Hey guys ! I’m 24, going on 25 April 12th . I’ve been drinking since I was 16 and it mostly included blacking out . I’m on day 3 of not drinking and wanted to make an effort to avoid having drinks . Other times when I tried to stop, I went to AA or I just didn’t drink but never engaged myself with others who wanted the same . I want myself back and I want to be a good and positive person for my girlfriend and pets . Im excited to see how life is and how happy I can be without picking up a drink(or 8 lol) . Mainly my problem is binge drinking, I didn’t drink every day but when I did it’s drink until I throw up or have to go to bed usually . Ofcourse I’ve had occasions where I would be able to have just a few but those times are few and in between . Anyone who has tips,advice, or mock tails, please reach out ! Thank you !
Thank you for the share first of all.
It is a bit harsh to say but either you have a problem with drinking all together or no problem, there is no road in between.
My Advice is going to aa meetings as often as possible in the beginning of your journey, and try to “put yourself” out there. Find som sover friends from meetings, often you will find the best friends in the world at these meetings.
Avoid going out where you know there willl be drinking involved, especially the first year even tho you are feeling strong enough. And maybe discuss with yourself which kind of occasions that you want to participate in the future. And say no the rest.
Try to use the aa program to soulsearch yourself on your road to Recovery.
It is a harsh road, and i had to reset my timer of being clean and sober after 2 years cause of unsorted issues.
Even use this community to reach out when times get hard, people on here are really helpful
And at last talk with your family friends, boyfriend/girlfriend about your problem and that you wanna stop. They can hold you accountable, and works like a big motivation, and a support that they know!
That is my experience so far.
Almost 60 days clean and sober from my last relapse. And i know we can do it together
@Maxmotor has a lot of great advice that I would second. The beginning can be a rough road that necessitates your focused attention on this goal every moment of the day, lest your thoughts and/or emotions coax you into lapse. There are a lot of great resources, stories, and suggestions on this forum that I would very much recommend to you.
Whether you engage every day on this platform, somewhere else online, or in person (such as AA meetings), the constant participation in your own recovery with other people will be extremely helpful for you.
Welcome to the forum. You can do this 
Welcome! Be active here. You will those that are active tend to have successful sober journeys. Get back to AA…or another recovery program like Recovery Dharma or SMART.
Welcome Alexis, you’re amongst friends here!
For me, there are no good reasons to drink, only poor ones. So I get on here daily, work my program daily with meetings and helping others who are addicts & alcoholic like myself.
Glad you’re here!
Hi! So happy you’re here. This hit me hard:
You can beat this. Alcohol is superior to no one.
Welcome aboard, Sixela. You are definitely taking the right measures to get and stay sober. I’d like to offer a couple of suggestions that helped me. First, keep your time filled with activities as much as you can. Weekends and holidays or any periods of idle time are when the temptation to drink is the strongest. Take up a new hobby, or pick up old ones again that you used to enjoy. I wouldn’t recommend drinking mocktails or any of those so-called "non-alcoholic " beverages, because they still have trace amounts of alcohol in them. I really like sparkling water. It comes in a variety of flavours, tastes great, and best of all: 0 calories. It’s all about substitutions. As far as participating in AA meetings, it took me a couple of meetings before I felt comfortable enough to share. That’s OK! There’s never any pressure.
Welcome @Sixela19998!
It’s a smart choice to quit now. When I was your age, I too was a binge drinker. I’d drink maybe once a week on weekends, and when I did, there was not shut off, I’d drink until I couldn’t drink anymore.
Fast forward 15 years and I was drinking everyday. Drinking caused legal issues, health issues, money issues, marital issues… the more issues it caused, the more I felt the need (and justification) to drink.
I wish I would have quit long ago.
Being active here will help with growth and learning.
Also getting rid of the people, places and things you associate with drinking is key.
As far as mocktails go, I stick with seltzer water. It’s relatively cheap, ubiquitous and often calorie free. Plus it hydrates, so that’s good.
Welcome and hope to see you around.
It’s great to meet you welcome to the community 
hope to see you around 
Howdy only advice i can give you is what worked for me AA helped me get sober and stay sober up till today wish you well
I drink monster energy drinks…I know, I know🤦
BUT! there is something for me about having a little caffeine boost. Even if it’s a silly tool to help me get through.
I also attend an IOP. I know that’s not an option for everyone but I have to say the bond I feel with that lovely group of people is exactly what I’ve been needing…friends.
Welcome and congratulations on day 3 Alexis.
This is a great sober community and being active on here has kept me sober.
I start every day right here Daily Gratitude, The Air Of Recovery #3
Gratitude is my strongest tool in my toolbox. Reading it. Writing it out daily. And just living it one moment at a time. I’ve actually retrained my brain and cannot wait to write down what I’m grateful for each morning. It’s a great way for me to start my days.
Thank you for your words . I know I have a problem . As I said in the post, I am a person who has a hard time having a minimal amount of drinks . I don’t like myself drinking and so I’d like to give it up all together . Ive found that when I drink, I can go out until 4 am, I might possibly drive, I may be surrounded by people who aren’t safe, I can drink so much that the next day is ruined by me throwing up and being extremely nauseous all day, I spend money I shouldn’t, etc. I’ve come to terms with my drinking habit and that it’s not really an ok thing to drink so much that I’m violently lll the next day and it happens maybe once or twice every week . It’s interferes with work and my relationship as well as my mental health for years . I have gone 7 months once but during that time, I wasn’t mentally well either and I’d like to give this a go again but also receive the help I need and work towards a better future . I see what everyone is saying about the mock tails, I do drink soda waters occasionally and am out currently but will stock up !
Haha ! My gf drinks red bulls every now and then but coffee and energy drinks give me high anxiety so I try to drink a few cups of black or green tea to get a boost but hey ! As long as it’s keeping you from picking up a drink and it’s not causing health issues, that’s wonderful ! 