Saturdays are really hard!

[ItsJustMe]

Good Afternoon All ?

Saturday afternoon ? 7 days AF. But I am really having a hard time this weekend. Last night both kids were at different friends houses. I knew I had to get out of the house so took my Sweetie to dinner and a movie. By the time we got back I was tired and went to bed. No alcohol thoughts. Well, tonight kids are back home and we are staying in. My wife is on call so we can?t really go anywhere. It?s generally around this time I am heading for the package store for a bottle of Bacardi. I can actually see myself doing it. I know I would really be disappointed with myself tomorrow as would my wife. She is being so supportive. Part of me would even be willing to risk the affects of the Antibuse I have in my system for a Rum and Coke. But there is no such of a thing as ONE Rum and Coke. If I can make it to around 10PM (5.5 hours from now) then I will be in good shape and looking at day #8 sober. It is really really hard though. Why do I want to risk so much for a couple hours of pleasure??? That is just insane!

ItsJustMe
AF Since 10/17/2010

[Guitarista]

Saturdays are really hard!

G'day TJM.

Check this out bro'. https://www.mywayout.org/community/f1...box-27556.html

Lot's of useful info and tip's. Hang in there, and brilliant going on 7 day's af! You can do it!

[Doggygirl]

Saturdays are really hard!

Hi Itsjustme. That's addiction for you. We want our substance despite all the great reasons we have not to touch it. Despite the negative consequences. Despite the fact that we KNOW the "just one" thoughts are a lie.

Exercise is always a good distraction for me. Do you belong to a gym? Jog? Have a treadmill?

Another thing I have done many times if I'm feeling edgy on a Saturday night is go to an AA meeting. No booze there. :H

You definitely don't want to drink on Antabuse. Get your mind busy on something else. You can do it - don't give in. It does get easier in the long run if you just hang in there. If you give in, then you will just have to go through this early phase all over again. That is just torture.

DG

[Wally22]

Saturdays are really hard!

Looking at the times, I am too late to the party. But I do hope you made it through. It does get easier. Guitarista is right, check out the tool box, it's full of tips from people who are in exactly the same boat.
Doggygirl is right as well.
If all else fails, take a nap.

[hillsidetime]

Saturdays are really hard!

Hi Itsjustme, the weekends are very tough for sure. For me, my weekend would kick off around Thursday night, and go until Sunday evening. The urges seem to come very strong on Friday and Saturday, after the work week. I think the weekends are often most linked to our pattern of drinking of course, and physiologically and psychologically they are tough.

I learned the concept of urge surfing, here, and it was one of the things that saved me. I am so thankful for those who helped me. The bottom line, is that those urges you feel are like waves. Some are smaller, some are stronger. Some last a long time, and some come and go. However, they will pass. Knowing that they are coming, and accepting that is important. Waves will wash up on the beach always. Knowing that they will pass, and you can surf them, instead of getting carried away with them, I found, gave me power over them. It is sometimes tough to ride it out, but this mental drill, helped me a great deal.

All the best,
Hill

[Peacefull]

Saturdays are really hard!

Hi IJM,

Early on I find it's more like one craving at a time, rather than day. Trigger days, events, times will get easier the more you make it through.

I find reading helps, both hands are busy holding a book and my mind is focusing on something else.

Hang in there.

[ItsJustMe]

Saturdays are really hard!

Jeez ? it is almost like you all know me! Everything said in this thread is accurate! Bottom line is that I made it. I?m finishing up day 8 AF now. I got up this morning feeling good. I then thought of how disappointed I would have been with myself if I had ?let loose? (not to mention sick from the antibuse)? I got a truck load of stuff done today. My wife worked today and the kids were doing their own thing so I was all by myself until late evening. Usually I enjoy times like this because I drink all I want and no one is around to ?monitor? me. Around 5PM the cravings started again today (Sunday) but not as bad. I started cooking dinner and really occupied my mind with stuff I need to do. In between cooking I read posts on this site. It?s now 9 PM and no cravings exist at all now. It?s a lot like Hill said ? it comes and goes in waves.

Thank you all ? every one of you ? for being there for me. This is a great outlet. Of course my wife knows of my problem ? but I don?t think she knows the extent. No one really does but me. Not even my closest friends. This site gives me the portal to put it all out there ? get it all out ? and see that I am not the only one with these feelings. It sort of makes me feel less like a social pariah; if that makes any sense.

ItsJustMe
AF Since 10/17/2010

[Doggygirl]

Saturdays are really hard!

Congrats on your AF weekend! That's fabulous news.

ItsJustMe;988787 wrote: This is a great outlet. Of course my wife knows of my problem ? but I don?t think she knows the extent. No one really does but me. Not even my closest friends. This site gives me the portal to put it all out there ? get it all out ? and see that I am not the only one with these feelings. It sort of makes me feel less like a social pariah; if that makes any sense.

ItsJustMe
AF Since 10/17/2010

For me, honesty about my alcoholism is so important. It took MANY years for me to get out of denial and face reality. I can relate to what you are saying - being totally honest here was my first step too. Now there are more people "in real life" that I am honest with too. It doesn't feel like a "dirty secret" any more because sober, I am able to be a much better and giving person than I ever could when I was drunk. I have also reached a point of willingness to share my story as appropriate to the degree it might make someone else feel less alone and to have hope of recovery. So you never know where your sober path will lead. Just know it will be light years better than where the other path goes.

DG

[K9Lover]

Saturdays are really hard!

Hi IJM-
If I read your first post right, you are on Antabuse, correct? If so, PLEASE do not even have one drink. You mentioned risking so much for "a couple hours of pleasure". If you are on Antabuse, you won't get a couple hours of pleasure, you will get an accelerated and irregular heartbeat, flushed skin and an overall feeling of sickness. I'm glad to see that you made it through the craving...but please don't take a chance on Antabuse!
Good job and keep up the great work!
K9

[Mish]

Saturdays are really hard!

Although I'm not on Antabuse, the research I have done on it made it clear that the SEs of combining it with alcohol are not pretty...:yukko::yukko::yukko:
I have the impression a "few hours of pleasure" might be about the 30 seconds it takes to feel the Al heading down to your stomach, followed by hours and hours of porcelain observation...
Well done on getting through what I hope is now 9 days for you and keep surfing the urges.
:h Mish :h