Calling all recovered alcoholics ...
-
O-TrapI personally have been sober for just over three years now (1-26-07), but I had a really bad day today, and I found myself in the liquor aisle at a local Giant Eagle (one with a full liquor license). I got half-way to the register when I remembered the look on my wife's and brother's faces the last time I was drunk.
I was never a party drinker. I only drank when I was alone and when I had problems I didn't want to deal with. So when I saw the little bro who had always looked up to me and my then fiance who'd always considered me her rock, it just killed me.
That feeling was enough to get me to put the Jack back this evening, but damn did it feel close.
What do you guys do when the bottle calls out to you? What do you do that helps? -
DeyDurkie5I see no big deal in having a drink or two, just learn how to control it so it doesn't affect your life. It's definitely a great tool when dealing with stress to have a drink or two to relax and calm yourself down.
-
GoChiefsNow I'm not a recovering alcoholic..nor have I ever been one..but I'd imagine once you cure yourself of the disease...and you have '1 or 2' drinks..it would be quite hard to just control yourself and leave it at that. The cases I have seen..one or two always turn into 'until your drunk'.
-
sleeperYou don't have to get drunk to enjoy drinking, which is something I've learned as a full fledged college student.
With that said, if you know you can't control you're drinking, good for you for putting it back. But remember, just because you want to have a drink every once in a while doesn't make you a bad person, and you can take that to the bank. -
nc52no, it is a big deal for him. you made a great decision in putting that bottle back. i commend you for that. drinking only dulls the pain and it will return when you sober up. i guess that the best thing to do is let your wife be the rock for once
-
BCBulldog
That's horrible advice to a recovering alcoholic. Fine for others, but some people can't do it that way.DeyDurkie5 wrote: I see no big deal in having a drink or two, just learn how to control it so it doesn't affect your life. It's definitely a great tool when dealing with stress to have a drink or two to relax and calm yourself down.
O-Trap, you did the right thing by remembering why you quit. Don't look at it as a "I almost failed" moment, but a "I beat that damn thing" moment. Hold your head high. You controlled the situation with the strength you had because of your commitment to staying sober. Well done!! -
hasbeenBCBulldog has it dead on. Good job.
-
O-TrapYeah, I never drank to have a good time. I drank to help me forget, and to numb myself.
It's why I never drank beer or even wine. They took too long. I just grabbed the nearest bottle of 80 proof and headed for the checkout most times.
I am actually in the position where I will occasionally have a beer or two. Sometimes a glass of wine. I've even had a highball (1) when in the company of many people who love me (people who would keep me from going further than one), though that is even probably ill-advised, and I make sure I don't have another drink for a long time if I ever do that.
But tonight was different. I wanted a bottle just for the effects, not for the enjoyment. I'm not in crisis mode or anything. This was just the first time it'd happened to me since that night, and I was curious what others have done to help them. -
sleeper
I don't think that's horrible advice. It's a lot harder to learn how to control your alcoholic intake rather than just not drink alcohol at all.BCBulldog wrote:
That's horrible advice to a recovering alcoholic. Fine for others, but some people can't do it that way.DeyDurkie5 wrote: I see no big deal in having a drink or two, just learn how to control it so it doesn't affect your life. It's definitely a great tool when dealing with stress to have a drink or two to relax and calm yourself down.
O-Trap, you did the right thing by remembering why you quit. Don't look at it as a "I almost failed" moment, but a "I beat that damn thing" moment. Hold your head high. You controlled the situation with the strength you had because of your commitment to staying sober. Well done!! -
BCBulldog
We should just agree to disagree. I would ask that if you want to debate the merits of encouraging alcoholics to attempt moderated consumption vs. abstaining altogether, please start another thread. Let's keep this on topic for Otrap's benefit.sleeper wrote:
I don't think that's horrible advice. It's a lot harder to learn how to control your alcoholic intake rather than just not drink alcohol at all.BCBulldog wrote:
That's horrible advice to a recovering alcoholic. Fine for others, but some people can't do it that way.DeyDurkie5 wrote: I see no big deal in having a drink or two, just learn how to control it so it doesn't affect your life. It's definitely a great tool when dealing with stress to have a drink or two to relax and calm yourself down.
O-Trap, you did the right thing by remembering why you quit. Don't look at it as a "I almost failed" moment, but a "I beat that damn thing" moment. Hold your head high. You controlled the situation with the strength you had because of your commitment to staying sober. Well done!! -
THE4RINGZO-trap,
I appreciate your honesty. I am not a recovering addict, but understand the struggle to stay sober. A war is won by winning many battles. Tonight you won a huge battle. And I congratulate you for that.
One day at a time. -
Trueblue23O-Trap, I think the only way an alcohol is truely cured is when they CAN have a few drinks and not cross the line.
-
Fab1bYou made the right decision. I have never had to battle addiction but I would think that if one is a recovering addict and they got a taste of what got them in trouble before the nightmare would begin again. Keep doing what you are doing and don't give in!!
-
wildcats20
That's kind of what I was thinking.Fab1b wrote: You made the right decision. I have never had to battle addiction but I would think that if one is a recovering addict and they got a taste of what got them in trouble before the nightmare would begin again. Keep doing what you are doing and don't give in!!
Why in the hell would anyone tell a recovering alcoholic it is OK to have a drink or 2??
O-Trap...by the way, congrats on the sobriety. Keep it up!!! -
ytownfootballThe reason you drink is not altered by doing so, so when you do, you merely add to the stack of shit that made you want to drink in the first place.
Your self admitted reasons for drinking should be reason enough to not do so, as a reasonably intelligent person who cares for his family. You've got more will power than weakness.
Good luck. -
dwccrew
Put the bottle down and roll a fat jay.O-Trap wrote: I personally have been sober for just over three years now (1-26-07), but I had a really bad day today, and I found myself in the liquor aisle at a local Giant Eagle (one with a full liquor license). I got half-way to the register when I remembered the look on my wife's and brother's faces the last time I was drunk.
I was never a party drinker. I only drank when I was alone and when I had problems I didn't want to deal with. So when I saw the little bro who had always looked up to me and my then fiance who'd always considered me her rock, it just killed me.
That feeling was enough to get me to put the Jack back this evening, but damn did it feel close.
What do you guys do when the bottle calls out to you? What do you do that helps? -
sonofsamI will be one of the first to say I drink way to much than I want to and when i drink I just keep drinking. My health has taken turns and still I continue to push on. I really think that my job has a lot to do with it and feeling the need to just escape things for the brief few hours it takes me to consume more alcohol than most would consume in a 2 week period. I wake up pretty much every morning and my liver hurts no matter if I drink or not. I am not jaundice and in danger of liver failure, but it may be close... I took this job in 2002 and since then I have gone from 176 lbs. to 254. I know I am not healthy and would love to find another way to deal with the shit I see on a daily basis...
-
Tinkertrain
I suggest you see a therapist bud but if you dont wanna do that I suggest that you start listening to the many various genre's of Heavy Metal and let the music soothe your demons.sonofsam wrote: I will be one of the first to say I drink way to much than I want to and when i drink I just keep drinking. My health has taken turns and still I continue to push on. I really think that my job has a lot to do with it and feeling the need to just escape things for the brief few hours it takes me to consume more alcohol than most would consume in a 2 week period. I wake up pretty much every morning and my liver hurts no matter if I drink or not. I am not jaundice and in danger of liver failure, but it may be close... I took this job in 2002 and since then I have gone from 176 lbs. to 254. I know I am not healthy and would love to find another way to deal with the shit I see on a daily basis... -
I Wear PantsSwitch to meth.
-
psywarriori smoke the herb, honestly it works.
-
Curly JHey I drink, only good beer, but that's not an excuse for what I do. I'll do what I do and Otrap keep on doing what you don't do. I have faith in you Brother. Don't do as I do...do only as you have.
I some what understand where you are after your prayers post....and I'll let it be gone with that. We've both been there bro, but I've never brung in the Huddle due to it. Too much different 'stuff' and I never relied on the rest of them to understand.
WOW I'm sure this post didn't make sence to anyone, but me...Oh well Nice Choice OTrap. keep it on. -
Swamp FoxBCBulldog is absolutely correct. Telling a recovering alcoholic that it's ok to have an occasional glass of wine, or a beer or two, or a "highball" is like telling someone that it's ok to play Russian Roulette. You never lose alcoholism and it can ruin more than just one life. It destroys entire families. Alcoholism is a disease that can be totally controlled but never cured. It's always there. It's a fairy tale to think otherwise. It's not an act of kindness to tell someone who absolutely can't drink that they can if they do it in moderation. If you know someone who can drink moderately and can quit anytime they choose, you are not dealing with an alcoholic. (yet.)
-
vball10setOtrap--be true to yourself and your family,and as the saying goes--take in one step at a time,and don't look too far ahead
..but above all,don't listen to immature kids like DeyDurkie5--he's clueless -
CenterBHSFanHey guys, don't be too hard on the people who are encouraging 1 or 2 drinks.
Remember, alot of these guys on here are very young in years and life experiences.
Otrap,
While I'm not a recovering alcoholic, I am an ex-smoker. So, I know it goes. To this day there are times when I feel like I want to shank somebody and steal their cigs.
But, through after a few (somewhat agonizing) moments, my mind and sheer happenstance/serendipity lets me get past it.
Have you a sponsor? -
vball10set^^^point taken,but this is all part of the growing up process--learn when to speak and NOT to speak...btw,good post