1st day sober
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 4
1st day sober
Hello all,
I am new to the forum. I am a 27 year old male who has finally decided to quit drinking. I have lost numerous jobs and ruined two beautiful relationships because of my alcohol abuse. I am not an every day drinker but when I drink I will go on a 3 day bender and not now how or if I will stop.
I lost my driving licence through drinking and have been hospitalised throug drinking. I have always known I have a problem but was slays too scared to ask for help or face up to it.
Any advice or tips would be most welcome.
Thanks
I am new to the forum. I am a 27 year old male who has finally decided to quit drinking. I have lost numerous jobs and ruined two beautiful relationships because of my alcohol abuse. I am not an every day drinker but when I drink I will go on a 3 day bender and not now how or if I will stop.
I lost my driving licence through drinking and have been hospitalised throug drinking. I have always known I have a problem but was slays too scared to ask for help or face up to it.
Any advice or tips would be most welcome.
Thanks
Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Texas
Posts: 341
Hi, Charles -- You've come to the right place. There's lots of support here.
I, too, lost a lot to my alcohol habit. I've been sober for more than a month now (with one minor slip) and it's amazing how quickly one starts to feel better after quitting.
You can get a new job, and relationships can be repaired, but I hope you hang in for the sake of your health. Your liver will thank you.
Good luck to you!
I, too, lost a lot to my alcohol habit. I've been sober for more than a month now (with one minor slip) and it's amazing how quickly one starts to feel better after quitting.
You can get a new job, and relationships can be repaired, but I hope you hang in for the sake of your health. Your liver will thank you.
Good luck to you!
To get sober for good, you have to want to be sober more than you want to drink. I hope we can help you. Forum Leader
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
Welcome to SR Charles, very glad to hear you've made the decision to quit once and for all. It was a very liberating feeling for me when I did so, I hope you feel the same way. It's a bit scary at first of course, but you'll find a ton of support and understanding here.
As far as advice, I'd say first off make an absolute commitment that drinking is not an option at all anymore. Not even one sip. I was an everyday ( all day ) drinker but binge drinking in streaks like you mention is very common too.
The other advice i'd give is to have a plan. Don't just expect to be able to simply "quit drinking" and have all the other issues in your life magically dissapear. Certainly quitting will solve a lot of them, but most of us have some underlying issues we tried to escape with alcohol. There are very structured sobriety plans like AA, Smart, LifeRing, etc that have face to face meetings - and others like AVRT that are very self paced and internalized. In any case, I think that being around others who face similar struggles is key - whether that's being at meetings or spending time here on a forum like SR. Addressing the other underlying issues is important too, and sometimes we need to seek professional help for those as well.
As far as advice, I'd say first off make an absolute commitment that drinking is not an option at all anymore. Not even one sip. I was an everyday ( all day ) drinker but binge drinking in streaks like you mention is very common too.
The other advice i'd give is to have a plan. Don't just expect to be able to simply "quit drinking" and have all the other issues in your life magically dissapear. Certainly quitting will solve a lot of them, but most of us have some underlying issues we tried to escape with alcohol. There are very structured sobriety plans like AA, Smart, LifeRing, etc that have face to face meetings - and others like AVRT that are very self paced and internalized. In any case, I think that being around others who face similar struggles is key - whether that's being at meetings or spending time here on a forum like SR. Addressing the other underlying issues is important too, and sometimes we need to seek professional help for those as well.
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,476
Hi Charles,
Welcome and I'm glad you know that you need to stop drinking.
It's always a good idea to come up with a plan to help you get through the days and weeks ahead. For me, I had to make lifestyle changes to help support my recovery. It's a good idea to stay from situations involving alcohol until you feel stronger. What do you think you can add to your life to help yourself stay sober?
Welcome and I'm glad you know that you need to stop drinking.
It's always a good idea to come up with a plan to help you get through the days and weeks ahead. For me, I had to make lifestyle changes to help support my recovery. It's a good idea to stay from situations involving alcohol until you feel stronger. What do you think you can add to your life to help yourself stay sober?
Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 42
I had tried to stop drinking for years. This time it was different (116 days sober). This time I was honest with myself and wanted to quit drinking for me. Obviously, my not drinking will benefit everyone around me, but ultimately I had to want to stop. I always thought of every excuse to continue drinking. I was just sick and tired of being sick and tired. Good luck in your journey.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Adelaide, Australia
Posts: 28,647
Welcome Charles. SR is a safe and supportive community. There is a lot of info at SR, on getting a recovery plan going- a routine- getting support, what to do with cravings etc. Being prepared is half the battle. Also meetings are a good idea. My sobriety is good- to the moment I am living in- I have to be constantly on guard with booze. So avoiding situations where there is booze and I do not feel okay...professional support also- for me - a must- b/c I have depression amongst other things. Coping with stress with mindful breathing, seeing a psychologist and learning how to better cope with life by using CBT techniques, journal writing, exercise (which I need to do more of), AND the one often most forgotten
HALTS
If you are
Hungry
Angry
Lonely
Tired/Thirsty
Sad/Stressed
fix it- or work put how to fix it.
For the lonely one- if I isolate and hide at home something is wrong- so I make myself go out- even just to walk around a mall, or a library.
Support to you, keep posting.
HALTS
If you are
Hungry
Angry
Lonely
Tired/Thirsty
Sad/Stressed
fix it- or work put how to fix it.
For the lonely one- if I isolate and hide at home something is wrong- so I make myself go out- even just to walk around a mall, or a library.
Support to you, keep posting.
Community Greeter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,537
Hello and welcome to a great place, Charles.
I knew at 27 that I didn't drink like other people. One drink always led to getting drunk & binging. I did nothing about it though - and went on to nearly destroy my life as a much older person. This won't happen to you. I'm so glad you've made the decision to get free of it. We're with you.
I knew at 27 that I didn't drink like other people. One drink always led to getting drunk & binging. I did nothing about it though - and went on to nearly destroy my life as a much older person. This won't happen to you. I'm so glad you've made the decision to get free of it. We're with you.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 4
Hi guys,
Thanks for all the kind messages. I知 very shakey and dreading work and human contact. I e felt this way many times before and I知 so sick of it.
What痴 making it even harder is the thought that I知 alone as my girlfriend has left me.
Thanks again
Thanks for all the kind messages. I知 very shakey and dreading work and human contact. I e felt this way many times before and I知 so sick of it.
What痴 making it even harder is the thought that I知 alone as my girlfriend has left me.
Thanks again
Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: MN
Posts: 8,704
Right now I think it would be wise to focus on yourself. You have some work ahead of you and it will require your full attention. Quitting drinking for an alcoholic is simple, but not easy. But it can be life changing for the better. Wish you the best.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: California
Posts: 13,036
Welcome to SR!! This link will help you start to think about a recovery plan. Also, spend some time reading on here and post daily, it really helps!!
https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...very-plan.html (What exactly is a recovery plan?)
https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...very-plan.html (What exactly is a recovery plan?)
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 4
Thanks again for all the comments. Being on this forum has been really helpful. It weird how just chatting to strangers can help so much.
Day four now and feeling pretty good however had small cravings last nights as I normally only last about 3 days and then will drink from Thursday through to Sunday.
But feeling positive that I知 not going to go down that route again
Day four now and feeling pretty good however had small cravings last nights as I normally only last about 3 days and then will drink from Thursday through to Sunday.
But feeling positive that I知 not going to go down that route again
Ocean Lover!
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: You know nothing Jon Snow - UK
Posts: 2,604
Why don’t you join the weekender thread which is a great thread to hang in over the weekend for support. Weekends can be tough in the early days and it’s been great for me to have somewhere to chat and keep busy with a lot of lovely people who get how tough it can be. Best of luck and take care! xx
Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 14
I know what helped me in early sobriety was to have a plan. Not a long term plan, but a plan for today. I anticipated the things I might have to face in the next 24 hours and made a plan on how to tackle those things without using alcohol. If the plan works I might use it again tomorrow. But I'm not drinking today.
I'm rooting for you!
-John
I'm rooting for you!
-John
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 4
One week sober today.
Hello all, made it through the weekend, even went to the pub for lunch and had a coffee which is unheard of for me.
Feel so much better for it, this time last Monday I had the fear, was shaking, sweating, unbelievably anxious.
Thanks guys
Hello all, made it through the weekend, even went to the pub for lunch and had a coffee which is unheard of for me.
Feel so much better for it, this time last Monday I had the fear, was shaking, sweating, unbelievably anxious.
Thanks guys
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