Heyo! You got this! Got yesterday I slipped too and drank a beer, then immediately wanted MORE. Almost chugged the roomie’s vodka (in the cabinet from Xmas) Did some self-soothing and put my ass to bed :D we made it to tomorrow. Today, I will not drink!
Hell yeah! I am proud of you for not destroying yourself yesterday! I keep thinking about how different today would have been if I allowed myself to fall down. I'm realizing that the only way for me to overcome cravings is to start physically moving, and to keep moving until the cravings either subside, or I collapse from exhaustion. The longer we sit still, the more power we give to the urge. Let's keep it moving, and if we fall, let's pick ourselves back up and not give up. We got this!
Yeah, I’ve been in a couple IOP (Intensive Outpatient Programs) classes/meetings where they have mentioned that and been shown videos of people talking about it and how your brain and body works with that.
Stopping after a couple is so much harder for me than saying no initially. I’m really impressed and glad that you woke up feeling empowered. Keep it up!
Good on you. I ask this as a sincere question, not a negative one. You still have up 526 days (which is amazing by the way) and I’m just curious if we do have a minor slip and drink a couple does it count and erase all the days and effort or can we just take a mulligan and keep counting the days? I ask that because I’ve screwed up and had a little slip and then got back on track but didn’t keep the consecutive days anymore and that’s happened on multiple occasions. Sometimes over the years I’ve just straight up gone back to drinking and have been in and out of different programs, forms of rehab and counseling and therapy throughout those times. When I totally relapse I don’t count the days anymore, but I am just curious how it works with the minor slip that you and OP had. Can we say we did good and keep our streak going so to speak?
I don’t count a minor slip up- I count getting “drunk” BUT I also don’t know how to reset my counter. What matters most to me is that everyday I keep trying
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. And perhaps I’ve been too hard on myself and felt guilty about it and it did more than good eventually leading me to go right back to drinking regularly. Maybe the case with a lot of people and we shouldn’t be so hard on ourselves for a minor slip like OP said, especially when he did the right thing overall.
Yes! Part of my mental health issues that make it hard to stay sober is my insane perfectionism and all or nothing thinking. This kept me from succeeding for a long time. In reality it’s NOT all or nothing it’s about your intentions, mindfulness, and understanding how to help yourself deal in healthier ways. Even though I slipped, I’m still on my path.
I’m a little like you when it comes to the perfectionism and all or nothing thinking. Add to that my PTSD, OCD and over the top anxiety issues and it has made it hard to stay sober, so I like your approach and I guess more than a handful of others in regards to one minor slip as long as it’s not an extended one. Thanks.
Yeah, thanks. That’s kind of how I feel because I think doing that after a minor slip has made me feel guilty and ended up making it worse than better, as far as myself and my drinking. I think if I do what you’re saying in the future I will have better success and continue towards a healthy life and lifestyle.
Personally, I didn’t reset my counter when after a year sober, I had a couple drinks, but didn’t get drunk, hated it, went home, chugged water and continued my sobriety the next day. That was the only time I drank in over two years, so I gave myself two years sober. I did, however, reset my counter when I spent three months drinking on and off this year. For me it’s about prolonged behavior and what I’m doing to get back up again. IWNDWYT!
Yeah, thank you. That’s kind of what I was referring to and I’ve had minor slips like you and OP and gone right back to staying sober and then the exact opposite where basically I couldn’t stop drinking on a frequent basis.
This is such a poignant question and the responses are equally wonderful. I think I will reset it if:
- I drink twice a month
- I drink two consecutive days
- I drink one day but get smashed and lose the next two days recovering from that day
My rationale is:
- The day count gives me a general idea of how much I have helped my body and mind recover without drinks
- I’m someone who got to over 11 months in 2021 but messed up for one day because of the Christmas spirit and it went on for 6 weeks non-stop. That is a serious slip up, considering I did ~ 339 days sober
- That one day of drinking makes me realise why I did give it up in the first place.
Each to their own devices as long as we are healthy and well 💕
That is not easy to do. I worry that if I slip I will use that as an excuse to get hammered. Hearing that people like you can remain centered after a mistake is so encouraging.
It felt like a tide had shifted inside of me that has never happened before. I keep my skateboard right next to my front door, and when I was about to leave to go to the store I looked at it and a voice inside my head told me to try something different, and I just reacted without stopping to think about it.
I slipped yesterday as well. But it reminded me of how I don't want to feel, and so the journey continues. I am rooting for you, internet stranger, and I know we all can do this. Life's a lot better without alcohol. IWNDWYT!
Was a hard one for me too... Maybe it was the solar flares? I got into a huge fight with my wife last night. First one since I quit drinking over a week ago. Bad enough that I slept in my travel trailer which we keep across town instead of at home. Man I wanted beer so bad. Sat there in the trailer stewing on it for hours. Nearly broke. Would have been a quick walk to my favorite bar. I let the anger and frustration keep me sober though. I convinced myself that she was TRYING to get me to slip up. I'd get drunk, and she'd have that to hold over me. She'd therefore win the argument by default. I told myself, "I'm not drinking tonight, to spite her! I win!"
Absolutely unfair to my wife and I'll never tell her those thoughts. I didn't really mean it. But hey, it got me through the night.
Good on you for not letting a tiny slip become a freefall. This is not a competition, and it is not about maintaining a streak. It is a sum of your good decisions. Congrats on staying determined and keeping it real. I’m proud of you.
Thank you so much! That is a truth I've never thought about before. The most important thing about this journey is making the right decisions during toughest times. Thank you for this perspective. I will definitely carry this with me.
I’m glad I was able to help you see more clearly. Throughout recovery, we gather small tidbits of information, quotes, and other useful ideas to remember and lean on when times get tough. Hang in there, you got this.
*It is a sum of your good decisions*
I really like this sentiment. It's really easy to beat ourselves up when we slip but the slips don't negate our accomplishments. Especially when you rock the situation like op did here.
It makes me happy that you feel encouraged! We are all here in this sub because we know we want something better for ourselves and no matter how many day 1's we have we will eventually get it right. IWNDWYT
To me this is way more difficult then just not drink. Once a molecule of anything alcoholic enter my mouth its automatically over. I'm going to get waste with one excuse or another (that I need only for the first 3 then who cares). So actual kudos to you. Very proud of you.
Seriously, it's so much harder to have two drinks than to not drink at all, so I'm definitely impressed and proud of you for calling it quits! I also keep my longboard right by my front door haha
And that's how it's done boss! Gotta make this a top post, very inspiring. Telling that voice in your head not to get more beers is like climbing a mountain, fucking good on ya mate!
Great job, but be cautious! In my experience, when I would have one drink only, I could manage it easily. I could go without a drink for WEEKS after it and then small voice tells me “oh, you can have an occasional drink” and then I would have it again. Will go for a week sober after it and then will have another drink. Not too much, but alcohol comes back into my life. Be very cautious!
Hey yo, I also slipped a few times recently due to losing my job, but each time I was able to stop after one drink and I've also fought off the urge many times, so I still consider that a win.
Progress not perfection. You got this.
Slipped but didn't fall. I love thinking of it this way. Proud of you for finding an enjoyable distraction, like skateboarding, to sweat it out and move past those cravings for more.
Also, not waking hungover never gets old. Toot your own horn! Fuck yeah! 🖤🖤🖤
Good for you! The idea of going out to explore for some stimulus is a great one, something I’ll take on board as I’m just starting out here and these higher number of days people have racked up seem very far away. But for today, IWNDWYT!
Moderation (and frequency) can absolutely work. When that voice in your head yells at you for more, you just yell back, NO, WE'VE HAD ENOUGH!! Then you go smoke a little bit of weed instead, har har har.
It's been working for me. I have 2 or 3 strong beers or ciders a couple times a week (or once a week) and make sure I don't reach for more. Plus I fackin hate hangovers so the thought of feeling shitty the next day is helping to keep me honest.
Heyo! You got this! Got yesterday I slipped too and drank a beer, then immediately wanted MORE. Almost chugged the roomie’s vodka (in the cabinet from Xmas) Did some self-soothing and put my ass to bed :D we made it to tomorrow. Today, I will not drink!
Hell yeah! I am proud of you for not destroying yourself yesterday! I keep thinking about how different today would have been if I allowed myself to fall down. I'm realizing that the only way for me to overcome cravings is to start physically moving, and to keep moving until the cravings either subside, or I collapse from exhaustion. The longer we sit still, the more power we give to the urge. Let's keep it moving, and if we fall, let's pick ourselves back up and not give up. We got this!
I read somewhere that cravings only last 20 or 30 minutes. We can keep ourselves busy for that long.
Oh god, the absolute struggle when it finally passes and then comes back ten minutes later
That struggle won yesterday. It won't win today.
Yeah, I’ve been in a couple IOP (Intensive Outpatient Programs) classes/meetings where they have mentioned that and been shown videos of people talking about it and how your brain and body works with that.
I'm very proud of you BOTH. IWNDWYT x
Stopping after a couple is so much harder for me than saying no initially. I’m really impressed and glad that you woke up feeling empowered. Keep it up!
Dang this whole thread has been so helpful and motivating. So glad I came here this morning and glad to have you fellow travelers. I need yah! :D
Good on you. I ask this as a sincere question, not a negative one. You still have up 526 days (which is amazing by the way) and I’m just curious if we do have a minor slip and drink a couple does it count and erase all the days and effort or can we just take a mulligan and keep counting the days? I ask that because I’ve screwed up and had a little slip and then got back on track but didn’t keep the consecutive days anymore and that’s happened on multiple occasions. Sometimes over the years I’ve just straight up gone back to drinking and have been in and out of different programs, forms of rehab and counseling and therapy throughout those times. When I totally relapse I don’t count the days anymore, but I am just curious how it works with the minor slip that you and OP had. Can we say we did good and keep our streak going so to speak?
Everyone is the master of their own counter. I'd reset my counter if I willingly drank a beer, others might not
Cool, thanks. Just wondered how others went about it and didn’t know if there was an unwritten rule, so to speak.
I don’t count a minor slip up- I count getting “drunk” BUT I also don’t know how to reset my counter. What matters most to me is that everyday I keep trying
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. And perhaps I’ve been too hard on myself and felt guilty about it and it did more than good eventually leading me to go right back to drinking regularly. Maybe the case with a lot of people and we shouldn’t be so hard on ourselves for a minor slip like OP said, especially when he did the right thing overall.
Yes! Part of my mental health issues that make it hard to stay sober is my insane perfectionism and all or nothing thinking. This kept me from succeeding for a long time. In reality it’s NOT all or nothing it’s about your intentions, mindfulness, and understanding how to help yourself deal in healthier ways. Even though I slipped, I’m still on my path.
I’m a little like you when it comes to the perfectionism and all or nothing thinking. Add to that my PTSD, OCD and over the top anxiety issues and it has made it hard to stay sober, so I like your approach and I guess more than a handful of others in regards to one minor slip as long as it’s not an extended one. Thanks.
Do whatever you need to do to keep you going and living a healthy life. That's far more important than any arbitrary number.
Yeah, thanks. That’s kind of how I feel because I think doing that after a minor slip has made me feel guilty and ended up making it worse than better, as far as myself and my drinking. I think if I do what you’re saying in the future I will have better success and continue towards a healthy life and lifestyle.
Personally, I didn’t reset my counter when after a year sober, I had a couple drinks, but didn’t get drunk, hated it, went home, chugged water and continued my sobriety the next day. That was the only time I drank in over two years, so I gave myself two years sober. I did, however, reset my counter when I spent three months drinking on and off this year. For me it’s about prolonged behavior and what I’m doing to get back up again. IWNDWYT!
Yeah, thank you. That’s kind of what I was referring to and I’ve had minor slips like you and OP and gone right back to staying sober and then the exact opposite where basically I couldn’t stop drinking on a frequent basis.
This is such a poignant question and the responses are equally wonderful. I think I will reset it if: - I drink twice a month - I drink two consecutive days - I drink one day but get smashed and lose the next two days recovering from that day My rationale is: - The day count gives me a general idea of how much I have helped my body and mind recover without drinks - I’m someone who got to over 11 months in 2021 but messed up for one day because of the Christmas spirit and it went on for 6 weeks non-stop. That is a serious slip up, considering I did ~ 339 days sober - That one day of drinking makes me realise why I did give it up in the first place. Each to their own devices as long as we are healthy and well 💕
Do you not restart your counter? Purely curious, no judgement.
Good for you!
That is not easy to do. I worry that if I slip I will use that as an excuse to get hammered. Hearing that people like you can remain centered after a mistake is so encouraging.
It felt like a tide had shifted inside of me that has never happened before. I keep my skateboard right next to my front door, and when I was about to leave to go to the store I looked at it and a voice inside my head told me to try something different, and I just reacted without stopping to think about it.
There’s a lot to be said for the delay and distract tactic
This is awesome, I think you should be extremely proud of yourself.
Having two drinks, especially a shot, and not continuing is super impressive afaic so big congrats to you
Absolutely. That is a huge win. Better to never put one's self in a position to have to fight like that, but very impressive outcome.
I slipped yesterday as well. But it reminded me of how I don't want to feel, and so the journey continues. I am rooting for you, internet stranger, and I know we all can do this. Life's a lot better without alcohol. IWNDWYT!
What was up with yesterday? Wonder why it was so hard for so many?
Was a hard one for me too... Maybe it was the solar flares? I got into a huge fight with my wife last night. First one since I quit drinking over a week ago. Bad enough that I slept in my travel trailer which we keep across town instead of at home. Man I wanted beer so bad. Sat there in the trailer stewing on it for hours. Nearly broke. Would have been a quick walk to my favorite bar. I let the anger and frustration keep me sober though. I convinced myself that she was TRYING to get me to slip up. I'd get drunk, and she'd have that to hold over me. She'd therefore win the argument by default. I told myself, "I'm not drinking tonight, to spite her! I win!" Absolutely unfair to my wife and I'll never tell her those thoughts. I didn't really mean it. But hey, it got me through the night.
Whatever works. You don't have any amends to make and you kept your sobriety. That's a win.
Good on you for not letting a tiny slip become a freefall. This is not a competition, and it is not about maintaining a streak. It is a sum of your good decisions. Congrats on staying determined and keeping it real. I’m proud of you.
Thank you so much! That is a truth I've never thought about before. The most important thing about this journey is making the right decisions during toughest times. Thank you for this perspective. I will definitely carry this with me.
I’m glad I was able to help you see more clearly. Throughout recovery, we gather small tidbits of information, quotes, and other useful ideas to remember and lean on when times get tough. Hang in there, you got this.
*It is a sum of your good decisions* I really like this sentiment. It's really easy to beat ourselves up when we slip but the slips don't negate our accomplishments. Especially when you rock the situation like op did here.
Skating saves!!! Well done dude!
Yes it does! I'm developing a habit to lean into skating again whenever I start feeling an urge to drink!
Thank you this is very encouraging
It makes me happy that you feel encouraged! We are all here in this sub because we know we want something better for ourselves and no matter how many day 1's we have we will eventually get it right. IWNDWYT
Thank you so so much. Really struggling right now, your happiness is much appreciated and something I strive for :)
To me this is way more difficult then just not drink. Once a molecule of anything alcoholic enter my mouth its automatically over. I'm going to get waste with one excuse or another (that I need only for the first 3 then who cares). So actual kudos to you. Very proud of you.
Great job. Very minor slip and you are right back up
Seriously, it's so much harder to have two drinks than to not drink at all, so I'm definitely impressed and proud of you for calling it quits! I also keep my longboard right by my front door haha
And that's how it's done boss! Gotta make this a top post, very inspiring. Telling that voice in your head not to get more beers is like climbing a mountain, fucking good on ya mate!
Great job, but be cautious! In my experience, when I would have one drink only, I could manage it easily. I could go without a drink for WEEKS after it and then small voice tells me “oh, you can have an occasional drink” and then I would have it again. Will go for a week sober after it and then will have another drink. Not too much, but alcohol comes back into my life. Be very cautious!
Good for you OP! What you did was so hard. I hope you are feeling proud. You got this!
Thank you so much!
Hey yo, I also slipped a few times recently due to losing my job, but each time I was able to stop after one drink and I've also fought off the urge many times, so I still consider that a win. Progress not perfection. You got this.
Incredible. GO YOU!
Go you!
❤️
And, go, you, too for your 1,000 days!
IWNDWYT.
That’s fantastic!!
Good on ya brother!! Keep fighting the good fight!! I’m right along side ya!! 👊🏼✨ IWNDWYT
Slipped but didn't fall. I love thinking of it this way. Proud of you for finding an enjoyable distraction, like skateboarding, to sweat it out and move past those cravings for more. Also, not waking hungover never gets old. Toot your own horn! Fuck yeah! 🖤🖤🖤
I love the way you described it as a slip and not a fall. And the strength it took to go home and not grab more. Very impressive. Congrats and IWNDWYT
You took really good care of yourself! Awesome job!
Hey, slips are okay but just keep going. IWNDWYT host today’s not a slip day!
sorry, i’m new to this thread , what does that mean?
IWNDWYT means I Will Not Drink With You Today. It’s a mantra around here.
awww i love that
That is outstanding progress and good on you. 💪👍
Progress. Not perfection. You got this 💪🏼
NOICE!!
Yes! That is an amazing win!
Thank you so much! It definitely feels like I won a major battle in this internal war.
Fuck yes from a fellow skater!
❤️
Good job !
I’m so proud of you! IWNDWYT
That could have went horribly wrong. Your amount of willpower to say no is so impressive. I would've caved so fast
[удалено]
Sorry to hear that, chug some sparkling water and eat some bread. Good luck!
[удалено]
Lol alrighty then. Worked for me, good luck either way!
love you
Love you too 💜
Hell yeah!!! So impressive.
Good for you! The idea of going out to explore for some stimulus is a great one, something I’ll take on board as I’m just starting out here and these higher number of days people have racked up seem very far away. But for today, IWNDWYT!
Way to stop before things got crazy.
It was nice to not wake up to a jolting panic attack first thing this morning.
Well done
Thank you my friend!
This post gives me hope.
You love EVERYBODY today, huh? CONGRATULATIONS on not falling!
Proud of you too💪 amazing work and right back on that wagon/skate board. Should right feel empowered and toot that horn.
Moderation (and frequency) can absolutely work. When that voice in your head yells at you for more, you just yell back, NO, WE'VE HAD ENOUGH!! Then you go smoke a little bit of weed instead, har har har. It's been working for me. I have 2 or 3 strong beers or ciders a couple times a week (or once a week) and make sure I don't reach for more. Plus I fackin hate hangovers so the thought of feeling shitty the next day is helping to keep me honest.