Intercepting the want for that first drink...
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 10
Intercepting the want for that first drink...
That's the hardest for me.
I have lately been afraid of seizures if I don't drink (watching too much reality tv) so my brain tells me to go ahead and have that glass of wine to silence the devil and to protect against seizures which I may or may not have.
I sit and think and contemplate about that first drink. I feel nauseous when thinking about that first glass of wine. But then the seizure fear sets in, so I have one. Then all bets are off. 1/2 to 2/3 of a bottle later, I am fuzzily happy.
Really, though, I don't know anyone else with the same struggle.
How do you juse say no to that first drink?
I have lately been afraid of seizures if I don't drink (watching too much reality tv) so my brain tells me to go ahead and have that glass of wine to silence the devil and to protect against seizures which I may or may not have.
I sit and think and contemplate about that first drink. I feel nauseous when thinking about that first glass of wine. But then the seizure fear sets in, so I have one. Then all bets are off. 1/2 to 2/3 of a bottle later, I am fuzzily happy.
Really, though, I don't know anyone else with the same struggle.
How do you juse say no to that first drink?
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 10
My mom and my brother and sister are all alcoholics. Functioning, my sister and brother are highly successful executives, yet we all drink at night.
My Dad died of liver cancer. My parents are European, drinking had always been a huge part of their....and my...lives.
Is it genetic?
My Dad died of liver cancer. My parents are European, drinking had always been a huge part of their....and my...lives.
Is it genetic?
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,435
Hi sodifficult - welcome 
If you're in fear of seizures it's really best to see your Dr - they can advise you on safe detox.
I found trying to mitigate withdrawal by drinking is pretty much perpetuated the problem.
A lot of us do have a prior history in our families, but thankfully that doesn't mean we can't get sober and stay that way
Support really helped me say no more. I'm glad you found us. Use us when you need help
D
If you're in fear of seizures it's really best to see your Dr - they can advise you on safe detox.
I found trying to mitigate withdrawal by drinking is pretty much perpetuated the problem.
A lot of us do have a prior history in our families, but thankfully that doesn't mean we can't get sober and stay that way
Support really helped me say no more. I'm glad you found us. Use us when you need help
D
Blue Belt
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Soberville, USA
Posts: 4,174
Sodif,
Like Dee said..Dr is the best route.
Imo...if you are only drinking a bottle of wine a day...you are not going to seizure.
I would drink that much routinely off and on...
But, that is only an educated guess.
It is very hard to quit drinking w out some horrible reason...e.g. dui, domestic issue, health scare..etc.
I started having panic attacks that seemed to be increasing in frequency and strength.
Now I have on going ptsd...from those attacks.
It has been very difficult, I crave daily, but I will not give up my health and sobriety to be a drunk.
It doesn't make sense to me any more.
Once the physical addiction is gone, which takes about a week, the mental struggle shows through.
This lasts forever.
Thanks.
Like Dee said..Dr is the best route.
Imo...if you are only drinking a bottle of wine a day...you are not going to seizure.
I would drink that much routinely off and on...
But, that is only an educated guess.
It is very hard to quit drinking w out some horrible reason...e.g. dui, domestic issue, health scare..etc.
I started having panic attacks that seemed to be increasing in frequency and strength.
Now I have on going ptsd...from those attacks.
It has been very difficult, I crave daily, but I will not give up my health and sobriety to be a drunk.
It doesn't make sense to me any more.
Once the physical addiction is gone, which takes about a week, the mental struggle shows through.
This lasts forever.
Thanks.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 8,614
Hi and welcome, sodifficult. It can't hurt to see your dr, tell them of your goal to quit drinking and take it from there? I did a medically supervised detox and was good to have someone to call in case things got a little too "real".
Hears The Voice
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Unshackled
Posts: 7,901
Originally Posted by Sodifficult 
How do you juse say no to that first drink?
1. I want to throw my stapler at the boss's head.
2. I want to run idiot drivers off the road.
3. I want to see if the hot chick's skin is as soft as it looks.
4. I want to drink alcohol.
I want to do them all, but I also know they are all bad ideas. Perhaps amusing for an instance, but the side effects would be intolerably grave. (not to mention the moral/ethical issues.) So I don't do any of them.
None of those things in that list are special. If you believe one of them is, you are likely addicted to it.
How do I just say no to that first drink? The same way I keep my mouth shut at work, my car in my lane, and my hands at my side when the hot chick is around. I choose not to do it.
Self recovered Self discovered
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Toronto Canada
Posts: 5,148
You can say no in a lot of ways. If outright refusing that drink is so terrifying (it's not really once you get the hang of it), why not instead say yes? Say yes to waking up not hungover. Say yes to remembering what you did last night. Say yes to regaining some self respect. Say yes to having some peace of mind. Say yes to regaining a healthy body and mind. Say yes to having a life worth living, with your allotment of joy and happiness.
It's one or the other for people like you and me, and it will always be that way. It really is a simple choice. I know you can make the right one.
It's one or the other for people like you and me, and it will always be that way. It really is a simple choice. I know you can make the right one.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: MN
Posts: 8,704
There are many techniques to resisting that first drink, and I would say that none of them are "easy", which is what makes sobriety a challenge in the beginning. The key is to accomplish saying no to that first drink. Many people have a list of things they did, my list was this" anything to avoid that first drink. For me it was reading primarily, but I literally would do anything but drink. Even go to bed early.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Europe
Posts: 793
SoDifficult - you say that you don't anyone that has the same trouble as you - guess what you do now.
We all would love to be able to just have that first drink, but that is the problem. After one glass, I will always drink to way beyond fuzzy. I made up all sorts of reasons why I needed that one drink, but the fact was they were just excuses.
I'd go and see a doctor if you are worried about seizures, but know there are people like you here and we get it. Please keep posting.
We all would love to be able to just have that first drink, but that is the problem. After one glass, I will always drink to way beyond fuzzy. I made up all sorts of reasons why I needed that one drink, but the fact was they were just excuses.
I'd go and see a doctor if you are worried about seizures, but know there are people like you here and we get it. Please keep posting.
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