It's so hard to be sober, I'm in day 3 but I'm already starting craving for beer

I work in a bar so it makes it difficult not to drink, I thinking of quiting my job but I don’t know where to look for a new one. I’m on trouble

1 Like

Truely wanting to be sober will mean making some life changes. Working in a bar early in recovery will more than likely never work. I wish you the best. Tuff decision we all have to make early on in recovery. If you want an old veteran drinkers opinion lol find a new job if you have accepted you’re an alcoholic.

4 Likes

It takes 3 days for alcohol to leave your physical system, hence the craving at day 3. You will be unlikely to overcome the craving in a bar, lol. You are working in the worst place in the world to recover and given that you will detox, it’d be best to not be working at all in early recovery. Wish you all the best with your priorities.

Think of other things you are good at, maybe friends can tell you. They see us from a different perspective. Me personally would quit the bar till I felt confident but I’m a year out and I still would not want to work in one. We make sacrifices for sobriety. Best of luck.

1 Like

Ouch, that’s a tough one. I know the struggle of being in a place where you feel stuck because of the money (I’m assuming this is an issue, bartenders make mad cash). Or even just feeling stuck because starting over is hard. For me, it was all in my thinking, I thought I should be doing something “better” with my life. For you, the struggle is real! I guess the only advice I can give you is to do some hardcore evaluating. I’ve met people who got sober and are still bartenders to this day, I’ve met people who have changed their entire lives. It’s different for everyone. At the end of the day it comes down to what a person can deal with. And that in no way means weak or strong. Just what’s best. I wish you the best of luck bud!

1 Like

I don’t want to be too dogamtic, but I will say that working in a bar seems like a really tough situation for doing something that will already be tough.

How’d you get the job at the bar?

Well, i got the job 6 years ago, by then I was drinking a little bit but not too much . I think working there make my addiction worse. Now I drink every day to a point that I don’t remenber anything. I’m so sad because I didn’t last even a week sober, I drink yesterday that means that I can’t control it anymore

2 Likes

[Removed by @System]

1 Like

Well, that’s when you got the job. But I was wondering how you got the job. You were saying you didn’t know how you were going to get another job so I was so I was wondering what route you’ve taken to get a job before.

My advice would be to start looking for a new job. Think about what you enjoy doing. You may not be able to do exactly the thing you enjoy for income, but I’m sure an aspect of your talents can be applied somewhere.

Example, say you studied abroad at one time and really enjoyed it. You may be able to find work at a travel agency or with organizing study abroad programs. Or if you grew up working on cars with a parent, maybe you can find a job working on cars now.

I also have a friend who lost his job a couple years ago and wasn’t sure what to do. He had no college education. He got a job in one of Amazon’s distribution centers at the bottom of the food chain. He’s been promoted multiple times since then and they’re going to start paying for part of his schooling this year. You may find yourself taking a pay cut temporarily, but there will be room to grow in any industry you choose.

Best of luck to you.

Why not look for a job at a juice bar, like Jamba juice or something, you would still be a tender, just different liquids you would be tending, healthier ones, just a suggestion!

Before you beat yourself up too much, you did make it 3 days. Personally, those were the hardest for me and most people. There is hope, it’s inside you. Addiction can be stron and remember alcohol it is a drug. The physical recovery is not easy, but so worth it. Your body will still crave alcohol during the initial detox but that won’t be forever. Being sad or feeling sad is okay, just use that sadness to bring you to the point of positive change rather than going down with it. You can do this, just try again.

2 Likes

I work as a bartender full time. I’m 45 days sober, you can do this. Read and use all the advice people give on this app.
Personally I had to leave and go home the second my shift was done. Soda/seltzer water saves me.
It’s a tough atmosphere to be in, looking for another line of work even if it’s a pay cut or just part-time while we do this job is a good idea for us.
Message anytime, here for support.

A bartender friend just celebrated their sixth year sober and another bartender friend who celebrated their fifth year sober this week.

Both still bartend five or six days a week. It wasn’t always easy, but it can be done.