If at first you don't succeed.........
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Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: NJ
Posts: 170
If at first you don't succeed.........
Hi all! Today is day 21 for me sober. This is my 4th serious attempt to stop drinking . I've done 2,3 and 4, months in the past, but have always started drinking again thinking that I can moderate successfully. Moderation, of course, does not work for me, and the "groundhogs day" starts all over again with hangovers, anxiety, regret, etc... My plan this time is to simply stay aware that moderating is not an option for me and not drink! It took me a handful of failed attempts to quit smoking, and now I can say I am a non-smoker (27 years), so I hope the same will hold true for alcohol.
For those of you contemplating quitting, just starting out, or even have a few weeks/months under your belt. I do want to recommend Allen Carr "Easy Way to Control Alcohol" and Annie Grace "The Naked Mind:Control Alcohol" I've listened to both as audiobooks. Those early days can be real tough and I found that both these, although have overlapping concepts, give a great "1-2 punch" that have make the early days of sobriety much easier for me. I do get an occasional craving or "what if" moment, but they are usually very short-lived. I have read the Allen Carr book before and did start drinking again after a few months. But that's on me for thinking alcohol was providing me some kind of benefit and that I can moderate......wrong!!! These books changed my perspective on alcohol and really helped me to get some sober time under my belt with little mental anguish. Of course there are no miracle cures out there for this, but these helped me a lot and wanted to share.
For those of you contemplating quitting, just starting out, or even have a few weeks/months under your belt. I do want to recommend Allen Carr "Easy Way to Control Alcohol" and Annie Grace "The Naked Mind:Control Alcohol" I've listened to both as audiobooks. Those early days can be real tough and I found that both these, although have overlapping concepts, give a great "1-2 punch" that have make the early days of sobriety much easier for me. I do get an occasional craving or "what if" moment, but they are usually very short-lived. I have read the Allen Carr book before and did start drinking again after a few months. But that's on me for thinking alcohol was providing me some kind of benefit and that I can moderate......wrong!!! These books changed my perspective on alcohol and really helped me to get some sober time under my belt with little mental anguish. Of course there are no miracle cures out there for this, but these helped me a lot and wanted to share.
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
One huge gift of sobriety that I've found is discovering that even if I could 'moderate' - I don't want to.... because life is precious and joyous and grand without alcohol at all and even 'moderating' takes away from that in my view.
You can do it!
You can do it!
Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 116
Welcome BetterLife, I like your name. 
I LOVE Annie Grace's book and I shall look for Allen Carr's book!
FreeOwl, I really hope an dlook forward to having the attitude you have that even if I can drink moderately life is just better without it. That's the attitude I am working towards.
I LOVE Annie Grace's book and I shall look for Allen Carr's book!
FreeOwl, I really hope an dlook forward to having the attitude you have that even if I can drink moderately life is just better without it. That's the attitude I am working towards.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 3,597
Originally Posted by FreeOwl 
One huge gift of sobriety that I've found is discovering that even if I could 'moderate' - I don't want to.... because life is precious and joyous and grand without alcohol at all and even 'moderating' takes away from that in my view.
You can do it!
You can do it!
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