I often post about how great it is to be alcohol-free. What I don’t post much about is how hard it is sometimes. After many attempts, I was finally able to give up alcohol in August 2015. Fortunately, I have been able to resist the countless urges and temptations that I often encounter.
When I gave up alcohol, I didn’t give up my friends, and they all drink. Being the good friends they are, they asked if they needed to not drink around me but I have always maintained that this is my problem, not theirs. Actually, them drinking around me reiterates the fact that I do have a problem with alcohol. Sure, there are times they may overindulge, but for the most part, they can drink at a moderate level.
Last weekend I joined my friends for a Mardi Gra festivities. Early in the day, with drinking all around me, temptation hit hard. That alcohol voice was telling me that one drink wouldn't hurt a thing. I took a lot of walks to distract myself but the more I walked, the more I saw drinking and fun. I remained strong and as the day progressed the fun drinking shifted to obnoxious, sloppy drinking.
I joined this group years before I stopped drinking. We often think we are in this alone. Everyone here is on a similar path and it is hard. Posting here helped me take my life back.
Stay strong everyone.
