Urge surf + right environment
 

Call it the start of summer weather or a three day weekend, was craving "a" drink a lot today.

It got to the point where the urge was overwhelming - I had worked out, grocery shopped, cleaned, organized... there was nothing left to do but drink.

But I held on - I can't get to day 50, 100, 3333 if I drink today.

Now that I am getting ready to go to bed, I am so very glad I didn't give in.

The point of this post though is that I had to ride the wave AND be in the right environment. If I was sitting in a bar or otherwise had booze in front of me, I don't think I would have been successful.

Like it or not, I am going to have to stay away from access to alcohol until the urges get better.

Tomorrow is Day 7. I hate that I am already tempted this early in, but I am just going to trust that a culmination of consecutive days will bring peace.

I know a lot of people have gone out of their way to offer encouragement and advice to me since I joined 5 months ago, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. It has meant a lot, and gotten me to the point that I am going to follow through with it this time. :tyou

I'm glad you got through - and thanks for sharing that lovestolisten :)

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Once I heard someone say that three weeks was easier than three days. I found this to be true. Great job on the week!

Good job

Keep up the good work LtoL--well done

Hang in there. You're doing great.

Thanks for the post about .. Urge Surfing ..

I can honestly say it gets easier the longer I go.

Keep it up and Hang 10!

Congrats on getting to Day 7!

You posted a couple days back about your plans to begin treatment and gave a very compelling list of the reasons it's needed. When do you start treatment?

Great Job! And congrats on Day 7. That is very early days so yes, I agree that no temptations is the way to go.

My addictive behavior creates neuro pathways that hijack my dopamine receptors. Every time I drink, for whatever reason, I strengthen that behavioral response. But every time I don't drink when a stimulus arises, I create new neuro pathways and weaken old ones. So the more I choose not to drink, the weaker these behavioral habits become.....and the stronger new behaviors become.

Very cool.

A similar event happened to me on Friday.
Out of the clear blue, my AV popped up.
Long weekend.
Hot weather.
Barbecue.
Have a couple.

Wait a minute.
Nope.

Instead, slept well, ate well, got lots accomplished.
I've had too many Memorial day "Tuesdays of Horror".

Congratulations on getting through another day! Urge surfing has worked for me too.

Wednesday. I am actually looking forward to it rather than dreading it. Just needed to get over the mental hump and shut down my AV

WAY TO GO!!! You did great and got through.

I love the term "urge surfing" and am totally bogarting it. It's the perfect description, isn't it?! And you hit the nail on the head- at the end of it you are so glad you didn't give in to the urge.

I am on Day 98 and I still limit my environment to a very large degree.

Go get day 8!

Good for you, LTL! You can get over the hump.

Lots of support here.

Great story lovetolisten.

Great job getting through yesterday! Sometimes all we can do is ride out the urge. I will hit five months on Wednesday, and I can tell you the urges get less. You played the tape through and knew how you would feel today if you drank yesterday, you should feel very proud of that!

Nicely done!!!