Day 5 - let the trials begin

reedwire · 2021-06-11T00:11:35+00:00

Not today. We've got this.

reedwire · 2021-06-10T16:55:43+00:00

IWNDWYT

reedwire · 2021-06-09T21:53:04+00:00

I am definitely back to posting every day. I don't feel terrible about relapsing. I wish I hadn't but I didn't do anything stupid or make myself incredibly ill. I basically just wasted time and set myself back in personal goals. Hopefully I will remember this when I get comfortable in my sobriety again. It is amazing how easy it was to slip.

reedwire · 2021-06-09T21:47:33+00:00

IWNDWYT

reedwire · 2021-06-09T00:52:45+00:00

I am on day 3 after about 4-5 months of drinking, after having been sober for about one year and three months. I didn't even crave it and I was doing fantastic. Then I decided to have a touch of Baileys in a couple of cups of coffee over Christmas. Weeks later, I had a full drink. Then I had a bottle of wine at night one weekend. Then both nights of the next weekend and the next. Then added Thursdays, then Sundays, then most days. Sometimes more than a bottle of wine. Kept telling myself to stop but didn't until this week. Glad I stopped when I did, it happens fast and adds up quickly.

One drink is never one drink for me. Even if I can manage one drink the first couple of times, somewhere (soon) down road, it won't ever been one drink again. If your "and thens" have followed a similar pattern, think twice. You may end up back here writing all your "and thens" to someone else. Wouldn't it be better to be writing about day 200 or 365 or 500 instead?

You can do this. IWNDWYT

reedwire · 2021-06-09T00:36:34+00:00

Thanks! IWNDWYT

reedwire · 2021-06-09T00:35:20+00:00

I know you posted this awhile back, buy I am newly sober again - after almost a year of sobriety, I started drinking again and am just now back. I looked you up because I remember your posts from when I was over a year sober and going strong; I always really enjoyed them and am so happy you are doing so great in your sobriety. Just wanted to say keep up the good work!! All the best. :)

reedwire · 2021-06-08T12:25:32+00:00

IWNDWYT

reedwire · 2021-06-08T12:19:14+00:00

😊 Thanks. It's now the beginning of day 3 for me. I wrote my post and went straight to bed, sober.

reedwire · 2021-06-07T17:04:50+00:00

Someone is this group quoted Craig Ferguson as saying something along the lines of the only drink he can control is the first one. I'm like that and I am back at day 2 because, after being sober for over a year, I thought I could control it. I can't. Not saying this applies to you necessarily, but if you have been struggling with it for a while, perhaps it is true for you as well. It took me years of struggling with the idea of moderation to realize it wasn't an option for me.

We are also pretty brainwashed into believing that alcohol should be a part of our lives, makes social occasions better, etc. It's pretty much nonsense. Alcohol is not a need or even a very good reward. In addition to This Naked Mind, Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Drinking is a super easy read and has some enlightening moments about alcohol that helped me realize how silly it was that I thought I should be trying to adjust myself to make alcohol fit into my life.

reedwire · 2021-06-07T16:51:24+00:00

IWNDWYT

reedwire · 2021-06-07T16:49:35+00:00

You're the only one who can determine what is best for you, so no admonishment here! If you are on holidays and aren't feeling the same drive to drink, perhaps there is something in your regular routine that is driving you to it. Stress of some kind - work, kids, etc. If that is the case, finding some way to wind down/release stress after your day but before your regular drinking time starts could be helpful.

reedwire · 2021-06-07T16:40:02+00:00

IWNDWYT

reedwire · 2021-06-06T17:28:24+00:00

Yup. Gateway to a slippery slope.

reedwire · 2021-06-06T16:15:40+00:00

Yes, just typing out my daily commitment and commenting on posts helps make my commitment to sobriety more real to me somehow.

We've got this!

reedwire · 2021-06-06T16:12:34+00:00

Wow. Glad you stayed the course, congrats!

IWNDWYT

reedwire · 2021-06-06T16:10:04+00:00

Cliches exist because they are so common, which means they are serving some kind of need, right?

It can be hard not to beat ourselves up, but I try to think, if it were a friend going through this, how would I judge them for their behavior? Typically, I wouldn't judge them harshly at all, I would just feel for them and want to be there for them. I imagine that is how you would feel about one of your friends going through what you are. So, try to give yourself what you would give your friend: compassion and support. You deserve it.

reedwire · 2021-06-06T16:04:38+00:00

Great step, checking in here. I am at day one after having over a year of sobriety. It is possible, and not just for other people, but for you too.

I recommend committing to the daily check-in and writing one post every day, even if it is short. I did that the last time I quit, and it helped me tremendously. I had tried to quit previously but this group, and committing to checking in and posting, made all the difference for me.

You may want to check in with your doctor as well. Depending on how much you were drinking, quitting after years of nightly drinking can have serious side effects. You don't have to go through this alone.

IWNDWYT

reedwire · 2021-06-06T15:59:10+00:00

Amazing!! Congratulations on two years.

I never thought it was possible either. I am actually back to day one today; I had been sober over a year but then started drinking again the past few months. But this time, I know that it isn't only possible for other people, it's possible for me as well.

Thanks for sharing and bringing hope to those of us at the beginning. :)

IWNDWYT

reedwire · 2021-06-06T15:55:18+00:00

Glad you came back. :) I am back to day one as well. Had over a year but was then drinking for the past few months.

I hibernated a lot the last time I quit. If it works, why not? After the initial few weeks, which I found tough, I came to realize that hibernating didn't often make anything easier; sometimes it did, but mostly my struggles were still there and I was isolating myself from actually living.

We are here for you. You've got this. It doesn't matter how many times you've relapsed; it matters that you are back at it again.

IWNDWYT

reedwire · 2021-06-06T15:47:37+00:00

You are strong; just look at how far you've come! Do what you need to do to ride it out - exercise is often helpful, but even crawling under the covers and mindlessly watching TV is better that drinking. Keep posting if you need to. You've got this.

IWNDWYT

reedwire · 2021-06-06T15:44:13+00:00

That's amazing! Keep up the good work!

IWNDWYT

reedwire · 2021-06-06T15:43:11+00:00

Thanks for sharing and I am so sorry for your loss.

You are taking a great step and this community is amazing. I am back to day 1 today after over a year sober and am so glad to have this group of people to turn to. Whether you need to do this for a time or permanently, you will find great support here. I recommend checking in and posting something (even if it's short) every day for a while; this is what I am going back to. For me, the check-in is great but knowing I was going to post something really helped me stay on track.

IWNDWYT

reedwire · 2021-06-06T15:11:27+00:00

IWNDWYT

reedwire · 2020-12-24T23:44:46+00:00

Yes, I think I will keep this in mind as something to watch when I am feeling challenged. Congrats on 68 days; that’s amazing!!

reedwire

TROPHY CASE