Not sure why, all i could think about on drive coming home is opening that can/bottle (really whatever is in the house) & swigging that drink.
On the drive i decided to call that itch my drinking demon Damon. I read or heard on a podcast somewhere that people had success naming it - naming that bug in your head. So here i am fighting Damon. I walked the dog, he can’t go long though - maybe i need to go for another walk. My husband won’t be home for a few hours, so i would usually drink while he’s not here. It’s shameful, but that’s what I’d do.
I have some packages in the mail I’m hoping will distract me. Maybe I’ll try to escape in xbox, maybe I’ll read more here, maybe I’ll try to check out the scam known as cyber Monday. Just hoping to keep myself away from that dam cabinet or outside fridge.
I read countless hours here, listened to sobriety podcasts, exercised and found other hobbies. I use to drink and drive on my 2 hour commute from work everyday.
I highly recommend a strenuous exercise session. Hard enough to get some good endorphins rocking! If your craving is strong, need to fight back strong. After that, can you do a meeting online or in person? That should take up several hours, so you don’t have to think about drinking all the time. Please stay connected.
Thank you chris & Dan, that was the kick i needed after finishing the mail. Popped back in here & saw those suggestions, rather motivated me to kick Damon’s ass in the gym. Best sweat I’ve had in awhile! I think it got me past that bad time of day. Thank you again.
I can’t tell you how much meditation had helped me with these kinds of feelings. Connecting with my subconscious, opening my mind and soul to peace. I use a free app called Let’s Meditate! The beginner meditation is basically to teach you breathing exercises. Its only 7 minutes long and is very helpful. Also (I wish I could remember his name) there’s a guy on TikTok who talks about using cold showers to help anxiety. He says to turn your shower as cold as you can possibly stand for 90 seconds. As everything in your mind and body tells you to jump out of the water you use the meditative breathing to calm yourself and stay in it. If you practice it with regularity, it trains your mind to default to breathing your anxiety and negative thoughts away. I’ve actually found it quite helpful.
@Beachy I’ve also heard about naming that alter-ego. I haven’t done it but I think I might. Way to go on staying strong and making some good decisions tonight!!
And we have ceased fighting anything or anyone - even alcohol. For by this time sanity will have returned. We will seldom be interested in liquor. If tempted, we recoil from it as from a hot flame.
We react sanely and normally, and we will find that this has happened automatically. We will see that our new attitude toward liquor has been given us without any thought or effort on our part. It just comes! That is the miracle of it. We are not fighting it, neither are we avoiding temptation. We feel as though we had been placed in a position of neutrality - safe and protected. We have not even sworn off. Instead, the problem has been removed. It does not exist for us. We are neither cocky nor are we afraid. That is our experience. That is how we react so long as we keep in fit spiritual condition. Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 84-85
I did not believe these words when I first read them or heard them. But I can attest that, for me, when I reached the point in the AA program where this declaration is made (after step 10 has been taken), it was true. And it continues to be true today. The problem has been removed. It does not exist for me.
You can have this experience, too, if you want it.
I’ve tried mediation & yoga before, but airways just want to take a nap I’ll try your app you recommended though - maybe i tried the wrong videos!
I read a book awhile ago “own the day” and he talked about a cold shower /breath thing too - ill have to look at my notes again. Thank you for the recommendation!
Thank you cwak! Talking about it, identifying & acknowledging it helped a lot. Just have to try and stay motivated through it instead of sulking on the couch or joining my wine every day neighbor on my patio
Thank you sinceiawoke- that is very powerful actually, i can certainly custom that for myself, but it feels really fast off.
I am intrigued by their (AA) process, or maybe SMART, but the stigma is hard to get past with my husband. Maybe I’ll check out their online meetings. Talking out load /listening to real sober people will probably be helpful since im surrounded by people who drink with all recreational activities.
I’ll try your app you recommended though - maybe i tried the wrong videos!