It's Friday!
 

Hello all,

I am kinda new. I have made one or two posts in the past, and have returned for some sensibility. I am about to leave work, and am already anxious about it because it is the start of the weekend and I don't want to drink, but I do, but I shouldn't. I am a "Weekend" drinker and I usually sooo look forward to today because I know I get to freely drink to my heart's content....

I will likely go home, gather the family, and go to dinner with my wife and two kids. I'll have a drink or two at dinner, then come home and finish off.

...then regret it the next day, and continue to drink tomorrow to get over the tiredness and pain. Come Sunday, same pattern, but I shut down the drinking around 8:30 or so to try to be functional at work. The lingering effects however make me irritable, depressed, unproductive, and anxious at work on Monday.

Let's say I miraculously get through tonight in good shape, the craving will be that much stronger tomorrow, since I did not give in tonight.

I just don't know what else to do tonight. Does anyone have suggestions? What do normal people do Friday and Saturday nights?

Enjoy your weekend!

You might find that the craving is less intense tomorrow. I found that things got easier each time I got through a craving.

Here are some helpful links to help http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...tml?styleid=93

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...e-surfing.html

Anna is 5000% right getting through cravings makes us stronger hang around
a while & learn tools to stay sober it gets easier in time

& if you ever want to talk you can always drop a msg

Hi Starrco, I don't know how long you've been doing your routine, but it can get pretty dicey. I did the same thing, and finally had to make a change. Instead of Monday's being difficult to function, they eventually Monday's became impossible to function. People here will offer up some excellent advice, maybe something will hit home with you and you can bridge that gap between Friday and Monday. best of luck.

I was also a weekend drinker and always loved that feeling knowing tonight was a night I was going to get drunk. In fact, besides the actual drinking that was probably my favorite feeling.

Do you have any hobbies? One of the reasons I started playing guitar was to take my mind off drinking for awhile, playing...or trying to play, the guitar is something I can really get lost in, it helps.

That is one of the best quotes I have ever heard about cravings. I'm gonna commit this one to memory! Thanks!

Starcco -- I can completely understand your plight. I have been there many times and me giving into the cravings led to numerous long relapses. I am on Day 2 today (for, like, the hundredth time) and tomorrow I have to make a long car trip by myself. Drinking inside of cars is a huge trigger for me because for years it was my routine to sit in my car while in a parking lot downing beers (it was the only way I could hide it from my wife back home). So I understand this struggle with battling bad habits/routines from our drinking years. The best advice I can give you would be to somehow to fit in an AA meeting. That always worked for me, atleast.
As I write this it's Friday night where I am so I hope that by now in the evening you are still doing ok and breathing sober air.
Best wishes!

I used that line of thinking quite often to keep me in the cycle, thinking the cravings would eventually be too much if I abstained the first day of craving. I'd think well I might as well drink now because I'll give in tomorrow when the cravings get worse. Or I need to drink Friday to give myself a recovery day over the weekend (Sunday.) But these were just excuses and lies I told myself, that cycle is exhausting and it only gets worse.

Think of each day you don't drink as a victory that's making you stronger. I've found the more I plan things in to my free time that benefit recovery the easier it gets. Having things planned will make it easier to think of those things instead of well what if I want to drink very badly tomorrow?