My husband is out of town and on my way home I had this really strong craving. I guess because whenever I was home alone before I would look forward to getting into a bottle. Just feeling a bit sad and rough.
Alcohol will anestethize the feelings for me and yet it is in knowing and facing them all with out the anesthesia makes it more real. Don't have the next one because all the ones that preceeded it didn't work. Keep coming back and thanks for the honesty.
I think all of us, at one time or another, have been smitten with a desire to drink like we did back when. At times we feel compelled to drink simply because it is what we used to do; it was like our second nature. Sobriety, magnificent as it may be, may seem foreign to us, but for the alcoholic it's the land of endless possibilities. It's a place where meeting makers make it.
Sometimes, it's like that old saying: "Better the devil you know than the devil you don't". The misery of a bender was all I knew, and awful as that may be, I could handle that no problem. It was something I was well versed in. The only obstacle I had a hard time facing was the "Living life on Life's terms" concept. How on earth could I ever get through this world without the comfortable reassurance of another drink?
It was reassuring to know, I wasn't alone. Other people felt the same way when they became challenged for the first time; that's why A.A. was formed. There's strength in numbers, and with my A.A. connections I'm never alone in this battle. They are my eyes, ears and voice of reason when I need them the most. So when the maladjusted, angry, and alienated persona of my previous life starts to surface again, I remember what my first sponsor would have said: "The struggle to resist may be strong but the power of unity is much stronger". It's how we return to the familiar grounds of A.A. It's been my greatest comfort zone to date. Onward.
WOW, ... you just brought back some old memories of mine from early recovery ... my wife travels a lot in her work, and in early recovery, I would be left for a few days at a time, alone with 'me' ... and I remember my very first time alone like this, the desire to 'drink' was nearly overpowering because my alcoholic mind told me I could drink for a couple days and be sober by the time she got back ... so I went to a meeting too ...
ya see, I had always done that in the past, and I always was drunk when she got home ... so I knew for me to drink that first drink was to be dead drunk days latter ... and the meeting was just what I needed to get my 'thinking' back on track ...
Thanks for the reminder ...
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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Yep, backing what others stated. I didn't trust myself at all in early recovery....and for good reason. Hence, when I got that squirrely feeling, I called my sponsor. I also would go to a ton of meetings....and I would just go to sleep, watch TV... To distract myself was a big tool in the beginning. But yes, I recall feeling that being alone was my most vulnerable time. You will be okay. Reach out to others but also slowly get used to it and know you are not ever really alone because your HP is right there with you....ALWAYS.
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Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
Hey:) I can relate completely.. I live alone so it was very difficult to be at home for any length of time. During my first 3 months I simply worked both my jobs full time to keep myself busy..this was totally unhealthy and I was exhausted ALL the time, but it got me through. Much of my drinking was done in my kitchen alone- I simply didnt know how to be alone. My apartment became my place to hide from the world, and also kind of a prison. It took a bit, but now I can actually enjoy time alone and trust myself with that time. Going to as many meetings as I could and calling my sponser helped keep me occupied and focused on sobriety:)
Ruby - I can relate completely. At some point, you will be home alone and realize toward the end of the day, or the next day, that you never even thought of drinking. That's the miracle of the program, so keep coming back and reaching out - we love you - your HP loves you - love yourself now and keep doing what you're doing : )
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Thanks for everything. Peace and Love on your journey.