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    One drink...

    Dear MOW?s,

    It?s been a while. Those of you who know me, know I had a relapse.

    But just to recap:

    I joined MWO in October 2013 on my 3rd AF day. The feeling was good and I was reading for hours every day. I felt stronger and stronger as my AF days piled up and I discovered me again after 10 years of heavily drinking. I was happy and sure that my drinking days were over. I just could not imagine life with AL again. I was completely sure I was free.

    At day 120, I walked into a liquor store and came home and drank. I posted here the day after feeling like SH*T, disappointed of myself and unable to believe that it happened with a blink of an eye. I was going through some issues at the time but nothing that made me want to drink as I knew, I was no longer drinking. It just happened. After researching about relapses, I understood. I neglected to protect my sobriety (as I saw the AL issue as done and over with. I got cocky).

    So the past month had been HELL. Day 1 every other day or two and then back to drinking. Just couldn't get back on track. I had been so miserable, so unhappy and even started having ?what?s the point? kind of thoughts, which I never had. I was miserable because after 120 AF days I knew exactly what sheer happiness felt like. I loved my life (not that it was perfect but everything started to fall into place) and I loved me. A sober human being, focused and ready to take on life. True life not the one in the bottle.

    I am now on day 6. You see, I was even ashamed to post and I couldn't get pass day 3. It was HELL. That just one drink, took me for a loop and I couldn't get out again. It was torture. I had to ?lock myself? in my apartment literally the whole weekend so I wouldn't drink. I made sure I had everything indoors so I will not have an excuse to go out. The cravings and the temptation were brutal.

    My reason for posting is not only to share but to educate that the fall and the relapse can happen at any stage and we have to stand strong and protect our sobriety each and every day. It only takes one drink and you?re doomed.

    So, today I feel good and I am starting to like myself again. I feel very vulnerable and I am very cautious about my everyday actions. Don?t want to find myself in a liquor store ever again to only wonder later? ?what happened?

    Thank you for listening. I wish us all the amazing AF lives we all deserve.
    With hope and love:l:h

    #2
    One drink...

    Congratulations on those 6 days, LF. It sounds like they were really hard-earned. I hope you have a plan in place for nurturing your sobriety daily - it seems to be a key to success.

    All the best, NS

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      #3
      One drink...

      Lucky, congratulations on your 6 days! Check into the Nest tomorrow and I'll moon you! (is that incentive???)
      Thank you for your heartfelt post. AL is a demon, the likes of which I have never seen. It really is scary what its capable of taking from us. Just as you would accept and encourage me if that were to happen, I hope you will only look forward at this point. If one person can gain strength from what happened to you, it will have served a purpose. I am so sorry that it happened, but surely you are stronger for having the experience! 120 days and beyond!! Welcome back to the land of the living!! If I can help in any way, I will do it! Hugs, Byrdie
      All you gotta do, is get thru this day. AF 1/20/2011
      Tool Box
      Newbie's Nest

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        #4
        One drink...

        Your message speaks loud and clear. One drink!! We all want, just one. Until we want more!!
        Bless you for writing to us. I am on day 5, and feel human again... I will take your advise and remember to protect my sobriety.

        Comment


          #5
          One drink...

          Hello LF:

          Thank you for your kind and thoughtful words. Amazing isnt it?....just one little slip and whammo!

          So proud of you that you lifted yourself up. You still have a a great string of sober days under your belt and only dealing with what it appears we all go through..A SLIP! Im happy you are back and sober again

          Can you tell us what happened in that liquor store? Did something build up? Was HALT involved?

          Would like to learn from you...thanks.

          Comment


            #6
            One drink...

            NNS- Thank you for your wishes. Those 6 days were tough as hell.

            Byrdie- Your post brought tears to my eyes (I did say I am very vulnerable?)
            Welcome back to the living! So strong. I will definitely check into the nest tomorrow. It?s been a while since I?ve been mooned.:H

            JR- Congratulations on day 5. Keep it going it only gets easier from this point. Also makes me feel good to know that you understood what only one drink can cause. A total chaos. I wish you luck in your journey to sobriety.

            Lead- The lifting up part took me a whole month of excruciating pain but I finally did it and for this reason I am proud.

            Nothing specific happened on day 120. I was down that week because I broke up with a friend, it was right before Valentine?s day and I was alone and no one to share it with, some work issues but I didn?t even dream of having a drink. That?s what killed me. I did not wake up that day with the decision to drink today. That wasn?t the case at all.

            I got off work. It was a Thursday (which is the beginning of my weekend since I do not work on Fridays). Got to my regular grocery shopping and the thought of a drink just jumped out of my head. I did not crave it nor did I refuse it. I just walked into the liquor store without giving it any thought. That was my bad. I didn?t study relapse after I quit drinking because I wasn?t even imagining it could happen to me. I was completely sure and convinced that the drinking part of my life was OVER for good. Looking back today, I know I was so na?ve and that?s what caught me off guard. That?s the hardest lesson learned for me. Sobriety protection and maintenance is an everyday work just like any other relationship in life. The fact that I quit drinking doesn?t mean I don?t have to acknowledge it each and every day and be smart enough to know that AL will creep on me and I have to be prepared to fight it off, to say enough is enough and to be firm as a rock when it comes down to a drink, just the one infamous drink.

            I hope that my answer helps you understand my fall. I know it sounds complicated. It is to me anyway. I never truly appreciated the warnings Byrdie keeps posting about the one drink consequences. Unfortunately, I know them now. Today I understand the reason so many people around the world are hooked and how hard and complicated it is to get out of this vicious AL madness which I had used to think was my life.

            Comment


              #7
              One drink...

              Thanks! Like you say...its just the one drink...so I guess daily maintenance is the motto....no getting around that.......glad you decided to get back on zeeee horse

              Comment


                #8
                One drink...

                Excellent post Lucky, i am nearly at the 120 day mark and i will be reading on relapse as i am going on holidays next week. Thank you for your sincere post and good luck, you will beat al.
                AF free 1st December 2013 - 1st December 2022 - 9 years of freedom

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                  #9
                  One drink...

                  Thanks for sharing this Lucky. I try to remind myself every day of why I should not drink and the crisis AL had got me to a few years ago.
                  Sometimes we focus so much on the quitting and not enough on the long term reality of staying sober. Both involve one day at a time. But even with many days of being AF we cant be complacent.
                  People make mistakes all the time despite their best intentions. This happens in all aspects of life. It's just that with AL it's such a tough road to walk being AF again if you do relapse.

                  You will get there and you sound very self aware. Very best wishes ahead!

                  Comment


                    #10
                    One drink...

                    Lucky, I'm so glad you're back
                    Sorry you had to go thru all that but it seems you have learned the biggest lesson - just one drink will hurt!
                    Your post just reminded me of the solemn vow I made to myself the day I quit. that was to never again set foot in a liquor store & to this day I haven't! Doing whatever we have to do to protect our quits is vital!!!

                    Congrats on your comeback, you have almost a week already - great work
                    Wishing you the best on your journey!

                    Lav
                    AF since 03/26/09
                    NF since 05/19/09
                    Success comes one day at a time :thumbs:

                    Comment


                      #11
                      One drink...

                      Tree- So true, ODAT goes both ways quitting AL and protecting the quit. I know that now. The more I think about my horrible past month the more I understand that I am lucky and that this harsh, brutal experience did make me stronger. I feel as if I came out of a spell. I?m me again and it feels good.

                      Lav- I congratulated you on another thread. You are a true inspiration and a living proof that you know how to maintain and protect your sobriety. I thank you for sticking around and showing us all ?this is how you do it?:h

                      Comment


                        #12
                        One drink...

                        Hi, Lucky--

                        Thanks for sharing your story, and welcome back. That is the rabbit hole that Byrdie and NoSugar talk about. I definitely have a healthy fear of relapse and slipping down that slippery slope - stories like yours keep me thinking, reading and working to stay sober. I'm sorry it had to happen to you, and I am so glad you're back and posting. Enjoy your hat tomorrow!

                        xo
                        Pav

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                          #13
                          One drink...

                          Thanks LuckyF. Your story is a great reminder for us to be vigilant about relapse. I love that term " protecting our sobriety". I'm at 32 days, and feel good, but I realize I need to be careful about relapse.

                          Thanks for sharing. It will be of real benefit to many, and I hope you stick around here.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            One drink...

                            Pavati - So glad to hear my personal experience came across.
                            Its like Byrdie said - if my story helps even one person here, then it was worth posting.

                            Day 7 is almost over. I am am sober, strong and protecting it with my life.:h

                            Comment


                              #15
                              One drink...

                              And, as promised, here is your moon!!!

                              :moon:
                              Great job, Lucky! We are so proud of you!!! The worst is behind you!!! Hugs dear lady!! Byrdie
                              All you gotta do, is get thru this day. AF 1/20/2011
                              Tool Box
                              Newbie's Nest

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