kinzoku

I had to make sobriety my number one goal for a while, a long while. So that means I gave in to my lesser self when it came to other demands. I let myself be lazy and eat bad food and wallow a bit because I needed to use all my willpower for being sober.

I think that's all I did. I just decided being sober was #1.

uncorked

I read something a while ago that, in a nutshell, said a person has a finite amount of willpower and resolve each day. That's why small gradual changes (i.e. cutting out fried foods, starting to walk each day, etc.) often lead to more success over the long haul than trying to do everything at once. This is my roundabout way of advising you to just focus on cutting out drinking for the time being. Don't worry about the other stuff, that'll come in time.

More than anything, it took commitment for me to stop drinking. I did go to rehab and that helped me get out of the habit and realize life could still be enjoyable without a glass of wine in hand. (One of the goals of the rehab was just that: focusing on fun without booze or drugs.) But the major impetus for me was that my husband filed for divorce and was granted temporary custody of our son. That got me sober pretty quickly.

In the early days, it's about overcoming anxiety and figuring out what to do with all that extra free time you suddenly have. Not sure how much you're experiencing the former, but many doctors prescribe a short order of librium or other anti-anxiety drug until that calms down. You're the only one who can fill in your extra time, though. If you enjoy exercise and it relaxes you, do that. Read books, watch movies, take a walk, cook something, fix something, build something....whatever your passions are. I find that non alcoholic beer helps, but it's a personal choice. The only good ones are Beck and St. Pauli Girl. I also drink a lot of tea and wayyyy too much coffee!!! (Why is that??) And sweets.

The longer you are sober, the less you'll miss booze. Or at least, the less you'll think about it!

There are programs other than AA, too. Check out Smart Recovery, Rational Recovery, the Three Principles. I'm sure there are more out there. I tried AA/12 Steps but it wasn't for me, either.

confusedagain

Hello all,

I have a book called The Easy Way To Control alcohol by Allen Carr

Mind sound strange but this book help me quit, it made me understand why I started drinking at 14 years old and why I drank most of my life badly. I am actually reading it
Again now.

Take a look,

Rob

sobersolstice

Great. I get home, write my last post, open the front door from inside and accidentally walk into 7 ice cold mix of beers someone had in their fridge from a party or something. It's been a year or so since this has happened, and the new neighbors don't know I drink (maybe they do?). There used to be a 'beer fairy' that would drop off beer all the time, but It's been forever. Great timing.

My only guess is that someone knows me on here (locked condominium building) and is testing me.

The beers are still outside! What the heck is going on!!!!? The beers are real, and they are some of my favorites. Seriously?? I'm dead serious. I thought I was seeing things until I kicked one over. To this day, I don't know who this person is, or which condo unit.

REALLY??

Dee74

A good plan
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ery-plans.html

Acceptance that I could be the person I wanted to be, or drink - but not both.

Finally getting to the point were I was prepared to change everything to change my life.

D

Dee74

Dump the beers in the trash, re-gift them to some else's front step you know who drinks, pour them down the sink...whatever. You're a non-drinker.

Get rid of them now.

D

gatorman

I used the Internet and read everything I could on quitting alcohol which lead me to SR.

VibrantQueen

For my physical ailments (withdrawal), I went to the ER and was medically detoxed. I was given medications to take a home for several days to help with symptoms and for anxiety.

I'm 17 days in (after varying periods of abstinence) and have found that keeping an open mind while exploring different programs has helped. I've researched AVRT, SMART, Celebrate Recovery and AA. AA and Celebrate Recovery have been my choice. The literature from the other programs has proven invaluable as well. SR has also been a steady part of my day-to-day life.

I find that I have to have a routine. I pray and do devotions daily, read recovery related blogs, forums, posts, books, etc. I also listen to podcasts when I'm just playing around on the computer. I try to make it to at least three meetings a week.

There's so much information on how to get and remain sober, you have to find your own path. Some people take bits and pieces from them all and make their own plan.

If you explore this site, you will find information on AA and other recovery programs.

Stick around, read through the threads, post often and most importantly...stay connected. We're all in this together!

sobersolstice

Last time I was able to quit for more than a month, I tapered. I figured I'd better do it that way this time. I get body cramps and have a tough time with big ladders when I quit cold turkey. I dumped 3 in the sink, and had 3 last night. Saved one for today. I can control my intake if I am serious about the end goal.

I didn't mention this, but I'm epileptic, and my twitches and cramps are a sign. This taper method is the only thing that worked for me in the past, so I'm going to do it this way again. The hardest part is stopping at the first drink. I have no problems doing this if my end goal is quitting. The problem lies in knowing that I can have 1 beer and call it.

I'll be staying in touch. This place makes me take more breaks and keeps me more informed and serious about my addiction.

Thank you all... even though I may have methods that aren't for everyone. I'm going to keep the end game in mind every day.

sobersolstice

Ok. Seemed someone grabbed a few while they there were out there, so I took the beers in and poured one into a glass, stared at it for 30 minutes, and threw it down like water in the desert. I sipped the 2nd for an hour and didn't finish it.

So I've stuck with 2 drinks for 3 days. I took advantage of the gesture to ease my discomfort through my detox process. I wrote and monitored how I felt. I felt tired and lethargic after stopping at 2 drinks. I can see why I kept drinking to keep my energy up. At this point, my body seems to have a negative reaction to drinking in general. 2 beers for 3 days was part of my plan, and I was able to do it for my taper. I just looked at it like a taper from medical opiates I took for my knee surgery.

In the past, I have stopped because I was hungover and said "never again". The detox was always viscous.

I don't recommend a taper, but felt I had no choice. I also messed up a business relationship a week and a half ago due to poor decisions, and lost someone who I thought of as a friend.

I care about other people's lives, and I never really cared about mine. But, when I start hurting others by drinking, I begin to realize that the best way to help others is to care about yourself first.

This life is short. I need to make the best of what I have left. I have to love myself before I have the power to truly love others.

tekink

While I've not quit for long (today is day17) but this time around day 4 I found the AVRT, RR site and read the crash course. At that point I knew what I had to do. I made a commitment to myself that I'd never drink again, ever. This time I don't have cravings as I did the other times I'd quit and fall off. I feel like garbage, but I know why so I'm just waiting it out.

Aellyce

I quit cold turkey and detoxed each time on my own but I don't recommend it, especially if you have epilepsy. After the relapse I had earlier this year, I went to rehab when I was ~one week sober. If you cannot afford or don't want inpatient treatment, you can detox with medical assistance at home. It just takes a visit to a doctor and honesty with them.

For me the real challenge was always staying sober beyond a few days, and for that, it is a good strategy to get external help for many people, if for nothing else, because isolation is not usually a good way to increase mental health levels. There are different kinds of f2f meetings (depending on the area you live, and there are also virtual meetings), not only AA. Yes making healthier lifestyle choices like diet is good, and exercise that is appropriate to your fitness level is also helpful. Many people find it helpful to eat comfort foods such as ice cream to curb cravings but I think in the longer run a balanced diet is a better choice.

I was a solo home drinker and found that getting out of the house and engaging in meaningful activities (sometimes just work) was essential. As other said, we need to break the repetitive cycle of the habits that surround our drinking. My experience was also that some of the things that were helpful during my first quit and subsequent maintenance did not have much of an effect the second time so it can be a good idea to explore new methods and sources of support.

sobersolstice

Well... I tapered from 8 drinks to 2 drinks over the last few days, and ready to call it. I do hazardous height work on tall ladders, so I need to be mentally and physically on-point.

Went to the liquor store to buy my favorite root beer (they don't sell it in regular stores), and didn't even think about the booze.

It's definitely day 1, but it feels like day 4. In the past, I usually stop counting after a few weeks... I don't know if that makes a difference?

Mountainmanbob

Been a few different sobering up times.
Have done,
28 day treatment center once
jail a couple times
hospital visits voluntary and non voluntary
and cold turkey more than once.

Got tired of it all and grateful to be sober.

M-Bob