my life :)

Welcome Julie :)

Two years ago I put the bottle down after 40 years and I am a whole new sparkly woman. You can do it too Julie.

Hi Marcher13, two years is a brilliant milestone, congratulations and long may you continue :)

Looking forward to getting where you are, and we can sparkle together :)

Thanks Julie, you have a great deal to look forward to!

Welcome Julie! Congrats on making it through day 1!:c029:

5 o'clock witching hour is tough.....it helps to pour yourself an nice non-alcoholic drink (club soda and fruit juice for me) and have a snack....
Cravings are tougher when we are really hungry and thirsty!

Good luck on day 2!

Welcome Julie, glad you're here with us!!!

I know exactly how the drinking obsession gets ingrained in us - the clock goes off and it's game time!

The progression for me the last couple years got really, really bad. Drank more, earlier. Drank alone, avoided everyone I did not have to come in contact with. Sad way to live.

It has been almost a year since I took that last drink. My sobriety date has not changed since then. By grace, it won't.........

Will power alone never worked for me or I'd have quit years back. I found I had to reach out for help - like your doing here! That's great

I also found face to face support........well, very supportive! I have come to cherish that time in group with others who have a common problem.

Keep posting and keep coming back!

Keep up the good work Julie