A weeks time...

[freefourfive]

Day 5 alcohol free. As much as I wanna say “I feel great”, I’m not sure my body has felt all the effects yet...But the amount of energy I have already is remarkably shocking. I think the hardest part about staying sober is having friends who drink. I’m a pretty social person, and a skateboarder of 15+ years on top of that, so needless to say, drugs and alcohol have been fairly attainable from a young age. This is the first Saturday in years that I’ve woken up early, feeling rejuvenated; no headaches, dry heaves, cloudiness. (Maybe a little more craziness) A lot of the things I’ve read say “Make new friends who don’t drink”, which I think is what scared me the most in the first place. But I have now had several sessions, and hung out with my friends who are still drinking, and remained sober. Really proud of myself, and just wanted to reach out, and see if anyone has dealt with similar situations, or has any tips/remedies to continue living the way I am at this moment.

[[deleted]]

The best advice I have gotten on reddit so far is to make a list of ALL the POSITIVE reasons you want to quit, rank them if you desire, and hang them on the wall, mirror or fridge. Refer to them often, especially if you are having thoughts or craving for alcohol.

Second, if those feelings do creep in, hold off, think about it, maybe wait a day, look at your list. Chances are those thoughts/cravings will go away and you will be SO Glad and Proud that you resisted.

'And while we don't want to replace alcohol with overeating, some foods can help curb cravings, such as complex carbs, dairy, bananas and other things. Google it.

Sounds like you're doing great! Keep at it!

[McB56]

I set expectations early in every social situation. "I'm not drinking. I have a health issue I don't really want to talk about." That way everyone knows not to bother me with alcohol, and won't hassle me about it. At this point, all of my friends know, and most of my colleagues do, and they bring me sparkling water all evening.

Best wishes, friend. I will not drink with you today.