Tynesider22

Hi

On the evening of day 20 and for the past couple of days I've had really bad cravings. I've been loaded with cold and in the past, I have usually reached for large whisky or brandy, plus I've been feeling very down the past few days. What makes it worse is that it's pay day Friday tomorrow.

I'm scared I'm just going to go on autopilot and blow three weeks. I'll be in town tomorrow as I have to do a few things, it's going to take massive willpower to stay out of the pubs or off licences.

AnvilheadII

well - you have a choice:

1. Set yourself up for SUCCESS in sobriety
2. Set yourself up to DRINK.

if it helps, i have a handy Excuse-O-Meter here, let me run your "possible excuses to drink" thru, one moment please..........let's see, adding in one "has a cold", one "feeling down" and one "weekend"...pull this lever right here............spinning............

Nope. Sorry. Drinking is still not an option!

Tynesider22

You are exactly right in what you say, I think sometimes it helps though for someone else to say it to you.

Thanks

herculana

Its been a hard week I think for many folks, myself included. and I too got sick. Today is my day 19, so I am right on your heels.

Stay checked in with us, and every day... Dont drink, for 24 hours. Dont drink today. Rinse and repeat tomorrow.

You will be happier not drinking. Promise.

least

I hope you can stay sober, weekend or not. Cold or not. Sober is better. Congrats on nearly three weeks sober!

Dee74

Here's the thing to remember Tynesider - the AV has no arms or legs. It can;t go to the store and buy booze. It can;t open the bottle. It can't pour the stuff down our throat.

It needs us (you) to get what it wants. If we refuse to cooperate, the AV is completely helpless and harmless.

Sure it will throw a tantrum but like any toddler it will tire itself out eventually.
The past need not determine the future

Make a plan:
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ery-plans.html

Here's some good tips on cravings too:

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-cravings.html

Anna

There is so much good advice here, Tynesider. And, you know you can always come here to SR if you need some extra support.

CreativeThinker

You can move past the urges...just think through it. Think about waking up tomorrow...or Monday morning... It's not worth it!

thomas11

Its funny this AV thread was created. I was thinking about the AV today while driving. I see so many folks get 3 days, 5 days, 1 week or 3 weeks and the AV comes calling. So many of us are very somber, docile, easy going and don't want to make waves etc...we get along to go along. Well, (and I'm putting on my coaches whistle and hat and about to give a pep talk). The AV is a fireball wearing boxing gloves and carrying a machine gun. If you have the somber docile approach to fighting that, its probably not going to go well. Point being you have to put on your own boxing gloves and fight back. You're not fighting to be a hooligan, you're fighting for your life. It might not be the best analogy but I was thinking about it today after reading so many folks succumbing to the AV after a short period of time I thought I'd at least put it out there.

Notimetoloose

AV Is Kicking My Head In.

Kick it back, tell it to bugger off, tell it, you know that it doesn't care if you end up dead, tell it want to live a fulfilling life. Tell it you will not be drinking....and repeat!
Good luck and good planning.

Tynesider22

Thanks for the kind comments everyone.

RetiredGuy

I think it is great that you posted here ahead of time. It shows you are serious about maintaining your sobriety. Every morning you wake up without a hangover is a blessing, tell the AV to screw off!

Berrybean

Friday was always a tricky one for me I'm early sobriety , payday or not. Even if I didn't think I was actually going to drink, I definitely got a big dose of self-pity from feeling like I was missing out on that end-of-the-week ritual. Nowadays (3 years sober) I feel lucky that this is the evening my favourite AA meeting happens. I've been going a little while now so often share the ride there as its in the next town so I get to chat with my sobriety friends enroute as well. By the time I get back to my home town it's time to get a treat take away and snuggle down for the night or make some plans for the next day if I don't have any. That sure beats my early sober Friday night's listening to that AV of mine harping on.
Regional & Local Websites | Members | Alcoholics Anonymous (Great Britain) Ltd

If you know that any particular time will be especially tough then its wise to plan ahead with ways you can minimise the HALT triggers as well. Hungry Angry Lonely and Tired.

These things will get much easier over time as you start to find alternative routines and things to look forward to. With a little work in making plans and sticking to them anyway.

BB

tufty13

20 days is fantastic. No wonder your A/V is fighting back, you've been giving it a right royal hiding for almost 3 weeks.

Kudos to you. :-)

Tynesider22

The day is not over yet, but it is late afternoon and I have not drank.

I've had a very productive day.