This will be my 1st day sober in years if i get through today. The hardest bit is not having a drink when i get home from work. Any advice?
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This is always the hardest time of day for me too but it can be done. First, make it past dinner. Eat something and drink a juice or a fizzy water or something. You will hate it and wish it was a drink, but believe me its better every day. Then for me the name of the game is distraction. Do literally anything besides drink. Walk, gym, paint, read, clean, do an AA meeting online, just read and read these forums. Go to sleep at 7pm if you have to.
Ive been doing the above for 17 days now, which would have seemed impossible to me 18 days ago
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Remember HALT and try not to stick to the same routine you would if you were drinking. Change it up, stock up on drinks that arent alcohol based, good food and stay busy.
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Thank you for reaching out. I will try that tonight
You can do it we are all rooting for you! Just for today, dont drink 
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. Made my day. I wont drink today!
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I struggle with the same problem. You can do this. Find yourself a good video game to get focused on instead.
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Thanks mate. 630 pm n havnt had one yet. This is gonna be my 1st sober day in years.
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Hey Clayton, how are you doing today?
Hi there. Thanks for checking. Am doing well today. Didn’t have a drink yesterday. Just knocked off qirk today n drove past the bottle shop n wanted to pull in so bad. Drove past it n thought stuff it ill just get a 4 pack n did a u-turn to go back, headed back towards the bottle shop to buy sum n thought to myself " no way i cant" , did another u-turn n carried on home 
. So resisted the urge. Thanks for ur support. How are you today?
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SO glad you were able to resist the urge!! I highly recommend finding an alternate route home that doesnt pass the bottle shop, if at all possible. I used to pass the pot shop every evening after work and half the time I’d stop in to buy something. Changing my route home helped remove that visual trigger/habit and reduce the cravings. Almost 35 days sober now after many relapses.
You’ve got this!! Keep checking in and reading the forums. You deserve to live a sober life!
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Thanks. Unfortunately there is bottle shops everywhere round me. Just gotta stay strong.
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I’d recommend checking out this post and adding some tools to your toolkit. Strength and willpower are great, but I have yet to meet anyone who has stayed sober on that alone.
Wishing you nothing but good luck!
Wow im SO happy to hear that! Great job with good choices you should be very proud of that 
I know its so tough i had to go to my bodega today cuz i forgot to get cat food and was literally whispering to myself “cat food, candy bar. Cat food candy bar.” As i walked around the store, past all the bottles and cans and buzz balls and boxes of wine. I could almost feel the cashier lady look at me weird like “um arent you forgetting sonething?” 
but ill wake up tomorrow with 19 days and I gotta tell you it feels REALLY good.
Have a great night friend
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. Thanks. U too!
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Whats a bodega?
Like a corner store in a city, snacks, some basic gricery stuff and lots of alcohol
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Plan and prepare. Get ingredients for a meal to make, plan what Netflix to watch or books to read, etc. Make sure you have slightly special drinks to make it feel a bit like a treat: flavored teas, hot chocolate, favored fizzy waters. And at least for a while, just going to bed early is always a good option. Remember it won’t be forever, just until you break the habit.
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Right after work was very challenging the first couple weeks for me as well. I used to have a drink the moment I walked in ( still in my work uniform) and probably another 4 while I cooked dinner for my family and keep going . I now always keep flavoured sparkling water or Coke Zero in the house and use that as my replacement when I walk in the door. Then to help keep my hands busy while relaxing after that I keep adult colouring books and coloured pencils handy while everyone watches TV together. I also completely understand the challenges how accessible booze is on the way home. In the 10 minute drive out of the city to the rural area I live in I pass 8 stores that sell alcohol. Then throw in all the bars and restaurants that I could easily make a pit stop at 
. It’s no wonder alcohol is such a big issue and so hard to give up it’s literally EVERYWHERE. I promise though if you stay strong and keep driving by it will eventually get easier.
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Thanks. Yeah was very tempted this arvo but now late evening friday night n not a drink. Cant remember last time i havnt drunk alcohol on a friday night. Literally years.
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