hopefull24

Im new to sobriety. .. tomorrow is day 6 and im very proud of being able to count days... does this mean special occasions christmas ect we cant drink at all? Does sobriety mean never again? Just want some opinion s

Venecia

Welcome, Hopefull24!

Many times, people who are new to sobriety have such questions. A commitment to sobriety means forever. The reason for that is that if we have drinking problems, we cannot recalibrate temporarily. We don't do well with occasional drinking, whether the occasions are special or not.

Hope that helps. It's all a process and it gets easier.

SoberLeigh

For me (and for the vast majority of alcoholics), yes. Moderation is rarely possible for us.

I tried moderation more times than I care to remember; I was never successful.

I will never risk another drink. Sobriety means too much to me.

Congratulations on Day 6; the best is yet to come.

blueberry2015

Sobreity is life without alcohol. No alcohol at all... ever!

Time2Rise

It depends on your definition of sobriety. On this site and in most recovery groups, methods and modalities, any use of alcohol or drug means sobriety has been broken. So as you said above: sobriety means "never again".

However, for most of the population, sober means not being intoxicated and impaired.. So those folks would consider themselves sober if they only had one or two beers, glasses of wine or sprites.

For most of us here, "never again" is our only option. We've lost our ability to moderate our drinking, so one drink will turn into many, many drinks. And attempting to drink only on holidays would be impossible, as that one day of drinking would take us right back to our old, and very bad drinking habits.

Time2Rise

What was your drinking behavior like? When you drink do you almost always lose control of how much you consume? Do bad things frequently happen when you drink? Do you vow to only have two or three drinks during a night out and then end up drunk?

If so, you should strongly consider that you've reached the "never again" stage.

gettingsmarter

For me even one drink could mean the beginning to a speedy decent back to depression and hopelessness. So never again for me.

sva777

My choice today is never again, I tried to moderate and control my drinking but always failed.

My choice tomorrow and the next day will be never again as my life is as a whole better without it.

least

The times I could 'control' my drinking, I didn't enjoy it. And the times I 'enjoyed' it, I didn't control it. I never drank for the taste. I drank to get drunk.

Soberwolf

Welcome Hopeful congrats on day 6

Carver

Welcome! Yep, never drinking again. I know that sounds scary, but to me the alternative is much scarier.

Congratulations on 6 days!

PurpleKnight

Day 6 is fantastic!! Keep it going!!

SoberInCLE

There are people on SR that know a lot more than me. For me, it was just realizing that something in my life was out of control and that I drank too much and that it had gone on for way too long. I wasn't being accused of being an alcoholic by anyone but most people didn't realize how drunk I could get and still seem fine. I am going for total sobriety cause I am trying to build a fun life without alcohol. The more alcohol I let in, then the more it is going to be about alcohol.

JD

Many of us have tried to moderate and only occasionally have a drink. It doesn't work out well. You may be different but the odds are highly stacked against you.

InTheEnd

Not drinking again for me. Tried 2 times to moderate (many more times while actively drinking) but 2 times before I quit, then decided I could moderate. That was a big negative! But third times a charm so far! I know even a glass of champagne on NYE would eventually get me back into the daily drinking so not even worth it.

I drank to get drunk, no other reason.

daniel1974

I'm finishing my sixth day sober, so I don't know much of anything but one thing that I have come to realize and am coming to terms with is that I can never drink in moderation. I will never be two drink and done guy, or glass of wine with dinner guy. I'm drink until it's gone or I pass out guy.

I think the biggest pitfall for me for a lot of years was chasing the idea that I could drink in moderation, but it always ended the same, drink after drink after drink. I would fantasize about a time like Christmas and having wine with dinner and going back to being responsible the next day but it was all folly.

I don't know much but I know this. The first drink will throw me into an eventual tailspin. I don't think I would be on this forum otherwise.

Anna

We can do lots of things on Christmas and other special occasions, but drinking is not one of them. You'd be surprised how quickly you can come up with new ways to enjoy life.

LBrain

Congrats on day 6. I wouldn't worry about xmas right now. I'd worry about next week first. But as others have indicated, this is pretty much complete abstinence for the vast majority of us. I myself am going along with that.

I read a post one time from someone who had a few years sober and decided to have "A" drink over the holiday. I think it took two years for them to get sober again. I have read enough anecdotal evidence to convince myself that if I ever even think I can have another drink again, I am kidding myself.

tomsteve

sobriety-the quality or state of being sober

sober-free from alcohol


yer proud of being able to count days. 6 days is an eternity. seems to me someone who is proud to be able to count days had some rather difficult times with alcohol they could look back on and decide if drinking here or there is a good idea or just an insane idea/thought.