Advice from long term abstainers.

[Mackeral]

Hiya all,

I dont ever expect to be fully free from the temptation or even thoughts of alcahol, but i was just wondering how long it took YOU to concider yourself, well, out of immediate danger so to speak, or to even feel relaxed around other drinkers? I know it proberly differs from person to person, i just wanted to get a general idea of what to expect.

[keeta]

Advice from long term abstainers.

Hey Macks.
Nice to "see" you.
I have been here at MWO almost two years. It wasn't until Nov 08 I really starting being able to string more then two or three days together. Then I made a month here and there. This year I have had months at a time, this time in, I think I might have made it.
I actually was elected to be a designated driver for a group of 10 going to a near by city to do a night of Karaoke, and drinking. I had no urge to drink. Although I wouldn't want to put myself in that environment on a regular basis, I think as long as I am always aware of my battle with the beast, and that he is just waiting for me to slip up and drink one...then I can be back into "real life" and not avoiding every drinking situation. That being said, if I ever feel the urges to drink coming back, I would ofcourse stay clear of any Alcohol until I was back to feeling stronger again.
I think I have to always be aware, and on guard. Alcohol has been an issue in my life for two decades. I can't imagine I am free and clear yet, if ever.

I look forward to reading about other peoples experiences of dealing with this. I imagine we are all very different. I also never ever want to go back to where I was, so never want to get too complacent. I will not ever be in control of Alcohol. I can't drink. EVER. NEVER.

Hmmm...I used never and ever a LOT there. I think I am trying to tell myself something :H

[caysea]

Advice from long term abstainers.

Hi Mack
i think it was around 75-100 days of being AF that certain triggers started to diminish. i still had some situations that i viewed as very threating to my recovery. One I remember after 5 months of recovery was going to a baseball game with my drinking friends.I did carry antabuse in my pocket that I had had from a previous attempt at stopping drinking. I was ready to take it if I felt I wasn't strong enough to handle the situation. I am now 16 months AF and can say have no desire to drink.I still am on guard to protect my recovery because it is the most important thing in my life. After about a year i found no problem being around people drinking.When i was at the 6 month or so time frame i was very worried that something would happen that i hadn't thought about to threaten my recovery. In reading all that was on this site and reading info from other sites and doing the What If drill in my mind I felt confident i would recognize situations that could give me problems and how to deal with them. At the point I am at now I can go down the beer isle in the grocery store and it has no affect on me. I no longer have any daily thoughts of having a drink. i have confidence now and that comes from knowing al controls me and if I don't allow it in my life their is no problem.I still view myself in an early stage of recovery because al was my lifestyle for over 40 years.
When i say it gets easier it really does. Many triggers don't have the same power over you and al thoughts start to become few and far between.I hope this is helpful just some of my experiences.
To all the more AF time you get the easier dealing with al becomes.Living AF will not be like your first month trying to stop.

Stay Healthy and Keep Fighting
AF 5-16-08

[keeta]

Advice from long term abstainers.

Oh, shoot, I just realised you asked for "long term abstainers" I am not one of those yet. Sorry. I won't delete my post, but I apologise if I misrepresented myself. I need to learn to read the opening title in FULL.

[JackieClaire]

Advice from long term abstainers.

Hey Macks,

I used to think a long term abstainer was some-one who could go without a drink for more than a day.

At 1st it took me a good few weeks to be comfortable around drinkers but I always had an escape plan at the back of my mind.

I'll be three months tomorrow (i'm just behind you friend). So I'm also interested in the replies.

I know I can never ever drink again.

Love Jackie xxx

[LVT25]

Advice from long term abstainers.

I have been totally AF for a little over one year. I am pretty comfortable with it now, it is starting to feel more "natural" finally. I used and abused alcohol for 30 years, so I think it makes sense that it will take some time to learn to live with out it. I don't like being around drunk people, but I don't worry about drinking myself. Hope this helps--you're doing great BTW!

[boozehag]

Advice from long term abstainers.

About a year for me to be entirely comfortable with it and in fact to enjoy it immensely. Random drinking thoughts do pop up now and again unexpectedly but they are so weak as to be hardly noticed and certainly not acted on. Great work on 3 months Mack.
M

[mario]

Advice from long term abstainers.

:goodjob: on 3 months mac .I have been around drinkers a few times in the last few months, funerals,birthdays,etc I always have a plan to escape as i would start to feel a bit uncomfortable being there to long, for me drinkers start to get boring the more they go on.(didn't we all)Impo i wouldn't put myself in them positions if i could help it as we are still very vulnerable in the early days,i know i will be fighting this disease for the rest of my new happy life.

[Popeye]

Advice from long term abstainers.

For me, being around other drinkers isn't a problem. I've been to several functions and I've never been close to buying a drink. The way I see it, I could cave in at any time, any day of the week, so what's so special about that particular day? Nothing! Other people are drinking; so what? That's up to them. There's always drink available but I don't want any. I don't really enjoy going out and I never have. It used to be just an excuse, now it's just a distraction. If I do go out now, it's usually because I don't want to make the person who invited me think I'm snubbing them, and I'll basically go, show my face and leave as early as I can without seeming rude. I'm not uncomfortable in drinking company, but I can always think of something else that I'd rather be doing, so why not do it?
The one time that I did go out to something that wasn't a party or anything, was a couple of weeks ago. The guys at work arranged a day playing snooker, then on to the pub for the rest of the night. I went having decided that I'd stay until I wanted to go home. Everyone else was drinking in the snooker hall (which made beating them so much easier) and after about three hours of that I was bored. They went on to the pub and I went home. It turns out that one of them fell and broke his ankle and another lost his jacket with ?50 in it, and they wonder why I don't drink.

[Mackeral]

Advice from long term abstainers.

Thanks very much for the feedback, by the sounds of it things should start getting easier soon enough. As for being around others drinking i know im not ready yet. I have tried to attend functions for the sake of others but there is no point at the moment. I wasn't very good company and theres no point putting myself through that.

Looking forward to the day when all this wont bother me anymore, but saying that i'm still enjoying being where i am now.

Thanks again chaps:l