Woo Hoo! Congrats on 24 hrs. That's how it's done. Now do it again !
My "cracking" point was day 3 or 4 so I went to as many f2f's as I could get to, sometimes it was 2 or 3 a day. I went early and I stayed late. Surrounding myself with a bunch of sober drunks is what gets me thru. The days I can't get to a meeting, I do a lot of reading of the BB or the 12 & 12 or Reflections or whatever I have. I spend a lot of time of this message board, reading and posting whatever is going on with me......... The main thing is to have a plan of action.
Love ya, Tip!
Doll
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* We eventually realize that just as the pains of alcoholism had to come before sobriety, emotional turmoil comes before serenity. *
Day six Tip.? I gotta look at that step one, each and every day. I still hafta say to myself "Nomatter what happens today--I WILL NOT pick up a drink" Just for today-each and every day. 'Powerless" is still a word I can fight with. But--when we look at the consequences, of picking up that first drink--we know whats going to happen.--and its not going to be good shit.
Hang tough Bud!!
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Easy Does it..Keep It Simple..Let Go and Let God..
I also found that I could always make a few days, largely by "white nuckling" my way through. Worse yet, I found I could do the same with taking a "social drink" and then stopping at one. I always found that the desire for more would almost consume my thinking either way. It sure helped me keep fooling myself for quite a while though!
I've learned that I REALLY have to always be on the alert for "stinkin thinkin". That's where I let my brain start trying to rationalize to itself that I really CAN control my drinking.
I also struggled long and hard with steps 2 and 3, just as much, I think, if not more than step 1. However, this is what I finally learned. Regardless of what you determine your Higher Power to be, take time for meditation every day, but especially when you know you are entering that "critical" period, and particularly at that time of day when you know you are going to be at your weakest resistance. Find what works, be it the Serenity Prayer, any other kind of praying, meditating, channeling, or just tapping into the Great Force Behind All Things, as I like to call it. During that meditation, I ask for that Power to take over my burden ("Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.")
Something else that has helped me was to find a Veteran AA'er who has a good period of sobriety behind them, and commit to a get together on the time that you think you are ready to "hit the wall". It can be nothing more than a visit over coffee or a soda. It can be at your place, their place, or any cafe. If you are commited to that appointment, you will have to stay sober, at least until after that meeting. You may find yourself surprised to find you won't feel like a drink after that meeting either.
What Doll said. Go to alot of meetings, get there early stay late, raise your hand and ask for help (this is a disease of isolation) go out for coffee after the meeting and attach yourself to some winner who have what you want (quality recovery) Good luck, Bob.
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Work like you don't need the money
Love like you've never been hurt, and
dance like no one is watching.
There is a small window of time when we are feeling beat down and powerless and when we start thinking that maybe it wasn't as bad as we thought...it is imperative during that time frame to get to the meetings and find someone you can be honest with and tell them you need help.
Figure out what your drinking routine is and change it...for me, if I got off work before 4 pm I went home...didn't stop and have drink after, but if I worked past that I felt I deserved a drink. So if I had to work past 4 I would call someone and have them meet me for coffee when I got off, then go to the late meeting that night.
This program does work, but you have to do the work...
What happens is that by around day six I'm feeling really good, less bloated, less broke, I feel healthy and strong and all the bad experiences seem diminished and not all that bad. Then my brain starts talking to me and it says "Okay you stopped for a week that means you're okay, real alcoholics cant stop for a week! And besides you have booze in your home unopened since last Christmas! You never drink at home! You're a social drinker! Youre just a people person! Jeez duane you won't be you if you don't drink! It's part of who you are! Youre the life of the party! Youre great! How will you enjoy watching hockey without beer? etc, etc..." and my brain will continue this until I agree.
