SWB

Back again, it’s been some weeks since I have tried to stop. I feel like crap on a daily basis, and I’m tired of living a secret life and all of the energy it requires. Wish me like, it’s all I can do not to go out and buy booze for tonight.

Mattq2

Glad your back,
It’s a good day to quit. Just post and read here instead of going out. You don’t have to live like that anymore my friend. You can do it.

SWB

Thanks, I just need to actually try this time.

Mattq2

SWB,
I had to deal with not drinking in small increments. I concentrated on not drinking for that particular day. I planned out each day with as much detail as possible to keep me away from alcohol and the the things that triggered me. After awhile it’s not so hard and life gets better. In the evening when I would normally be drinking I was here reading. I know a lot of people have success with AA as well. Just find support that works for you. You don’t have to do it alone. Tons of options for you.

nez

It is much harder for me to figure out how to not do something, than it is to figure out how to do something. I fought for years to not drink. When I stopped fighting to not drink and instead surrendered to sobriety, good things started to happen.

There are tons of things I am not going to do today, like fly to the moon; but more importantly and a much smaller list is what am I doing today for my sobriety? Focusing my answer on do works for me.

thomas11

Half measures and efforts of less than 100% do not work in sobriety. its must be the top priority at least for awhile. Wishing you the best.

Obladi

SWB, glad you're back!
If all you do is not go buy booze today, that will be enough.

What works for me is keeping "now" in focus. Right now I'm not drinking. I'm pretty certain I also won't be drinking this evening. Tomorrow is another story - I'm not going to deal with it until tomorrow comes.

O

SWB

Thank you all for your insight and ideas.

decchemist

If you want sobriety you can have it.

I look back at the many times I should have wanted it but didn't. There were countless times I made such an idiot of myself I should have thought - stop! Wtf are you doing to yourself and what do you look like to those around you? My rock bottom could have been lower. I am grateful that it wasn't. Now I want it. And I'm keeping it.

BDTL

SWB there will be some folks waking up tomorrow with their eyelids sticking together and very sore heads with sick stomachs. Sounds like you are making a wise decision to wake up with a clear head and tummy that is thanking you. You can do this!

Dee74

welcome back SWB

any ideas on a plan - the nuts and bolts of how you will stay sober?

D

SWB

Just got back from a cookout with friends. The husband is an annoying alcoholic, and my girlfriend drank to much. That coupled with the anxiety of first day withdrawal was not fun, but I held it together and did not buy anything for tonight when I got home. I hope sleep will come easier that previous first nights.

WGlenn

Congratulations on making it through the cookout and not buying any alcohol. That's a huge accomplishment!

SWB

Truth be told my girlfriend has no idea at all. As far as she knows I’ve been sober for seven years, but had been secretly drinking heavily for a year. So not drinking at the cookout was easy.

Berrybean

I'd be surprised if your girlfriend had no idea at all. The number of times I've heard folk share about their secret drinking, and the realisation in sobriety that people around them DID know, but just knew better than to try and stop them when they knew they'd be fronted out with more lies, and nothing would change til they chose for themselves to stop anyway.

I found it a lot easier to not hang around with alcohol and people who were drinking heavily in early sobriety. Slippery people and slippery places and all that.

Do you have a plan for how to make your sobriety sustainable, and eventually comfortable? Sobriety without recovery can be pretty miserable.

BB

SWB

Right now, Day by Day. I’m at the advice of someone here going to practice gratitude, and just be a more positive person. I’m also switching up my routine as to what I do in the evening when I would have normally been drinking.

Berrybean

Gratitude is a surprisingly powerful tool.

BB

Delilah1

Welcome back SWB, and great job remaining sober yesterday. I found reading and posting on SR very helpful, especially in the first few months. Two threads that were very helpful were the 24 hour thread, and also the monthly classes.

What worked for you in the past?

SWB

Not much, in the past year early on I made it two weeks. Since the 2/3 days at most

Mattq2

Good for you, sounds like your making good progress. Keep up the good work.