Layali

Yeah! A year or two ago I was on here for my drinking. It took quite a few tries for it to stick. This time around, certain other habits have come back.... so I'm baaaaaack.. No it' didn't sound snarky at all btw!

Oh, for my ED.... well, I have a therapist, but I have to stop seeing her soon since it's run it's course. I don't think she's trained in ED's though I think she has personal experience. I was in an ED program several years ago but had huge issues with how they went about things and it wasn't very helpful for me. But I am seriously contemplating going back anyway....or at least looking around for a new therapist once I have to stop seeing the one I'm seeing.

Layali

Hi everyone - I think this is my real day one. Yesterday morning I found the bottle of pills that someone had been keeping for me and took 3. I did it without even thinking. As soon as I took them I was like wtf are you doing?!? I had plans to take St Johns Wort for the first time and everything. I don't know, it's like this instinct kicked in like "there are pills.... TAKE THEM QUICK!" Ugh. So I waited a few hours until taking the SJW.

Anyway so this is my first day NOT taking anything!!

MeSoSober

Hi DrunkenMess. You are definitely not alone.

I posted my quit-drinking plan here last December and then I didn't follow through on it, and back here I am.

I'm going to start journaling as a way of tracking my urges, and what I do about them, and whether it worked. Almost make it scientific. I didn't include journaling as part of my plan at the time, but I should have.

Since I'm coming off an "episode," I probably won't feel the urge to drink for a while. It always creeps back, though, and when I give in to it it's a catastrophe in the making.

Charlie'sWorld, a half-marathon on Sunday sounds pretty incredible to me -- I'm sure it would to a lot of people, even if it's falling short of your own expectations.

I know Dee always asks about and promotes plans, plans, plans to quit drinking. I'll always be interested in hearing about other people's plans too and what you're doing today to stick to them. I'm sure it will help me, maybe it will help others. Maybe more ideas equals more actions and more success?

Wishing everyone a great and sober day!

biminiblue

My plan was super simple in early days. Well, it still is - four years later.

"I will not pick up a drink today, no matter what happens."


All the rest of it falls/fell into place as long as I got that one bit correct.

I don't drink. That means I don't walk down the beer aisle, I don't take free tastes of wine, I don't buy it and I don't put it in my mouth.

I spent a lot of time on this site in early days - and I was an at-home-in-front-of-the-computer drinker so there were some challenging moments.

I don't drink. Simple, not easy. It gets so much better. I hope you all make it stick - give it a year, you won't be sorry. You will be amazed.

MeSoSober

"I will not pick up a drink today, no matter what happens."

That sounds like a great mantra, which I think can definitely be part of my plan. Is that how it worked for you?

Experience tells me I need something more in the way of a plan, but I'm glad you shared. I'm an at-home drinker too.

You are so right about other things falling into place with sobriety. That's my goal.

DreamCatcher17

I have not had a drink in 19 days. I am loving this new life, waking up clean and fresh, working out, eating right and controlling my temper better than I used to.

I am so thankful for everyone who posts here. Y'all keep me somewhat sane

I am sad when I see a relapse, even though those posts really help me remain sober. Starting over and over is just not an option for me. My day 1 has come and gone. I pray all those still suffering from their addiction can find the acceptance that they are addicts and have the strength to stop the Day 1 cycle.

Peace y'all!

waxfruit

Just want to check in and say I'm on day 2... shaking shaking shaking, but I'll push thu. See you after work.

beerbgone

Hi everybody. I'm a member of the March 2016 class but I would like to join this class also. My birthday was yesterday and it was a new day 1 for me so I think it's just fitting that I join up with you guys!

Horatio48

Hello All. Not a great day today. There is a bottle of vodka in the house kept safe and hidden by my wife for guests. Some guests came for dinner and had a few drinks. I looked at it. I didn't want to drink. And I didn't drink. But I felt that eventually I would. It was inevitable. Then a kind of sadness enveloped me. It was like I was anticipating a defeat. Anyhow, for the moment I will focus on October. Still keeping it sober.

rmeatgt350

Man, have I ever been there. I actually got to where that feeling kind of emboldened me, it made me angry at alcohol and oddly enough, that has helped a lot.

Anyhow, day 8 here. If I can keep it up 10 more days it'll be the longest I've gone in 7 years. One day at a time!

waxfruit

I've been sitting here reading stories and getting ready for my dads 87th bday and what I'm going to have to deal with tonight. They all drink and it's not that i want to have a drink, it's the clarity of the dysfunction in my family that's giving me anxiety. I haven't spoken to my sisters in almost 4 years. My brother will be constantly asking me to drink with him, no matter how manytimes I've expressed my demons w/ alcohol abuse and my boundaries,....he doesn't get it as I believe he is an active addiction, but right now I need to super selfish. This is about my sobriety. I need to walk away as soon as I feel any pressure. Thinking out loud. Glad to have this forum.
Kind of freaking out.

BrightenMeUp

Checkin in. Day 9. Really tested today but hangin tough. Keep up the great work friends!!!

waxfruit

Also, those like me who haven't slept much, I took the advice of a member and listened to the classical instrument channel on pandora last night and it put me to sleep. Every time I woke up, I put it back on and got 6 hours of sleep..
It also is soothing to the mind.

bobdrop

I'm not sure what the difference is between this thread and the main one, but I have been surprised by other things on SR, so why not see what this is all about. Maybe someone can fill me in on this.
A little about myself. I started drinking at 18 and drank heavily until age 35 when diagnosed with heart disease. Went 5 years without drinking and heart recovered somewhat. Then drank for another 17 years. Tried to stop a few months ago and made it through 1 month but have relapsed a few times since then. I am finishing day 2 and feel optimistic based on what I've learned on this site.

BrandNewLife

That’s a really good way to look at it. It’s so true; alcohol adds nothing good to life. The times we think we enjoy it, it’s really just the circumstances - good times with friends and family. Those can be even better with the alcohol removed. For one, you can actually remember the event! And not spend days recovering.

I think that’s what had tripped me up in the past. The rationalizing of “nothing bad will happen with just ONE!” And then I’m able to stick to 1, but within a week I’m back to drinking every day.

So I’m going to change my thinking to yours, thank you! Nothing good will come from drinking. It only takes. Dehydration, inhibition, judgement, your soul - everything is destroyed in its path. The only gains are regret, shame, and a hangover. NO THANKS!!

BrandNewLife

Welcome bob! The class threads are to connect with others also quitting in that month. It helps to have others to commiserate with and share successes. Post as much as you like! Check-in if you can at least every day. It really helps to unpack your thoughts and reflect on how the day is going.

BrandNewLife

Great! Keep knocking down those demons I know what you mean about the pills. It’s like you don’t even have time to think before your hands take over, total auto pilot. I hope you got rid of them! Don’t need the temptation. My psych also recommended SAM-E supplements instead of St. John’s Wort if you find those aren’t working for you.

That’s interesting, what do you think could be different for the ED program?

Dee74

Its a support thread for everyone quitting this month Bob. It differs from threads in the main section I guess by virtue of the fact there's a group dynamic here, and most of the posters are more or less at the same point

I think you'll come to find it pretty valuable.

Welcome BBG

Horatio - there need be nothing inevitable. I drank for 20 years. I stopped. Now I've been sober for ten.

The world didn't change, but I did - I made a serious commitment to keeping drinking off the table as a viable option.

I made a plan to come here first if I thought of drinking, and I built a little network of support and some good ideas to change my thinking from passive 'it's inevitable I will drink' to determined 'I will not drink again'.

There's some great ideas on recovery plans here - recommended reading for everyone

https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...ery-plans.html (Psst...wanna know why I'm always recommending recovery plans?)

D

MeSoSober

Hi bobdrop!!

I had to review a presentation about complacency today and I couldn't help relating it to all the times I started drinking again after months of sobriety. I think I know how to guard against getting complacent, but I don't follow through on those things like I should for whatever reason. It's like committing to a New Year's resolution that you're all amped up and motivated about in the beginning, and then a few weeks later . . .

I don't have the answer but I'm sure it's to be found here among all of you.

Thanks for being there today. Stay strong.

clearlyheaded

Checking in on day 4. I'm one big pile of crab today. My fitness tracker logged 1 hour of deep sleep and 6 hours of light,restless sleep for me last night due to non-stop coughing. I even took a night time cough medicine before bed. It didn't help one bit. I finally put vicks rub on my chest and bottoms of my feet, and that seemed to help a little. I made it through work, and am counting down until bedtime. Hoping for a much better night tonight. Kiddo has to practice her clarinet tonight and is struggling with the upper register. Not looking forward to that... anyway, just thought I should check in before AV gets it little voice in my ear.

Hope everyone is well, and welcome to the newcomers.