RickV

Hi I'm new to the group, my last cocktail was 14 days ago. I have been drinking for years but up until the last few I have been out of control. I had been drinking a half gallon of rum every 3 days for a very long time. To give you an idea of my situation and mindset, I never drank in the morning and the thought of it has always been nauseating to me and I never drank during the day ever and never had the urge to, I never drink and drive. I never have, had or want a drink before 9PM. The only time I want a cocktail is later in the evening and during the work week I would drink from 9pm until 1AM and still make it to work albeit exhausted and feeling like crap. If I didn't have to work ie.weekends and during the COVID I would drink until 4,5,6AM and sleep all day and because slow construction as a subcontractor I haven't worked since January and then the COVID came into play and I haven't worked since so you can only imagine!!! I could and did easily sleep 14-16 hours a day if I didn't have to work. I had my last cocktail 14 days ago and decided to stop. I had been tapering off for about 2-3 weeks before that with the intention of quitting and knowing the possible deadly health consequences but should have gone to a rehab with medical on hand before stopping cold turkey as I went through heinous detox and withdrawls for 3-4 days and had my finger on the 911 speed dial several times during the first 3 days. After the 4th day things started to get better every day consecutively and during the whole time I was on a regimen of vitamins and elecrolytes as I am quite versed in the nutrients necessary while drinking. After 7 days I started to feel pretty darn good and feel great right now after 14. I only need 6-7 hours of sleep now and feel just fine afterward and have been very productive and motivated to get **** done around the house that had been neglected for several years. I am 54 and had been an athlete most of my life until about my mid to late 30's and yes I was drinking way too much then as well but nothing like the half gallon every 3 days like in the past several years. My big question is when does it get easier to not want a cocktail? I always want a cocktail later at night and never at any other time and am drinking way too much Diet Coke!!! LOL

Sammy1980

Welcome RickV.
I would have to say it gets a little easier to not want a cocktail with every month that passes. I am early in recovery about 8 months and my thoughts of having a cocktail only come about once a week and they are not very strong thoughts anymore.

D122y

SR taught me the brain damage is permanent. My anxiety, crave, ramped up for the first 6 months. I was going crazy. SR simply saved my life.

I didn't find this place until about 80 days clean.

Getting used to normal takes a long long long time. The whole time relapse looms.

Thanks.

Dee74

Hi Rick - Welcome

I dunno about you but I drank for years, 2 weeks is great but it's probably going to take a little longer for you to break the association with cocktails and certain times of the day.

Can you maybe vary your late night routine a little? some early nights maybe? late night exercise?

D

brighterday1234

It wasn’t really the alcohol I wanted but the oblivion that came with it. The desire for alcohol left when I no longer needed to escape my myself and this came through working a recovery program which created change.

Kaily

Welcome and well done on 14 days.

It gets easier little by little. I understand the drinking too much diet coke, my thing was ice cream. Do whatever it takes, except drink or else you will be right back at the start. You don't want that!

Maybe a few early nights, then you can get up early and go for a walk. It all helps.

Little steps to success.

Virituze2020

Hi, I think when you get used to doing the things that are out of your routine when you used to drink. Maybe try to do something mindful, like keeping a journal or some other hobby. Why not get on the floor and do some yoga (lots of great youtube videos to guide you)
it sounds to me like you're already doing great!!
Continued good luck!

fishkiller

I agree with Dee on changing your routine. We are creatures of habit.
For me I was done getting smashed a long time ago I just couldn't break the cycle. SR has helped me finally do that. Not so long ago I was buying exorbitant amounts of ice cream. Never ate ice cream when drinking. Get a craving, eat an ice cream. Beer and ice cream do not go well together so craving gone.

Cityboy

Congrats on two weeks rick!

I can only tell you what it's been like for me.

The first few days I couldn't think about drinking without feeling sick.

Then the habitual aspect was a problem, hitting the beer cave after work for decades. I would log onto SR for a little while before leaving the job site and stop for a tea instead which helped.

During the 30 to 60 day stretch it transitioned away from the old habits and moved to more of a deeper feeling of familiarity with certain things or events. For example, driving past a sports bar or having a PITA customer.

A little more than six months in now. Still think about it sometimes, but it's much easier.

With each victory, it gets easier.

For me at least, the habit of drinking was only a symptom. The causes were the anxiety, stress, resentment, fear, and guilt that piles on during the years of drinking and the lack of being able to process them appropriately and take the proper actions. Until you begin to address these factors, the whole thing will be a non starter.

Jim1958

I think it does get easier over time, but remember that you will still get cravings. Try to substitute another activity instead. I go for walks in the park. It does work, my weight is down and my blood pressure is better. Good job so far, keep going!

Anna

I agree with changing your routine. That was really helpful to me in early recovery. Make new routines and it will help to ease the desire to drink. Plan to do things that will support your recovery For me, it was probably a couple of months before I stopped wanting to drink.

MaximusD

Congrats on 2 weeks. Change your routine yes. A poster here whom I can't remember their name now said that they changed their whole garage set up (As that was where he/she drank)

Abraham

Fellow construction tradesman here, and x-rum drinker, and I know after several long term layoffs that time was not my friend. I did not spend my time at home wisely. I'm sure thats when my really bad drinking got started. Having all that time is hard. That said I quit while laid off and have not had a drink since. 13 months now. Been back to work for 12 months now. There is not magic timeline. I found it just gets a little easier every day. Hard to even recall now but I think after about 2 months it was way easier, and with me I had anxiety and I found that got alot better by about two weeks or a tad more. I feel great now and only crave a beer or cocktail maybe once every few months.

dwtbd

It got way easier for me when I realized that having the ‘want’ and simultaneously acknowledging it and ignoring it wasn’t causing Me discomfort , the discomfort was coming from IT. The IT or the want was pissed that I wasn’t indulging It , the desire.

When I decided I was going to quit , for good, all out abstinence, I found this place and learned about AVRT( great threads about those ideas here on SR, in the Secular Connections forums) the Technique showed me how to live comfortably with latent desire.

Glad you found this little corner of the interwebs, great community here, post, ask, read , return, wish you well and hope to see you around.

BarbieKen

Hi, My Sober Journey began when I was in a 3 Day Medical Detox, then I was in a Women’s Rehab for 30 days. BUSY, BUSY, BUSY!!! New routines, classes, therapists, exercising daily .... The House was run on the 12 Steps Program. AA Meetings Every single day /night. We also went to NA & CA Meeting for variety. Cleaning, cooking, & chore rotation weekly. 1st Week no seeing the family & no phone calls. NO Internet or cell phones allowed. I couldn’t leave to go anywhere, except for walking around the block, WITH a fellow addict, during lunch break.

In Rehab I was disconnected from everyday life. THE Focus was ME & my addiction, staying with other women addicts 24/7. Looking back now it was a gift. I truly never craved drinking in the beginning. I am one who gets into a comfy routine. So — shaking it up, turned out to be what I needed!

Since that 1st month of sobriety, I have continued my recovery path by attending (now Zoom) Meetings, being active in my Program & in service to others. At 5 months sobriety, discovered SR here, been coming every day since. I wouldn’t say I have craved alcohol . Of course, over 7 1/2 years I will surprise myself with how yummy that champagne looks at a Wedding. But, I use “tools” now, new skills I learned after quitting. They DO work.

I still remember my first surprise, reminding me I’m not cured of my alcoholism.I boarded my first cruise after getting sober and I was compelled (my crazy addicted brain) to go over to where the crew member was selling the Welcome Aboard cocktail. My heart was racing , totally unexpected. I just knew I needed to get to ASAP to a quiet spot & read some of my Big Book to calm my insides. I did just that, it was ok, I was ok.

Every single Relationship/Experience/ Life Event/ “Thing” is SO MUCH BETTER Not drinking or using. IT just IS.

I’ve heard it said a jillion times ..... NOTHING IS BETTER adding that alcohol/substance on top!

Best of everything to you on your Recovery Path.


P.S. Rick ... I was 55 when my journey started. I’ll be 63 in October, and will be 8 years sober November 12th! Yeah .... good stuff


Bobbi