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**Guest** · July 23, 2007, 03:11 PM

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You`re not alone............I am here for you, and loads of others will follow to offer you support.

On the surface, you are holding it together, but you are dying inside...........I know as I was where you are until relatively recently.

You will find everything you could possibly need to help you tackle your alcohol problem here, provided you are willing to make the effort. And you have God...........talk to Him to ask for help...........He will listen.......trust me.

I wish you much love and luck,

Starlight Impress

**hart** · July 23, 2007, 03:43 PM

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(((Luce)))

Welcome hon.:welcome: You will find a lot of good supportive people here. There is always a story that someone else has too. i am so glad u found us and this site will give you lots of support and understanding.:l

**Doggygirl** · July 23, 2007, 03:52 PM

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Hi Luce. I too am glad you found us. Like you I was doing a fairly decent job of "managing my problem" on the outside. But it was figuratively killing me on the inside, and the deeper I did I hope I saved myself in time from a literal kill on the inside.

Anyway, I'm thrilled to be 13 days in a row alcohol free for the first time since I took my first drink around 30 years ago. If you haven't already downloaded the My Way Out Book, I strongly recommend that!! It's a great place to start in terms of a great understanding of the baseline, recommended program.

Welcome,

DG

**Beaches** · July 23, 2007, 04:01 PM

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Welcome Luce I am so glad you are here. There are a lot of people here in the same situation as you and please know that you are not alone. We will be here to support you and talk to you.
Read all that you can and keep talking and posting. This place has made a huge difference in my life and it will yours too if you allow it. RJ's book is an excellent start.

Best of luck to you

**magic** · July 23, 2007, 04:16 PM

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Hi Sweetpea

Welcome.

I am so glad you have a therapist. I am so glad you have found us.

I drank for many, many years and I spent many, many years suffering from major depression. I self medicated. I have been sober now for over 2 and a half years.

I spent 30 days in a rehab centre in a different city. That took me out of my environment, away from my daily stresses, relationships, routines. I only had to worry about , and care for, me.

I could lay in bed in the morning and watch the sun rise, I could read in bed at night.
I could shower for 20 minutes uninterrupted. I did not have to cook, clean, buy groceries, go to a job I hated.......I missed my children dreadfully, but rehab gave them their mother back. I called them as much as I wanted. The coffee was great. So was the staff.

I learnd a lot about me and why I did the things I did. I met a lot of people just like me and I liked them too. They were good people.

Yes, there are restrictions in rehab but that was O.K. Nothing horrible.

Rehab is nothing to be fearful of, sweetheart. Perhaps your God is answering your prayers.

Welcome, I'm glad you're here.

magic xx:schmokin:

**luce_endzz** · July 23, 2007, 06:46 PM

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THANK YOU so much...for caring
HOW do I start?
i will down load the book... I have trouble reading but i WILL give it my best shot!!!
any other advise?

**Java** · July 23, 2007, 06:53 PM

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Welcome Luce. I found when starting out it really helped to plan everything ahead of time. Plan tommorow today...then work on sticking to the plan, it is difficult, but doable.

**luce_endzz** · July 23, 2007, 07:10 PM

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plan HOW???

**Accountable for Me** · July 23, 2007, 07:13 PM

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luce, planning is key to help you get going. Like for instance plan what you will do in the evening ahead of time. Go to a store to get things that doesn't sell alcohol. Stuff like that. change your routine. I can't tell you how many things I had to do differently. I had to change my routines, make sure I wasn't near any triggers and had to keep busy,busy, busy.

**Doggygirl** · July 23, 2007, 07:23 PM

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Hi Luce. I'm not 100% sure what "plan" means to Java, but I suspect it's not all that different from the way I approach it, and I'm sure many approach it.

For me, I read the book and decided to stake the supplements and do the hypnotherapy CD's. That is the foundation of my plan - as outlined in the book.

On a daily basis, I have a basic routine. My routine is evolving as I change little things like adding exercise (just yesterday). But here is my basic plan:

Get up and let the dogs out.
Walk on the treadmill.
Take morning supplements.
**some AM tasks related to me and hubby's business, etc.
Come here to the forum and check in on the "Newbies in Need" thread, and now the Daily thread in "Monthly Abstainance" and now the Monthly Abs. 30 Days Alcohol Free Challenge. I usualy have time to do additional reading and posting, but those 3 things are "must dos" for me to have my head in the right place for an alcohol free day.
Mid morning supplements.
Listen to Clearing or Hypno CD (this is an area I'm working to improve - I'm hit & miss too much)
Noon supplements.
Play Subliminal CD in the office
Dinner supplements
Turn on sleep CD at bed time.

Of course there is "life" in between all those steps LOL!! My first thing in the morning routine is really important - I never used to have a structure and now I do. I know exactly what I will be doing from 5:30AM until 8AM. (then the unpredictable stuff begins!)

I make up my mind every morning that if I think of drinking, which this early on I always do think of it many times per day still, I know ahead of time what my decision will be. I will not drink. At least not today. Usually these thoughts pass within a few minutes - especially if I start doing something else rather than just sit there thinkin' of drinkin'. But if a crave doesn't want to leave me easily, I come here and read posts and remind myself of all the reasons I dont' want to drink any more.

I also found it helpful to make a big list of why I dont' want to drink any more. I also made a list of "benefits of drinking" which ended up a pretty darn short list when i got right down to it. That list is VERY handy when thoughts of drinking arise.

Anyway, that's the bones of my plan, I'm sure in more detail than you were asking for!! But that's what I have to do in order to be successful at this.

I don't start the day hoping not to drink like I did for many, many years. I start the day determined not to drink, with strategies for dealing with thoughts of drinking. It's made a huge difference, along with the My Way Out tools (supplements and hypnosis CD's for me).

Best Wishes - hope this isn't too much info and confusing!!

DG
Day 13 AF

**luce_endzz** · July 23, 2007, 09:33 PM

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i just threw up for 20 minutes.... IM SO SICK OF THIS CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**jimbo** · July 23, 2007, 09:42 PM

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luce,
There is a medical way without having to go to rehab...but you have to commit to making it work. I know, because I was in very close to the same condition you're in just 30 days ago. For 14 years I drank 14-16 oz. hard liquor daily and took several xanax in the morning just to keep the withdrawals at bay so I could go to work. My blood pressure was sky high, cholesterol through the roof, head pounded endlessly along with near constant nausea and dizzieness. No way to live!

Look for an addiction specialist who also specializes in outpatient detox. After blood tests, you will be given meds that will literally save you. It will take away the pain of alcohol withdrawals and plus go a long way toward taking your cravings away. You can use the time you spent drinking to re-establish a new relationship with your family, go for walks, etc. and begin to feel what being healthy is like all over again. Going to this site daily and knowing that you can communicate with people a lot like you can go a long way toward preventing you from tilting back to your old way of life.

Good Luck,
jimbo

**Accountable for Me** · July 23, 2007, 10:30 PM

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Hang in there Luce.

Jimbo thanks for sharing. It will help a lot of people. Some people withdrawal worse than others and I think they need to know there are other options other than rehab if necessary.

**Beaches** · July 23, 2007, 10:40 PM

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Luce thanks for checking in and this really is a cross roads for you. Either you figure out how to make RJ's program work for you or another option is rehab. I only can say to you that you know what is best for you. We will be here. Let us know how you are doing.

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