How does one start the sober life?
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,503
You just do it.
Start now, this minute. Get rid of alcohol you have in the house and don't buy more.
Make a plan for how to get through the early days of recovery.
Do whatever you can to distract yourself. Get outside and walk, call a friend, do whatever it takes.
Start now, this minute. Get rid of alcohol you have in the house and don't buy more.
Make a plan for how to get through the early days of recovery.
Do whatever you can to distract yourself. Get outside and walk, call a friend, do whatever it takes.
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,778
You decide that you want to be sober more than you want to drink, and you take action. Get rid of any alcohol you have and don't get any more. Make a sobriety plan and implement it in your daily life. You can do this! 
Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 514
The first few days for me were the easiest. I knew that alcohol was ruining my life and my health, I loathed it for the way it made me feel physically and mentally, how it had destroyed others' trust in me... the first few days of not drinking, I felt rejuvenated and happy with a commitment to a new life.
My advice to you is to right now, make a long list of the reasons you want to quit and all the ravages alcohol has had on your life. Make it graphic and detailed. I wish I had done this the first time I wanted to quit, because those feelings will fade, and that's when you are truly vulnerable to a relapse. It's kind of a scare tactic, but it's interesting the way the memory can distort things to be better or worse to suit what it needs/wants; and as alcoholics, our selective alcoholic memory wants to drink. You need to remember why you cannot drink ever again.
Make changes in your life, both big and small. Take a different route to work, start a new hobby, get a gym membership and take an exercise class... rekindle old friendships. These are things that will support you when you're feeling tempted. Are you open to AA? If so, that is a great option to go and voice your new commitment to people who have been exactly where you are.
You can do this, but not alone!! We're all here
My advice to you is to right now, make a long list of the reasons you want to quit and all the ravages alcohol has had on your life. Make it graphic and detailed. I wish I had done this the first time I wanted to quit, because those feelings will fade, and that's when you are truly vulnerable to a relapse. It's kind of a scare tactic, but it's interesting the way the memory can distort things to be better or worse to suit what it needs/wants; and as alcoholics, our selective alcoholic memory wants to drink. You need to remember why you cannot drink ever again.
Make changes in your life, both big and small. Take a different route to work, start a new hobby, get a gym membership and take an exercise class... rekindle old friendships. These are things that will support you when you're feeling tempted. Are you open to AA? If so, that is a great option to go and voice your new commitment to people who have been exactly where you are.
You can do this, but not alone!! We're all here
Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 1,312
I knew for a long time (over a year) that I needed to quit but I didn’t want it bad enough. Then one day, I wanted to be done drinking more than I wanted to drink and that was the day I quit. I woke up that morning and said, “I’m done”. We are here for you on your journey.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Eastern Us
Posts: 1,366
You can make this as simple or complicated you want. I stopped drinking by never swallowing alcohol again. Some like to go to meetings with other addicts, others just set it down and get on with life. But they both require you to stop swallowing alcohol.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 230
First day is easiest only withdrawals bad ... i just stopped and bear on my own . What i found difficult was psychological withdrawals : insomnia , anxiety , depression , fatigue , all the pains . There is article on Paws here. What i found not helpful was self pity and lack of acceptance. I lost all i loved or gave me pleausure . Grief and loss. Therefore, it took me couple of months active quitting to accept adversity of life. I realised if i do not accept that situation is critical and maybe not fair i ll be back to relapsing. So i improved the plan of recovery and decided only focus on recovery as simply if not achieve long time sobriety never recover from chronic fatigue and never be back to work . Maintanance is the key and hard work . I think it d be good to recognise why you used alcohol in first place ... what you tried to mask or numb. As when you quit those primary issues will be still there but you remove your fix so new tools need to be adopted. For me now is something i can do without money involvment like nature , a walk , picking up brambles in woods. Its new and hard. I miss horse riding , snorkeling abroad but i need to recover from alcohol and what it caused. I hope you have not so critical situation and family to support so it will be easier... more choices. I found a family here. Today i had cravings and i was very low . I drank water it kills craving and posted straight away and stayed reading ... staying determined to keep going. Mindfulness stay focused as mind can play a trick , impulse can come out of blue. Every recovery plan is different but there are some common tips on pathway to life long sobriety. Sober recovery offers awesome information. Use support and others. I am getting ready to start AA programme i feel it is next step. All the best . Hope it was a bit helpful. Keep posting how its going. All my support xD
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