Chronic Newbie

[odat1234]

Today is my third "day 1 this year." I am not proud of it and I know that chronic newbie annoy and frustrate the long timers and the not so long timers. I am trying to get completely sober however it is hard, and I don't get it alot but I am trying. I do not want to mod, but basicly that is what I am doing though not my goal. I just wanted to start this thread as support for those of use who want to be AF but have not "got it" yet. This year I have been AF 6 out of 9 days. That is good for me, it's better that 9 out of 9 days drunk. At one point on these boards there were people who counted days sober in a year, though not consecutive days, they felt those days were hard earned and deserved to be counted and not lost, I feel the same now. I really worked hard at my 6 sober days out of 9.

Anyway if you are a "chronic newbie" feel free to post here. I hope we can support each other with out annoying or derailing anyone else.

[dav]

Chronic Newbie

I suppose I fall in that category. It is getting worse and worse every time I get back here though! I'll be around.

[odat1234]

Chronic Newbie

Welcome Dav82d. You have not posted much. Come join us at MWO and try to make everyday AF. It's hard and sometimes we fail, some times we are sad more that happy but we are trying and if we don't try then we will for sure fail!

[paulywogg]

Chronic Newbie

im a chronic newbie too! i can get it together sometimes,and im totally serious about quitting,however i get so far then i snap! but i really am getting better than i was,i was an everyday drinker for 7 years straight so now im a not everyday drinker,good thread,thank you

[almost free]

Chronic Newbie

Hi Odat and Dav,

So glad you keep trying. Don't give up. As they say, 'Progress, not perfection'. I agree that however many days you get AF, it is still an improvement over no days AF. I have had countless relapses, so I know how demoralizing it can be. Just keep trying and one day it will click. When I started out here, I got ten days, then 6 days, then another ten. The last withdrawal was one I never want to repeat. It does get worse and worse. At least it did for me. I now have 40 days. Who'd have thunk? Glad you are both here!

p.s. Hi Pauly! Glad you are here, too. 'Progress, not perfection...'

[Sharky]

Chronic Newbie

ODAT- I'll join this thread as well. Seems like we are almost always in the same boat of starting over. Good for you getting right back at it so quickly! I can tell you really want this so let's do it shall we!
Your friend
Sharky

[pixie]

Chronic Newbie

Hi odat,

Have you considered setting a monthly (or weekly) goal of so many AF days? you could start with a goal for January, then increase the goal for February and so on. I know your ultimate goal is to be AF, but as you said you are moderating right now, and setting monthly or weekly goals rather than starting your count over at day 1 is a more positive way to look at it. Not everyone succeeds at doing the cold turkey thing, maybe you need a more gradual approach. Of course only you know what is best for you, but I thought I would mention it. Good luck!

[odat1234]

Chronic Newbie

Lets do it Sharky, can't wait for tomorrow and the hope that this depression will lift. I sucks so much. It's almost physically painful.

[odat1234]

Chronic Newbie

thinks pixie I have tried that, it does not seem to work so well.

[dav]

Chronic Newbie

For some reason I don't like counting. A few years back I put a run of 90+ days tallied it up on the calendar and figured I could instantly drink again. That was a fail.

[New Day]

Chronic Newbie

Pixie....that is a great idea of counting AF days in a month. I too had a lot of day 1s andmit was very discouraging to have to start at one again......so much so that I left MWO for a re years. Had I done that, i would have felt better about the AF days that I did achieve.

I am feeling more optimistic about my quit this time, but if I should have one evening that i would like to have a glass of wine, then I may devise an alternate counting system to keep me going.

[odat1234]

Chronic Newbie

dav counting does the same thing to me, its like hey i did 30 days im fine....not

[scottish lass]

Chronic Newbie

At the end of last year I chose to work out how many AF days each month and as long as the number stayed the same or decreased, I was happy - I finished with 19, 19, 20 and 21 (actually had a 30 day stretch in there too) AF days the last four months and I was proud. I wish I had counted all my AF days in the whole year, but the counting thing got me down in spring too, so I stopped counting (and stopped MWO too ) - but looking back, in comparison to my routinue of drinking 365 days, it was a huge improvement! Just would have been nice to know. Instead of counting, I just put a little green dot for each AF day on my calendar (and I don't always actually do it each day, sometimes just go back and add in the dots) - then add them up later.....
Works for me!

[NoraC]

Chronic Newbie

Great thread! I am also a chronic newbie. Last September I started putting stickers on my calendar for my AF days. I am happy to say that I am showing so much improvement from where I was a year ago or 5 years ago. I am working on being AF all of 2013. But, I'm trying very hard not to look ahead. I am concentrating on today. Staying AF for today. I like looking at all the happy face stickers on my calendar.

[kuya]

Chronic Newbie

It is very common that people get to landmark times of 30, 60, 90 days and then drink. Often they report suddenly feeling flat and depressed as the reason....... I know I felt low, almost like 'what now'.
The true magic didn't kick in till 4 months and suddenly I felt 'normal', energised, without day to day anxiety. Now drinking would have to be planned and conscious, not knee jerk and because of despondency.

Please hang on for the magic......I drank for 23 years.......four months of hard work is a small price to pay IMO.

It seems, from what I read, to be a lot harder to keep restarting than to just stay stopped.