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[Sober Visitor]

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JUNKIE THINKING

JUNKIE THINKING: One drink won't hurt.
RESPONSE: One drink will always hurt me, and it always will because I'm not a social drinker. One sip and I'll be drinking compulsively again.

JUNKIE THINKING: I only want one.
RESPONSE: I have never wanted only one. In fact, I want 5 or 10 or 15 every day. I want them all.

JUNKIE THINKING: I’ll just be a social drinker.
RESPONSE: I’m a chronic, compulsive drinker, and once I drink one I’ll quickly be thinking about the next one. Social drinkers can take it or leave it. That’s not me.

JUNKIE THINKING: I'm doing so well, one won't hurt me now.
RESPONSE: The only reason I'm doing so well is because I haven't taken the first one. Yet once I do, I won't be doing well anymore, I'll be drinking again.

JUNKIE THINKING: I'll just stop again.
RESPONSE: Sounds easy, but who am I trying to kid? Look how long it took me to stop this time? And once I start, how long will it take before I get sick enough to face withdrawal again? In fact, when I'm back in the grip of compulsion, what guarantee do I have that I'll ever be able to stop again?

JUNKIE THINKING: If I slip, I'll keep trying.
RESPONSE: If I think I can get away with one little "slip" now, I'll think I can get away with another little slip later on.

JUNKIE THINKING: I need one to get me through this withdrawal.
RESPONSE: Drinking will not get me through the discomfort of not drinking. It will only get me back to drinking. One sip stops the process of withdrawal and I'll have to go through it all over again.

JUNKIE THINKING: I miss drinking right now.
RESPONSE: Of course I miss something I've been doing every day for most of my life. But do I miss the pain of drinking right now? Do I miss the worry, the embarrassment? I'd rather be an ex-drinker with an occasional desire to drink, than a drinker with a constant desire to stop doing it.

JUNKIE THINKING: I really need to drink now. I'm so upset.
RESPONSE: Drinking is not going to fix anything. I'll still be upset; I'll just be an upset drunk. I never have to have a drink. Drinking alcohol is not a need, it's a want. Once the crisis is over, I'll be relieved and grateful I'm still not drinking.

JUNKIE THINKING: I don't care.
RESPONSE: WHAT IS IT EXACTLY THAT I THINK I DON'T CARE ABOUT? Can I truthfully say I don't care about my pain? I don't care about having a hangover in the morning? I don't care about what I'm doing to my liver, lungs, kidney, and heart? I don’t care about all the people I’ve hurt. No, I care about these things very much. That's why I stopped drinking in the first place.

JUNKIE THINKING: What difference does it make, anyway?
RESPONSE: It makes a difference in the way I live, the way my heart beats, the way I feel about myself. It makes a tremendous difference in every aspect of my physical and emotional health.

[Wildflowers]

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I just printed two copies of this. One I will keep in my SUV. This speaks nothing but the Truth!

Your posts continue to keep my resolve in AF life Strong! You are a Sober Angel

Thank you & God Bless :h

Done With Alcohol 5/23/12

[Wildflowers]

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I just printed two copies of this. One I will keep in my SUV. This speaks nothing but the Truth!

Your posts continue to keep my resolve in AF life Strong! You are a Sober Angel

Thank you & God Bless :h

Done With Alcohol 5/23/12

[Zenlife12]

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Thank-you Hope it helps when the crazy side comes back

[Zenlife12]

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Thank-you Hope it helps when the crazy side comes back

[Zenlife12]

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Your smart

[Zenlife12]

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Your smart

[Sober Visitor]

Tool box

This tool box has so many good reasons for NOT drinking, but to be fair, let's look at both sides. So, with that in mind, here are 5 reasons to KEEP drinking alcohol!

Hangovers: Who doesn't enjoy a good hangover? I mean, you can't get a REAL hangover when you're sober, can you? Of course not. Only alcohol can do that for you. And there's nothing like having your entire day ruined by a pounding headache, sick stomach, and aching body. Isn't it a great thing to have to call in sick from your job because of a hangover? Or embarrassingly divert your bloodshot eyes away from your kids so they don't see how you look? That "I feel like shit" hangover is a gift to you from alcohol!

Spending Money: There's NO better feeling in the world than sleepily opening your wallet in the morning only to find you've spent a TON of cash the night before. Or, maybe ALL of your cash. Or, better yet, you DON'T REMEMBER how you spent your cash. All you know is that you spent it on booze. Is wasting your hard earned money on booze a great feeling? You betcha! Pissing your money away is yet another great reason to keep on drinking!

Vomiting: I mean, come on, being able to vomit after a hard night's drinking might be the BEST reason to keep putting a poison in your body! There's simply no other feeling in the world that can match it. Who doesn't love puking their guts out in the middle of the night? Who doesn't enjoy kneeling in front of the toilet, seeing the contents of their stomach floating in the bowl? That's absolutely heaven, ladies and gentlemen!

Petty Arguments: Ah, the joy of the petty argument! Every little disagreement is amplified when alcohol is involved. Whether it's your spouse or your kids, or a lifelong friend or a coworker, it's alcohol that allows you to find the NEGATIVE in any situation! And, admit it, who doesn't love upsetting those we actually love? There's nothing like alcohol to help you destroy relationships. Cool stuff, huh?

Feeling Depressed: If you're the kind of person who LIKES feeling sad and depressed then alcohol is for you! The great thing about alcohol is that it presents itself as an escape from the problems in your life, when alcohol actually CAUSED most of those problems in the first place! All you have to do is keep drinking if you enjoy feeling bad about your life! And the best part? The more you drink the worse you will feel!

[Sober Visitor]

Tool box

This tool box has so many good reasons for NOT drinking, but to be fair, let's look at both sides. So, with that in mind, here are 5 reasons to KEEP drinking alcohol!

Hangovers: Who doesn't enjoy a good hangover? I mean, you can't get a REAL hangover when you're sober, can you? Of course not. Only alcohol can do that for you. And there's nothing like having your entire day ruined by a pounding headache, sick stomach, and aching body. Isn't it a great thing to have to call in sick from your job because of a hangover? Or embarrassingly divert your bloodshot eyes away from your kids so they don't see how you look? That "I feel like shit" hangover is a gift to you from alcohol!

Spending Money: There's NO better feeling in the world than sleepily opening your wallet in the morning only to find you've spent a TON of cash the night before. Or, maybe ALL of your cash. Or, better yet, you DON'T REMEMBER how you spent your cash. All you know is that you spent it on booze. Is wasting your hard earned money on booze a great feeling? You betcha! Pissing your money away is yet another great reason to keep on drinking!

Vomiting: I mean, come on, being able to vomit after a hard night's drinking might be the BEST reason to keep putting a poison in your body! There's simply no other feeling in the world that can match it. Who doesn't love puking their guts out in the middle of the night? Who doesn't enjoy kneeling in front of the toilet, seeing the contents of their stomach floating in the bowl? That's absolutely heaven, ladies and gentlemen!

Petty Arguments: Ah, the joy of the petty argument! Every little disagreement is amplified when alcohol is involved. Whether it's your spouse or your kids, or a lifelong friend or a coworker, it's alcohol that allows you to find the NEGATIVE in any situation! And, admit it, who doesn't love upsetting those we actually love? There's nothing like alcohol to help you destroy relationships. Cool stuff, huh?

Feeling Depressed: If you're the kind of person who LIKES feeling sad and depressed then alcohol is for you! The great thing about alcohol is that it presents itself as an escape from the problems in your life, when alcohol actually CAUSED most of those problems in the first place! All you have to do is keep drinking if you enjoy feeling bad about your life! And the best part? The more you drink the worse you will feel!

[Sober Visitor]

Tool box

Reasons to Keep Drinking Alcohol

This tool box has so many good reasons for NOT drinking, but to be fair, let's look at both sides. So, with that in mind, here are 5 reasons to KEEP drinking alcohol!

Hangovers: Who doesn't enjoy a good hangover? I mean, you can't get a REAL hangover when you're sober, can you? Of course not. Only alcohol can do that for you. And there's nothing like having your entire day ruined by a pounding headache, sick stomach, and aching body. Isn't it a great thing to have to call in sick from your job because of a hangover? Or embarrassingly divert your bloodshot eyes away from your kids so they don't see how you look? That "I feel like shit" hangover is a gift to you from alcohol!

Spending Money: There's NO better feeling in the world than sleepily opening your wallet in the morning only to find you've spent a TON of cash the night before. Or, maybe ALL of your cash. Or, better yet, you DON'T REMEMBER how you spent your cash. All you know is that you spent it on booze. Is wasting your hard earned money on booze a great feeling? You betcha! Pissing your money away is yet another great reason to keep on drinking!

Vomiting: I mean, come on, being able to vomit after a hard night's drinking might be the BEST reason to keep putting a poison in your body! There's simply no other feeling in the world that can match it. Who doesn't love puking their guts out in the middle of the night? Who doesn't enjoy kneeling in front of the toilet, seeing the contents of their stomach floating in the bowl? That's absolutely heaven, ladies and gentlemen!

Petty Arguments: Ah, the joy of the petty argument! Every little disagreement is amplified when alcohol is involved. Whether it's your spouse or your kids, or a lifelong friend or a coworker, it's alcohol that allows you to find the NEGATIVE in any situation! And, admit it, who doesn't love upsetting those we actually love? There's nothing like alcohol to help you destroy relationships. Cool stuff, huh?

Feeling Depressed: If you're the kind of person who LIKES feeling sad and depressed then alcohol is for you! The great thing about alcohol is that it presents itself as an escape from the problems in your life, when alcohol actually CAUSED most of those problems in the first place! All you have to do is keep drinking if you enjoy feeling bad about your life! And the best part? The more you drink the worse you will feel!

[Sober Visitor]

Tool box

Reasons to Keep Drinking Alcohol

This tool box has so many good reasons for NOT drinking, but to be fair, let's look at both sides. So, with that in mind, here are 5 reasons to KEEP drinking alcohol!

Hangovers: Who doesn't enjoy a good hangover? I mean, you can't get a REAL hangover when you're sober, can you? Of course not. Only alcohol can do that for you. And there's nothing like having your entire day ruined by a pounding headache, sick stomach, and aching body. Isn't it a great thing to have to call in sick from your job because of a hangover? Or embarrassingly divert your bloodshot eyes away from your kids so they don't see how you look? That "I feel like shit" hangover is a gift to you from alcohol!

Spending Money: There's NO better feeling in the world than sleepily opening your wallet in the morning only to find you've spent a TON of cash the night before. Or, maybe ALL of your cash. Or, better yet, you DON'T REMEMBER how you spent your cash. All you know is that you spent it on booze. Is wasting your hard earned money on booze a great feeling? You betcha! Pissing your money away is yet another great reason to keep on drinking!

Vomiting: I mean, come on, being able to vomit after a hard night's drinking might be the BEST reason to keep putting a poison in your body! There's simply no other feeling in the world that can match it. Who doesn't love puking their guts out in the middle of the night? Who doesn't enjoy kneeling in front of the toilet, seeing the contents of their stomach floating in the bowl? That's absolutely heaven, ladies and gentlemen!

Petty Arguments: Ah, the joy of the petty argument! Every little disagreement is amplified when alcohol is involved. Whether it's your spouse or your kids, or a lifelong friend or a coworker, it's alcohol that allows you to find the NEGATIVE in any situation! And, admit it, who doesn't love upsetting those we actually love? There's nothing like alcohol to help you destroy relationships. Cool stuff, huh?

Feeling Depressed: If you're the kind of person who LIKES feeling sad and depressed then alcohol is for you! The great thing about alcohol is that it presents itself as an escape from the problems in your life, when alcohol actually CAUSED most of those problems in the first place! All you have to do is keep drinking if you enjoy feeling bad about your life! And the best part? The more you drink the worse you will feel!

[Wildflowers]

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Hi Sober Visitor,

Thanks for posting this! I chuckled after reading it. Not that its something to laugh about, cause it's not. It's just ironic in a way, now that I'm sober. Printed it, to add to my collection.

Hope your doing well.

Take Care,

Wildflowers :h

Done With Alcohol 5/23/12

[Wildflowers]

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Hi Sober Visitor,

Thanks for posting this! I chuckled after reading it. Not that its something to laugh about, cause it's not. It's just ironic in a way, now that I'm sober. Printed it, to add to my collection.

Hope your doing well.

Take Care,

Wildflowers :h

Done With Alcohol 5/23/12

[Byrdlady]

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Thought I'd post this I just wrote over in the Newbie's Nest...

We are so glad you found us! I was a closet drinker myself....you should find the thread about hiding and drinking...dang it, wish I knew how to post a link...but it is sad and funny...mostly sad. AL is the most cunning opponent I know. It makes you think BLACK when it's really WHITE...makes you think you are social, when you are being an ass....makes you feel better as it kills you. Yes, AL has my undying respect. So the only way I know to stop drinking is to stop drinking.

Ok. Well HOW the HELL do you do that? Like any good battle, this takes a plan of attack. This is a little embarrassing, but if you can read back on the Newbies Nest maybe a month, and then SKIP the major squabble we had for about 2 weeks....you will pick up some wonderful tips for success. Get to know us. You will find people from all over the world here, and in various stages of quitting. When I first got here I was SCARED. How could I possibly go one day without AL, let alone give it up for good? Old timers would fly in and say how wonderful it was, but they didn't tell me how to do it. I will throw out a couple of things, and the other nesters will also tell you how they are doing it.

Get your story down. Have in place what you are going to tell people when you are offered a drink. This is key! If you hesitate..the well-meaning host will push it on you and derail your plan. My personal excuse is that "Al is like battery acid to my insides". As any Type A personality will tell you...tummy issues are always a problem...so this works for me. But get yours down and use it....I'm driving...I'm on a health kick...I made a bet with friends...whatever!

Get all the AL out of your house. ALL of it. No, you do NOT need a safety net....that is planning for failure, but you are planning for success. Surround yourself with things you love to eat...I mean LOVE! Do not worry about calories or fat right now, we have bigger fish to fry at the moment!! Keep yourself hydrated! If you like movies...get a load of them to watch. Or books. Whatever you really like to do/eat/play....get it and have it on hand. The first 3 days are the hardest. Your head will be filled with voices telling you to cave in. Don't you do it. Do NOT cave in no matter what and no matter who!!! You are not giving up and old friend...you are getting rid of an enemy who is playing for all the winnings!! No, one glass of ______ is NOT going to do you any good! (this is us you are talking to....we know all the tricks your mind is trying to play!). Distraction, distraction, distraction! When you have those thoughts, immediately change your thinking to something else....name all your cousins...recite the Lord's Prayer....sind the Happy Birthday song...anything to get your mind out of that LOOP! When a thought comes in to your head, say NO, HELL NO! You will not win this time!!!

Do not get hungry! This is a major trigger! Remember it's only about 4 hours you really need to get thru...at least it was that way for me (5-9). If you made it thru the last 15 minutes, you can get thru the next ones. You do not NEED a drink. The drink needs you....do not feed it! Get on here and read, read, read!!! If all else fails...just go to bed. Yep...get Day 1 behind you. By day 3, all the AL will be out of your system and you will be operating on full power!! It is a wonderful feeling to finally regain yourself. You can do it!!! Grab a wing and lets' get going!!! Byrdie

[Byrdlady]

Tool box

Thought I'd post this I just wrote over in the Newbie's Nest...

We are so glad you found us! I was a closet drinker myself....you should find the thread about hiding and drinking...dang it, wish I knew how to post a link...but it is sad and funny...mostly sad. AL is the most cunning opponent I know. It makes you think BLACK when it's really WHITE...makes you think you are social, when you are being an ass....makes you feel better as it kills you. Yes, AL has my undying respect. So the only way I know to stop drinking is to stop drinking.

Ok. Well HOW the HELL do you do that? Like any good battle, this takes a plan of attack. This is a little embarrassing, but if you can read back on the Newbies Nest maybe a month, and then SKIP the major squabble we had for about 2 weeks....you will pick up some wonderful tips for success. Get to know us. You will find people from all over the world here, and in various stages of quitting. When I first got here I was SCARED. How could I possibly go one day without AL, let alone give it up for good? Old timers would fly in and say how wonderful it was, but they didn't tell me how to do it. I will throw out a couple of things, and the other nesters will also tell you how they are doing it.

Get your story down. Have in place what you are going to tell people when you are offered a drink. This is key! If you hesitate..the well-meaning host will push it on you and derail your plan. My personal excuse is that "Al is like battery acid to my insides". As any Type A personality will tell you...tummy issues are always a problem...so this works for me. But get yours down and use it....I'm driving...I'm on a health kick...I made a bet with friends...whatever!

Get all the AL out of your house. ALL of it. No, you do NOT need a safety net....that is planning for failure, but you are planning for success. Surround yourself with things you love to eat...I mean LOVE! Do not worry about calories or fat right now, we have bigger fish to fry at the moment!! Keep yourself hydrated! If you like movies...get a load of them to watch. Or books. Whatever you really like to do/eat/play....get it and have it on hand. The first 3 days are the hardest. Your head will be filled with voices telling you to cave in. Don't you do it. Do NOT cave in no matter what and no matter who!!! You are not giving up and old friend...you are getting rid of an enemy who is playing for all the winnings!! No, one glass of ______ is NOT going to do you any good! (this is us you are talking to....we know all the tricks your mind is trying to play!). Distraction, distraction, distraction! When you have those thoughts, immediately change your thinking to something else....name all your cousins...recite the Lord's Prayer....sind the Happy Birthday song...anything to get your mind out of that LOOP! When a thought comes in to your head, say NO, HELL NO! You will not win this time!!!

Do not get hungry! This is a major trigger! Remember it's only about 4 hours you really need to get thru...at least it was that way for me (5-9). If you made it thru the last 15 minutes, you can get thru the next ones. You do not NEED a drink. The drink needs you....do not feed it! Get on here and read, read, read!!! If all else fails...just go to bed. Yep...get Day 1 behind you. By day 3, all the AL will be out of your system and you will be operating on full power!! It is a wonderful feeling to finally regain yourself. You can do it!!! Grab a wing and lets' get going!!! Byrdie