CurlyGirl1978

I found out that my friend is a case worker and he offered to get me in contact with some help but I said I wanted to wait until my situation got better to see if it was my environment causing my drinking. I kinda think that was my AV talking, ya think?

Dee74

I think that the more you can do to confront the situation now & change stuff, the better you'll be for it CurlyGirl

I think you know deep down that this goes deeper than environment, right?

D

Berrybean

We all need a plan Curlygirl - and for some of us that INCLUDES outside help from counsellors; AA or the like. But our plans include lots of everyday strategies for coping.

If you haven't devised a sobriety plan, then what are you waiting for?

I'd suggest starting with the HALT triggers (nice and simple) and how YOU are going to ensure that you avoid these (see - no counsellor needed for this bit )

I will avoid being Hungry by ...
I will avoid being Angry by ...
I will avoid being Lonely by ...
I will avoid being Tired by ...

It's like making a pledge to yourself - and if you can think of a number of ways to avoid each thing, stick em down. The more strategies up your sleeve the better.

Now's the more personal bit - personal to your life that is. Try to think of slippery places; slippery people; and slippery occasions. Make a list of them.
Then work through the list (like with the HALT triggers) and think of strategies to make yourself as safe as possible. It might be as simple as a shop that sells your favourite brand of wine that is hard to resist..
I will avoid Brownes Store by walking a different route, and shop in Williams' Store instead.
Maybe your best friend is a heavy drinker and is the crab that's trying to drag you back in the bucket...
I will avoid Clara nagging me to drink by suggesting non-alcohol venues to meet up, and not taking it personally if she chooses alcohol over meeting me.

I have included AA as PART of my recovery plan. But at the end of the day, I'm responsible for following my plan and not taking the first drink on any one day.

At the start my plan was all about avoiding picking up a drink. Now that my obsession for alcohol has passed, it is more about maintaining the quality of my sobriety, and being serene and happy in recovery.

Good luck

Soberwolf

Here's great plan building material its a collection of some of the wisest SR links I know of

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ful-links.html

Friend Of Bill

Well first do you think you have a drinking problem second maybe you should do something about it there's a fellowship called Alcoholics Anonymous go and check out a meeting membership is free you I remember when you say you are a member the only requirement is a desire to not drink in this fellowship they have a program when a person with a drinking problem works the program they recover that means they return to help from a sickness I learned I had a physical allergy and a mental obsession and when I drink I developed the phenomenon of craving when I got that craving I drank and never cared about the consequences and was told that unless I had a change in my thinking it would only get worse so I made a plan I asked someone to help me and I didn't ever have to feel the way I felt ever again they guided me through these steps and I recreated my life everyone at this meeting was just like me I wasn't unique I identified I didn't compare and one alcoholic helping another there's nothing like it I had to be honest willing and have an open mind if they could do it I could do it

Debbie329

Curly girl.....don't wait to see anything.......now is the time to act. Get as much help as you can now because you will be creating your future happiness. Waiting delays the process,, ....... I knew there was something wrong w me years ago.....I made attempts to get help but didn't like what I heard so I disregarded it and hid behind my work. It's all come to the surface now and it's not a pretty sight. I have a therapist session this afternoon......I don't like the location....its on the outskirts of the hood.......I do t like the clientele,, and I have misgivings about the therapist but I'm going to give it a second shot.......if I feel the same way when I leave there today......I will search for a new therapist. Trial and error.......but I'm not giving up.....I deserve to be happy and so do you.