Readygo

We went to a hotel party last night where they had complimentary drinks and that was HARD. My AV was screaming any kind of justification-it’s vacation, one night won’t hurt, you’re so in control now, the guilt won’t be that bad tomorrow, it’s free, you’re the only one who thinks you have any issue, 53 days is a good amount of time for just one day to drink.... Then something amazing happened because I have been really proud of myself and didn’t want to take it back. I watched and saw everyone (or mostly everyone) stop after one or two.

People seemed to drink more when I was drinking regularly 😉

The rest of the evening seemed so much more real. Not like I was fighting some urge, but that I felt so great about where I was mentally and not distracted with anything, and I got to spend today feeling great, going on walks around beautiful scenery, playing with my kids with no shakes and I have no guilt but instead a great bright feeling of happiness and accomplishment!

Vinificent

Congrats Ready! Doesn't it feel fantastic when you are victorious over the old AV??Its building sober muscles and it will be even easier next time.

Anna

53 days is great!

least

Glad you stayed sober and didn't give in to the voice telling you to drink.

wayforward

Your AV and mine must be friends. I got the "one night won't hurt, you're in control now" excuse today as well. I thought about how awful it would feel to have that stuff in my body again and quickly dismissed it.

I'm glad you stayed strong and were able to make that keen observation about how little everyone else was drinking. At the end of the day, you're out to socialize and talk and be HUMAN. No need to poison ourselves for that.

Dee74

I'm really glad readygo

D

tnek97

It's so great when you can enjoy the evening and not stress about "the next one."

DontRemember

That's great! Once I was serious about quitting and trying, I noticed that most others didn't drink as much around me either either(I just thought everyone was drinking the same amount). There were still a few that 'overdid' and guess who's "friends" those were? LOL

My only advice beyond 'not even one' is, don't get cocky/complacent..keep guard on those fleeting thoughts of 'one or two'. Slips/drinking can and do(es) happen when we least expect them and sometimes even planned,when we go to a place where 'everyone' is drinking....Just my experience.

Babescake

When does that urge stop? I'm up around your days and I still crave as intensely, every day. And I never even drank every day! 5x a week MAX and very rarely. More like 3. 4 at the end with only a skip day in-between.

DontRemember

Took me about 6-8mo..I still get a slight 'pull' with a steak dinner for "an ice cold beer with my meal"...I just don't. It's a no brainer if I'm out with non-drinkers,but I do and will continue to have drinking people in my life.. I'm around 14mo i think?

Pete6256

53 days is incredible.

Nice one!

tealily

What a great post. Thanks so much for sharing. Good for you for recognizing the AV lies and reaping the rewards! Of course no way would you have woken up the next morning and thought, “I wish I had given in and drunk last night.” (And it’s so true that most often people aren’t drinking nearly as much as we’d imagined.) Congratulations to you for seeing that. Keep it up!

Rar

Good for you! 53 days is awesome. Nice job!

PalmerSage

Love this post! 53 days is great...and the feelings do pass, that's one thing we can be sure of!

thomas11

Your a stronger person than me, I would have steered clear of something like that. Congrats on 53 days and resisting temptation.

MindfulMan

Excellent job.

I think it's crucial that you didn't just fight the urge, but took a step back and looked at it. Sat with it.

We learned in outpatient not to fight the cravings, but let them come and LOOK at them. We all found that they pass rather quickly if you don't judge them or yourself.

Also interesting to watch people have 1-2 drinks and then stop. They are not alcoholics. Not everyone who drinks is an alcoholic. We are.

But you can still have a good time. And I find I have a better time when alcohol isn't involved, even when I was in that only having 1-2 stage.

Step back and sit with THAT feeling. Nice, isn't it?

You are no longer a drinker. Congratulations!

DontRemember

What a great point! This was HUGE in my recovery! I had/have 'white knuckled' for a month or two,sometimes a day or two, in the past when I flirted with stopping and it wasn't until I actually saw what it was, did I feel 'ok' and kinda free from it all. Obviously, I know I can't/don't drink now. But, it was like a curtain raised for me(thanks to here,AA and some therapy) that I actually saw what drinking was. Weird looking back now at a bit over a year. Like I was a different person then.