I am fairly new to this community and seriously facing my drinking and stopping it. I have improved in that the drinking and relapses are no longer constant, but still occur more than i would like.
I fear this afternoon and the temptation that it will provide. Yesterday my roommate told me that she would be coming home late. My first thought hearing that was that I could bring something home to drink without her knowing. It’s been thought-provoking. But I fear I will give in… Any advice?
Hi, I’m new too! Please don’t drink! You gotta do something else other than head home to possibly drink. Go to a meeting if you do them? Or a workout? A walk/run… anything other than drink. I’m sending you lots of positive vibes! All you gotta do is not drink today! Stay strong, you can do it 
if it would help you, come on here and post and read. This forum is ace and the people on here are really supportive and friendly… x
The first, and hardest, thing to do is tell yourself No.
In the beginning for me, it was the proverbial angel/devil on my shoulders mental struggle.
I just kept telling myself no until no was the winner.
After that, there are so many things to do with your time other than that 1 destructive thing. If nothing else, take a nap. Can’t do much damage while napping.
Going to a meeting or planning to get away from the house and spend it with safe buddies would be a good example of a sober plan. You recognize that idle time alone can be a big trigger for you. For me, if I’m serious about not drinking, I’ll avoid pulling such triggers.
But I fear I will give in… Any advice?
My advice is … don’t. Sounds so easy, right? What I have to remember is that if I drink, I am making a conscious choice to do so - and I am throwing my sobriety out the window with both hands.
Instead, I have to promise myself and each day that I will not drink no matter what.. I’m lonely? I have to call a friend or go to a meeting. I’m tired? Sleep. Angry? Call or text a sober buddy or go exercise. Too much noise in my head? Blast some music or try to meditate. Bored? Clean my house or play with my kiddos. Read a gazillion posts here. Worried about money? Make a list of all the things for which I am grateful. Feeling like I’m at be in a situation where I will be tempted to drink? Don’t go or drive separately so I can bail. I have to have a plan for times when the booze looks seductive.
I don’t have to take that first drink today. Neither do you. So glad you found this place. Please ask for help when you need it.
Happy you found us and so proud of you for reaching out for help.
I remember feeling that I would not be able to quit or that maybe I would relapse in the early days. It was tough. I made a list of things to do. A long list.
Buy food
Cook food
Garden
Clean
Organize everything
Watch tv /videos/ podcasts about quitting drinking
Read books about sobriety
Logged on here a lot
Yoga/ meditation
I also told my family and friends I was quitting
Talked to my dr
Went to AA
Checked out other support for quitting
I lived and breathed sobriety
Everything i did was to help move my sobriety forward
It was so hard in the beginning to think that I could NEVER pick up another drink. I looked at it as just not drinking today. Sometimes not drinking this hour or minute. When the urge hit I would jump on here go for a walk take a shower take a nap watch tv anything but drink. I would also tell myself “you can have a drink tomorrow “ of course tomorrow never comes but it worked for me.
You can do this I believe in you
Have you heard of
One day at a time?
That can be brought all the way down to
One hour, one second at a time!
Just concentrate on not drinking, right now. Don’t think about later. It’s not happened yet. Get through now with no drink.
Have you tried going to AA, maybe go there instead of going home.
It’s hard at first, but the more you say no, the easier it gets.
Honestly, I’ve been there.
I totally relate to this. Being home alone was my scary time…the booze was right there and who would ever know. You just have to say no and say it loud enough and often enough for your subconcious to accept it!!
But at the same time…the “fear of later” is a bigger issue in life. There is always something that will come up “later” that you fear. A vacation to an all-inclusive resort, a music concert, a conference away from home…whatever it is, there is always “later”. The trick is to not worry about it in the now. It hasn’t happened yet so worrying about it only steals your enjoyment from the moment. I know in this case it is “this afternoon” so not quite as far away a later as other things but the message is still the same.
There are two days in every week
about which we should not worry,
Two days which should be kept free of fear and apprehension.
One of these days is YESTERDAY,
With its mistakes and cares,
Its faults and blunders,
Its aches and pains.
YESTERDAY has passed forever beyond our control.
All the money in the world cannot bring back YESTERDAY.
We cannot undo a single act we performed;
We cannot erase a single word we said.
YESTERDAY is gone.
The other day we should not worry about is TOMORROW
With its possible adversities, its burdens, its larger promise.
TOMORROW is also beyond our immediate control.
TOMORROW, the sun will rise,
Either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds,
But it will rise.
Until it does, we have no stake in TOMORROW
For it is as yet unborn.
This leaves only one day – TODAY.
Any man can fight the battles of just one day.
It is only when you and I add the burdens of those two awful eternities
– YESTERDAY and TOMORROW –
That we break down.
It is not the experience of TODAY that drives men mad.
It is remorse or bitterness for something which happened YESTERDAY
And the dread of what TOMORROW may bring.
Let us, therefore, live but ONE day at a time.
So true! Thank you for sharing that, I found it really helpful 
x