Hi, I'm new here.... im 22 and ive been sober for over a year but im having a really hard time with the holidays.. theres so much wine it just kills me.. i havnt had the urge to drink in a pretty long time but i really want to drink some of that wine.. im really having a hard time.. any advice??
well, I felt the same way last year,, I love wine,, and I did have some, and then... my holiday got pretty ruined,,, but I have one year sobriety again now. My advice? Don't drink. And work your Steps.
amanda
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do your best and God does the rest, a step at a time
It is the middle of the night here in California, couldn't sleep, just wanted to say hello and hope you made it through yesterday, without a drink.
'We don't drink, no matter what" is an expression in this program.
Making through, without picking up a drink, is the only thing this progam is about.
I had this raging compulsion to drink at about a year into this program (after 10 years of being a newcomer), it was over us first going into Irag, and both of my chilren were prime candidates for the draft. I went to this Draft Conference, and there were people on this big stage in an aditorium, full of about 2,000 concerned parents, than were talking with loud speakers about getting our children out of the country, soon, to avoid being drafted. i recall that meeting to this day, (it was really kind of freaky). Anyway, when I got in my car and was driving home, I could feel my fears taking me over, and there was this detour of about one block from my house, that would take me to a liqour store.
I kept twisting this little ring I wore, I thought of it my "ring of recovery", anyway I kept twisting it on my finger, and asking God to get me home.
Well it worked, and I have not had that kind of Compulsion since, (that was over 14 years ago. I think I learned a lot from that moment, it showed me how life can throw you a curve ball, and being the Drunk that I was, I would not have a human defense against that first drink. Only Praying, as hard I could for help, would work.
I had this laundry list of reasons, good times, bad times, full of fear, really feeling good, bored, excited, the list went on to infinity. It took 10 painful years for me to understand that I had a disease, and the ONLY reason I drank was due to my disease.
We are people that cannot, not drink. By the Grace of God, we don't.
it's normal for us alcoholics to want to drink. I too had some cravings over the weekend. You did wonderful comming her and letting us all know! I had to go to a party and they where making frothy strawberry daquries(sp). God did it look good,but as soon as my obligations where met, I got the heck out of there,plus I went with another sober member. I always try to walk in dry places,when I cannot, I go with another sober person and make my stay short. I also met with my sobers before the party and got on line and read afterwards on a recovery site. I hope you made it through!
As a former wino who's been to 3 holiday parties over the past 3 days and sober for 14 years ... I too found the smell and sight of all that wine pretty tempting.
I normally don't have much of a problem with parties but it seems like I really wanted that social lubricant after about the second party. Thank God I didn't have any. It would have been a real disaster. Once I get going, there's no stopping me... and things can get pretty crazy after that. I missed all 3 of my regular meetings this past week because of the parties. I need to put first things first or I end up suffering the consequences.
Hope you stayed sober. Keep hanging in there and getting to meetings. We're in the same boat.
Congrats on your time- I am the same age as you- There is a huge contingent of us younger AAs in my city, so I consider myself fortunate-
Luckily there was not too much drinking at my X-mas family events- But now and then my eyes fixed on the wine as if in automatic mode, then darted away again ....
I missed all 3 of my regular meetings this past week because of the parties. I need to put first things first or I end up suffering the consequences.