Thinking about drinking. I remember those days and do not miss them at all. I would spend the entire day thinking about drinking that night. If I tried to not drink for a night I was miserable all day because I wasn't going to be able to do the one thing I wanted to do so badly.
When I decided to give up alcohol up for a week and then 2 weeks, then a month, I knew I had to have something, anything, to look forward to. I knew there was going to be nothing that would take the place of the alcohol but it had to be something that was a "treat" for me. I work out and and am very diligent about the food I eat, so for me having something that was a treat became the thing I looked forward to. In the beginning I would buy something at the store but then realized that if I made it at home it would occupy my time. I allowed myself that treat, knowing that whatever I was eating wasn't going to total the calories that I would have consumed if I drank.
This helped me get through the initial steps of becoming alcohol free, maybe it can help someone else. There are lots of "treats" out there, you just have to find the one for you. Good luck everyone!
I'm glad to hear that you came here after a setback and didn't just throw in the towel. That's a great goal you have, waiting until Thursday to have a drink. You are probably thinking that you will be dying for a drink come Thursday, and you may. But if I could offer some advice, pay attention to how you feel about taking that drink. Do you really want it, or is it that part of you that wants so bad to have a drink now? You may be surprised at the answer.
Have you considered going a set period of time without alcohol? Maybe several weeks or even a month? I know it doesn't seem possible, but when I decided to give up alcohol it was like a weight was lifted off of me. It was almost as though knowing I could have it again in a few days made it harder than when I told myself I couldn't have any for 3 months. I learned to deal with the urges and was forced to find things to do to occupy my time. When I was out with friends it was easier too, I just said I was taking a break from alcohol.
That first month was tough but then they actually got a little easier. That's not to say that I didn't struggle, I did, but I also knew I was a happier person without alcohol. I was also happier because I didn't have to think about it. Maybe you could try this for yourself. Mark a date on the calendar, not when you will stop, but when you can have another drink. You may have learned a lot about yourself in the time without alcohol and decide to continue the journey alcohol free.
I hope this helps and am glad you are ok. Let us know how you're doing and good luck!
That is a great goal you have for the week! You've got this! I will be happy to check in on you to see your progress. Use that "sick" feeling toward alcohol to your advantage and use it to get you through any hard times. Do you have a plan for the week?
Chocolate sounds like a good choice and I would't stress about not having a specific plan. I didn't have a plan for every night, I just knew I would do what I wanted to get through the night. I normally wouldn't start my nightly drinking until 5:00, it made me feel like I had control. Ha, yeah, I was wrong. When I first gave up alcohol I found the actual drinking time wasn't the hardest time, it was the apprehension during the day that was the worst. I made me aware of how much of my day was consumed about thinking about drinking. So much wasted time.
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