Don't try to do it on your own. Just having someone else that is holding you accountable, even someone anonymous, can be a miraculous boost to the process. It's very hard to remember why you want to stop when the cravings start to kick in, and it's good to have someone on the outside who can ground you.
I have heard good things about the AA program, and there is usually a chapter or two within driving distance of most people who aren't extremely rural. The only people who tend to get turned off are people who get weirded out by spirituality, but I suspect that isn't a problem around here.
It's a long process that involves ups and downs. The most vulnerable days for relapse are when you've been successfully clean for a couple of weeks and are feeling good about things. Negative emotions can trigger it. Positive emotions can trigger it. Physical pain can trigger it.
Seriously, whether you go the formal route or not, it's extraordinarily hard to beat with a decision alone. Finding someone who can anchor you to your own motivation and remind you of why you want to stop is going to be the fastest, quickest, and most surefire boost to quitting I could recommend.
Yes when i stop for a good 4 to 5 days i start feeling good and forget about the horrible hangovers. The day starts out good then i think "hmm maybe just tonight i'll drink" my mind will make up excuses. It's like a devil inside me.
thanks for your post. Maybe ill try AA. I'm pretty shy though. I don't know if I could speak up in the meeting.
I’ll just tell you some things that helped me. 5 1/2 years alcohol free. I had a friend to talk to on my rides home for 2 weeks to keep me from stopping and getting anything. Distract yourself when urges hit. One day at a time. And set goals for easily obtainable day marks. One day, 3 days, a week, 10 days, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, a month. A week or 2 can be hard to imagine, but a day or two to get to the next milestone day is doable. Take all the money you would have spent on booze every day and put it in a jar to spend after a few months as a reward. Depression and anxiety can happen when you stop, if you don’t feel quite like you used to after a few months, consider getting some help. Treat drinking as something you used to do. I used to play football in high school, I still know how, but it’s not a part of my life any more. Also get some lacroix type drinks. If you believe hard enough you can almost imagine that it’s a beer. Good luck!
Don't try to do it on your own. Just having someone else that is holding you accountable, even someone anonymous, can be a miraculous boost to the process. It's very hard to remember why you want to stop when the cravings start to kick in, and it's good to have someone on the outside who can ground you.
I have heard good things about the AA program, and there is usually a chapter or two within driving distance of most people who aren't extremely rural. The only people who tend to get turned off are people who get weirded out by spirituality, but I suspect that isn't a problem around here.
It's a long process that involves ups and downs. The most vulnerable days for relapse are when you've been successfully clean for a couple of weeks and are feeling good about things. Negative emotions can trigger it. Positive emotions can trigger it. Physical pain can trigger it.
Seriously, whether you go the formal route or not, it's extraordinarily hard to beat with a decision alone. Finding someone who can anchor you to your own motivation and remind you of why you want to stop is going to be the fastest, quickest, and most surefire boost to quitting I could recommend.
Best of luck, truly.
Yes when i stop for a good 4 to 5 days i start feeling good and forget about the horrible hangovers. The day starts out good then i think "hmm maybe just tonight i'll drink" my mind will make up excuses. It's like a devil inside me.
thanks for your post. Maybe ill try AA. I'm pretty shy though. I don't know if I could speak up in the meeting.
I’ll just tell you some things that helped me. 5 1/2 years alcohol free. I had a friend to talk to on my rides home for 2 weeks to keep me from stopping and getting anything. Distract yourself when urges hit. One day at a time. And set goals for easily obtainable day marks. One day, 3 days, a week, 10 days, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, a month. A week or 2 can be hard to imagine, but a day or two to get to the next milestone day is doable. Take all the money you would have spent on booze every day and put it in a jar to spend after a few months as a reward. Depression and anxiety can happen when you stop, if you don’t feel quite like you used to after a few months, consider getting some help. Treat drinking as something you used to do. I used to play football in high school, I still know how, but it’s not a part of my life any more. Also get some lacroix type drinks. If you believe hard enough you can almost imagine that it’s a beer. Good luck!
👆🏼this is the way.