Marissa41

Why do we say that? Because it doesn't really happen like that. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it isn't. I've come to realize that just doesn't work. I'm still struggling..

columbus

Well, it IS when it IS...

(am I right or am I right?)

((sorry you're struggling))

Ina123

Marissa41,
I'm very new here, only day 8, but personally I prefer to tell myself "I'm not going to drink today". Somehow that's much more attainable in my mind than "Today is my last drink" I can't really explain why, it's not that i'm planning on failure....maybe i'm just afraid of celebrating too soon? Good question though, it's one to think about.

Marissa41

Does it depend on how long you've been drinking?

SnazzyDresser

Speak for yourself. You seem to be saying that when you say that, it hasn't happened like that. But some people say it and it does happen like that.

columbus

I imagine some people have said it and meant it after getting sick the first time they had a couple of drinks and never drank again.

It all depends on the person, not how long, not how much, but on the person.

BrickbyBrick83

For me, it's because each time I said it, I genuinely believed it! Every day, for the past few years, I have believed it - it has been like Groundhog Day. I am amazed that this time, I have actually followed through on my promise to myself.

Marissa41

I mean't that to be be more of a question.. Sorry if I offended..

SnazzyDresser

It was a question with erroneous presumptions, Marissa.

Marissa41

We are all entitled to our opinions.. Fellow Texan :-)

MelindaFlowers

I had to take it day by day. One day at a time.

I drank so much and made myself so sick every day. So much so that I finally meant it. I haven't had a drink in 30 months.

I knew sobriety couldn't be any worse than drinking so I went from there.

Marissa41

I know.. me too.. sick.. my body says no, but my mind says yes,

HunterXJ8

I like to think the idea that "today is the last day" is a commitment to TRY. It may not actually be the last, we may stumble and falter but it's when you stop trying that you've truly given up.

Unwound

Whenever I have quit something I have never thought of it like that, my attitude tends to be: I'm don't do this any more, that part of my life is over. I know it's a subtle distinction but it helps me and pushes me to stay stopped.

Marissa41

It's almost like a bad relationship? We love it but have to leave it?

August252015

I personally haven't used that particular expression. Nor do I use "I don't drink today" or such variation.

I quit drinking. I do not drink. That's it.

Yes, Marissa, lots of people consider it just like leaving a bad relationship. For me, I didn't consider drinking a relationship so much as I consider sobriety to be one- I have described here that I consider my alcoholism, my recovery, as my best friend; always with me, always protected and cherished and built up with resources, positiveness and faith.

You can quit, if you decide to, and there is lots of support here. I also found that an IRL program is my bedrock.

Good luck.

shortstop81

Well for some people in recovery it WAS like that. Everyone's path to recovery is individual to them, as cliche as that may sound. On tough days the 'day at a time' mantra works for me.

What kind of recovery work are you doing right now Marissa?

MLD51

It varies from person to person. When I said it was my last drink, I drew a hard line and that was it. I had a few things happen as a direct result of my drinking that I knew spelled the end of drinking forever for me. My rock bottom was truly that, and I knew that if I drank again, I might as well put a gun to my head. That sounds harsh, but that's how it was. Now - everyone's rock bottom is different. Not everyone needs to get to the point I was at in order to make that decision to stop. That all having been said, I supported my decision to quit with real action. I went to outpatient treatment, started going to AA, started posting here, and told my friends and family I was quitting in order to have some real accountability. If you are struggling to make it past day 1, perhaps adding some action to your plan is the way to go?

Hawkeye13

It took making a plan to deal with daily cravings, difficult situations, and
in the longer-term, taking action to create a sober life instead of just not drinking.

This also meant getting to the bottom (via therapy, journaling, meditation)
some of the underlying causes of the drinking.

Also removing myself from people and situations I found "triggering"
me to want to drink out of habit, peer pressure, or stress.

Just the saying the statement with good intentions alone never did it.
Combining it with the actions above did do it.

Treat yourself with love and compassion Marissa--you can do this.
What is your plan?

Doug39

Over my 27 years of daily drinking I planned to quit hundreds of times.

But I always managed to talk myself into postponing it.

I remember one time in particulate I was planning on stopping for a whole month before a birthday so I could blow it out on that birthday; I drank every day up until that birthday!!

Their was always the failed New Years resolutions and the "I will only drink on weekends" attempts.

Nothing ever worked - I was only fooling myself.