Can't get past 5 days

[Laurel74]

I am so angry with myself. I gotta get this under control. I hate drinking alcohol but I can't get past 5 days sober. What is wrong with me?? Why do I have to have this horrible problem???

[chartreuse_lily]

Can't get past 5 days

Wanting to stop is definitely the first step but sometimes it takes a while to actually quit. For a long time I was swearing every morning that I wasn't going to drink today then giving in. It makes you hate yourself but don't give up. Keep trying as hard as you can everyday.

Are you taking any supplements? I found Kudzu and L-Glutamine really helped reduce the cravings I was having. With them gone it was just a matter of proving to myself that I could survive without the alcohol, that I didn't need it.

[hillsidetime]

Can't get past 5 days

Hi Laurel, I understand how frustrating it is when alcohol has power over you. You are not alone, most of us here can really relate to where you are at. The good news is that you understand that you need to make a positive change in your life.

The question of why, is one that may never resolve itself. For now, perhaps you should focus on a plan, setting some goals, and trying to figure out this 5 day stumbling block. Is it the weekend that is getting in the way?

Let us know a little more about you, your volume and frequency of drinking, and try to figure out if you want to stop drinking all together, moderate, take a 30 days off alcohol to clear your head etc.

Read lots in here, there are many posts that can help you. Hang in there,
Hill

[Sona]

Can't get past 5 days

chartreuse_lily;1042147 wrote: Wanting to stop is definitely the first step but sometimes it takes a while to actually quit. For a long time I was swearing every morning that I wasn't going to drink today then giving in. It makes you hate yourself but don't give up. Keep trying as hard as you can everyday.

This is true. This is my story exactly. I couldn't make it even one night. I would wake up every morning HATING that I drank again, and swearing it was all over. This went on for years.

It IS a process, it does take time. It does take personally setting goals and attacking the problem -- taking the offensive stance rather than a defensive one. It requires being willing to do ANYTHING it takes, which includes having people sleep over, cutting up your debit cards, asking someone to assist you with your bank accounts and being accountable to them over your spending (letting them see everything)... Going to meetings, going to rehab if need be. You might be at that point, and you might not. Only you know. But I'm only telling where I was, in the progress I have made. I was willing to go to any length to finally confront this thing that had torn my life apart. I've made progress, but I need to make so much more.

We'll be thinking of you. Report in. Consult us about the 5th day issue. If you need to, when you get to that fourth or fifth day, sit here in front of the computer reading and typing all day long. Whatever it takes. Break that barrier and get to the 6th day for now. Progress is progress. See if you can make it a week.

We'd love to hear more, Laurel... and we'd love to hear about your progress. You CAN do it! One goal at a time. You have so much potential.

Let us know how it goes.

[universal]

Can't get past 5 days

Hi Laurel,

What's different about the 5th day that you end up drinking? What are you doing on days 1-4 so that you don't drink? How are you handling the cravings on day 1-4? If you can determine how you are successful on the first 4 days, it may help to keep doing that on day 5 and then 6 and so on. Learn from your past sucesses and keep building on them.

Good luck, keep us posted!

[Lavande]

Can't get past 5 days

Hi Laurel,

You can get past 5 days - you just need a better plan.
Look in the https://www.mywayout.org/community/f1...box-27556.html. See what others have done to stay sober.
In my case distraction was the key. Good planning, keeping myself busy & thinking positively really helped. Use the Hypno CDs, they worked great

Best wishes on your journey, never give up!

Lav

[jennyneric]

Can't get past 5 days

This is unconventional but what about going 6 days and giving yourself permission to drink a certain number of drinks, then go AF for 7 days, then 8 days, and eventually you will either go AF completely for 30 or more days because when you keep starting over and reaching your goal you will build your confidence that you can do it and also there will come a time that you do not want to loose your days so you will not drink on the designated day. The other thing is on the day you drink give yourself a time frame that is not ur usual time, like if you start drinking at 5 don't start till 7 and stop by 9 and if you have any AL left at 9 POOR IT OUT. This is the only way I stopped, I made it to day 10 but could not make it past so I set a goal for 15 days and by that time I was 1/2 way to 30! Why stop then! So now I'm on 26 and I have given myself permission to drink on day 60 if I would like but I probably wont want to. Hope this helps!

[Mstall]

Can't get past 5 days

Hi Laurel,

I was exactly in your place for the last few months untill this weekend. I could make it from Sunday to Thursday but come Friday, i felt too weak and would end up drinking the next two days and feeling terrible on Sunday that once again i failed to make it through.

So I decided to sign up for a hot yoga class on Saturday mornings. They advise you to not drink 24 hours before class because of dehydration. I never would have thought that would be enough to get me through, but it worked. It helped that i made the committment to my daughter that we would go. I could let myself down, many times, but not her.

Maybe you could plan something new for early Saturday or even Friday night. For me, getting through Friday AF boosted my confidence and desire to make it through Saturday.
Here i am on Sunday morning, day 8!!

If I can do it, I KNOW you can too. Make a plan!

[jennyneric]

Can't get past 5 days

Good job Mstall! I'm glad your hot yoga class worked and I see you made it through yours Saturday night also. If I remember correctly you had a thing to attend that you were worried about, good job!

[BELIEVE]

Can't get past 5 days

Actually laurel you're not alone in this, i saw a lot of it when i was just starting out. I remember reading (and posting since i wasn't immune either) about major sticking points occuring on days 3-7. Then around the 2 and 3 week point, but not as bad. I don't know what it is about this particular timeframe thats so difficult, but it is. You can try supplements like kudzu, it worked for me, but its still a little rough. Everytime you slip up, just gather yourself and go for it again. If you ram that wall enough eventually you'll break through. Don't give up. Don't be down on yourself. Please trust me on this and just keep at it.

[Shanny5]

Can't get past 5 days

Laurel74;1042146 wrote: I am so angry with myself. I gotta get this under control. I hate drinking alcohol but I can't get past 5 days sober. What is wrong with me?? Why do I have to have this horrible problem???

I understand exactly how you feel and you are by no means alone.
Are you taking any anti craving medication? I am and could not have gone past 3 days much less 5, without it.
Might be worth looking into if you aren't?

[Laurel74]

Can't get past 5 days

Woke up at 3 pm and thought it was the morning. This is my last wasted day. I HATE ALCOHOL!!!

[JimG]

Can't get past 5 days

I hear you mate....I'm beating myself up bec I went 3 days this week then had 6 cans of rum then yest bought slab of beer and it's almost gone.

My money's going, my sleep's going andmy nerves are shot. Slightest thing and I arc up. Not good.

I'm wondering about the counsellor factor that goes with the anti crave meds. Bluddy exxy @ $140 an hour but hey, I spend $100 per week on grog anyway....

Hope you come good as I do with everyone inclmyself.

[Sona]

Can't get past 5 days

Laurel74;1042932 wrote: Woke up at 3 pm and thought it was the morning. This is my last wasted day. I HATE ALCOHOL!!!

I went through quite a few days like this in May/June 2009. Several weeks when I would look at a clock and it would say 6:00 or so and I had no idea whether it was am or pm. I was working a job at that time and have no idea how I held onto it. I don't remember going, but I know I somehow did. In June that year I did 17 days of rehab. It started my journey to sobriety, of which there've been bumps along the way.

I have been right where you are and I know the feeling that says I HATE THIS THING, but the pattern won't stop. I think that part of what we go through, when we get to a point where we know it is killing us, is actually recognizing how much we hate it and its capacity to harm our lives. You are very much at that point, and if it is any consolation, that is the beginning of your journey to sobriety.

Now you must set goals and take steps to getting yourself where you really would rather be. Set goals, one day at a time. Try for now to figure out a way to get to Day Six. That would be a huge accomplishment for now. And when you get to Day Six, you might feel so good about those six days that you decide you'd really rather not drink on Day Seven.

But for today, concentrate on Today. Set goals for tomorrow, but focus on the day at hand.

Don't drink anything today, Laurel! It is time to beat this thing.

[mylife]

Can't get past 5 days

Hi Laurel,
I also got stuck on day 5 or 6 for a long time! Then, one time I just white knuckled it through those days thinking I would at least make it to day 7 or 8. After that, the "Day 5 or 6" thing just disappeared. Then it became day 20 for a couple times and now I made it past that one!! Really, just keep adding up the days and do whatever you have to do to get through the tough ones and all of a sudden you'll be amazed at the number of days you've racked up! You can do this!!