My first hour sober from booze . I’m scared but know I can do it. What are some healthy suggestions and things u guys do to keep you from doing bad ?
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Welcome. I was drinking a half gallon of whiskey in 3 nights when I decided to quit. It was all I did after work. Although it was summer, and we had installed a pool, I would just swim for a while instead. Then I bought a calisthenics rack. I would work out and swim. Then I started jogging too. Also every weekend like clockwork I would wash my truck and my wifes car. If I’m idle, I watch a documentary.
I needed to STAY BUSY early on.
I have grown comfortable in sobriety and so some things I dont keep up with now, swimming, calisthenics, jogging, lol I can laugh now, but at the time I really needed to stay occupied. I still wash the vehicles like clockwork though.
Good luck to you 
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Get a sponsor ’ work the steps’ enjoy the freedom of not needing drugs and alcohol to feel happy
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Awesome ! Yes I see exercise a lot in my future . 6 months from today I will have my first child . I cannot be a drunk father , and I didn’t wanna die keeping this life style up ( 18 years being an alcoholic ) . It’s time to man up . Thanks for the advice dude and keep up the good work )
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Working a program of recovery kept me from picking up in the early days. If I wasn’t at work, sleeping or attending to family needs, I was at a meeting, on this forum or reading quit lit. Getting to the root of my problem was important to building a solid foundation.
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Welcome!
First piece of advice…get real active here…you will find advice, success stories, cautionary tales, and a lot of fun and fellowship here.
The people here that are active, tend to have smoother sober journey’s
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Hiya! I’m 12 days in now so I’m still in the early stages of sobriety. I have children also so I know how important it is to want to be a present parent.
I made sure I set up alcohol support group meeting and CBT therapy sessions to help battle my addiction and try to work through underlying causes.
Iv been posting and reading here alot. I mean where I used to sit and drink I sit on here and gather insight and relate.
I try to make sure to keep up a routine to make yourself feel better about yourself. Whether it’s take a shower and make lunch for work or workout or walk. And when I need headspace because I’m feeling like right I’m restless I would normally be starting to drink now I distact myself. Sometimes I need to nap it off sometimes I go out with the kids, bath, basically anything to let the intense feeling go.
I wish you all the best and to reach out for support. Everyone on here is really supportive and take one moment at a time 
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Welcome Ian.
Lots of good stuff so far.
Being active on here kept me sober.
Here’s a great thread.
Dans link
Have a good read around and join in when your comfortable.
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Oh my guys thanks so much for the responses !!! I’m actually trying to get in on a 30 day program right now !!! I’m gonna get busy with this and get my life back. 18 years being a slave to something isn’t good ! You guys rule and all these suggestions I’m taking to heart
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Always reach out and ask for help, our strength is admitting our weakness and accepting the advice of others because to date your best thinking has only ever got you drunk. Keep an open mind, oh and be prepared to hurt a little it’ll save you from hurting yourself and others for the rest of your life.
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You are making great steps now Ian! 
Keep doing so! I hope you will get on that programme. In six months you can built a great sober foundation to become the best dad you can be! He ore she will never ever see you drunk, how about that!
What has helped me in the beginning of my recovery was keeping myself busy. Think trough what to do when cravings kick in. Think trough what to say when people offer me a drink.
So I made myself a sober plan:
- No alcohol in my house for the first 3 months of my recovery
- No alcohol related events for the first 3 months of my recovery (so no: pub, festival, restaurant, concert, etc)
- Inform my family and close friends about my sober plan so they can support me and don’t offer me drinks.
- Avoid the wine/beer section in the supermarket
- Fill my refrigerator with healthy foods and alcohol free drinks.
- Buy enough chocolate and sweets to eat for when I have cravings.
- Look for activaties and hobbies to fill in time. Like walking in nature, run, reading, watch Netflix, listen to recovery podcast (recovery elevator is a good one
), work out, gardening, studying something new, etc. - Reduce social media to protect myself
- Getting a day counter on my phone and smart watch to focus on my amount on sober days.
- Getting myself a sober peer group to support me in my recovery like TS ore AA.
- Getting myself a meditation app filled with breathing exercizes and meditation. (Insight timer for example)
- If I have cravings I try to find out where they come from.
If that won’t work I come to TS and talk about it. But sometimes just reading all your stories help - I used a vitamin B complex supplement to get more energy during the day. Also I used a melatonin supplement to help me with my sleeping problems in the first few months.
- Celebrated every milestone! I gave myself a small gift like cake ore a nice t shirt ore whatever to celebrate my effort. At least in my first year I needed that! And gave myself a big gift when I reached my one year: a big back piece tattoo!!
- And last but not least: make it as small as possible. Focus on today. Today is douable! If you do that day after day you will get that long sober stretch.
See you around Ian, it helps to be here much 
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Stay busy, meetings, get some sober friends work the program of AA, last but not least, exsercise, you will have a better life
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That is a great list. I started my sobriety again a few days ago and this forum is helping a lot. It’s full of gems like your post. Thank you!
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You’re welcome 
Happy to help