first time here

[Alcoholic]

first time here

Cathy: focus on how healthy you are getting without the drink. Focus on the positive, but take care not to withdraw... I hope you have read up and reviewed the signs and symptoms of withdrawals and take. Precautions to avoid them as severe alcohol withdrawals can be life threatening. But after the withdrawals, it's just craving you have to deal with and then at that point, there are many ways to keep your mind off the drink as suggested by everyone....

[cathysgottastop]

first time here

I am excited about my road to recovery I do have a lot of homework to do and research as well. I'm looking forward to getting recovery

[damo180]

first time here

Welcome cathy , you have found a great place to help you recover.
There is so much great support and advice here.
Damo

[cathysgottastop]

first time here

Thank you so much. When I started today I felt awful I knew I had to make a change but didn't know where to start I'm so grateful I found this great place with such lovely supportive people that understand exactly how I feel and what I'm going through. I don't feel alone and scared like I did before like this morning. I'm thankful. Now I have to keep going forward

[aihflvt]

first time here

Cathy, this mindset helped me, maybe it can help you, too. I see what I'm trying to do as an attempt to make alcohol irrelevant to my life. I have a friend/co-worker who has been a lifelong teetotaler. And it's not difficult for him not to drink because alcohol has no relevancy to his life whatsoever. Even when he's come over to parties at our home where everyone else is wasted (including yours truly), he doesn't drink because it's not a part, nor has it it ever been a part of his life. And I see that as the way I need to eventually become. Just to toss out a few ideas, I drank a lot at night while kicking back in front of the computer or television. Therefore, in my mind, the use of these two devices at night became associated with alcohol. I'm trying to unlearn that by having herbal tea instead. Another example is the beach. The beach used to mean dive bars with decks and colored lights. I am now trying to reprogram myself so that the beach means a welcoming coffee shop with a patio and wifi. These are just two examples from my own experience, but I hope that maybe they can help you find ways to dissociate your old habits from newer healthy ones.

[cathysgottastop]

first time here

That's excellent advice. I do have a lot of disassociating to do for sure. It seems lately everything I do has alcohol involved or if I go somewhere where there is no alcohol like a movie. The first thing I do when I get home is pop 4 or 5 or more beers. I can't stop till I'm totally wasted

[Starfish1]

first time here

Great ideas, aihflvt! Cathy, do you have a substitute drink for when you get home? Something warm if its cold where you are today or something cool if today is a warm day in your neck of the woods. If not, maybe you should pick up something special to drink on your way home. Flavored coffee, tea or mocha or sparkling water and/or juice. I like diet tonic water and lime or perrier water.

[cathysgottastop]

first time here

Thanks starfish I thought of that too. Lately if its not a 12 pack of beer I drink tons of water cause I'm so dehydrated. I do like lipton ice tea and was given a keurig for christmas I thought maybe trying some different keurigs like the tea. Etc. And make that my drink

[Starfish1]

first time here

sounds good!

[cathysgottastop]

first time here

Almost quitting time and I'm feeling nervous

[Starfish1]

first time here

You can do it, Cathy! Just think how proud you will be tomorrow and how great you will feel not hungover. I will be away from the site for a while now. Have several meetings to attend. Be sure to have substitutes for the beer in your hand. Stick to your plan!

[cathysgottastop]

first time here

Thanks starfish for your support. I want to start feeling great and stop popping excederin migrInes all day for the hangover

[K9Lover]

first time here

You can do this Cathy!
When I first quit, I rearranged my furniture in the living room so it didn't look like my drinking "spot" anymore.
I also make iced tea all the time...that's my drink of choice now.
Be strong tonight...remember how BAD alcohol makes you feel...

[Struggles 106]

first time here

Hey Cathy

Welcome to MWO. I did the same thing-googled and found this place.
Everyone here is in the same boat, just rowing along sometimes against the current!

How old is your daughter? I have one and she is 23.

I drank a lot of beer too. But really I would drink other stuff sometimes. After several beers I would sometimes have a shot of tequila just to be really stupid.

I am so glad you found this place. It is terrific for support and concern.

Hang in there and stay strong

[Breezy Momma]

first time here

Hi Cathy! Welcome! I'm fairly new here but the support, wisdom and advice is excellent and non-judgemental! Every day AF gets BETTER!! Do it for your daughter and your husband!! They love you - you need to love you!!