Nice weather a trigger?
 

Anyone else besides me having more cravings now that the weather is getting nicer? Ugh.

For me, nice weather is a potential trigger. "Boy, it'd sure be nice to sit on a nice restaurant patio somewhere with a glass of wine or by the pool with a cold beer."

For me, bad weather is a potential trigger. "Think I'll just curl up under this big blanket with a good book and a bottle of wine."

Good news is a potential trigger for me. Bad news is a potential trigger for me. Being angry is a potential trigger for me. Being happy is a potential trigger for me. Being lonely is a potential trigger for me. Being with people I love is a potential trigger for me.

Fact is I've built most of my life around drinking for 17 years now so I can always find a reason why I should drink. I'm working today on recognizing those triggers/rationalizations for the BS they are. My life is better without alcohol in it.

Wishing you the best with your cravings/thoughts. Hope you'll stick close and remember all the good that has come to you from not drinking and all the reasons you chose not to in the first place. Enjoy this beautiful spring and then summer weather sober!

Maybe you can try to change your perspective. To me, nice weather means getting out for more longer walks than usual. It means taking the long way around the beach and walking in the morning and in the evening.

Unless you only drank when the weather was nice, the craving could have another source. Anything else going on that might have you entertaining the idea of a drink?

I drank without needing any triggers to do so. But now that I've taken drinking off the table as an option, I don't entertain the thought of it. Or if a thought comes, it is easily dismissed. I'm a non drinker now. :)

The only "trigger" I needed to drink was that I was awake. I drank because it was hot, cold, rainy, sunny, cloudy, you name it.

I'd agree with the others..maybe something else is making you think about alcohol?

Remember to have your sobriety plan in check have things like urgesurfing as a tool to help

excellent job reaching out this is so important in recovery keep reaching out bud :c011:

Nothing else going on other than the normal stress of daily life. Just missing the relaxed feeling of alcohol on a nice warm day. It was so much a habit for me, that it's hard to picture relaxing in my backyard without it. You know?

Here's another perspective on the topic:

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ber-years.html

Great response CaseyW...true for me also.

Thanks for your post secretchord x there have been a few things over my couple of months of sobriety that I couldn't have imagined without alcohol or didn't see the point of...I am so thankful that now alcohol is out of the picture I am experiencing the true joy and pleasure of these things...relaxing in the garden enjoying the warm sun on my face, hearing the birdsong, the smell of grass and flowers...I would not have noticed any of that before sobriety. Wishing you well on the rest of your recovery journey x

My primary trigger was breathing. :)

I love the warm weather because I have developed a long list of sober warm weather activities I love to do

That's part of recovery--developing new sober habits. I know one non-alcoholic drink I've always enjoyed in hot weather was some soda water with muddled mint and a fresh squeezed lime. Very refreshing. In fact, I think I'm going to the store later to buy those same ingredients for myself now that you've got me thinking about it.

Everything is a trigger for me...except actually nice weather...FALL weather I consider to be nice tho and that IS a trigger for me.

But, the hotter weather...ugh...hated it...I can't drink a cold beer in hot weather..it is warm within 5 minutes...I always felt more sluggish while drinking in warmer weather...ended up staying in house with AC on and drinking myself to death.

But, other than the hot weather..every single THING...is a trigger.

Quit this time : Jan 31 (ended in hospital for like the 5th time in the last 2 years.

2005-2014..had continuous sobriety.

Congratulations on your continuing sobriety! And welcome.

I must agree with many of the other replies, in terms of the daunting list of things that prove out to be triggers. My father, going to the store and being around people (eek!), watching a show I'd watch while using, even kissing my wife at bedtime because, yes I was using so many of the times we kissed.

I hope that you can find what's actually throwing your mind into a frenzy of non-sober thinking. It might be warm weather, but it could very well be something specific, and discovering that could be very useful. Good luck my friend, we're all in this together, one day at a time.

Secretchord - I felt that way the first spring I was sober. Very sorry for myself and resentful. I had to keep reminding myself that drinking was no longer the fun escape it had been long ago. I didn't feel triggered the second spring - and never again. We learn to live in a different way and no longer need it to enjoy ourselves. Glad you are here with us, Secret. :)

Can be, beers my the river in the sun with friends; however, I find the lure of a log fire in a dimly lit cosy pub just as much of a trigger. Basically the whole year is a challenge but isn't that the point? As an alcoholic I have fond (as well as bad) memories of getting drunk everywhere anytime of year come rain or shine.

This is going to be a very different spring and summer for me. :)

It was a huge trigger for me last year since I had gotten used to winter/fall AV, but wasn't familiar with spring/summer AV since it was my first spring/summer without alcohol. It gets easier though. Just give it time and stay sober. :hug:

I like what Strat said. I found that familiar pull every first sober change in season, every first holiday as a sober person. It gets better but it's good you noticed it was there. Part of being sober is building new patterns of association. New and better habits. Thanks for posting.