Serper2014

I just can't seem to shake it. As my username implies I came here in 2014 looking for help, I was a bit narcissistic and I hope people don't hold a bad taste in their mouth from that addiction beat me down and beat me down for years. Although I will say that I've gotten for the first time recently some long stretches of sobreity. I went 86 days this time last year and I've had many 30+ day stretches. This would be a completely different conversation in 2015 in which my record was 11. So I've gained up a number of tools and I think I can give up alcohol for good (sober since 7/23/17) but the problem is when I stop drinking I end up using other substances at much higher levels. Caffeine Nicotine etc. My mind just can't seem to handle reality and it needs to learn to. So today I'm going completely clean, except for medications/ herbs recommended by my doctor . This will include a ban on caffeine as well. Any advice?

nmd

On the one hand, it's really simple. Don't drink no matter what.

I guess the trick is to realize we are in control and the only way to get sober is to get through it. Do what it takes to re-enforce our commitment. Some things suck and sometimes the best we can do is muddle through the suck. Know that it will be better on the other end.

90 days was big for me in that I felt most of the rewards of getting sober and wasn't craving a drink daily. It's also easy to think we can go back to moderating at that point which is dangerous . At around 10 months now, i can say that acceptance of never drinking again feels real. It's not some foreign concept or another person's life, it's real and feels good.

Best of luck, glad you are back!

Arpeggioh

I was just posting about this sort of thing in my little "Class Of" thread, literally minutes ago! Sure, I'm sober...and bingeing on cigarettes, coffee, and sugar like they're going to stop making the stuff.

I felt like it was 'acceptable' early on...but five months along, the old "at least I'm not drinking" thing is sounding tired. Meanwhile, I can barely breathe, and gaining back the weight I lost getting sober.

Best of luck to you -- I'm nine days on Wellbutrin, and have two boxes of nicotine patches...and scared to commit to a quit date, but I know it's coming; this is addictive behavior that needs to be addressed!

saoutchik

Congratulations on quitting Serper, my own advice would be to quit the smoking etc after about a month, you're halfway there already so it wouldn't be much longer, just a bit of a crutch to get you over the worst.

Dee74

Hi Serper

I had to commit to a position of dismissing alcohol as a viable option, no matter what, no matter why.

I was deathly scared of reality - or I thought I was. Turns out reality, after the initial adjustment phase, was not nearly as bad as I'd built it up to be.

If you have other addictions that flare up when you quit, it makes sense to me to get as much support and advice as you can on how you might handle that.

Have you considered seeing a counsellor at all?

D

PhoenixJ

Advice? What is working for me is regular check ups with my doc, going to meetings (4/week) and a regular session with a counsellor. Support and empathy to you.

ScottFromWI

Welcome back Serper. My advice would also be to first admit/accept that alcohol is not an option anymore, no matter what. Accept that there is something about your nature that will not allow you to drink any alcohol without negative consequences, even one sip. And accept that you can never change that part of you....so abstinence is the only solution.

Then make a plan to allow you to honor that pledge. Some of us need a lot of structure like what's found in meetings/steps. Others do better with self help programs. Some of us need counseling. Lost of us use online support like SR..it really can help when you do so on a regular basis. I hope this can be the time you put it all together.

Serper2014

Great advice guys, I've made it one hour.... onto the next one