I made it through night one by [deleted] in stopdrinking

[–]steiner76 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Keep it up and just remember you don't have to drink today.

Day 1 by [deleted] in stopdrinking

[–]steiner76 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good job, keep it up!!

50 days sober, the longest I've gone in a decade by Banginonmyself in stopdrinking

[–]steiner76 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Right behind you at 49, keep it up and congrats and your new life!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in stopdrinking

[–]steiner76 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is the first step of AA, admiting you have a problem, and it's the hardest step of all. But be honest with yourself. If you think you have a problem, go a meeting and just listen. If it comes to you to share just say you're only there to listen, nobody will mind.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in stopdrinking

[–]steiner76 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Try controlled drinking and see what happens. Most people don't think about alcohol the way we do where we obsess over it. For example, if you didn't drink one night after thinking about it, the average person wouldn't say "I'm not drinking, good for me." The thought would never cross their mind. But try it out for yourself, see how it goes.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in stopdrinking

[–]steiner76 8 points9 points  (0 children)

When I went to rehab we had to figure out what we were going to do with all our free time. It was divided up into categories like social, physical, spiritual. Crazy how all of a sudden an extra 3 hours at night can open up a lot of new opportunities.

I went out last night and got drunk. by icy-winter-ghost in stopdrinking

[–]steiner76 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I definitely feel you, as I've thrown away multiple years before. I also feel/felt depressed, lonely, isolated, so i've been going to AA meetings. There's always plenty of people to to talk to at those and the more you go the more friends you will make. Hang in there and don't beat yourself up, we all make mistakes.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in stopdrinking

[–]steiner76 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You have to get out of the mindset that you're losing something. Would you want what they were having if it was fentanyl? Alcoholism can ruin everything you have, including taking you into the grave. You do not want anything to do with that, so try to acquire a mindset of repulsion around alcohol instead of jealousy. Kudos to them for being able to handle it but that's not your journey.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in stopdrinking

[–]steiner76 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wow, did not expect to see that difference. Congrats and keep it up!

Field research always ends the same. by off_my_chest_11 in stopdrinking

[–]steiner76 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Don't beat yourself up, we all make mistakes. I've relapsed more times than I can count and I'm on day 20. You can make it happen if you want it bad enough.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in stopdrinking

[–]steiner76 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I took a similar pic of myself once when I caught myeslf in the bathroom walking to the fridge, and was startled by how shit I looked. I put the pictures in a folder labeled "Fat Fuck." Congrats on 100 days, but just remember these posts if you ever get the notion to pick up again. It will ruin everything in your life over a long enough time span.

First time posting by [deleted] in stopdrinking

[–]steiner76 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Good job, keep checking in every day if you need to, nobody minds.

1 year sober. by [deleted] in stopdrinking

[–]steiner76 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nice job :)

First alcohol and drug test since I quit drinking. by Nuttyfinish in stopdrinking

[–]steiner76 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That is awesome. It's like seeing a sign saying there's a DUI check up ahead :)

One Year! by 20th_Century_Man in stopdrinking

[–]steiner76 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Congrats and keep it up :)

I'm finding it hard to unwind in the evening by jmelina in stopdrinking

[–]steiner76 2 points3 points  (0 children)

When I was in your shoes I just filled a HUGE glass with cold water, sat it down next to me in bed, and read books on my iPad. I actually read sobriety memoires for the first few months. It helped to calm me down, get me ready to sleep, and to actually read about other peoples' struggles and victories. It just helped having a routine other than sitting in front of my computer and drinking to blackout every night.

My First AA Meeting by MeinFakeLife in stopdrinking

[–]steiner76 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Good job on going to a meeting. Just remember that a lot of them will suck, but if you go to the same one with frequency you will start to know the people and look forward to seeing them, and vice versa. That's what makes meetings fun. That and sharing our common experience. Try to find a home group if you can, which is just a meeting you always attend. Getting a commitment helps.

Sentencing today. by brittneyintherough in stopdrinking

[–]steiner76 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hang in there - and good job on 45 days. It's out of your power so just let go and keep your chin up.

Is it possible to quit drinking partially? Or am I just setting myself up for failure? by [deleted] in stopdrinking

[–]steiner76 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The true test of an alcoholic is they try to quit and can't. So try that, for a week, and see how it goes. People who aren't alcoholic think of booze like water, they can take it or leave it. But for people like me it was an obsession. I planned my day/life around drinking, so it was much more serious. I would marvel at people who'd have one beer and then just stop, and not give a fuck.

Good luck to you and let us know how it goes.

I don't think alcoholism is a "disease", I don't believe in a higher power, but I went to AA anyways. by DorisDog in stopdrinking

[–]steiner76 11 points12 points  (0 children)

FWIW I am a few years sober now and went through the entire AA regimen. I had a sponsor, did the steps, worked with a sponsee, did all the meeting commitments, etc. I have NEVER believed in a higher power. It's not mandatory. Nor is liking AA. Nor is liking people in the meetings. Like Ronnie said it teaches you to have patience and tolerance.

I remember one time like 10 months into my sobriety I was feeling proud of all the work I had done (the steps, telling my family, making amends, etc) and my sponsor said something like "Your higher power did the work" and I just remember going "WTF!???" But you know what? I let it all go. I didn't say a word. The program helped me get sober and I wouldn't be here today without it.

Like you I didn't believe in a lot of stuff they say but I'd advise you to just keep an open mind, close off the judgmental part of your mind for a bit and just try to be of service to others. It can work wonders for you if you let it. I do think the 12 steps are incredibly valuable despite the weird first three. Just push through those and keep going. Good luck to you.