Womble76

I wish I could drink in moderation but one glass of wine leads to an empty bottle which leads to a groggy morning and a sluggish tomorrow. One evening of wine runs into several evenings and then a couple of weeks have gone by and my recycling bin is suspiciously heavy and I'm wondering where my spare cash has gone.

I'm 11 days sober (probably a record for me) and my inner gremlin is telling me that one glass won't hurt. I've had the most amazing and productive 11 days that would never have happened if wine o'clock was still a feature but that gremlin is seductive. There's a bottle of very cold dry white wine in the fridge and each sexy little bead of condensation is luring me in.

Naively I thought that my productive high was a sign that sobriety was going to be easy and I'm bummed that apparently it's not. I haven't been on this forum for years but it looks like I'm committed to never drinking again so I guess I'll be here for a while. Hello...

doggonecarl

You don't drink anymore, so you might as well dump it out...right?

Womble76

A work colleague is having a birthday at the weekend so I'm gifting it to her on Friday. There's more drink in the house than just the one bottle but I won't touch them. :o)

Sohard

VinnyMcM

I gave up on moderation a while ago. I also tried to taper while trying to quit. Failed miserably. The sooner you realize you are not a “moderation drinker”, the easier the transition to sobriety will be. Good luck and stick around!

ShiftHappens

Wow womble76 do you think you can romanticize a bottle of poison a little more?

If you must, how about a glass pitcher of ice water so you can lust over droplets

Better yet stick a pic of someone sick with liver disease on the fridge.

You need to change your thinking big time

Womble76

Sorry, should I take down the post? I like the taste of wine and I don't think I'll ever change my thinking about a taste bud. If it wasn't a little enjoyable at the beginning it wouldn't be so hard not to go back to it I suppose?

ShiftHappens

I was poking fun, but just pointing out that thinking that way is just going to lead you right back to drinking eventually.

I dont know about you, but there was nothing sexy about my drinking at the end

Dee74

Hi Womble - welcome back

I never thought I'd accept never being able to drink again, or never miss it - but my drinking took me to such depths in the end it was an easy choice, drink and die....or not.

The good news is no one else needs to go that far. You can accept that you have a toxic relationship with alcohol and resolve to start building a sober life today.

There's nothing sexy about waking up in 3 weeks time cloaked in filth not knowing where you are how you got there or where your wallet went... but that's the reality of 'one glass' for a lot of us.

It was hard for a while for sure. but I stuck to the new road and I no longer crave a drink or think 'wouldn't that be nice' because I've worked hard at building a sober life I love.

You've been around - you know you're very welcome here - Newcomers is for people who want to quit as much as people who have quit.

I daresay all of us have romanced the drink at times, or willingly gone along with the lie that it'll be different this time.

I've never regretted leaving drinking behind.

D

Verdantia

Hey, Womble--I could never moderate; when it comes to alcohol, I don't possess an 'off' switch. It is far easier to simply not drink anymore. Eleven days is wonderful, and I urge you to keep on going. Sobriety is something that you will never regret, but drinking is way, way different. Wishing you the best on your sober journey.

least

It took me a while before I didn't miss it anymore. But I was determined to stay sober so I did, one day at a time. I hope you come to see that drinking isn't a reward at all, just a recipe for disaster.

I've been sober over 10 yrs now and never once have I woken up wishing I had drank the night before.

cantsleep123

I was exactly the same type of drinker as you. You are definitely making the right call. Keep up the good work!

Anna

Womble, I'm glad you've made this decision. We're here for you.

Derringer

Beer was my drink and I can still not have beer in the house.

My way of putting it is "they whisper to me" 🤣

The wife has her wine and vodka around and it may as well be prune juice for the amount of interest I pay it.

Dump the wine is my advice.

Delilah1

Hi Womble,

I attempted moderation in the past and failed miserably. I was also a wine drinker, and found myself romanticizing a glass of wine in the beginning.

However, I never had just one glass, and there is nothing attractive about drinking a bottle of wine each night. I am now four years sober and I don’t miss wine at all anymore.

You can do this, and I promise sobriety is worth it.

joe801

I tried moderation even though I hated the concept, having a couple of drinks didn't accomplish nothing other than drinking more until I passed out. I truly didn't want to moderate and truly couldn't moderate and had to give up on that suggestion.

Pour it out. The last time I bought beer after physically shaking at the cash register and embarrassed to the point of crying, I went home and literally poured 24 beers down the kitchen sink. That was the line in sand for me.

Welcome and yes you can do this.

lessgravity

Same join date as me W. Hope you can find the leverage to put down the drink for good. Moderation is a fool's errand. Those who can moderate don't need to, those who need to moderate can't.

There's a better life for you waiting to be had. Welcome back.

Admiral

There IS an element of it that's enjoyable, if it was a totally miserable experience this forum would probably be pretty empty. Let those thoughts be and then let them go. For me, lingering on thoughts about using has always been a troubling sign. Where there's smoke, there's sure to be fire close by.

For me, it helped to ask some clarifying questions. Here are some good one's to help you;

1) Are there other things that I enjoy the taste of? Do I crave and think about those things in the same ways that I do about my drug of choice? Would I feel deprived and irritated if I did not have those things on a regular basis?

2) If there was no alcohol in the drinks, would I still want them?

3) Try vowing to never drink again and never changing your mind. How does that make you feel? Do you feel the strong opposition and sense of fear that arises when you make that commitment?

Womble76

Thanks Admiral, interesting questions. I'm currently allowing myself a free pass on crisps, nibbles and diet soda but diet soda has to be the next to go because yes, I crave that too! Non alcoholic prosecco has a similar taste but doesn't tempt me at all. And yes, no more vino or alcohol for me. Can't drink, won't drink.

Where do members stand on wine in cooking? If the alcohol is boiled off in a casserole, stir fried or used when boiling a ham is that OK? I accept that things like sherry trifle or vodka jellies are off the menu :o)

brighterday1234