Corvair63

Nathan here. Been lurking off and on around the forums for quite awhile. I decided today is the day and I’m probably going to need some help.

A little history: I started drinking consistently while in college. A couple after work to end the day no big deal. As we all know that amount grew. At the worst of it, I was getting fall down drunk just about every night. I moved in with my now wife and it decreased to every third night while she was at work. She changed jobs and the drinking decreased to every other weekend. Every once in awhile I would hide a bottle in the couch during the week. Present day… it has gotten worse. Lying, hiding bottles, getting black out drunk during her work weekends, yelling at her on Christmas Eve(not proud of that one)etc

I have been tired of it for a long time and I’m ready. This is going to be my rock bottom. I am basically on my own on this, so this forum will be one of my outlets. I have a 12 step book and a local meeting picked out. I don’t know if that’ll be enough but that’s what I’m going to start with. I started the sobriety clock app this morning. I have a prescription for campral and a call into my dr for additional meds. Time to start the climb.

My name is Nathan and I am an alcoholic.

(this submit button is a real bugger)

slayingthedrago

Welcome Corvair- I was right where you are at back in July of this year. I commend you on your decision, it is a big and important one for the rest of your life. I too, sought out meetings, my dr. and added an addiction counselor. The meetings are working very well for me once I submitted and surrendered. The first week was lousy for me...emotions all over the place, no sleep, irritable and tired...but it got better and the light in the tunnel gets closer and brighter with time. Be patient and kind to yourself...there is no rushing this process nor quick fixes...I send you strength and peace.

Obladi

Welcome, Nathan. And congratulations on your decision.

Getting sober can be awful hard; staying that way was extremely challenging for me. Take good care of yourself and strap on your seatbelt. You’ll do fine as long as sobriety is a prerequisite in your life.

As they say in the rooms, keep coming back - we need you.

O

Anna

Welcome, Nathan, and I'm glad you decided to post. You will always find lots of support and understanding here.

RecklessDrunk

By 12 step book I guess you mean the 12 & 12. Also there is the big book of AA. There are many free copies of this available online. Any of the reading is easy to find with a Google search because we want it that way. Free and everybody to have it. Our sobriety depends on trying to get you sober and we can't put a price on our sobriety. Without sobriety money only accelerates our destruction.

Around 5 minutes before a meeting starts there will probably be a few people hanging around the entrance. We are waiting for you. We come from every background and every profession you can imagine. We are homeless bums, rock stars, actors, athletes, accountants, iron workers, truck drivers, programmers, plumbers, etc. We drink all kinds of ways from the daily vodka drinker to the weekly or monthly binge drinker.

The key to look for in a meeting is how much we have in common. This is what surprised me the most in those early days. I thought I was going to be some kind of exception. Yeah but my anxiety, my depression, my loneliness, my love of alcohol.

Definitely check out the doctor's opinion in the big book.

Jack16

Welcome Nathan. Wonderful to have you here. Keep posting and you can definitely nail this

Mizz

Welcome! Lots of good support here. You can change your life. Take it day by day and use all the tools you can find!

Corvair63

Thank you everyone. Yes it is the 12 step 12 traditions. I have been talking to my wife this morning. Same song and dance as all of the other times… makes me feel like a pile of ****. I keep telling myself I’m not and just need some help. She agrees. What do you guys do to get out of your head? Also, have any suggestions on how to relearn to do things sober?

dustyfox

Welcome Nathan, great decision. Like all of us here alcohol is not good for your life or happiness or relationships.

Dee74

Welcome Corvair

I think it’s a process…I was obsessive about my drinking - most of us were - so it will take a little time for those obsessive thoughts (about drinking and not drinking) to fade, but they will.

The shame and guilt is normal too. I found the more time and emotional distance I put between my old life and my new sober one, the easier that got too.

Learning to live and do things sober is a challenge too but the more you do it, the easier it becomes.

Support helps - and you’ll find a lot of that here

Come check out the Class of January 2002 support thread. Its for everyone quitting this month.
https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...-part-one.html

D

Free2bme888

Take a shower
Clean a junk drawer
Talk a walk in nature
cuddle a pet
read a book
fix something in the house you’ve been putting off
take a nap (lots of those)
read and post here
reorganize your half of the dresser
color code hand stuff in closet
cry
punch a pillow
eat Ice cream

ANYTHING but drink

you got this

Hevyn

Nathan - I'm so glad you posted. I stopped drinking after 30 yrs. due to the friendship & understanding I found here.
You can get free and stay that way. I never thought it would happen for me, but here I sit - sober on New Year's Eve.

(Loved my Corvair)

VikingGF

What Free2bme88 said...

Welcome Corvair, you are in the right place. Stay close and good job on hitting that submit button.

RaggedyMan

Welcome Corvair... SR will give you great support.

Corvair63

Heading into day 2. Last night was, as expected, broken sleep and “dreaming.”

I’m alone today, since my wife is at work. These are the days I struggle the most. Plus, the weather isn’t nice this weekend so I’m basically stuck inside. Perfect storm for my excuse to drink. The house was purged of all alcohol so I would have to leave to go buy any. My plan is to stay at home.

I’ll be on here off and on all day, so say hi. Happy New Year everyone!

Corvair63

thank you hevyn. So far I like here and I think it’s going to help me. I don’t ask for help often so I’m treading new ground. What kind of Corvair did you have? Mine is a 1963 coupe white with teal interior. Dual carb and auto trans

Willdoit

Thanks thats a good list , when a trigger comes read that list...

Zebra1275

I finally got sober after many attempts, using this website on a daily basis and finally giving up and going to AA. I also read a bunch of sobriety/recovery books from Amazon.

I strongly recommend that you join the January 2022 sobriety class on this website and post everyday.

The first few days/weeks weren't easy as I was trying to break old habits. But then I started to get into a groove. I will be coming up on 12 years sober this spring, so that's what worked for me.

Surrendered19

One of the things you should rethink Nathan is being "stuck" inside. You aren't. I find that getting outdoors for as long as I can each day is one of things that really clears my head. This morning it is -15f here with a windchill of about -30. But I geared up properly and hit the trail for a few miles. Outdoor enthusiasts often say there is no such thing as bad weather. There is just bad gear. Embrace the outdoors is one of the tools I suggest for everyone's tool box.

And by the way, welcome to SR. This is a great place to get some support and understanding.

Anna

Nathan, I know you can get through Day 2.