The Sober Squad- Alcohol Free Living

RubyRed427 wrote: »

I was telling @JenT304 that my sister called me craving so badly for alcohol and she’s nearly 11 months sober. So I guess the cravings sneak up and tap you on the shoulder but I’m happy she called. Call someone when you’re craving and you can just chat - it’s so isolating sometimes to be on a sober journey but maybe we are just needing a friend that isn’t named “vodka” 😀

I'm glad your sister reached out to you. It's great that you have each other for support. Reaching out when tempted is key to fighting off the temptation. I remember when my bro died not long after my one year sober-versary and I was about to cave to the crave to numb it all out, but had decided to reach out here and ask for some words of wisdom and then I went on YouTube and watched Dick Van *kitten* interviewed...that is all I needed to shock myself out of what would have been a big regret.

Also happy for you that your "sobriety muscle" had a good workout with your gal pals.

I'm re-doing the Sober School class on my own (using the materials we have permanent access to). In one of the readings today, Kate said the following: "Alcohol is really just a stress delayer. That same stress will come and tap you on the shoulder at 4am, when you're hungover and tired and therefore even less capable of dealing with it. " I knew that, of course, but I thought it was well said. When I'm tempted to drink because of stress, I need to remember that alcohol is not a stress reliever but a stress delayer. And like she says, mine usually is delayed until 3 or 4 a.m. when it's worse than anything I drank to avoid.

@FeelinFooFoo, sending a virtual parade your way! 90 days is fabulous! Very nice list of benefits. It sounds like sobriety suits you. Of course, it suits everyone, but your joy at being sober is so apparent. Great job!!!!

Here are some signs I recognized about myself that showed me that I needed to quit drinking:
1.Before I would go out , I would plan and promise myself I'd have only 2-3 drinks. Making deals with yourself.
2. I'd wear a bracelet as a reminder not to drink too much.
3. I would be monitoring other people's drinking glass to determine when I could go get another; I didn't want to get my drink too "soon" even though I gulped it down!
4. One day every weekend I would be so hungover and waste the day wishing I could just be normal and have a good day, but instead I'd lie in bed and wait to get some burger and soda to cure my hangover.
5. Turn down invitations to a night out, because the next day I would have somewhere special to be. I didn't want a guaranteed hangover!
6. I'd make rules for myself like I'll only drink on weekends, or I'll only buy two bottles of wine and that's it for the week. Making rules that you have a hard time sticking with.
7. Hiding bottles that I emptied too quickly. Hiding bottles in my closet or swigging right from the fridge wine bottle so no one would see me.
8. Waking up and cringing when I'd check my phone to see if I texted anyone.
9. Not being able to stop at just 2 drinks and obsessing over when I could get just one more drink.
10. When one bottle of wine was not enough, I would open a second and drink most of that in an evening.
11. Adding more vodka to a Truly because there wasn't enough in there.
12. Filling up a water bottle with vodka and soda and pretending it's just water. Going to the movies so I could drink the wine they sell.
13. Topping off my drink with alcohol without measuring or limiting myself.

So many more signs that it was best that I quit!
10 days away from 5 months sober. I still want to drink and really wish I could. That urge has not gone away but I just tell myself that nothing would be different if I drank today. I would just want to drink again tomorrow and then tomorrow. IT is never enough for me.

Hey all, first of all congratulations @FeelinFooFoo on your 90+ days!!!! That's absolutely fabulous 💗 it's been so long since I've been on MFP I'm fatter, lazier, eating junk but only drank twice last year which is good for me(two drinkin sessions, 4 days in each so 8 days total) sad, sad about the things going on in the world and I lost my 36 year old sister last weekend, she had down syndrome so many health problems and passed in her sleep, I'm still reeling and just trying to deal with the grief, remember I had lost my brother not too long ago too so I'm just mourning both of my angels💗 I'll be back hopefully tomorrow and be more regular on here, got to get back in regular pants! Thank you @JenT304 for reaching out to me via pm a couple weeks ago, I really appreciate it and it reminded me I haven't seen you all lately! Have a good AF night all!

True! It wasn’t until my recent thankfully brief relapse that I really realized how awful hangovers are. I think they had just become my normal way of being for so long I didn’t really think about them. But after 185 days sober the hangovers clobbered me. Y’all they are gross! The thought of another hangover is probably my biggest motivator now.