scared

[dexterhead]

Hi all. I am planning to go AF on January 1. There is just no other way ... alcohol is so ruining my life ... it is making me fat and broke (just two of the worst things). But I am so damned scared of doing this ... I know this is normal. I guess I feel so empty and the alcohol numbs my loneliness. Pathetic I know ... I guess I am just looking for some words of wisdom and support. Also, does anyone find the hyno CDs helpful?? I didn't order them because I was a little skeptical .. but I am interested in feedback on them.:thanks: from a needy newbie!

[betty boop]

scared

Dexterhead ...... you are allowed to be scared!!! Yes they do work, they relax you and you will find yourself remembering bits of them during everyday life ...

To quite chief, the withdrawal is like the flu!! Can't remember what he said after that but it was something along the lines of, It lasts 7-10 days, you feel like hell, but then you are better ... Sorry chief if i've said it wrong ..

You CAN do this, post here when you are struggling and we will all be there for you...

Love & Hugs, BB xx

[Lou]

scared

Hi Dexter...
Im afraid i cant advise on the hypno cd's as iv not tried them. I had fantastic success (end of 2006 and most of 2007) with the support and encouragment from all on this site.I have unfortunatley fallen from grace quite spectacularly the past couple of months due to me being stubburn and thinking i was ready to go it alone.
So im back and i know that i can do it again with the fantastic support from all here....im going for a completely AF JAN 2008 and taking it from there. I hope youll join us, it really does work.

Loves and good luck

Lou-Lou x x x

[wjr23]

scared

Hi dexterhead
im too going AF january and feel like you scared but most of all fear of failing, Ihavnt the cd's so cant help you there, fill in the tracker and i will see how you are doing as well as posting, take care x

[joesgal]

scared

Hi Dexterhead, I too am going to go af in 2008 and this site is a great place to get all the support you need. Good luck, joesgal

[ChefRobaire]

scared

Me too Dexterhead, I'm turnin' over a new leaf on the 1st, I've done it before and it is the best thing to do. Things that I remember about my last stint with sobriety. Clear, Focused, Confident, Energetic, Organized, and capable of looking someone right in the eye, among many others. I've done the AA, rehab, cold turkey, blah blah blah, and this time I'm going to try this website.....I feel good about it, in fact, I can't wait....my wife is coming on the journey with me.....I look forward to an AF '08, good luck to you!

[Mags]

scared

Of course you guys are scared. It's scary as hell. But you find that sometimes the anticipation of the journey is worse than the journey itself. You'll be surprised at how much strength you have inside yourselves that you didn't know was there because alcohol was masking it. Setting yourselves free is scary. But what a beautiful thought to be free at last.

Betty is right. The first week or so can be very difficult. But you will NOT be alone. Not for one moment. Post whenever you need to and someone will always be here for you. We will do whatever we can for you. You will always have all of us supporting you. Just get through one moment at a time, then one day at a time. Then worry about the rest later. Right now, one minute at a time, one hour at a time, one day at a time. Then we'll talk more later.

And yes, the hypno CD's are very helpful. so are the supplements and posting and reading as much and as often as possible. Please keep in touch.

:h

[retteacher]

scared

Hi Dex: I second everything that's been said. I can only add that it was imperative that I come to MWO every day & share & read. At 86 AF days, I still come & read, especially the Newbies in Need ODAT (one day at a time) thread & the 30 day abs daily thread. They are my mainstays. I don't know how it works, but MWO does work, & I don't plan on going it alone anytime soon. I'm still too new at sobriety. I never took any of the special supps, but I know from reading that they do work for some folks. Good Luck. Mary

PS: You only have to tackle sobriety one day at a time. In the beginning, it wasn't helpful for me to look at a whole year. Too scary.

[Flip]

scared

Welcome to everybody!!

I'm an "old hand" around here, but I remember all too clearly how frightening it is to look at your future without a drink in your hand. You can't imagine how you will survive. But guess what? You do, and you will thrive!!

Keep reading and posting here, there are hundreds of stories that you will be able to relate to and get something out of.

Just focus on each day as it comes. They will add up and before you know it a week - then a month and then 6 months will have passed and you have your life back!

Flip

(sober 1 year, 31 days!)

[Determinatrix]

scared

Dex etal,
This is scary because it is BIG.
It will be life defining.
And so worth it.
We will be here every step of the way, if you let us.

Dx

[MyOwnWoman]

scared

Hey Dexterhead - Yup, it was scary for me too. That is, until I did a great job at cutting way back the past few months. With 3-5 sober nights a week, whereas before there were no sober nights in sight, I discovered that making it through the evening hours without downing a bottle of wine was not only possible, but it's actually enjoyable. Each sober day gave me more confidence and motivation for another...

Now I'm ready to go all the way - I too am going for AF every day, one day at a time.

I haven't done the cds, but I highly recommend the supplements!!

Good luck to us all!

[Jules]

scared

Last year I was gettiing ready to leave the hospital after a 5 day detox and my Dr. ask me how I felt about going home. I said Scared. He told me if I had said if I had said anything but that I wasnt ready.

It has been 1 year for me know and I hope someone understands this but I never want the fear to go away. I never want to go back to what I was.

You have your support team right here any time of any day and like Determinatrix said, Its worth it!!:l

[Flip]

scared

Way to go Jules! I agree, I don't ever want to get complacent.

[satori]

scared

Yep - I was scared as hell too.
While I was drinking, I couldn't imagine life without alcohol either.

But once I broke it down into smaller chunks, the fear that had stopped me committing to an Alcohol Free existence went away!
For me, the secret was NOT to think of the big picture.

Wake up each day with a decision that you are not going to have a drink that day.

If the cravings are really bad - cut the time down, decide you will not drink for an hour, and then you will review the situation, in the meantime, go and do something that reduces the likelihood that you will / can drink.

If things are bad, you can cut down the time to minutes!

This is only really necessary in the first few days.
Most people agree that days 3/4/5 are the problem days - after that time, the body is free of alcohol - and it just starts getting easier and easier.

Now - after 160 plus days alcohol free, I rarely think about alcohol, cravings are rare and very easy to dismiss and I can quite happily contemplate a life without alcohol.

Because...............AF life is GREAT!


Try it - you will LOVE it!

Best of luck

Satori

xxx