Your drinking will eventually get you to the same place mine took me. The day of my last drink, I was arrested for the 5th time for DUI. What followed was enforced abstinence for about 3 years.
But what happened during that arrest, a spiritual out of body experience, that made the difference for me. I became convinced that I could stop drinking and everything was gonna be alright. The planning and scheming about how to drink and get away with it stopped at that moment.
I never went to rehab, AA, or any place for help. Instead, I decided to throw out all my alcohol related stuff. Then I left my drinking “friends” alone. I went to my job at the time and had to ride the wave of whatever came next. Most importantly, I prayed. Whether a higher being exists or not, I prayed and had faith in my sobriety. It was lonely and very difficult, as I didnt really have anyone to help me through that. It was one of the hardest things I chose to do.
Just went to AA never looked back
Anyone can stop drinking, it’s staying stopped where the hard work comes in. For me, I went to an intensive outpatient program followed by AA.
I’m in my 5th year of sobriety and I still work on my recovery daily because I know now that I will lose anything I put in front of my sobriety.
I tried to quit drinking many times, too many to count.
One day, I said enough was enough and quit. I didn’t want to quit, but I had to. I spent the first week on the couch watching quit videos on YouTube. That made it easier I feel, my only commitment was to take care of myself, I’d definitely recommend taking a week or two off if you can.
I also stopped the people, places and things associated with drinking.
I came here a lot, made friends with a few people and we helped each other through those rough first few months.
I also listened and took the advice of people with more sobriety than me. I wanted to be like them, so I did what they did.
And most of all, I took it one day at a time. Today is all we have so let’s make it count.
Remember, motivation can get you there, but it’s discipline and commitment that keeeps you there, and that takes work, every day.
This post…has helped me quite a bit.
What’s YOUR plan? - Life in Recovery - Talking Sober - Addiction Recovery Forum & Support Group
Also understanding that there are as many ways to recovery as there are individuals…and every one of those ways is valid.
Also…getting to know myself. The things that make me tick. My flaws, my inspirations, getting to know who I am (This is a work in progress)
But my three biggest things…
I hope this helps. xx
For thirty years, I made numerous attempts to quit. I used some of the best tools to do so, outside of me tools: books, meetings, meditations, etc.
One day I was apparently looped when I had a major accident, in a house I had just moved into. It left me hospitalized for a month. I still don’t remember the accident, or before, or after. When I left the hospital, I continued to drink, even more, because I didn’t want to face what was happening to me.
One day, it became very clear that people were offering it to me, “to help me.” I grabbed hard on “No, thank you.”
I actually use far less in tools today. I stay here, where I have been since 2016, and I still use my online group of The Luckiest Club. Day 212 - the longest I have ever had. Tomorrow is the official seven months on the calendar.
Point is: The decision lives in you. You must decide what is needed in your heart, mind, and body to make it happen.
That is a great question! Each of our stories is a bit different. For me I had no plan to quit drinking. In 2001, I stopped because I was given an ultimatum by a colleague in the military. That sobriety lasted a frustratingly long year. I finally accepted sobriety on August 1, 2012 because I realized how my drinking was affecting my mental and physical health. It helped that I also watched my 18 year old sister in law struggle with overcoming addiction herself. She inspired me to accept that I had a problem and needed help. From there it was and will always be the support of family, friends, and communities like this that keep me sober.
I went through withdrawal while still working.and have learned to take time for myself. I realize this was a bit self centered, but sometimes hearing what others have done is the best way to learn. That’s why your question is great @Princessbabygirl. I hope this helps.
It never will seem right. The addiction in us will always convince us to do it another day.
Getting sober is a choice. Its hard in the beginning. For me, it was harder being an active alcoholic.
I found that asking for advice only works if you come back to read it. Your pattern on here seems to be the opposite.
That seems really unfair to say because I am here almost daily. I spiral when I relapse and think there is no point to reply because I’ve failed. That everyone gives me amazing advice but I struggle and get ashamed. Like people on here like you will judge me. Thanks for proving it? 
Oh yes I totally get what you went through. I prayed and didn’t even know what I was praying to, I thought I was going mad and other people would occasionally catch me outside taking deep breaths of air whilst staring up into the sky, they could probably comfirm that I was going mad.
It kept me sober then and it still works today.
The madness we live in today is better than the insanity we lived in before.
I’m fairly new to this myself. It’s been about a month and a half for me and it took a lot to get here. I’ve used drinking, especially for panic attacks for the last 15 years.
I finally decided to give myself grace, patience and the love I know I deserve and NEED to survive.
My personal suggestions are to give yourself all the grace. If you need to take off work, do it. If you need to cancel plans or a big commitment, do it.
If you need to delete all of your social media and shut your phone off, do it. Guilt free.
This is your journey and YOUR brain. Nobody else can tell you what you can and can’t tolerate or what you’re feeling.
It’s helped me to shift my thinking when it comes to myself. I treat myself as though I’m a young girl I’m taking care of. Only that young girl is me before life happened. Before unhealthy coping mechanisms happened.
You’ve got this 
Keep trying and keep loving yourself even when you slip. You deserve it. 
Dearest Bella…you are a human being with an addiction…a disease of the body and mind…we all without question find it hard to get sober and to stay that way…those thoughts and feelings of failure and shame will only keep you in your addiction…for me… my healing started with realising that i needed to have some compassion for myself instead of sitting in shame and darkness…mindset is everything …you are worth a life without slowly killing yourself daily…think about how you would treat someone you love if they were going through this and treat yourself the same…nourish your body with good food, hydrate, get some vitamins…tell yourself you deserve a better life than this and treat yourself with kindness…push past any shame by reaching out to us and talk it out if your struggling and engage with us because we are all here for you…you kill that shame and upset by treating yourself with kindness and accepting the kindness of others here…you have to allow yourself to be helped xx
Thank you so much, this was so lovely read and I think this is a beautiful way to look at recovery 
You should be so proud of not stopping at the liquor store, that’s inspiring. Would you mind sharing some of the podcasts and books you found helpful. I am not happy when I’m sober.
Hi @Princessbabygirl , I’m really glad your still with us we’re all learning and doing things one day at a time and Thank you @Starlight14 
i needed this post today ,I’m in an emotionally weird place this morning but I’m now going to feed myself grab a bottle of water and take my vitamin s even tho I don’t have the inclination to do it
I tried to set a date, waited until I ran out, stopping cold turkey, slowly going down. I think everyone here has pointed out that I need to put sobriety as a priority and part of who I am. I need to connect more and normalise being in a sober community
See that is the beautiful inspiration I wanted I know everyone here will not approve but my husband still smokes so I am around it. So it is hard for me to be away from it. I did a thing where I wrote down what the big pillars of my identity and I realise that sobriety needs to become a part of who I am and to stay inspired.
It is a deeper problem. I tried to think of things to say, like I’ve been to therapy, I know it’s a problem, I have depression, I have bipolar as excuses for it being a small part of the issue. But thinking about it, my addiction itself is as deep and who am I to just settle and not want a better life