Almost at the end of day one
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: South Australia
Posts: 18
Almost at the end of day one
Hi Everyone,
Have been a long time listener, first time poster! I live in sunny South Australia, and have had a problem with alcohol for roughly 15 years. I am a single parent to three girls, with very little help from my ex.
I have attempted to quit drinking in the past, and my longest stint was about three months. I seem to have the urge to celebrate my acheivement, and hey presto, I'm back into it again.
I come from a family of problem drinkers, and I'm terrified my children will see my own drinking (and my family's) as normal.
I'm scared....I don't know how to live without alcohol. I do know that it needs to be out of my life forever. I live in a rural area, so going to meetings is a challenge if not impossible.
Looking forward to what my future might look like.
Have been a long time listener, first time poster! I live in sunny South Australia, and have had a problem with alcohol for roughly 15 years. I am a single parent to three girls, with very little help from my ex.
I have attempted to quit drinking in the past, and my longest stint was about three months. I seem to have the urge to celebrate my acheivement, and hey presto, I'm back into it again.
I come from a family of problem drinkers, and I'm terrified my children will see my own drinking (and my family's) as normal.
I'm scared....I don't know how to live without alcohol. I do know that it needs to be out of my life forever. I live in a rural area, so going to meetings is a challenge if not impossible.
Looking forward to what my future might look like.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Queensland
Posts: 568
I battled the drink for about the same time frame. Being a progressive addiction I ended up not being able to go 1 day without drinking, that was over 8 months ago
You have to want to stop more than wanting to drink. I think the light bulb went off for me when I truly realised drinking was going to kill me (and possibly others) and that I needed to seek help cause I couldn't do it alone.
I'm in Queensland so I also get the whole Australian drinking culture.
Read here often, try an online meeting maybe, take up a hobby.
I took up exercise and painting.
Good luck to you. You can stop xx
You have to want to stop more than wanting to drink. I think the light bulb went off for me when I truly realised drinking was going to kill me (and possibly others) and that I needed to seek help cause I couldn't do it alone.
I'm in Queensland so I also get the whole Australian drinking culture.
Read here often, try an online meeting maybe, take up a hobby.
I took up exercise and painting.
Good luck to you. You can stop
xx
Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: UK
Posts: 4,553
Hi Sunshine!
Welcome to SR and I'm so glad you're taking the plunge to post and give sobriety a real shot. Plus you should be pretty close to bed time over there which means day 1 done! The last day 1 you ever have to go through again!
I don't know if you've checked out the Class of July 2017 thread or the 24 hour thread yet but they are great places to post for support and commit to each 24 hour of sobriety.
Beimg scared is natural. This is a big thing you're undertaking. But you sound ready to go for it.
I can only share what has helped me and I once read a wonderful tip which is I live by. There are 2 non negotiable things we must do:
1) Take drinking as an option off the table full stop. Not one sip. Ever.
2) Never entertain any thoughts which romanticize drinking in any way, shape or form.
Just finding that helped me with acceptance.
There is a wealth of information and support here please do use it every day and you will truly amaze yourself.
By the way I too am a single mum so I understand how hard that can be and probably the guilt you carry for your children.
You CAN do this!
Welcome to SR and I'm so glad you're taking the plunge to post and give sobriety a real shot. Plus you should be pretty close to bed time over there which means day 1 done! The last day 1 you ever have to go through again!
I don't know if you've checked out the Class of July 2017 thread or the 24 hour thread yet but they are great places to post for support and commit to each 24 hour of sobriety.
Beimg scared is natural. This is a big thing you're undertaking. But you sound ready to go for it.
I can only share what has helped me and I once read a wonderful tip which is I live by. There are 2 non negotiable things we must do:
1) Take drinking as an option off the table full stop. Not one sip. Ever.
2) Never entertain any thoughts which romanticize drinking in any way, shape or form.
Just finding that helped me with acceptance.
There is a wealth of information and support here please do use it every day and you will truly amaze yourself.
By the way I too am a single mum so I understand how hard that can be and probably the guilt you carry for your children.
You CAN do this!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: South Australia
Posts: 18
Originally Posted by Poppy79 
I battled the drink for about the same time frame. Being a progressive addiction I ended up not being able to go 1 day without drinking, that was over 8 months ago
You have to want to stop more than wanting to drink. I think the light bulb went off for me when I truly realised drinking was going to kill me (and possibly others) and that I needed to seek help cause I couldn't do it alone.
I'm in Queensland so I also get the whole Australian drinking culture.
Read here often, try an online meeting maybe, take up a hobby.
I took up exercise and painting.
Good luck to you. You can stop xx
You have to want to stop more than wanting to drink. I think the light bulb went off for me when I truly realised drinking was going to kill me (and possibly others) and that I needed to seek help cause I couldn't do it alone.
I'm in Queensland so I also get the whole Australian drinking culture.
Read here often, try an online meeting maybe, take up a hobby.
I took up exercise and painting.
Good luck to you. You can stop
xxThank you for your support! Yeah the drinking culture I struggle to get my head around. I often wonder what the point is having alcohol play such a large part in recreation.
Eight months!!! Good on you
Guest
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 8,674
Hey Sunshine- welcome! This is a great community - if you haven't, check out the Newcomers Daily Support Thread section and look at the Class of July 2017. It will be folks quitting/wanting to quit during this same month as you.
We all have different stories, with a common denominator - our lives are better without alcohol, because we could not control our consumption as alcoholics. Mine, for sure, had become an unmanageable life in every way and I was hanging on by the thinnest of threads when I finally quit.
I am a dedicated AA er and there are other programs people use successfully to get and stay sober- my important factor (like others find) is that I have a plan of action, and a program I follow and which has become more and more instinctual as I have progressed. Help IRL and on here is a huge part of my journey.
You can quit and stay quit- for yourself, your girls, your very LIFE.
Hope to see you around!
We all have different stories, with a common denominator - our lives are better without alcohol, because we could not control our consumption as alcoholics. Mine, for sure, had become an unmanageable life in every way and I was hanging on by the thinnest of threads when I finally quit.
I am a dedicated AA er and there are other programs people use successfully to get and stay sober- my important factor (like others find) is that I have a plan of action, and a program I follow and which has become more and more instinctual as I have progressed. Help IRL and on here is a huge part of my journey.
You can quit and stay quit- for yourself, your girls, your very LIFE.
Hope to see you around!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: South Australia
Posts: 18
I really appreciate your support. I like the suggestion of taking drinking out of the equation. I quit the cigarettes almost four years ago and I remember my mindset was that I would not ever smoke a cigarette again....no.not.ever. So fair I've succeeded.
End of day one hasn't been too bad.
To be honest. 😊
End of day one hasn't been too bad.
To be honest. 😊
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: South Australia
Posts: 18
I really appreciate your support. I like the suggestion of taking drinking out of the equation. I quit the cigarettes almost four years ago and I remember my mindset was that I would not ever smoke a cigarette again....no.not.ever. So fair I've succeeded.
End of day one hasn't been too bad.
To be honest. 😊
End of day one hasn't been too bad.
To be honest. 😊
Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 26
Hello Sunshineinoz. The way you describe where you live sound pretty great to me. The information you have received here is spot on. What you are doing will not come easy but from what I am seeing it is well worth it. I have spent 25 years of my life drinking but no more. This doesn't mean I don't think about wanting to sometimes at all. When I do I have to tell myself Do NOT DRINK above all. I have spent years thinking drinking was a cool thing to do. I am now147 days into realizing that it's not. Things are getting better by the day. You can do this as well. Want it for yourself every day. Best wishes in your fight against this.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 176
Hi Sunshine
I am close to the end of my 24 hours. I have had a rough past couple years and seeing how it all progresses. I quit drinking at about 42 and gradually took it up again at 65. I'm 70 now. I really didn't think I was an alcoholic until the last couple years could not be denied. I cannot moderate. So thankful for SR. Couple posts above I must go find.
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