Moderation, overconfidence and failure...
This a great thread and you ALL have contributed good points my mind is currently processing like a chatter box. I've noted that week four has definitely produced more thoughts about having a drink. I've had more cravings in the last few days then any other time in my four weeks sober. The monster is really running around loose in my head. That could be due to my emotional conflicts or where my chemistry is at during this time or both. I don't feel complacent per say, as I know where this road leads, but I can see where there can be a waning of the prior excitement you get from the initial success and the need to stay vigilant in adding in replacements and sticking to a PLAN OF ACTION. I, also, see your point, Alan, concerning the 30 day mark, but for me I need those marks as a way to accomplish my short term goals. It gives me a shorter time span to hold onto when things get rough. I'll worry about the next week after my 30 day mark. It's that one day at a time or short term goal thing. Even if I am shooting for long term sobriety, for me I must stick to the shorter time frames for now. If I think about making it a year, I may feel overwhelmed. A wall is built one brick at a time. Accomplishing shorter term goals lets me see my accomplishments and that it is possible even if done in small chunks, and I accumulate productivity and growth I can see as a reward to build on.
Side note to Byrdlady: If you've never seen anyone who drinks like you, I think you've never run into me.
In five years of drinking, I managed to accomplish gaining quite a reputation in my area for my bad habit/problem. My husband says, wow you've become famous. This isn't quite what one wants to be made famous for as I'm sure you know. I could start at 2 in the afternoon and at two in the morning, I'm still going strong looking for a party. God knows how I stayed alive this long. I don't think that can be forgotten so easily as some bartenders are happy to see me not drinking. The stigma can be pretty horrible for a woman. More so than a man, imo. Somehow woman are looked down on much more shamefully than men. That is not to take away from a man's burdens of having an addiction/alcohol problem, but women have an additional shame added to the mix. Maybe that's a blessing at this point for me.
Again, great thread. I need some new thoughts floating in this head right now.
:l
This a great thread and you ALL have contributed good points my mind is currently processing like a chatter box. I've noted that week four has definitely produced more thoughts about having a drink. I've had more cravings in the last few days then any other time in my four weeks sober. The monster is really running around loose in my head. That could be due to my emotional conflicts or where my chemistry is at during this time or both. I don't feel complacent per say, as I know where this road leads, but I can see where there can be a waning of the prior excitement you get from the initial success and the need to stay vigilant in adding in replacements and sticking to a PLAN OF ACTION. I, also, see your point, Alan, concerning the 30 day mark, but for me I need those marks as a way to accomplish my short term goals. It gives me a shorter time span to hold onto when things get rough. I'll worry about the next week after my 30 day mark. It's that one day at a time or short term goal thing. Even if I am shooting for long term sobriety, for me I must stick to the shorter time frames for now. If I think about making it a year, I may feel overwhelmed. A wall is built one brick at a time. Accomplishing shorter term goals lets me see my accomplishments and that it is possible even if done in small chunks, and I accumulate productivity and growth I can see as a reward to build on.
Side note to Byrdlady: If you've never seen anyone who drinks like you, I think you've never run into me.
In five years of drinking, I managed to accomplish gaining quite a reputation in my area for my bad habit/problem. My husband says, wow you've become famous. This isn't quite what one wants to be made famous for as I'm sure you know. I could start at 2 in the afternoon and at two in the morning, I'm still going strong looking for a party. God knows how I stayed alive this long. I don't think that can be forgotten so easily as some bartenders are happy to see me not drinking. The stigma can be pretty horrible for a woman. More so than a man, imo. Somehow woman are looked down on much more shamefully than men. That is not to take away from a man's burdens of having an addiction/alcohol problem, but women have an additional shame added to the mix. Maybe that's a blessing at this point for me.Again, great thread. I need some new thoughts floating in this head right now.
:l
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