First Post 5 days sober
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Dallas Texas
Posts: 579
First Post 5 days sober
I have been an alcohlic for decades. I surprised I only learn of this recently 
Admitted it-
I hadn't planned posting but reading your posts I wanted to help if I could. I have tried stopping many times. always the same result. A few drinks here, a few there then I'm off to the races. It's that craving (little voice) that makes think about drinking. I can say NO many times but it never stops until I take a drink. 6 days ago I was drunk again. I woke up in a panic. I looked up an AA meeting. Honestly it felt like I was watching someone else driving and walking trough the door of the meeting. After the meeting a guy walked over and started talking to me. He was very friendly and offered more and more help. Said something about God having a part in us meeting. I have learned it is very unusual for AA but he became my sponsor within an hour. If you have never been to a meeting I strongly recommend going to 2 or 3 different ones before deciding it's not for you.
What I've learned:
Whenever I hear the "little voice" (think about drinking) I say to the voice "I'm powerless against you". As bizarre as it sounds the "voice" stops. Reverse psychology is suppose.
I'm not religious but was told to pray for help with recovery. I do it once before bed and once upon waking.
Just these two simple things seem to have made a Big difference for me.
I also learned that helping others stay sober is a good way to stay sober.
Admitted it-I hadn't planned posting but reading your posts I wanted to help if I could. I have tried stopping many times. always the same result. A few drinks here, a few there then I'm off to the races. It's that craving (little voice) that makes think about drinking. I can say NO many times but it never stops until I take a drink. 6 days ago I was drunk again. I woke up in a panic. I looked up an AA meeting. Honestly it felt like I was watching someone else driving and walking trough the door of the meeting. After the meeting a guy walked over and started talking to me. He was very friendly and offered more and more help. Said something about God having a part in us meeting. I have learned it is very unusual for AA but he became my sponsor within an hour. If you have never been to a meeting I strongly recommend going to 2 or 3 different ones before deciding it's not for you.
What I've learned:
Whenever I hear the "little voice" (think about drinking) I say to the voice "I'm powerless against you". As bizarre as it sounds the "voice" stops. Reverse psychology is suppose.
I'm not religious but was told to pray for help with recovery. I do it once before bed and once upon waking.
Just these two simple things seem to have made a Big difference for me.
I also learned that helping others stay sober is a good way to stay sober.
Last edited by Dee74; 12-15-2015 at 12:38 AM. Reason: my mistake - D
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Dallas Texas
Posts: 579
I appreciate the kind sentiments. There is one thing you maybe able able to help with. I need new friends and activities to enjoy. I tired finding AA groups that are active in sailing, hunting or other social activities. Evidently there are none. I am going to continue AA but would like to find sober groups that do fun things. I need a lifestyle adjustment. Do any such groups exist in Dallas-Fort Worth?
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Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Soberville, USA
Posts: 4,174
This is the only place on earth where we can talk, type, as long as we want about our problems w alcohol. Many will listen, many will help.
If no sober hiking/hunting group exists you can start one. Post an add on Craigs list.
If no sober hiking/hunting group exists you can start one. Post an add on Craigs list.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Dallas Texas
Posts: 579
Hello Sean30. It's the first step in AA but they don't explicitly say to think it when you get a craving. It seems to lesson my craving a great deal. Let me know if it works for you.
I also have a few people from AA I can call. I haven't had a real "crisis" but have done it a few times just to talk and make it easier to do if I ever really need to. If you don't go to AA you might get on the Chat here a few times so if you ever have a strong craving your very comfortable using the chat. One more tool in the box.
I wish you well, my friend.
I also have a few people from AA I can call. I haven't had a real "crisis" but have done it a few times just to talk and make it easier to do if I ever really need to. If you don't go to AA you might get on the Chat here a few times so if you ever have a strong craving your very comfortable using the chat. One more tool in the box.
I wish you well, my friend.
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Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 192
Originally Posted by chrcarlson 
I appreciate the kind sentiments. There is one thing you maybe able able to help with. I need new friends and activities to enjoy. I tired finding AA groups that are active in sailing, hunting or other social activities. Evidently there are none. I am going to continue AA but would like to find sober groups that do fun things. I need a lifestyle adjustment. Do any such groups exist in Dallas-Fort Worth?
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Dallas Texas
Posts: 579
99 days
My first post seems like a very long time ago. 99 days sober now. That's a long time for me to go without drinking, a new world record for ole Chris.
Lately the cravings/thoughts of alcohol have been up a bit. I suppose it an up and down thing with early recovery. I'm still going to meetings. They are helpful. I need to buckle down and complete step 4. It's 8am and I've been awake for 2 hours. For the last week I've been getting up early-that's a good thing. I haven't been getting much done but am hoping that will change...if I don't spoil it with drinking. I've spent too many days hungover in the past. What else? I feel I'm in the doldrums neither here nor there. I feel I'm in the doldrums, not a drunk and not enjoying a great sober life. I'm slowly working through my legal problem-no more problems there. I passed my Alcohol and Drug evaluation. Then again I studied, I didn't want to be forced to go to AA. I told my sponsor the questions were subjective and vague. It's been so long since my hands were shaky how am I suppose to remember? And blackouts are by definition impossible to remember. Yep, I lied. I'm still going to AA but didn't want any more State involvement in my life. I don't think my sponsor was pleased. Maybe I should have been more truthful but the Court is on my back enough. Tonight I go to a Victims Impact Panel. I could sit on both sides. The damage was done by a drunk driver 30 years ago.
Lately the cravings/thoughts of alcohol have been up a bit. I suppose it an up and down thing with early recovery. I'm still going to meetings. They are helpful. I need to buckle down and complete step 4. It's 8am and I've been awake for 2 hours. For the last week I've been getting up early-that's a good thing. I haven't been getting much done but am hoping that will change...if I don't spoil it with drinking. I've spent too many days hungover in the past. What else? I feel I'm in the doldrums neither here nor there. I feel I'm in the doldrums, not a drunk and not enjoying a great sober life. I'm slowly working through my legal problem-no more problems there. I passed my Alcohol and Drug evaluation. Then again I studied, I didn't want to be forced to go to AA. I told my sponsor the questions were subjective and vague. It's been so long since my hands were shaky how am I suppose to remember? And blackouts are by definition impossible to remember. Yep, I lied. I'm still going to AA but didn't want any more State involvement in my life. I don't think my sponsor was pleased. Maybe I should have been more truthful but the Court is on my back enough. Tonight I go to a Victims Impact Panel. I could sit on both sides. The damage was done by a drunk driver 30 years ago.
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Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 593
Hang in there. 99 days is fantastic! The only time I really managed to quit (only 23 days as it turned out) I wound up in the "doldrums" too. It's a lousy place to be but I think it means "it's time to buckle down and grow some more." I didn't want to and gave up.
Don't do it!
Don't do it!
Re-Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: USA
Posts: 7,909
Congrats on 99 days. Maybe doing that 4th and 5th step will break you out of the rut you seem to think you're in.
As someone who went back out drinking after 145 days last year, I can assure you that it doesn't get any better out there. Wishing you the best as you move toward triple digits tomorrow...
As someone who went back out drinking after 145 days last year, I can assure you that it doesn't get any better out there. Wishing you the best as you move toward triple digits tomorrow...
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Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Dallas Texas
Posts: 579
Thanks! I felt sorry for the two speakers at the victims impact panel. They both lost loved ones. I was a bit resentful. 169 people paying $40 each free venue. Where does all that money go? Some to politicians that pass laws forcing folks to go and pay MADD. Is there such a thing as good corruption? The female speaker passed around photos of her son's car and spoke of how horrific his injuries were. The car still had four tires. Her son's death was senseless. I thought about the young solider killed moving gravel and the female LT impacted with a 80mm mortar. She was KIA walking to the DEFAC to get a ham sandwich. Cleanup involve 3,000 gallon of super chlorinated water. You could still smell her for weeks. She seemed to be trying to horrify the audience and all I could think was "lady I've seen a lot worse." "Sorry for you son but it happens out there." It was wrong and I do feel bad about it. I can't un-see or un-experience things. I just didn't feel the horror or sympathy the class was intended to inculcate.
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