CurlyGirl1978

I'm waiting for this sobriety thing to get real tough like it was the last 4 or 5 times I quit, but nothing's happening. No friends pressuring me, no hubby trying to buy booze, no real intense cravings, I mean, heck, today I walked past the liquor store I use to frequent and didn't even look twice. Maybe the difference is that I have it made up in my mind to be sober forever instead of sober for X amount of time. No one has tested me on this. I guess I should feel glad about it. I did see an empty bottle of my favorite brand on the ground and my mouth watered for a sec but that was it. Should I just shut up and enjoy it?

MariahGayle

I think we need to enjoy those moments of serenity/peace but know that the "tough times" may be right around the corner. Great goi g today CG!!

keeppushing

Hell yes, enjoy it!

Berrybean

Yes - enjoy your sobriety. If you are calm you will be more able to be watchful for your AV or obsessive thoughts sneaking up in new ways and able to deal with these when they pop up (as they will - because they never go away entirely). Try to maintain this quality of sobriety by being mindful of triggers (the same old HALT ones that can affect us all, and your own personal ones) and be ready to 'shush' your AV when it starts up.

You're doing great

teatreeoil007

Yeah ... That is truly something to feel good about, I think!

Soberwolf

FeelingGreat

Curly you've just reached the point where you've made up your mind. Sometimes it takes many attempts. Watch out for the next year in case you start feeling complacent. In my experience it never goes away altogether.

GoesWithTheFlow

I know the feeling well. I was struggling just over a week ago and I saw no end to my drinking in sight. My flu virus got worse and I ended up going to urgent care, the fevers and headaches forced me to stay home. I didn't pick up for 6 days and that gave me enough time to get a hold of not drinking again. Now I am on the 11th day now and feel like I will never drink again.

I have made up my mind about not drinking and now things that instantly meant I would drink get over looked or rationalized by sober me. It feels good

Dee74

I'd like to say otherwise but I've never met anyone who didn't have some tough times at some point or another CurlyGirl.

You're going well - enjoy it...

D

CurlyGirl1978

Ok so I'll enjoy it but I will also stay vigilant also while I work on my plan for lifelong recovery.

CurlyGirl1978

Ah maybe what Beccybean said was right, it's gonna come in a "new way" that I may not recognize right away. I think my AV is holding out just like I said it would, it's letting get some days under my belt, I've got to remember this thing is an all out enemy!

zombob

By all means enjoy. My habit is this: I get sober, have no cravings whatsoever once I get past the first 24 hrs.. Have done this for as long as 8 yrs. and as short as 2 months--feeling great. Then along comes the irrational thought that a few or even a lot in a safe environment would be ok. I must say I've acted on that thought about 50% in my lifetime (I'm soon to be 54 and have been doing this 35 yrs), the other times I'm able to dismiss or discuss it w/someone and the thought passes and seems ludicrous. Willful forgetfulness is what I call it and I must identify it if I'm gonna address it. I can't afford 1 more day of "lost weekends". Be aware....(I'm speaking mostly to me).

dwtbd

For me , I'd say the difference , and not maybe, was definitely making the decision to never again drink . The AV may, and does, pop up at times and those thoughts work to try and force a change of mind. It sounds like you are enjoying the freedom gained by deciding to quit drinking , add the idea of resolving to not change your mind on that decision and help to further disarm the AV even before it pops up.
It may pop up or creep up in some new or unseen way, but always with the same goal and if / when it does the answer is always the same "No".
The resolve is self reinforcing , the longer you practice it the stronger it gets and the more it starves the AV . Believe you can be/ are a nondrinker and enjoy being one! You got this

thomas11

I would embrace it. The alternative (cravings and withdrawal) is not much fun.

teatreeoil007

That's wonderful CG....but don't let your guard down...although you probably don't need us to tell you that! Enjoy your sobriety...it's pretty awesome, isn't it?

gettingsmarter

"Maybe the difference is that I have it made up in my mind to be sober forever instead of sober for X amount of time."
That made all the difference in the world for me. Knowing your going to drink again makes never drinking again real tough. There is such a huge diffrence when we decide were DONE. Keep your guard up.

OpenTuning

You're doing so well there CurlyGirl! Sounds like you're in that great position of genuinely not wanting to drink, rather than having to deny yourself booze when you're desperate for it. That to me is the key to being able to say with confidence that you will never drink again.

As others said, though, your AV is tricky. It isn't that you'll be battling it every day for the rest of your life, but it may well pop up again at totally unexpected moments. What I'd watch out for the most is that moment months or even years down the line when you've proven to yourself you're in control, and you get that whisper that "just one won't hurt". Read around on these forums to hear how often that's sent people spiralling downwards again.