Does sobriety get easier???? How do any of you cope??

[mtndew]

Does sobriety get easier???? How do any of you cope??

Does it get easier?

I quit drinking wine at around the same time you did it sounds like. My last drink was on Christmas Eve except for one glass two days later. I know what you mean about the psychological cravings; they can be a torment. They seem to some become much stronger when I think of drinking as something I might possibly do, rather than as something I definately will not do. They seem to go away when they "know" that you won't give in to them, much like some people

What has helped me is to keep my desire to be sober very clear in my mind and pushing away all thoughts of "maybe I could handle just a little bit." It seems to be more motivating to think in terms of the small positive consequences that are a sure thing, e.g. I'll feel more alert if I stay sober, than the ones that are only possibilities, e.g. My husband might leave me if I drink, I could drive drunk and have a wreck, etc.

[peacenik]

Does sobriety get easier???? How do any of you cope??

blue, i too am in a very rural area and aa is a no way for me...talk about gossip!!!
we are glad you are here and we support you no matter where you post!

i agree with dew, i tell myself i don't drink and i never will again. for some reason it has clicked and i can drive right by the liquor store without screeching into the parking lot for my 2 bottles of pinot noir or 2 bottles of pinot grigio.
l-glutes and kudzu are helping (i think, but maybe it's placebo, who knows!). i'm just going to keep on trucking and coming here for support. it's been 22 days today and i feel like i really don't obsess about drinking since i told myself i'm a non-drinker.
that's how i quit smoking years ago, i told myself i am a non-smoker and i made myself repulsed by the smell of cigs.


cheers (with water)

[SAUSAGE]

Does sobriety get easier???? How do any of you cope??

Hi

I'm on day 83 of this latest AF stint - hopefully for life this time! but in the last year or so i've had about 300 AF days in total. Prior to this I drank approx half to a bottle of wine a day at home, often alone. For me the key to finding things easier is a whole change of lifestyle / mindset. You have to see being AF as the better life and not see yourself as a martyr for not drinking - if you see yourself as depriving yourself of something you will always remain miserable and being AF will be hard work even if you do achieve it by sheer willpower.

I'm definitely finding things a lot eaiser over the last few weeks than I did a year ago - I now rarely have cravings except for about an hr on a Fri and Sat night - the other thing I find difficult is if I'm in the wine section of a supermarket, particularly if i'm thirsty or hungry - I avoid going down that section as seeing all the colour co-ordinated bottles ie white, rose, red etc sends me bad triggers.

My advice would be look at all the benefits of not drinking, there are so many - write them all down - if you need inspiration look at Doggy Girl's thread "my new story" in the my story section, when she does her cost benefit analysis of alcohol - written Dec 25th 08 (also look at her before and after photos for real inspiration!). Concentrate on this and how you can live your life for the better now you are sober - What do you actually want out of life? Look foward - the rest of your happy health sober life starts now.

Keep going - you are doing just great - it will get easier I promise

Take care

Sausage xx

[swans]

Does sobriety get easier???? How do any of you cope??

Thank you all of you, very insightful words. Enough to get me through another day of not drinking. I will refer back to this page from time to time.

[kaponium]

Does sobriety get easier???? How do any of you cope??

SWANS!!! Great news about your successful January - that is awesome, girl.
YES - It DOES get easier - I reckon. As each craving hurdle is won, the feeling of "I CAN do it" just gives me more and more hope. Also, for me it gets easier, mainly because the progressive downward spiral of drinking and having to recover again is harder and harder - sometimes I can take my AF for granted......
I just remind myself of the depression and anxiety I ALWAYS experience after a bender.
Wishing you all success in the world, darl x

[gyco]

Does sobriety get easier???? How do any of you cope??

hi swan,wow,AA my dear does not work for all,Ive been in and out for 1o years,matter a fact it says that i think in theres a solution,over the last ten years Ive also had my struggles,I'm not promoting AA, and i don't disagree with it,on page 19 and 20 it tells of the different kind of drinkers,quite simple,its not,Ive been reading the chronicles of Doctor W Silkworth of late,WWW. Silkworth,i to found at AA a sense of no compassion,plus a stigma with it,either your Alcoholic or not,and the book says different,the sense of as soon as you open your mouth you ve just condemned yourself,but that is my feelng,maybe something else that might help you,is online AA,great site, but like here when ever people get you down, with a blink of the eye shut them off,hahhaa, see there is justice,there are many ways to battle this allergy as i call it, but iam one who would sooner do it without DRINK,EE JUST A LITTE LECTURE GOOD LUCK TO YOU GYCO

[A Work in Progress]

Does sobriety get easier???? How do any of you cope??

mtndew;527895 wrote: I know what you mean about the psychological cravings; they can be a torment. They seem to some become much stronger when I think of drinking as something I might possibly do, rather than as something I definately will not do. They seem to go away when they "know" that you won't give in to them, much like some people

What has helped me is to keep my desire to be sober very clear in my mind and pushing away all thoughts of "maybe I could handle just a little bit." It seems to be more motivating to think in terms of the small positive consequences that are a sure thing, e.g. I'll feel more alert if I stay sober, than the ones that are only possibilities, e.g. My husband might leave me if I drink, I could drive drunk and have a wreck, etc.

I totally agree with this wonderful post. Swans, it does get easier... but it takes more than just gritting our teeth and not drinking, to make it "get" easier. We have to change the way we think about alcohol. "Cravings" are really nothing but thoughts... a craving is the thought/impulse that says to me "I want to drink, and a drink would be good... maybe I can have just one... or just two... " etc. If we follow this train of thought... sort of like really getting involved in a daydream... then we will be miserable, and we will be lost.

In order to be happy with not drinking, we have to work hard on the "mind game." We have to refuse to allow our minds to get involved in thoughts about alcohol that portray alcohol as a good thing that we would like to have. Check out the "tool box" thread and read the post about "Gratitude Mode" as opposed to "Deprivation Mode," OK?