15 Points to consider when confronted with the urge to take a Drink!

[Guest]

15 Points to consider when confronted with the urge to take a Drink!

I had a massive craving spell today due to a whole heap of circumstances. I was so close it was unbelievable. Took 5 hours before it lifted and I tell you what it was like a huge relief when it did clear off!!!

So glad once again I haven't drank.

[Meech]

15 Points to consider when confronted with the urge to take a Drink!

Good Job UKBLONDE!!! :goodjob:

Complacency - I agree. I slipped last weekend after over 40 days AF. I knew I wouldn't drink just 1 or 2. I totally know that I WILL ALWAYS want to binge. But even knowing that I went in thinking I'll be totally hungover tomorrow but I haven't suffered in over 40 days so oh well.

Complacency - before the slip I was losing focus, getting complacent, not sticking to my "motto's" and "special sayings" and listening to my CD's. Started slacking and AL got
the best of me. Must not lose focus as AL will always be there lurking waiting. I am definitely powerless that's why I must never drink.

Good posts everyone! Lay your sober heads down on your pillows tonight! :h

[johnnyh]

15 Points to consider when confronted with the urge to take a Drink!

Good Point Spud

UKB, Well, well, well very well done. So, so glad you got through the cravings. It is such a relief when you feel stronger again and once again know the cravings come but they DO go again?!!!! Well done. That is great!! And thanks for sharing.

Meech, that's it. Complacency is the biggest enemy. Been there as well last year after 3 months. Got complacent. I'm just so glad how I learned out of it. I wish id wouldn't have taken me a year to get back on the rails but it's a lesson learned now for me.

You're allready back on the rails that's fantastic. So take it as a lesson learned and push forward!! Well done :-)

[johnnyh]

15 Points to consider when confronted with the urge to take a Drink!

6. Point

1. Cultivate continued acceptance of the fact that your choice is between unhappy, drunken drinking and doing without just one small drink.
2. Cultivate enthusiastic gratitude that you have had the good fortune of finding out what was wrong with you before it was too late.
3. EXPECT as being natural and inevitable, that for a period of time (and it may be a long one), you will recuringly experience.
(a) The conscious, nagging craving for a drink.
(b) The sudden, all but compelling impluse just to take a drink.
(c) The craving, not for a drinks as such, but for the soothing glow and warmth a drink or two once gave you.
4. Remember that the times you don't want a drink are the times in which to build up the strength not to take one when you do want it.
5. Develop and rehearse a daily plan of thinking and acting by which you will live the day without taking a drink, regardless of what may upset you or how hard the old urge for a drink may hit you.

6. Don't for a split second allow yourself to think: 'Isn't it a pity or a mean injustice that I can't take a drink like so-called normal people'.

[Meech]

15 Points to consider when confronted with the urge to take a Drink!

Don't for a split second allow yourself to think: 'Isn't it a pity or a mean injustice that I can't take a drink like so-called normal people'.

Don't we all fall into that trap? So jealous/pity we can't drink like normal people. Yes block that thought out of your mind. Block block block!

Thanks JohnnyH! I think I may have to put all the points in a special place (plus my own mottos) and read them to myself at night, first thing in the morning or when the cravings hit while I'm back home on the farm. Because I won't have MWO to turn to while I'm there.

Must get a very very good plan in place before I leave. :h

[Doggygirl]

15 Points to consider when confronted with the urge to take a Drink!

You can do it meech! Carrying your written affirmations and other things with you is a good idea. My sponsor made me read some stuff to myself in the mirror every morning. I felt silly at first doing it, but I swear it helped. Maybe some great affirmations about yourself to get your day going EVERY day - not just on your trip?

DG

[Meech]

15 Points to consider when confronted with the urge to take a Drink!

Thanks DG - shall get those affirmation going! That will be the key I think and some AF drinks that I really look forward to.

[Guest]

15 Points to consider when confronted with the urge to take a Drink!

I've been suffering again with the naging thoughts. I suspect it's because I've a lot of new situations happening at the moment and it feels as if I could very easily sneak a 'drunk' night without people noticing. Very hard work and once again I was so close to going to a bar or off licence last night. I haven't done but don't know how to stop this current state of mind. If I can I will get to an AA meeting today as that might help especially in current circumstances.

[johnnyh]

15 Points to consider when confronted with the urge to take a Drink!

Hey UKB. First of all WEll, well done for staying strong!!!!! You might not perceive this as strength while you're still under attack but you're still sober. That's fantastic!!!!!

I've gone through this very challenge just very recently. I've had a lot happening in my life as well. I havn't ackwnoledged that properly and was just talking about the World Cup being my challenge. But I have given up the house I bought to move with a view to emmigrating, had a dress down by my boss that could be the beginning of my end in the company, etc, etc. Just saying I feel you. The temptation hadn't been there or not really prevailant in my mind, just in the background but the last two/three weeks have been quite horrid at times. The types of cravings that make me think I can't make it through.

Making it to that very AA meeting that resulted in me starting this post definately helped a lot. But I have decided to go back on Antabuse for a while. My sobriety is so important for me and my head thank GOD clear enough while the cravings are weaker that I was able to make that decision again. And in time.

Is that something you could consider?! I know this cannot really be a long term solution. Because if my defense against cravings is that I will go on Antabuse, than one day they will hit me while I'm not on Antabuse and I won't have the right mind to do the right thing.

I just feel at my current stage I'm too early in my sobriety not to throw all these measures at my alcoholism while I figure out how else to deal with this.

Last night I was again sourrounded by a drinking crowd for the life match. Warm up first at a friends place, everyone drinking, nice atmosphere, all too tempting. Thank GOD I'm on Antabuse. I don't know how I would have handled the situation. Probably/hopefully just fine. But am glad that I don't have to contemplate the consequences of me not being on Antabuse, Because I am.

The regular AA meetings I think would be a good idea UKB. I think there' just power in going there, and admitting that you're powerless over AL. Even if there's nothing there for you in that particular meeting. It keeps you sharp. All to easy to fall into the trap of complacency and believing that that one drink won't harm. As long as you go to those meetings it might just keep you sharp in the realisation that you are still an alcoholic and indeed not 'over it'.

Sorry for going on and on. I just feel very compassionate because I've been in such a similar position these last two/three weeks and we're at a similar stage of sobriety in terms of time.

Stay strong UKB. It is soooo worth it. You know it There's just nothing good in AL.

[johnnyh]

15 Points to consider when confronted with the urge to take a Drink!

Meech,

So easy to fall into that trap, isn't it?! Why can normal ppl drink. How unfair I can't have that glass of champagne on my anniversary, That beer at the bbq.

It's that sort of thinking I believe that is soooo dangerous.

All I say is Thank God I am sober and I have learned that that it was that very beer at the bbq and the champagne on my anniversary that lead to all the other drinks after that made those events so miserable in the end.

I am thankful I am sober because there is just nothing romantic and good about Alcohol but so much good in a sober life.

I just love going to bed at night sober and looking at my children sleep in peace before I go to sleep. Instead of passing out on the couch.

[johnnyh]

15 Points to consider when confronted with the urge to take a Drink!

7. Point

1. Cultivate continued acceptance of the fact that your choice is between unhappy, drunken drinking and doing without just one small drink.
2. Cultivate enthusiastic gratitude that you have had the good fortune of finding out what was wrong with you before it was too late.
3. EXPECT as being natural and inevitable, that for a period of time (and it may be a long one), you will recuringly experience.
(a) The conscious, nagging craving for a drink.
(b) The sudden, all but compelling impluse just to take a drink.
(c) The craving, not for a drinks as such, but for the soothing glow and warmth a drink or two once gave you.
4. Remember that the times you don't want a drink are the times in which to build up the strength not to take one when you do want it.
5. Develop and rehearse a daily plan of thinking and acting by which you will live the day without taking a drink, regardless of what may upset you or how hard the old urge for a drink may hit you.
6. Don't for a split second allow yourself to think: 'Isn't it a pity or a mean injustice that I can't take a drink like so-called normal people'.

7. Don't allow yourself to either think about or talk about any real or imgagined pleasure you once did get from drinking

[johnnyh]

15 Points to consider when confronted with the urge to take a Drink!

Guys, please feel free to discuss any of the points whether the latest one or previous. You might have checked into this thread for the first time. So please have a look at these and feel free to comment

[spuddleduck]

15 Points to consider when confronted with the urge to take a Drink!

point 7. i think we all can look back fondly on the good times we had while drinking. unfortunately those days are long gone(for me) and thats the reason why we are here. i tried for years to recreate that kind of drinking, the buzz, the fun times but once you have gone past a certain point theres rarely a way of going back and once we accept that we can enjoy our sobriety. my latter times drinking ALWAYS ended in misery and its important to remember this

[johnnyh]

15 Points to consider when confronted with the urge to take a Drink!

I think the important part is not to allow yourself into that dreamy world of reflecting how great AL once was. That IS the very thing setting you up for disaster and the very thing that will keep you longing for you.

As opposed to a conscious decision, I am powerless over AL. AL is no good for me and hence don't allow yourself to dwell on the past.

I love this point because this type of thinking, the romanticising of drinking, how great it was in the past is the very type of thinking I have had in the past shortly before I went of the rails. So today I know not to let my thoughts wander there. Because a wandering mind is a dangerous mind.

[Meech]

15 Points to consider when confronted with the urge to take a Drink!

Funny how we remember those good times that AL brought us and we often push the ugly, angry, embarassing memories (which might be even more) away during craving time.

Would we indulge in anything else in life if it brought on so much misery? Crazy.

If and when I look back on the memories of life with AL I must only remember the ugly, the embarassing incidents and the horrid hangovers the next day.