I am new to the app joined today actually. Today is day 1 for me from alcohol. I have been drinking a bottle of wine everyday (I would skip a day here and there but for the most part sadly) as a way to relieve stress and go to sleep. Liquor here and there. I am noticing I’m starting to depend on it and noticing the difference in myself physically and mentally as a result of this. I am to the point of occasionally blacking out and it’s so scary. I’m posting just to get some advice on resisting the crave. I want to get back on the right track and I’m trying to nip it in the bud before it gets any worse. I come from a family of alcoholics so I’m really trying to break the curse. Any advice is welcomed. Thanks
I had many quits, 2 long terms and many short stints. Here’s what I’ve learned.
Like many, I drank to escape, but it didn’t start that way. In the beginning, I drank to fit in. It became a habit then started to use it to just blank out.
In order for me to quit, I had to understand why I felt I needed to drink. That gave me some action items to start working on.
That helped me get down to earth and look at my drinking objectively.
As far as cravings go, using H.A.L.T. helps a lot.
Hungry
Angry/Anxious
Lonely
Tired
Most cravings are from one or more of these, understanding and recognizing them (and fixing it before it explodes) helps control cravings.
Another tool used a lot is playing the tape through. You find yourself fighting a craving, play that tape through, play out what it would be like if you gave in. How would the night go, how would it end? How will you feel in the morning? How will your significant other react? Will you miss work? Etc. This is a powerful tool that you can use over and over again to help you make the right decision.
Other than that, eat well, drink plenty of H2O and enjoy the ride, it’s gonna be an amazing journey!
Welcome aboard, Lola. Glad you are here! You’ll find lots of help and support here, so have a good read around, see what you might find helpful. Congrats on taking an important step to protect your long term health and well being!
Welcome to the community Lola and a huge congrats on your day 1.
The beginning times are tough with trying to re-train your mind with changing up your daily routines and changing up the associations we have with activities and drinking.
For me the following helped (in no particular order)…
drinking lots of water
getting lots of rest (i slept a lot)
changing my routines so i was keeping away from grocery stores that had alcohol and driving different routes to avoid liquor stores.
not hanging out with my friends that socialize with drinking.
staying active here on this app and accepting all the support among my peers
kept myself busy with games on phone, puzzles, walks etc
Just take it one second at a time. make sure to have support as we are unable to do this alone. keep checking in with us.
Hi Lola and welcome here,
Glad you found us, this app and the people in it where a great tool in my sobriaty. For me it helped to make a plan how to tackle my addiction. So with the things I learned by trial and error and by reading here I made my “sober plan”. I still use it!
I will give it to you, maybe you see stuff you can use as well. You can do it! Give it your all and never give up. Determination is key
No alcohol in my house for the first 3 months of my recovery
No alcohol related events for the first 3 months of my recovery (so no: pub, festival, restaurant, concert, etc)
Inform my family and close friends about my sober plan so they can support me and don’t offer me drinks.
Avoid the wine/beer section in the supermarket
Fill my refrigerator with healthy foods and alcohol free drinks.
Buy enough chocolate and sweets to eat for when I have cravings.
Look for activaties and hobbies to fill in time. Like walking in nature, run, reading, watch Netflix, listen to recovery podcast (recovery elevator is a good one ), work out, gardening, studying something new, etc.
Reduce social media to protect myself
Getting a day counter on my phone and smart watch to focus on my amount on sober days.
Getting myself a sober peer group to support me in my recovery like TS ore AA.
Getting myself a meditation app filled with breathing exercizes and meditation. (Insight timer for example)
If I have cravings I try to find out where they come from using H.A.L.T
If that won’t work I come to TS and talk about it. But sometimes just only reading all the personal stories helps
I used a vitamin B complex supplement to get more energy during the day. Also I used a melatonin supplement to help me with my sleeping problems in the first few months.
Celebrated every milestone! I gave myself a small gift like cake ore a nice t shirt ore whatever to celebrate my effort. At least in my first year I needed that! And gave myself a big gift when I reached my one year: a big back piece tattoo!!
And last but not least: make it as small as possible. Focus on today. Today is douable! If you do that day after day you will get that long sober stretch.
Hi & welcome Lola! Advice on quitting? Um, don’t listen to yourself when it comes to anything about booze/drugs. Simply take a stand of: "not doing it no matter what ". The others covered a bunch of the specifics before my babble.
I too have that family DNA & I also tried to dodge that bullet… that’s why I’m (and a couple others ) are here and in the rooms of AA/NA.
Hugs to you and deciding to live life differently! It’s all that’s needed in the beginning.
Welcome here lola honesty with yourself here is a good start you mentioned that you are drinking a bottle of wine a day and on the verge of blacking out are you adding to that to make you blackout just wondering from the outside. To wuit my advice would be do this 4 U also need to change your everyday way of doing things stay busy and be strong. We are here 4 you.
So like if I would mix of course or just drinking liquor. For me it can never be enough, so I would only buy one bottle and do it right before the stores closed that way I couldn’t go buy more. Weird I know
No not wierd just your way of drinking its all good wish the best 4 U for me i made a deal with me on 10 -26-23 That i would not drink until our vacation been 30 days now my vacation starts tonight. Stay strong lola
), work out, gardening, studying something new, etc.
) are here and in the rooms of AA/NA.
