Ideas to help abstain
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 15
Ideas to help abstain
So i've just recently turned 27 and i've had a drinking problem since perhaps I was 19. One event which occurred this Monday has motivated me to stop drinking but I need to help to continue to abstain.
I had just broken up and I had five days off work and I binged drank through all 5 of them never even let an hour pass not being drunk. Well on Monday when it was time for me to go back to work I had to sober up so I didn't drink at all that night. I went to work on Monday morning then I left early as I completed my work and on the way back home I felt really horrible. The withdrawals had both my hands numb, my face pulsing and red, and my entire body shaking. Instead of driving home I thought I was having a heart attack so I managed to drive to a hospital. The hospital had no emergency services and so they took my by ambulance to another bigger hospital and there they gave me IV's and vitamin bags and shots and told me the first 3 days will be the hardest for you then it becomes easier. I know its not much its laughable but i've been sober for 5 days and already I feel much better. I changed my diet, I actually go out more, I exercise now, and the headaches are gone.
My question is how do I keep this up as I still have these moments where I feel like it would be so great to have just one drink for the long term? Like as long as some of you have. Mind you i'm only 27 and have gone to the hospital for this disease. Disease is the only think i can call this.
I had just broken up and I had five days off work and I binged drank through all 5 of them never even let an hour pass not being drunk. Well on Monday when it was time for me to go back to work I had to sober up so I didn't drink at all that night. I went to work on Monday morning then I left early as I completed my work and on the way back home I felt really horrible. The withdrawals had both my hands numb, my face pulsing and red, and my entire body shaking. Instead of driving home I thought I was having a heart attack so I managed to drive to a hospital. The hospital had no emergency services and so they took my by ambulance to another bigger hospital and there they gave me IV's and vitamin bags and shots and told me the first 3 days will be the hardest for you then it becomes easier. I know its not much its laughable but i've been sober for 5 days and already I feel much better. I changed my diet, I actually go out more, I exercise now, and the headaches are gone.
My question is how do I keep this up as I still have these moments where I feel like it would be so great to have just one drink for the long term? Like as long as some of you have. Mind you i'm only 27 and have gone to the hospital for this disease. Disease is the only think i can call this.
You're not shackled to not drinking, you're free from drinking
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: MN
Posts: 1,406
You need a plan. See this,http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ery-plans.html
Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 166
Dear d, It's not laughable. Its a start. And that is the hardest bit. Try not to stretch your ambitions out too much. Just stay sober a bit at a time. Sometimes I have to say to myself "I am not going to drink for the next hour" and then the next and next. In between if it gets hard then I look for support. Friends, family, meetings if you can, or a therapist or doc. Just know you can do it and hang in there. It takes lots to get a handle on this, I know because I have tried and failed lots but I also know people who have done it. I get great support here reading and giving support to others. Best of luck. Sending you hope and friendship. John
Welcome dttttt congrats on day 5 Jd posted a link to D's plan building links that are excellent
Here's some other & to do with getting to sleep
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ful-links.html
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ant-sleep.html
https://sleepfoundation.org/relaxati...lling-asleep-0
https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-to...thy-sleep-tips
Here's some other & to do with getting to sleep
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ful-links.html
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ant-sleep.html
https://sleepfoundation.org/relaxati...lling-asleep-0
https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-to...thy-sleep-tips
Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 120
dttttt congratulations on getting to 5 days.
Im on day 1 or 2 now but I got to 14 months a while ago. Can you write down if you haven't already exactly how bad it got when you went to hospital, the physical and other symptoms, so you have a reminder that you can refer to when you feel tempted? I'm planning on doing that today for myself.
Being kind to yourself is really important, and I guess at some point looking at the reasons below the behaviour is something I definitely need to start dealing with.
Im on day 1 or 2 now but I got to 14 months a while ago. Can you write down if you haven't already exactly how bad it got when you went to hospital, the physical and other symptoms, so you have a reminder that you can refer to when you feel tempted? I'm planning on doing that today for myself.
Being kind to yourself is really important, and I guess at some point looking at the reasons below the behaviour is something I definitely need to start dealing with.
Five days is a great start. The physical withdrawal is done and the body is starting to feel normal again. But be aware, it can be a bumpy ride the first few weeks. Don't let that be a reason to drink again or you'll be right back at day one.
I hope the support here can help you get sober for good. It's helped me tremendously.
I hope the support here can help you get sober for good. It's helped me tremendously.
Well done on 5 days. AVRT really helped me in the early days.
Rational Recovery | The Crash Course On AVRT
Welcome to SR. Keep on reading and posting. Find a method and plan that works for you.
B
Rational Recovery | The Crash Course On AVRT
Welcome to SR. Keep on reading and posting. Find a method and plan that works for you.
B
hey dt, in case the link Behan posted gets removed, check this out on the forum
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ined-long.html
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ined-long.html
Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: USA
Posts: 701
Hi dt, welcome! We all have the illusion early on that one day we can moderate. That we will suddenly be able to go out and have just one or two. Some people try this over and over, with the same results. If you skip over the whole moderation attempt, you'll save yourself a lot of frustration and "day ones". Glad you are here, this is a great group of people who inspire me on a daily basis!
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