freedomfries

So a lot of people are saying to me I should go to rehab. Which ok I've been drinking mouthwash on Antabuse and hand sanitizer so maaaaybe they have a point. It's not really possible though at this time because of covid and finances. I also went to treatment before and I drank more after leaving so I don't want to spend €1800 I don't really have on it if it might not even help.

I was thinking I could just do my own little rehab. I mean I've already been to treatment, I know what it's about. I could do an AA meeting each day and a SMART meeting each day, do work therapy (say cleaning the house) for three hours a day and meditate for a half hour each morning and night. That's pretty much what treatment was plus a lot of Jesus stuff that I'll leave out.

So today is day 1 of my sobriety and day 1 at home rehab. Here's what my schedule is going to be.

7-7:30am: Meditation

9-11:30am - Work Therapy

12-1pm: AA meeting

2-4:30pm: Work Therapy

6-6:30pm: Meditation

7:30-9pm: SMART meeting

Dee74

Hey FF
if you can work out a framework that works, good on you.
I think what you need, besides an daily itinerary, is a plan detailing what exactly you can do next time the urge to drink hits you.

D

freedomfries

I mean, I guess all I can do is not pick up that first drink? Or try to think back on how horrible I felt from the Antabuse half an hour after I drank. I was begging for the horrible anxiety and heart racing to end. I never wanted to drink again. I should look back on my posts about it when I feel like drinking.

Dee74

Look at Urge Surfing in this link

https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...-cravings.html (CarolD's tips for cravings)

lots of other good ideas too

D

TiredCarpenter

FF: It is good to have a plan.
As you go, you might find the need to tweak some of the schedule a bit.

Not a big deal, really, bit I’m thinking you’ll have the cleanest house in town after the first two weeks.

Some of the work therapy time could turn into a learning slot. MOOCs (massive open online courses), webinars relating to your future field of study (bit of a jumpstart) even some Ted Talks stuff on items related to addiction.
Personal growth is always rewarding.
For me, I feel the need to be moving forward, even in small measure.

Stay well freedomfries! I wish you well on your recovery.

freedomfries

Now that I think of it, work therapy didn't really start until week 3 of rehab. I'd just be in detox at this point.

Yeah there's lots of things I could be doing in work therapy. Will think about it over the next two weeks.

Today I'll just focus on not drinking and get to my two online meetings.

Lines

Never heard of work therapy. The treatment center you went to said work was therapy? Mine said I needed to relax.
good on you for planning to stay busy. How about adding in some daily exercise? Always helps me both physically and mentally. Plus, its work.

ReadyAtLast

Hi freedom. Maybe see your doc6or again. The antabuse isnt stopping you drinking and so dangerous with mouthwash and hand sanitizer. Maybe they can help you too . Good to see you back posting.

aasharon90

Have you removed the mouthwash and handsantizer from
your home? Anything and everything containing alcohol in it?

When I entered rehab and recovery, my spouse removed
all the alcohol in the home before I returned home after 28
day living in a controlled environment and getting the toxic
poison out of my system.

Even tho that was gone when I returned home, I was still
there with me. Where ever I go, I will be there. I certainly
didnt trust myself for a long time.

I had to work on my own personal demons and issues
where I used alcohol to numb my feelings, to not face
situations that baffled me. I had an inside job that needed
working on.

That's where a program of recovery, a guideline to living
life, correcting mistakes to not repeat them, failures, resentments,
and so much more that I use to turn to alcohol to help solve
them.

When alcohol caused more harm than good, change had
to be learned in order to achieve recovery and sobriety success.

Continue learning, listening, absorbing and applying many
recovery lessons to your everyday followed by humility and
humbleness, just a few of lifes rewarding gifts waiting for you.

D122y

The routine thing is my therapy.

Work is huge.

Some people work 2 jobs their whole life.

Some of them get rich. No time to drink as well.

I have a routine as well, it varies but it tends to involve way too much tv.

I have been trying to learn the guitar.....for 7 years.

Embarrassing.

I should b e playing like Van Halen by now. I keep having to relearn the basics because I forget between practices.

Most good musicians practice for several hours a week. To them it is not practice, it is love.

Anyway....

The routine definitely gets old and I need enough variables to not relapse. Even at 5 years clean, I get tempted.

I don't drink any more, but the av is still floating around. I will always be sober, but the damage is done.

I wish I could just swat the av dead like a fly.

I feel and look great. Things just seem to sometimes bother me and i used to try to drink them away.

Now I have other strategies.

Gratitude, acceptance, kindness, forgiveness etc. Beautiful words and actions.

Thanks.

Reid82

For me, this is the way I view it- if you want to stop drinking and I mean really want to stop, then everything else will fall into place for whatever
way you use to stop, AA, Rehab, SR, etc. I didn't have the real desire for a long time. Once I found it, then things fell into place.

shakeel

I also did a home rehab thing several times, it can work. I think the one thing you have not mentioned from you experiment is whether the door is open or locked. in other words, can you leave the house anytime you want.
If you are trying this out for a certain amount of time like a rehab say 28 days, then you should not have the freedom to leave the house anytime you want. That's what I did, I was locked in until I completely detoxed physically and mentally.
each person's recovery is different just as each one of our drinking "career" was different.
I try not to pigeonhole myself in AA mentality even though I use AA, SMART, CBT, counseling, Mindfulness...etc.

TiredCarpenter

Nice post D122y.

Anna

Making a plan for what you will today and the next few days is a really good start.

It would also be helpful to make a plan for how you will move forward and remain sober. Maybe you could write down some specific things to do when you have a craving.

PuckLuck

The rehab I went to took us to a horse farm to work and help out once a week. We went there in the morning for a few hours.

Teaches responsibility and work ethic. I dunno about you but work was not in my vocabulary when I was drinking.

Also it was a chance to get outside and the place was surrounded by gorgeous mountains.

59Woodwall

Just checking in to wish you the best of luck with your new plan and see how you first day went with AA and smart meetings?

Hope it went well anyway! Have a nice evening!