how do you hold onto your resolve?

[searching for peace]

It seems like every morning I feel like I have a great new reslolve not to drink, but by 5pm, it quickly turns to the opposite...it doesn't build, but it just switches. I didn't drink the the last two days (doesn't mean that I didn't want to from about 5-8 pm). At first I thought I'd get bad withdrawals and I wouldn't last. But, fortunately, I've been fine so far (just a little bit of "funny" feeling .. a little bit like a mild flu)

Last night I took 2 unisom to go to sleep. I slept for 8 great hours. No tossing and turning in the middle of the night wondering what show did we watch on TV? When and how did I move from the couch to my bed? Did my husband suspect? What am I doing to myself? I really hate myself for this! I felt so good about a great night's sleep that right now I can't imagine trading it in for another sleepless tortured night. Is it that as the day wears on do you eventually forget how bad it really is? How can we make ourselves remember how bad it is and how really great it can be, especially later in the day?

[startingover]

how do you hold onto your resolve?

Well, you could write down all the things you did when drunk? Or how you felt? Then when feeling weak, have a read to remind yourself. Also, make a list of all the things you want your life to be..all the things that wont happen when you are drinking..
You are doing great so far, keep it up!

[aprilmoon]

how do you hold onto your resolve?

5PM was always my trigger time. You know the saying it's 5:00 somewhere. I could always justify drinking at 5:00 even if I wanted to drink earlier. The only way for me not to drink is to not have rum in my house.

Having the support of my new MWO friends and the support of my husband has taken that 5PM trigger away from me. (SO FAR). And the fact that I do not have rum in my house, has been the best thing!

I think that I am like you....I used drinking as an excuse to help me sleep. When I had stopped in the past I would take some form of sleeping pill to help me sleep. I haven't done that in the last 2 weeks. Somewhere on this website is some meditation exercises. I have used some of the breathing techniques to lull me to sleep. I wake up now before my husband.

I am not perfect...far from it....I'm just a simple person trying to stop drinking forever. Read and Post was the best advice I got here. Hearing that others are struggleing like you and posting your feelings here are the best medicine I ever got.

Just know that you are not alone in this. The folks here are willing to encourage you along the way. They sure have done that for me.

Best wishes in all you do, just know this website will help you make a better person out of yourself.

[A Work in Progress]

how do you hold onto your resolve?

Searching, you are doing great! Why does "trigger time" arrive every day? Because we have programmed our bodies and minds to expect a dose of alcohol at that particular time every day. It is very predictable... and very resist-able, if we anticipate it and work on it. Setting up other activities, and getting the alcohol out of the house are tremendously helpful, in the beginning. Look at the "tool box" thread and you will find a lot of other helpful ideas.

[FloridaBoy]

how do you hold onto your resolve?

:welcome: :goodjob:

Here is my mantra: The hangover lasts a lot longer than the buzz.

[aprilmoon]

how do you hold onto your resolve?

FloridaBoy;543531 wrote: :welcome: :goodjob:

Here is my mantra: The hangover lasts a lot longer than the buzz.

I love that!!!! Can I add that to my signature??? Pretty please!

[searching for peace]

how do you hold onto your resolve?

Everyone, thanks for the encouragement and helpful hints. Work in Progress.... Where is the "tool Box" section, I'm searching around the website, I'm just missing it. Thanks

[startingover]

how do you hold onto your resolve?

Hiya Search, its in Monthly Abstinence forum at the top...

[Evie.Lou]

how do you hold onto your resolve?

You are doing so good...When those "times" hit me I find that REALLY Spicy food is a big help to me.

[Still_Fighting]

how do you hold onto your resolve?

Sometimes it feels like that evil demon has more strenght than we have willpower, doesn't it? That subconscience of ours really works against us at times. I hope you find something that works for you. Maybe you could exercise that time of day.

As for me, when I'm thinking of having a drink, I think about what I'm REALLY going to do with the night. Sit around and watch reality T.V. and drink. Then I think of the hangover I'm going to have tomorrow and how I'm going to treat my family, and I think, for what? So I could sit around and watch reality T.V. all night? I try to convince myself it's not worth it and then I find something to do to keep me busy. Also, at the first thought of having a drink I take one or two Kudzu's. Thinking about the reality of what is fixing to happen doesn't take the craving away, but it does make me focus on the reality of the decision to drink. Instead of the false belief that it's going to help me relax, I try to focus on the fact that I'm going to have an entire day of hangover, for a wasteless useless reason.

I think if you can get past that trigger time for two weeks it won't be nearly the struggle it is right now. Just focus on getting through two weeks (or just today). Have faith that it will not be such a difficult struggle just a few weeks from now.

Maybe you could plan something for that trigger time for an entire week. Monday - go to the library, Tuesday - go grocery shopping, that kind of thing; just to get you through a week at a time. (Or, of course, you could always get online and chat with your MWO friends )Do let us know what you come up with. I 'm rooting for you!
Still Fighting

[matthen]

how do you hold onto your resolve?

I think that I most often use the approach I once heard of in AA. That is, if you are tempted to take a drink, "Think the Drink Through". Each time I have done this, I am hit with the strong realization that I am headed for a drunk and am going to go straight down hill if I take the first drink.

[upnorthgirl]

how do you hold onto your resolve?

resolve??

I try so hard to hold on to that morning resolve, when the day will be great, everyone will be nice, no one will die or get sick, no one will piss me off or hurt me or make me angry or...oh, yeah. My excuses, my rationale.

How to hold on to resolve? WORK IT!! Right now I want a drink so bad I would sell my soul for it! Seriously-and I just got back from the Dr. with a prescription for Antabuse!!!

We can all do this, right? Rsolve is the DESIRE to be AF and to remember and enjoy life.

[last call]

how do you hold onto your resolve?

Get that antibuse down your throat NOW!

[matthen]

how do you hold onto your resolve?

Oh............UpNorth reminded me............I also used antabuse, it was probably THE difference in staying sober for 8 months.

[Pan]

how do you hold onto your resolve?

Just try and get through one day at a time. Get any alcohol out of the house. I know if I had it here while I was trying to give up, I would have succumbed. Before you buy any more, just tell yourself tomorrow. Then tomorrow you may have decided to try for another tomorrow. Don't beat yourself up. Just keep trying for one AF day and see how you feel then. I am now one week AF and have done this without any support from anyone or anything, apart from the folks here on MWO. It wasn't easy for the first few days, but I just kept going one day at a time. What surprised me was I really wanted a drink on day 6, but didn't and I'm glad. I can't say the craving passed, but my concsience told me that if I succumbed I would hate myself. Try replacing what you would normally drink with something else you enjoy. I must say for me, diet tonic water is good. It doesn't put on weight and has that different taste about it. Also, if this is any help for your resolve, I have lost weight in the week I have been AF.