Wow, I'm sorry to see Det, BB and Uni struggling so much now. I hope you all wake up with renewed determination and all post to let us know how you're getting on. I know day 1 is very hard because the alcohol is still in the system and our addicted brains want it again.
Uni, I know exactly what you mean about planning to drink weeks in advance. I did the same thing after 8 months. It was approaching Christmas one year and the thoughts of everyone else drinking at Christmas sparked some sort of deprivation in me. If everybody else is doing it, why can't I? I think the idea was festering away in my mind, subconsciously, and one day I was given a Christmas present of a bottle of sherry and drank it down in one go, by myself at home. That was confirmation (yet again, for the millionth time!) that I'm not like everyone else - I can't have a couple of Christmas drinks to join the "party". I'm an addict who will glug down anything that's on hand if I let myself.
Det, you can't avoid getting ill but you know it's a trigger so you can be super vigilant and protect yourself around those times.
Whatever it takes because this addiction will kill us if we let it.
BB, you sound very isolated. Have you tried AA? I know a lot of people don't like the idea of it but the companionship is great. Even if you don't like the philosophy, just being with people who understand exactly what it's like is helpful and you might make some new friends. I know it can be scary walking into a room full of people you don't know but over here you can phone the national AA number and they will arrage for someone to take you to a meeting that's convenient for you, so you have someone to go with and can ask any questions you might have.
I've been so busy lately that I've let certain things slide that have been a huge help to me in my sobriety, and this is a reminder for me that I need to make room for my work on sobriety even if something else has to give because if I start drinking again my new sober life will come crashing down.
Best wishes to everyone today!
Uni, I know exactly what you mean about planning to drink weeks in advance. I did the same thing after 8 months. It was approaching Christmas one year and the thoughts of everyone else drinking at Christmas sparked some sort of deprivation in me. If everybody else is doing it, why can't I? I think the idea was festering away in my mind, subconsciously, and one day I was given a Christmas present of a bottle of sherry and drank it down in one go, by myself at home. That was confirmation (yet again, for the millionth time!) that I'm not like everyone else - I can't have a couple of Christmas drinks to join the "party". I'm an addict who will glug down anything that's on hand if I let myself.
Det, you can't avoid getting ill but you know it's a trigger so you can be super vigilant and protect yourself around those times.
Whatever it takes because this addiction will kill us if we let it.
BB, you sound very isolated. Have you tried AA? I know a lot of people don't like the idea of it but the companionship is great. Even if you don't like the philosophy, just being with people who understand exactly what it's like is helpful and you might make some new friends. I know it can be scary walking into a room full of people you don't know but over here you can phone the national AA number and they will arrage for someone to take you to a meeting that's convenient for you, so you have someone to go with and can ask any questions you might have.
I've been so busy lately that I've let certain things slide that have been a huge help to me in my sobriety, and this is a reminder for me that I need to make room for my work on sobriety even if something else has to give because if I start drinking again my new sober life will come crashing down.
Best wishes to everyone today!
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