Need your help - stop the yo-yo drinking

[DoneDrinkin]

Hi,

I really need your help.

I found this site approximately 2 years ago, and decided to quit drinking. I was enjoying some remarkable success -- I think I hit my 120th sober day, and didn't have any cravings at all. Then Thanksgiving came along, and I decided I needed a little reward. Well, it wasn't an ipod, a chocolate cake or a new car. It was one beer. One lonely beer. Next day I decided to have another - and well, you probably all know the story from there.

Since then I've been basically in a downward spiral.... drinking progressively more, until once again yesterday morning, I've decided I need to stop again. At its worst, I was drinking a whole fifth of vodka a night, or 4 bottles wine, a case of beer, or some unpalatable combination of the above. Enough to kill a small child.

So, I'm at the end of day 2 sober. Amazingly, starting to feel better already. My whole body has been aching for months now... all day, every day... dull aching. That is already lifting and I am feeling human again.

I am forever in awe at how the heck my body is struggling to cope with the abuse I have put it through. And I'm wondering if this yo-yo adventure will ever truly end.

**sigh**

Steve

[nicelife]

Need your help - stop the yo-yo drinking

I've sent you a private message Done. Hang in there, you're in a great place for support here!!!

[dancingon]

Need your help - stop the yo-yo drinking

Well done on getting back up there. You've done it before, you can do it again.
I think the yoyo business is a state of mind. You feel great and then think you need a reward or that you can handle one drink after all this time. You may need a mind shift to tell yourself that drink is not a reward. Not everyone can drink moderately or occasionally. You may need to decide that you simply don't drink and your health is the reward. Choose other rewards for good behaviour.
But yeah, many of us have been there and continue to be vulnerable.
I seem to be able to have the odd drink with friends, but I don't trust myself to drink alone.
I feel much better AF, so that's where I'm going to be most of the time.

[mumofsix]

Need your help - stop the yo-yo drinking

Hey Steve well done for getting back onto the road of recovery. I have only managed to get to the two bottle of wine a night level and have called it quits too. I went three days sober and then folded yesterday and had a bottle of Moet which was very nice by the way but then guilt was there this morning so back on the sober wagon today too. I went for a nice 5 hour walk, bought some "coolas" boots (sorry Kiwi Lingo from New Zealand) some nice clothes too as a reward for being so much better behaved than normal lol. I ALSO signed up for the Gold Coast marathon today in Australia so hubbie will be paying for not only plane tickets to America for NY marathon in November but also plane tickets to Aussie in July. These are my rewards fo myself for my success. YES I love running in case you hadnt gathered. What rewards can you think of to work towards? Something you maybe always wanted to do that you havent. The things are endless so have fun thinking of your reward for your success which I know you can have. Good luck

[DSLR]

Need your help - stop the yo-yo drinking

Hi steve, well done for deciding to give it another go. Although my drinking 'habit' is different to you, I have been the same over the past couple of years, start/stop, start/stop, but have never gone as long as you have AL, so you know you can do it!

I am on day 9 now and I suppose I thought well this is 'another go' lets see how long I last this time, but as I can't even remember being AF for 9 straight days, I think I have come a long way with still have a long way to go, but that's OK.

What I am trying to say, not very well, is that in the end I thought if I don't try again, I won't know if it worked! And without doubt the guys and girls on MWO have been a major part of my current 'success' and hopefully that will be the same for you.

Bonne chance!