Haven't touched a drop in...

GerB40 · 29-09-2014 3:25am

150 days today (well, Sunday) and I'm pretty happy with that number. Even after Tipp losing and being surrounded by drunken eejits up in Croke Park I managed to avoid temptation..

It seems to be getting easier but I've heard that this is when the real battle begins so I'll have to make sure I don't get complacent.. Any tips folks?

Amazingfun · 29-09-2014 12:22pm

I know it was asked of someone else but the trigger question in relation to drink always makes me laugh a bit as for me breathing was a trigger lol.
What I mean is that there really are no "triggers" as such: either we have accepted we cannot touch a drop of alcohol ever again or we still have a lurking notion somewhere in the back of our minds that somehow, someday, we will control and enjoy our drinking. For me, it's over, and there can be no sudden crisis or drama, no slick and seductive narrative, absolutely NOTHING that can ever justify me taking a drink.

Sunnyisland · 29-09-2014 12:28pm

Carpet diem wrote: »

Thanks we need it!

What were your main triggers? I'm trying to get to grips what a trigger is. Maybe as soon as you get to an airport you hit the bar. Is that one?

Sorry for all the questions but two more:
1) what would say was the hardest part with abstaining from alcohol?
2) what is the best thing you have got from it?

For me, the biggest obstacle was initially changing my lifestyle, for years my whole social and interacting life was based around the pub, I had to stop and change everything, friends,hobbies,my thinking, and the hardest was to accept that nothing will change if nothing changes.

My whole life has changed 100 % for the better,family, finicially ,health, more mature and self confident and I have a positive outlook on my life than ever I had before,I am also more forgiven and if people have a problem wth me, I reliase now that's there problem not mine,there's loads more loads.

GerB40 wrote: »

150 days today (well, Sunday) and I'm pretty happy with that number. Even after Tipp losing and being surrounded by drunken eejits up in Croke Park I managed to avoid temptation..

It seems to be getting easier but I've heard that this is when the real battle begins so I'll have to make sure I don't get complacent.. Any tips folks?

Well done gerb40 in getting this far, All I can say is keep fighting the fight,keep at your plan and don't put yourself inti temptation or peer pressure and last don't quit quitting :-)

FTA69 · 29-09-2014 2:58pm

I'm having my first paid bout in November. Up until that, I'm not touching a drop. The prospect of fighting someone else is a great motivator and keeps people from moaning at you to have a drink.

So there ye have it, the secret to staying off the booze. Become a pro-fighter.

marienbad · 29-09-2014 7:37pm

Amazingfun wrote: »

I know it was asked of someone else but the trigger question in relation to drink always makes me laugh a bit as for me breathing was a trigger lol.
What I mean is that there really are no "triggers" as such: either we have accepted we cannot touch a drop of alcohol ever again or we still have a lurking notion somewhere in the back of our minds that somehow, someday, we will control and enjoy our drinking. For me, it's over, and there can be no sudden crisis or drama, no slick and seductive narrative, absolutely NOTHING that can ever justify me taking a drink.

Absolutely 100% and the realization that any situation no matter how terrible will only be made worse by drink.

The freedom that the acceptance of the words 'its over' bestows is simply unimaginable.

kevohmsford · 30-09-2014 7:47pm

Celebrating 1 year off Alcohol today.
Very happy that I have managed to cut Alcohol out of my life. My confidence has greatly improved and I have saved plenty of money. It was tough at the start but I managed to speak to people last year after accepting I had a problem with drink and required help.
I have only gone to one AA meeting and that is all I really needed.
Best of luck to everyone. I never plan to touch another drink for the rest of my life.

Sunnyisland · 30-09-2014 9:07pm

kevohmsford wrote: »

Celebrating 1 year off Alcohol today.
Very happy that I have managed to cut Alcohol out of my life. My confidence has greatly improved and I have saved plenty of money. It was tough at the start but I managed to speak to people last year after accepting I had a problem with drink and required help.
I have only gone to one AA meeting and that is all I really needed.
Best of luck to everyone. I never plan to touch another drink for the rest of my life.

Excellent :-)

GerB40 · 30-09-2014 9:23pm

kevohmsford wrote: »

Celebrating 1 year off Alcohol today.
Very happy that I have managed to cut Alcohol out of my life. My confidence has greatly improved and I have saved plenty of money. It was tough at the start but I managed to speak to people last year after accepting I had a problem with drink and required help.
I have only gone to one AA meeting and that is all I really needed.
Best of luck to everyone. I never plan to touch another drink for the rest of my life.

Fair play. Don't ask me why but that's after putting a smile on my face...

ballyharpat · 01-10-2014 10:34pm

Coming up on 12 years without a drink

life's good

quinrea01 · 02-10-2014 7:58pm

ballyharpat wrote: »

Coming up on 12 years without a drink life's good

You said it.....well done to you and all of us on this site.

enoughalready · 03-10-2014 10:00pm

10 Months Sober / 43 Weeks / 303 Days

So I'm 10 months alcohol free today and I'm just back from a meeting. Trying to get my AA meetings back into a routine and going constantly every Friday no matter how I feel. Just show up!!! Anyway made it into the meeting and did the usual pleasantries and what not. I really want to belong to this home group and be part of the fellowship everyone seems to talk about, guess I'm kinda shy and leg it to the door the minute the meeting is over as I get awkward standing around. Must make a conscious effort next week to share and maybe stay back at the end and help clean up? Any advice guys + gals?

Last 10 months I have learned a lot and in some ways it feels I'm still at the beginning, okay I'm not drinking but I need to start working on the issues that drove me to the drink in the first place now. I have 9 weeks to go until my 1 year anniversary and I want to start the steps soon so I can be proud when the 1 year mark comes around...

Hope everyone else's journeys are going okay and that you all have a fab weekend.

Sunnyisland · 03-10-2014 10:38pm

Well done enoughalready, it's great to see you progressing positively, keep up the great fight and soon you be kicking drinking into touch :-)

marienbad · 03-10-2014 10:43pm

enoughalready wrote: »

10 Months Sober / 43 Weeks / 303 Days

So I'm 10 months alcohol free today and I'm just back from a meeting. Trying to get my AA meetings back into a routine and going constantly every Friday no matter how I feel. Just show up!!! Anyway made it into the meeting and did the usual pleasantries and what not. I really want to belong to this home group and be part of the fellowship everyone seems to talk about, guess I'm kinda shy and leg it to the door the minute the meeting is over as I get awkward standing around. Must make a conscious effort next week to share and maybe stay back at the end and help clean up? Any advice guys + gals?

Last 10 months I have learned a lot and in some ways it feels I'm still at the beginning, okay I'm not drinking but I need to start working on the issues that drove me to the drink in the first place now. I have 9 weeks to go until my 1 year anniversary and I want to start the steps soon so I can be proud when the 1 year mark comes around...

Hope everyone else's journeys are going okay and that you all have a fab weekend.

Be proud anyway !

Amazingfun · 04-10-2014 12:45am

enoughalready wrote: »

10 Months Sober / 43 Weeks / 303 Days

So I'm 10 months alcohol free today and I'm just back from a meeting. Trying to get my AA meetings back into a routine and going constantly every Friday no matter how I feel. Just show up!!! Anyway made it into the meeting and did the usual pleasantries and what not. I really want to belong to this home group and be part of the fellowship everyone seems to talk about, guess I'm kinda shy and leg it to the door the minute the meeting is over as I get awkward standing around. Must make a conscious effort next week to share and maybe stay back at the end and help clean up? Any advice guys + gals?

Last 10 months I have learned a lot and in some ways it feels I'm still at the beginning, okay I'm not drinking but I need to start working on the issues that drove me to the drink in the first place now. I have 9 weeks to go until my 1 year anniversary and I want to start the steps soon so I can be proud when the 1 year mark comes around...

Hope everyone else's journeys are going okay and that you all have a fab weekend.

Yes, I love giving advice:D
Seriously though, doing exactly that i.e., getting there a bit early and staying around to help out after, is brilliant. AA's in general are a friendly bunch and giving a hand with the before/after set up etc, is well appreciated. People will get to know you better which will make things easier for you week after week. Don't forget many of them are nervous too

Now about getting to "why you drank...." consider this: we drink because we absolutely love the fekkin stuff, lol. Like LOVE it. And that's it.
As for all the previous dramas and quirks in family/childhood and onwards, well, there is plenty of time to delve into that stuff if you want to down the road.
My suggestion is to pick up your big book and have a read of The Doctor's Opinion where we learn about how our physical reaction to alcohol differs from the normal drinker. It does something for us it doesn't do for others and is why we keep returning to it time and time again. All we need to know is the party with booze is over. It was fun while it lasted, but those good times we had together are gone forever and it's time to move on without it.

Good stuff on the 10 months, next thing you'll know it will be 10 years!

Sirsok · 05-10-2014 7:10pm

Passed the month mark this weekend, I'm quite happy to pass the all Ireland weekend and my birthday without drinking. However today was probably harder as my whole football team is gone out for pints and my mother is having a grand opening of her shop with wine and food etc.... An I couldn't go because I couldn't trust myself to not drink.

My mood or quality of life hasn't changed to be honest, and I thought this would give me a clearer head, I just find myself bored a lot while still managing to keep busy with work, gym, soccer and managing.

I am going over to Manchester with my dad at the end of this month to a football game and I dunno how I'm not going to drink. I can't begrudge my dad for wanting to go to a pub, but I know that I will just reason with myself that a few pints will be grand.

Kunkka · 06-10-2014 10:06am

I was 3 years sober yesterday. I could go on for pages about how many positive changes I've had since finally giving up. I wake up today wanting to live & enjoy life while when I was drinking I wanted to block out reality as regularly as possible.

The sad thing is I know so many people who suffer even slightly from drinking and they can't see how giving up or cutting down could benefit their lives. We're the lucky ones.

Sunnyisland · 09-10-2014 12:03pm

Kunkka wrote: »

I was 3 years sober yesterday. I could go on for pages about how many positive changes I've had since finally giving up. I wake up today wanting to live & enjoy life while when I was drinking I wanted to block out reality as regularly as possible.

The sad thing is I know so many people who suffer even slightly from drinking and they can't see how giving up or cutting down could benefit their lives. We're the lucky ones.

Brilliant Kunkka, love hearing the success stories...

JonBon27 · 09-10-2014 12:06pm

Pal have a few shandys!!! No need to get rubbered.

Amazingfun · 09-10-2014 12:32pm

JonBon27 wrote: »

Pal have a few shandys!!! No need to get rubbered.

Shandy = alcohol. :rolleyes:

JonBon27 · 09-10-2014 3:06pm

Well if your gonna have one its better than having a proper pint or shorts! It sounds like the user would be finding it very difficult to go from binging to nothing straight away.

FTA69 · 09-10-2014 3:16pm

Some people can't stop at one or two though. I can stop after "a few" but it's a battle for me to be honest; I have to fight that voice that says "errah sure have a few more..."

For me I'm either not drinking or else I'm getting fairly drunk, there's no real medium for me.

leinsterdude · 09-10-2014 3:48pm

Same here, can not have one, but only like four, one useless, four just nice, cut it to two nights a week now, that's more than enough.

Amazingfun · 09-10-2014 4:40pm

JonBon27 wrote: »

Well if your gonna have one its better than having a proper pint or shorts! It sounds like the user would be finding it very difficult to go from binging to nothing straight away.

Not for those of us who have an unusual reaction to alcohol. Any alcohol.

AA calls this phenomenon an "allergy". Essentially the effect is along the lines of " I take the drink, then the drink takes me".

It's an inability to control and enjoy our drinking, no matter how many times we try doing just that by modifying our alcohol intake in countless ways.

Despite all we can say, many who are real alcoholics are not going to believe they are in that class. By every form of self-deception and experimentation, they will try to prove themselves exceptions to the rule, therefore nonalcoholic. If anyone who is showing inability to control his drinking can do the right- about-face and drink like a gentleman, our hats are off to him. Heaven knows, we have tried hard enough and long enough to drink like other people!

Here are some of the methods we have tried: Drinking beer only, limiting the number of drinks, never drinking alone, never drinking in the morning, drinking only at home, never having it in the house, never drinking during business hours, drinking only at parties, switching from scotch to brandy, drinking only natural wines, agreeing to resign if ever drunk on the job, taking a trip, not taking a trip, swearing off forever (with and without a solemn oath), taking more physical exercise, reading inspirational books, going to health farms and sanitariums, accepting voluntary commitment to asylums - we could increase the list ad infinitum.

We do not like to pronounce any individual as alcoholic, but you can quickly diagnose yourself. Step over to the nearest barroom and try some controlled drinking. Try to drink and stop abruptly

http://anonpress.org/bb/Page_31.htm

If you can do it-good for you! But there are more than a few of us who have this *thing*, and 100% abstinence is the only way to stop the terrible consequences that follow ingesting any alcohol at all

Cyber Ghost · 09-10-2014 4:42pm

Seven months now (save for one weekend in June when I fell off the wagon)

GerB40 · 16-10-2014 9:20pm

This hasn't anything to do with drinking but I was wondering if there's a drug addiction forum? Can't find one anywhere..

marienbad · 16-10-2014 9:35pm

GerB40 wrote: »

This hasn't anything to do with drinking but I was wondering if there's a drug addiction forum? Can't find one anywhere..

I meet quite a few lads and lassies from NA in AA meetings ,so I have no problem with you joining in , but I can only speak for myself.

Diablo Verde · 16-10-2014 9:37pm

All good

GerB40 · 16-10-2014 9:46pm

marienbad wrote: »

I meet quite a few lads and lassies from NA in AA meetings ,so I have no problem with you joining in , but I can only speak for myself.

Thanks.. I'm 24 weeks without drink today but I fear I'm after swapping one compulsion for another. I should be happier with the sobriety but nearly 6 months in and I'm finding other ways to be a dependent.

Carpet diem · 16-10-2014 10:03pm

GerB40 wrote: »

Thanks.. I'm 24 weeks without drink today but I fear I'm after swapping one compulsion for another. I should be happier with the sobriety but nearly 6 months in and I'm finding other ways to be a dependent.

Meeting I go to has mix of dependencies. Tens to both go hand in hand!

MacCanann · 20-10-2014 1:54pm

One month!

Haven't touched a drop in...

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