This is my first back and strongest actions I’ve taken to date to get sober. I sobered up for awhile a few years back, then took the “what’s the harm?” bait, it was very harmful). So last week I had a trip where I planned to stay sober at the beach with my family, great place on the water.
On the way, stopped at a convenience store that happened to sell liquor, and thought I’ll just throw five nips in my pocket, enjoy the first night a bit then cool off. My wife was taking a second car a few hours after and asked if I wanted anything and said yes of course then, then I went to the store across the street and grabbed a few other things to drink on top of that. Fast forward to the night, I’m falling down into the ocean in my clothes, falling down on the sand elsewhere, embarrassing myself completely. Wife was pissed and kids were confused.
I was able to cool it down the rest of the week but still way more than most people’s standards. Next thing you know we are packing up to leave, and Im so hungover, didn’t sleep a wink. And packing up for hours barely even able to move, sweating profusely and I’m saying this has to be it, got to stop. I agreed to stop.
Unpacking, I found a bunch of nips I didn’t even remember having l, then said well, one or two will smooth things (drank all).
so, that’s it for me and I’m starting recovery today. I’ve been reading the community, the strategies all day, journaling. I know it’s basically now or never.
just wanted to share and looking forward to continue.
Glad you found this place; it definitely made a huge difference for me. If you’re anything like me, it was easy to promise myself sobriety when I was hungover and embarrassed, but as soon as I started feeling better I’d have a million rationalizations for why I could drink again and why it would be different this time (it was never different). Make a plan for yourself, find distractions to get you through urges in the early days, find a therapist or a meeting, online or in person, to give yourself the tools you need. Being sober is the freaking best. You can do this.
Hey Dozer, that’s pretty full on, I hope you are able to find what you need here, and it helps you, it’s helped me heaps already. My goal is to clean up my mind from porn addiction, one of my motivators was save what I have, hold on to the things and people who are precious to you, wife and kids will love you for it.
Your story is familiar to me and no doubt to many here! We can’t control alcohol, it controls us.
Stick around here, read some stories and look at what has worked for others. I found out that it wasn’t as simple as not drinking… willpower alone didn’t do it
Welcome to this amazing place. Be gentle with yourself and come here as often as you can. This place is my only sober support, it’s life saving! I wish you well, look forward to seeing you around
Welcome to Talking Sober. It was so very hard for me to stop drinking, the excuses just like yours about “not wasting” alcohol I bought and hid in a blackout, the idea that I could get good and drunk just once, then cool out for a period of time, those all seemed to just never end, there never was a stopping point for me. And drinking my way out of a hangover, ouch! I hope to never have to do that again.
I had to have help stopping. I had externally forced abstinence, but even that (having to give a breath sample daily at the police station, with heavy consequences for blowing over .000) was something that I was scheming how to manipulate. But between that and getting back on Antabuse and starting up again with an alcohol counselor, I was able to start to put together enough days to where I felt I was on slippery ground - feeling better physically and less foggy, and starting to hear that “what’s the harm” voice. I did decide then to return to AA and to start doing what they suggested, without reservation.
That’s how I got started from being a daily drunk utterly powerless to not drink to become what I call a recovered alcoholic. And Talking Sober and AA are the fundamentals that got me here and keep me here.
Blessings on your house as you start your journey. Your job today is to lay a sober head on your pillow tonight, no matter what.
Thanks for the encouragement everyone! Especially about using this site and all that it offers. I feel good about going to bed sober tonight and don’t feel as rough so that’s welcome. I didn’t get much sleep last night but enough to have a decent day, good day at work.
as you start your journey. Your job today is to lay a sober head on your pillow tonight, no matter what.