I'm kind of new to this forum.

[retteacher]

Hi Everyone: I've been a member of MWO since April & have shared at this forum only once or twice. Mostly, I've stayed w/the newbie forum. I had very erratic progress from April until July 9th. That's the day I had my last drink. I decided to take the one day at a time approach for a while, & it seemed to work. I've been 15 days AF & feel I now qualify for this forum. I still struggle w/cravings & triggers (but they are decreasing w/each passing day). Any successful strategies would be greatly appreciated. I'm an alcoholic drinker & cannot stop once I start. I've tried mod many, many times & know I can't do it. I'm going to have to stay AF. When I think about life wo/wh. wine & vodka, it seems very stark. I try not to think that way, but sometimes I do. I do not want to go back to the way I was (which was drinking a bottle of wine alone & in secret at a sitting at least 3 times per week). I feel so much better (physically, emotionally, & spiritually) now that I'm AF...why oh why do I feel so bad about a life wo/alcohol? Thanks for listening everyone. Mary

[magic]

I'm kind of new to this forum.

Hi Retteacher

Congratulations on your FIFTEEN days AF !!!!!! Stupendous achievement.

As for the cravings, when one hits, keep busy and think about your next goal, or think about your last really awful drunk. Think about how good you feel with 15 AF days strung together.

As for life with out alcohol, well........after a few years sober I can tell you life is GRAND.
I embarass my children by dancing in the grocery store isles, by turning up the music in the van too loud so people stare, I am rarely cranky, sleep is glorious...the list goes on.

I do not miss alcohol. I do not want a drink.

But, having said all that, I do take Topamax 200mg. at bedtime. Sounds like an advertisement.

Congratulations again. You're doing a great job.

magic xx:schmokin:

[Mags]

I'm kind of new to this forum.

15 days AF is great. I hope you are extrememly proud of yourself. Sometimes it feels so great and sometimes it is so hard - those feelings come and go.

I honestly believe that when an alcoholic gives up drinking, he or she goes through a very real grief process - you have just lost your mother, best friend, lover, etc all rolled into one. It is terribly hard to say goodbye and is a terribly lonely feeling for a while.

I say to myself sometimes, what am I going to do tonight? I can't drink so what else is there to do? I don't particularly like TV, I hate housework at night, I often do my job type work at home at night, but not all night. So it can be lonely saying - gee, I don't have a date for the party tonight.

That's what's great about MWO. You can come here at night and be with your new friends and forget about that old friend Vodka. Your new friends are much better for your health!!!!

:l :goodjob: :l

[Guest]

I'm kind of new to this forum.

You are off to a fabo start!!! You have to start off at first by taking one day at a time...dont think of long term...think of today, then tomorrow. I can do mods either...tried and failed way to many times. Take the supps, you may have to take topa or campral to start off...best of luck to you!!!!

[MDBiker]

I'm kind of new to this forum.

Welcome

Mary, Mary, Mary. :welcome: Congratulations on the 15 days. I think the first month is the hardest. You really are on your way. You don't have to qualify to be on this thread. That is just a misconception some people have because they feel intimidated. Not intimidated by how righteous the people on this forum are; but by the close relationships of the people here, and their comittment to helping other people. I felt he same way, but there is nothing else special about this forum. And you were welcome here before you felt welcome.

As for strategies, we all have things that work better for us than other things. The MWO kudzu is a favorite. My personal favorite for quenching a craving is the L-glute powder under the tongue. It really knocks them out for me. As you work through this you will find your own favorites and you can share those with everyone.

Now here is my thought about alcohol being a part of who you are. I think it was for all of us. It was more important to me than anything, including my life. I can?t tell you the number of times I quit drinking only to finally give in to the mental assault I was living with. What I have found is that much like Magic, truly giving up alcohol has set me free. The truth is that the alcohol is not my friend, it is my worst enemy. I held it close and protected it with everything I could control; only to find it was removing everything I loved in my life. If you give yourself completely to the premise that you will no longer drink because alcohol is not a part of your life anymore, it will be much easier. Don?t think ?what if I had a drink?; think ?thank God I don?t have to drink?. You will still have to approach the act one day at a time, but knowing you do not need alcohol will give you an edge.

I wish you the best and if there is anything any of us can do to help you all you have to do is let us know.

:huggy

God Bless,
Bear

[retteacher]

I'm kind of new to this forum.

Thank you everyone as I start my 16th day feeling strong. Mary

[Cinders]

I'm kind of new to this forum.

So happy for you!!

Mary,

I am ecstatic for your progress and do know what you mean about the feelings.

Bear says it well.

I can only pray I can get to where you are today!!

Take each day a step at a time and be well, be happy, and go forth!!

All the best and hugs!! You are my inspiration. :h

Cindi

[retteacher]

I'm kind of new to this forum.

Cindi: Your words mean a lot to me. I think we came into MWO around the same time. I feel strong today...that's not to say that I feel complacent. There have been times I've gotten straight off the MWO & gone to the liquor store. Today I won't drink, & as you said Bear, I can have a great life wo/alcohol. For the last 5 years, I've used alcohol as:
-a reward for working real hard.
-a stress reliever.
-a way to deal w/life.
With a little bit of sobriety, I can see that I don't need that today. Thank you everyone, Mary

[YoungAtHeart]

I'm kind of new to this forum.

Hey, Mary, :welcome:

I don't have anything to add here, because you're already getting great feedback, but I also wanted to tell you to pop on over to Monthy Abs, too. There are lots of people there that are working on their first month of abstinence, and you would fit right in!

Great job on achieving 15 days so far! Keep up the good work!

Hugs,:l
Kathy

[retteacher]

I'm kind of new to this forum.

Kathy: I was actually planning on joining month abs when I'm abs for a month. It's a goal I set for myself. Mary

[retteacher]

I'm kind of new to this forum.

Janie: We're going to a resort/spa in the green mountains for a romantic get-away. One of the perks is a welcome bottle of champagne. I'm already thinking about an excuse not to even have a sip of it. When I have a plan, I have better success when I do that.

By the way, if I were drinking, I doubt if this get-away would happen. I'd be so consumed w/guilt & fear (of leaving my drinking routine) that I would have put the skids on it.

Mary

[OverIt2007]

I'm kind of new to this forum.

Congratulations on your 16 days Mary! That is fantastic. I cannot seem to make it that far, but I keep trying so you are an inspiration to me today. My crutch is wine and vodka as well. I think we are very much the same, once I start, forget it! I can use every excuse in the book as a reason to stop by that party store on the way home, I swear they know me by name. Keep up the good progress, you are inspiring the weak ones still out here floundering about.

[happycamper68]

I'm kind of new to this forum.

16 days is great, my biggest was 18 (I'm on Day 2 now) but you sound very very determined. I do feel the one day at a time is a good approach in the beginning, it is very daunting and depressing to think of going your whole life without the "worst best friend you ever had" (I just made that up!).

When I quit smoking 5 1/2 years ago, after several other attempts, I never thought it would actually take but it did! Good luck! :h

[Hannah]

I'm kind of new to this forum.

Retteacher - I am only on my 6th day AF, this time around, and already I feel like a new person. About 15 years ago, I quit drinking. My husband and I both decided to quit drinking because it was in both our families, and we had a four year old son what we wanted to give a fighting chance at not being raised in that kind of environment. For ten whole years we didn't drink, then made the really dumb decision that a glass of wine while on holidays wouldn't hurt us. Big mistake, and about 5 years later, give or take a few, we are less than a week into our sober lifestyle once again. My point is that yes, our lives did change when we quit drinking so long ago. We started out just like you, not knowing how we would ever manage without alcohol in our lives. But after a few years, we never even thought about it. It's a process, it happens gradually over a period of time. One day you will look back, and the life you have right now will seem very strange and unfamiliar to the life you will have then. Trust me, it's true.

You've gone 15 days!!! That's freeking fantastic!!!! Congratulations, and do join the 30 abbers. :wd: :dancin:

[H2O RUSH]

I'm kind of new to this forum.

tears of joy

Hi,I am new here too. I feel good about this site and my 5 days so far.I don't know if it is this site and all of you,or I am just in a good fighting mental state.I guess I will know at some hour or time.MB Bikers words touched my soul.Words like "liquor being more important than life" ,or mental assault during a time of abstinence, or slowly sneakily,removing everything I loved.They maybe be words but they describe something more powerful than the utter beauty of life itself.So sad.
I wish I had a miracle strategy retteacher I am only on day 5.But I think anyday you try not to drink is a successful strategy.If you count those days individually they are good not bad.We are definetly in a successful day today.yahoo
I get choked up when I read about the pain and suffering,but then I get tears of joy at all the love that is shared and so common among us all. What the world needs now is Love, Love Sweet Love.....................Peace Out