Finally broke the month mark!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2022
Location: Durham Ontario
Posts: 11
Finally broke the month mark!
I’m at 33 days today and it feels good.
Not sure if I’ll quit drinking forever. But this feels really good and don’t wanna mess this good feeling up that’s forsure.
Just wanted to do a post.
Have a great day/night
Not sure if I’ll quit drinking forever. But this feels really good and don’t wanna mess this good feeling up that’s forsure.
Just wanted to do a post.
Have a great day/night
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,378
congrats on 33 days 
All I can tell you on forever is no amount of time reset me in any way.
My relationship with alcohol always stayed the same - it was abusive and destructive.
Don't confuse abstinence for control....life is better in every way. now I'm sober.
D
All I can tell you on forever is no amount of time reset me in any way.
My relationship with alcohol always stayed the same - it was abusive and destructive.
Don't confuse abstinence for control....life is better in every way. now I'm sober.
D
Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 1,025
Congrats LA.
You can obviously try whatever you want, but I’ll second Dee in saying that my relationship with alcohol always converges to a bad place.
In my case I was sober for almost 2 years, completely changed my life for the better and started again. It was really nice for 1yr or so, but then it went downhill again, so for me it’s forever indeed.
I don’t feel like I’m missing out. It’s just another thing I don’t do.
You can obviously try whatever you want, but I’ll second Dee in saying that my relationship with alcohol always converges to a bad place.
In my case I was sober for almost 2 years, completely changed my life for the better and started again. It was really nice for 1yr or so, but then it went downhill again, so for me it’s forever indeed.
I don’t feel like I’m missing out. It’s just another thing I don’t do.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Baton Rouge, La.
Posts: 15,236
It was hard to comprehend "forever" which is why I
always returned to my addiction before entering recovery.
It took some education on addiction and recovery
to fully understand that addiction lives on forever
until I made a conscience decision to not pick up
a drink of alcohol one day at a time using a program
of recovery as a guideline to achieving continuous
sobriety for the last 30 something years.
33 days sober is a good start to your own journey
in recovery so keep going and don't let go of your
recovery support and lifelines.
always returned to my addiction before entering recovery.
It took some education on addiction and recovery
to fully understand that addiction lives on forever
until I made a conscience decision to not pick up
a drink of alcohol one day at a time using a program
of recovery as a guideline to achieving continuous
sobriety for the last 30 something years.
33 days sober is a good start to your own journey
in recovery so keep going and don't let go of your
recovery support and lifelines.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 5,162
I'll second Dee also, but I also understand that you may not be committed to lasting sobriety because I was like that too. It's a mistake, however. Sure you can go back to drinking as much or as little as you want, and I told myself all I wanted was to be able to have a little bit on extremely special occasions. I was sincere about it too. I wasn't lying about it to myself, not one bit. I just wanted a bit of wholesome participation when the occasion warranted.
But here's why it's a mistake in the simplest explanation possible. It doesn't work; Full stop! For an alcoholic, our best intentions, most sincere desires to use good judgement, or promises we make with the deepest sincerity just don't work. Alcohol abuse over the years has changed our body chemistry, and unlike normies, the biological process of processing alcohol in our livers releases a toxin that alcoholics can't break down as fast as a normie. We will actually need to drink to temporarily deal with the toxin (Acetaldehyde, a product of alcohol metabolism that is even more toxic than alcohol.), and while there is temporary relief from the drink, that next drink ends up adding even more toxin, which needs another drink, and the cycle goes on until we can't take anymore, at which time you are in a condition commonly referred to as "Blotto."
At this point, you can hope you are not really an alcoholic, and with a little bit of self control, you can be normal. I tried that one too. But like all the rest of my strategies to get this drinking thing down to reasonable levels, it didn't work.
Best of luck on your journey. We've been there. We know the misery of alcoholism, and joy of recovery. I hope you hang out here for awhile. I know that at his point the prospects available to you may seem dismal. But that changes in recovery. I love being sober every minute of every day. If you are like me, you will too.
But here's why it's a mistake in the simplest explanation possible. It doesn't work; Full stop! For an alcoholic, our best intentions, most sincere desires to use good judgement, or promises we make with the deepest sincerity just don't work. Alcohol abuse over the years has changed our body chemistry, and unlike normies, the biological process of processing alcohol in our livers releases a toxin that alcoholics can't break down as fast as a normie. We will actually need to drink to temporarily deal with the toxin (Acetaldehyde, a product of alcohol metabolism that is even more toxic than alcohol.), and while there is temporary relief from the drink, that next drink ends up adding even more toxin, which needs another drink, and the cycle goes on until we can't take anymore, at which time you are in a condition commonly referred to as "Blotto."
At this point, you can hope you are not really an alcoholic, and with a little bit of self control, you can be normal. I tried that one too. But like all the rest of my strategies to get this drinking thing down to reasonable levels, it didn't work.
Best of luck on your journey. We've been there. We know the misery of alcoholism, and joy of recovery. I hope you hang out here for awhile. I know that at his point the prospects available to you may seem dismal. But that changes in recovery. I love being sober every minute of every day. If you are like me, you will too.
Member
Join Date: May 2019
Location: UK
Posts: 3,926
I’ll third Dee and Dri. If anyone’s become addicted to alcohol, and it looks like you have I’m afraid, LifeA, the only option is to stop. If not, you’ll revert to previous levels within weeks. In fact, whenever I had a few weeks off drinking, I resumed where I left off but with higher amounts. I’m not daft or mentally ill, I’m an addict with the irreversible brain chemistry of an alcoholic. Looking back, those weeks I had off were of little benefit. I didn’t improve in any way physically or mentally, and I knew I’d drink again soon. It was only after repeated attempts, i realised that quitting was the only way. Believe me, I went on the internet and read countless research papers on this topic hoping to find success stories of reformed drinkers who can moderate. There are no success stories out there. The only successes are amongst those who quit forever.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: NC
Posts: 5,153
33 Days is Great!
Good Work!
The forever part was difficult for me to comprehend also.
Someone here told me not to worry about forever Just Don't Drink Today.
Man that took a lot of stress off of me. Forever seems like, well forever. Today is a short period of time. Much easier to digest.
Then after a while, like you, I got to the point where I was feeling good and didn't want to mess it up so Just Don't Drink Today turned into I Don't Drink Anymore. No Matter What.
Not, I have to quit drinking forever.
Simply, I Don't Drink Anymore. No Matter What.
Please don't think we are piling on you it's just that we know where those thoughts lead and hate to see anyone fall for the AV lie of, "maybe we can control this after a while".
Don't worry about forever.
Live for today.
Good Work!
The forever part was difficult for me to comprehend also.
Someone here told me not to worry about forever Just Don't Drink Today.
Man that took a lot of stress off of me. Forever seems like, well forever. Today is a short period of time. Much easier to digest.
Then after a while, like you, I got to the point where I was feeling good and didn't want to mess it up so Just Don't Drink Today turned into I Don't Drink Anymore. No Matter What.
Not, I have to quit drinking forever.
Simply, I Don't Drink Anymore. No Matter What.
Please don't think we are piling on you it's just that we know where those thoughts lead and hate to see anyone fall for the AV lie of, "maybe we can control this after a while".
Don't worry about forever.
Live for today.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: New England
Posts: 1,464
Congratulations on 33+ days.
I agree with all of the sentiments above. I personally have tried to moderate for 40+ years with no success but actually have failed.
I had 10 years sober, 1993 through 2003, from age 33 through 43. Then I started again. Only had 42 days sober during those 19 years until 10/2/22. I have not had a drink since then, 150 days. I keep in mind daily just don’t drink today and let the future take care of itself.
Experiencing health issues such as liver function levels too high and being 62 makes this abstinence need to be forever or else I’ll be dead.
Sorry to be so morose but that is the truth of what alcoholism is. It is not glamorous like the media wants us to believe it is demoralizing and fatal.
I agree with all of the sentiments above. I personally have tried to moderate for 40+ years with no success but actually have failed.
I had 10 years sober, 1993 through 2003, from age 33 through 43. Then I started again. Only had 42 days sober during those 19 years until 10/2/22. I have not had a drink since then, 150 days. I keep in mind daily just don’t drink today and let the future take care of itself.
Experiencing health issues such as liver function levels too high and being 62 makes this abstinence need to be forever or else I’ll be dead.
Sorry to be so morose but that is the truth of what alcoholism is. It is not glamorous like the media wants us to believe it is demoralizing and fatal.
Member
Join Date: May 2019
Location: UK
Posts: 3,926
Definitely no ganging up here 🙂
It’s just like a lot of us, I look back with sadness at the years wasted trying to moderate. Once I quit I became the person that I wanted to be. 33 days is good going, very good, LifeA. It must’ve been an unpleasant few weeks as recovery always. Now imagine a life of no hangovers, better health and being capable of other things you didn’t know about. Then imagine having to go through withdrawal all over again. Give it some thought 🙂
It’s just like a lot of us, I look back with sadness at the years wasted trying to moderate. Once I quit I became the person that I wanted to be. 33 days is good going, very good, LifeA. It must’ve been an unpleasant few weeks as recovery always. Now imagine a life of no hangovers, better health and being capable of other things you didn’t know about. Then imagine having to go through withdrawal all over again. Give it some thought 🙂
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 25,373
^^What they all said.
Give it two years. Then see how you feel.
Oh, wait. I gave it 18 years of sober time and then had *a* glass of wine.
How did that go, you ask?
Well just fine. For a few weeks. Then it was one a day, then two, then...
...it all turns out the same as it was.
Give it two years. Then see how you feel.
Oh, wait. I gave it 18 years of sober time and then had *a* glass of wine.
How did that go, you ask?
Well just fine. For a few weeks. Then it was one a day, then two, then...
...it all turns out the same as it was.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 525
If you ever decide that you want to quit drinking for good and then discover that you can't stay stopped on willpower alone, please keep in mind that it's possible that there is a type of alcoholic for whom the only solution is fully committing to the recovery program of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Where I’ve longed to be all my life…..here, now.
Posts: 7,335
I never drink NOW. It’s always now.
If I thought I had to walk 15,000 miles more before I die, that’s overwhelming,
Walking over to the fridge to get my creamer for coffee is doable.
Being in the moment hells, not dwelling on the past nor being anxious about the future.
Dri , Dee, and many others here gave good replies out of experience.
Guess what, me too.
I JUST made a year and a half. As you can see, I came here in 2018.
Why aren’t I finishing my FIFTH year free from alcohol?
WHY did I start drinking after 14 months of blissful sobriety?
Because I confused abstinence with control.
And oh man, I went to HELL and back, so much worse than before.
Best wishes for good choices
If I thought I had to walk 15,000 miles more before I die, that’s overwhelming,
Walking over to the fridge to get my creamer for coffee is doable.
Being in the moment hells, not dwelling on the past nor being anxious about the future.
Dri , Dee, and many others here gave good replies out of experience.
Guess what, me too.
I JUST made a year and a half. As you can see, I came here in 2018.
Why aren’t I finishing my FIFTH year free from alcohol?
WHY did I start drinking after 14 months of blissful sobriety?
Because I confused abstinence with control.
And oh man, I went to HELL and back, so much worse than before.
Best wishes for good choices
Member
Join Date: May 2019
Location: UK
Posts: 3,926
Originally Posted by biminiblue 
^^What they all said.
Give it two years. Then see how you feel.
Oh, wait. I gave it 18 years of sober time and then had *a* glass of wine.
How did that go, you ask?
Well just fine. For a few weeks. Then it was one a day, then two, then...
...it all turns out the same as it was.
Give it two years. Then see how you feel.
Oh, wait. I gave it 18 years of sober time and then had *a* glass of wine.
How did that go, you ask?
Well just fine. For a few weeks. Then it was one a day, then two, then...
...it all turns out the same as it was.
But I still say we’re the fortunate ones as we’ve seen the error of our ways. Spare a thought for those that never make that change. They’ll literally waste their whole life through drinking. Many won’t have even made that first step like you have, LifeA.
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