Danger Periods for Slips

[Cheggers]

Can anyone point me to any accepted wisdom, or share personal
experiences, about the periods during sobriety - particularly early
sobriety - where its perceived that slips are especially likely to
recur?

I've heard a lot around the tables about three days, thirty days and
so on. I'm right at <thinks for a minute> 36 days (my best in 22
years) and the last few days I've been quietly climbing the walls and
romancing some dark thoughts! ;)

This seems to be a real phenomenon... Glad I've had the Antabuse to
stop the thoughts becoming actions, and I know this will pass, but I'm
interested in the the perspectives and experiences of others.

Fred Exley... you're a couple of weeks ahead of me - did you
experience anything similar? Neuro, you've gotta have a nutritional
viewpoint. And all the rest of you old hands, I'd love to have your
input.

FWIW, I can pull some real good stuff out of this... for example, I
know now that I don't want a beer. I want to get freaking loaded. And
I can make connections with one or two contributing triggers I
couldn't before.

Thanks,

Cheggs.

[Robert McGregor]

"Cheggers" <cheggers2004@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ffb957f.0409191908.6ecbd161@posting.google.co m...
> the last few days I've been quietly climbing the walls and
> romancing some dark thoughts! ;)
>

romancing = bullshit
dark thoughts = fear
Bullshit + fear = over the walls and pissed, again!

Bob

[Fred Exley]

"Cheggers" <cheggers2004@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ffb957f.0409191908.6ecbd161@posting.google.co m...
> Can anyone point me to any accepted wisdom, or share personal
> experiences, about the periods during sobriety - particularly early
> sobriety - where its perceived that slips are especially likely to
> recur?
>
> I've heard a lot around the tables about three days, thirty days and
> so on. I'm right at <thinks for a minute> 36 days (my best in 22
> years) and the last few days I've been quietly climbing the walls and
> romancing some dark thoughts! ;)
>
> This seems to be a real phenomenon... Glad I've had the Antabuse to
> stop the thoughts becoming actions, and I know this will pass, but I'm
> interested in the the perspectives and experiences of others.
>
> Fred Exley... you're a couple of weeks ahead of me - did you
> experience anything similar? Neuro, you've gotta have a nutritional
> viewpoint. And all the rest of you old hands, I'd love to have your
> input.
>
> FWIW, I can pull some real good stuff out of this... for example, I
> know now that I don't want a beer. I want to get freaking loaded. And
> I can make connections with one or two contributing triggers I
> couldn't before.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Cheggs.


Hey Cheggs, I'm approaching a new world record for me too, and this time
it's been different so far. I think primarily it's because, to paraphrase
Bob M., I'm focusing on what is possible now rather than thinking about
drinking. And I'm absolutely certain now if I start again it's going to end
up right back where I left off -drinking around the clock, feeling like shit
physically and esteem-wise, puking every morning, achieving nothing, or
worse, earning my way into jail or prison.

Not that I'm all smiles and contentment though. I'm still irritable a lot,
but less so lately. And my subconscious mind (Lower Power) is still trying
to come up with a way somehow I can drink again, maybe later -winning the
lotto, or working for years to get financially secure and after the kid's
all grown up, etc. -all bullshit I know, but it takes the edge off of the
'nevermore' aspect my LP can't stand.

Last night was a test of sorts, going to a reunion of a group of people I
worked with 15 years ago. Most all of us were real heavy drinkers back
then, so I expected this was going to become a drunken affair. But to my
surprise, hardly any of us former souses drink now. And as somebody posted
today, when you say you don't drink, people respect that. Lot's of
non-alkies don't drink -athletes, Donald Trump, etc., not because they can't
handle it, but because there's a lot better stuff to do out there -it isn't
some strange thing to not be a drinker. So I'm trying to look forward, not
back.

In your case, I'd be sure to stay on the Antabuse for now if this is how
you're thinking. Maybe try and find somebody out there who right now is as
'freaking loaded' as your romancing becoming, and see what they look like to
you today, and how much fun it is being around them. And whatever you do,
please check back here tomorrow and give us an update. -Fred

[Mias]

Hi Cheggers
I would say at about three months. That is, about three months after my last
AA meeting, I normally start feeling discontent, irritable and frustrated
and have to call HALT! It is when I forget where I come from that I, like so
many thousands of times before, go back to where I never wanted to be. Thank
God and AA it has been 15 years, one day at a time, since my last drink.
This group also helps me to remember and listening to others and sharing
here helps me a lot. Thank you all for being here for me. My worst sober day
still beats my best drunk day hands down. I understand that now...
Kind regards
Mias - still enjoying every second!

"Cheggers" <cheggers2004@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ffb957f.0409191908.6ecbd161@posting.google.co m...
> Can anyone point me to any accepted wisdom, or share personal
> experiences, about the periods during sobriety - particularly early
> sobriety - where its perceived that slips are especially likely to
> recur?
>
> I've heard a lot around the tables about three days, thirty days and
> so on. I'm right at <thinks for a minute> 36 days (my best in 22
> years) and the last few days I've been quietly climbing the walls and
> romancing some dark thoughts! ;)
>
> This seems to be a real phenomenon... Glad I've had the Antabuse to
> stop the thoughts becoming actions, and I know this will pass, but I'm
> interested in the the perspectives and experiences of others.
>
> Fred Exley... you're a couple of weeks ahead of me - did you
> experience anything similar? Neuro, you've gotta have a nutritional
> viewpoint. And all the rest of you old hands, I'd love to have your
> input.
>
> FWIW, I can pull some real good stuff out of this... for example, I
> know now that I don't want a beer. I want to get freaking loaded. And
> I can make connections with one or two contributing triggers I
> couldn't before.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Cheggs.

[Gregg Fowler]

Cheggers wrote:
> Can anyone point me to any accepted wisdom, or share personal
> experiences, about the periods during sobriety - particularly early
> sobriety - where its perceived that slips are especially likely to
> recur?
>
> I've heard a lot around the tables about three days, thirty days and
> so on. I'm right at <thinks for a minute> 36 days (my best in 22
> years) and the last few days I've been quietly climbing the walls and
> romancing some dark thoughts! ;)
>
> This seems to be a real phenomenon... Glad I've had the Antabuse to
> stop the thoughts becoming actions, and I know this will pass, but I'm
> interested in the the perspectives and experiences of others.
>
> Fred Exley... you're a couple of weeks ahead of me - did you
> experience anything similar? Neuro, you've gotta have a nutritional
> viewpoint. And all the rest of you old hands, I'd love to have your
> input.
>
> FWIW, I can pull some real good stuff out of this... for example, I
> know now that I don't want a beer. I want to get freaking loaded. And
> I can make connections with one or two contributing triggers I
> couldn't before.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Cheggs.

For me the period at about three-four months becomes slippery. Not sure
why. Also, any period that I am in transition, new job, school, anything
of that sort. Even vacations have been times of slipperiness. Not during
the vacation, but soon after returning from vacation.

I am most solid in my sobriety when I have firmly established routines
and rituals in place. I am weakest in sobriety when I am just aimlessly
mulling along. I think routines are a very good thing for me to
establish. I need to watch carefully and have back up plans if my
routines change from outside influence or is I seem to be changing them
myself.

Gregg

[JB]

"Cheggers" <cheggers2004@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ffb957f.0409191908.6ecbd161@posting.google.co m...
> Can anyone point me to any accepted wisdom, or share personal
> experiences, about the periods during sobriety - particularly early
> sobriety - where its perceived that slips are especially likely to
> recur?
>
> I've heard a lot around the tables about three days, thirty days and
> so on. I'm right at <thinks for a minute> 36 days (my best in 22
> years) and the last few days I've been quietly climbing the walls
and
> romancing some dark thoughts! ;)
>
> This seems to be a real phenomenon... Glad I've had the Antabuse to
> stop the thoughts becoming actions, and I know this will pass, but
I'm
> interested in the the perspectives and experiences of others.

<snip>

When I quit drinking last year, I think that for a few weeks almost
every day, I wanted to drink again.

When this phase passed, thoughts about drinking would sometimes enter
my head when something occurred in my life which I viewed as a problem
for me, that caused me to become angry, resentful and, sometimes,
fearful. Such thoughts occurred for the reason I've given, a few
weeks ago, some 15 months after I stopped drinking. They came as a
shock.

During this period of not drinking, very occasionally, while my
husband has been drinking wine with his evening meal, I've thought -
and sometimes voiced - my wish to be able to also drink wine again.

So, in answer to your question, I'm not yet free of thoughts about
drinking. However, never have those thoughts resulted in me picking
up a drink. And that's good news :^)

JB

[[[]]]

"Robert McGregor" <robert_mcgregor@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:2r71muF16dadlU1@uni-berlin.de...
>
> "Cheggers" <cheggers2004@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:ffb957f.0409191908.6ecbd161@posting.google.co m...
>> the last few days I've been quietly climbing the walls and
>> romancing some dark thoughts! ;)
>>
>
> romancing = bullshit
> dark thoughts = fear
> Bullshit + fear = over the walls and pissed, again!
>
> Bob


Robert- Honest equation, thanks. No matter how I would adjust and manipulate
the variables, the results were always the same...again & again & again.

-Steve

[stuart]

"Cheggers" <cheggers2004@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ffb957f.0409191908.6ecbd161@posting.google.co m...
> Can anyone point me to any accepted wisdom, or share personal
> experiences, about the periods during sobriety - particularly early
> sobriety - where its perceived that slips are especially likely to
> recur?
>
> I've heard a lot around the tables about three days, thirty days and
> so on. I'm right at <thinks for a minute> 36 days (my best in 22
> years) and the last few days I've been quietly climbing the walls and
> romancing some dark thoughts! ;)
>
> This seems to be a real phenomenon... Glad I've had the Antabuse to
> stop the thoughts becoming actions, and I know this will pass, but I'm
> interested in the the perspectives and experiences of others.
>
> Fred Exley... you're a couple of weeks ahead of me - did you
> experience anything similar? Neuro, you've gotta have a nutritional
> viewpoint. And all the rest of you old hands, I'd love to have your
> input.
>
> FWIW, I can pull some real good stuff out of this... for example, I
> know now that I don't want a beer. I want to get freaking loaded. And
> I can make connections with one or two contributing triggers I
> couldn't before.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Cheggs.

There is no magic bullet, Cheggers. Time heals this to a great extent, but
not completely. The secret is in determination. What I mean by that is, that
you want to stay sober even in the worst case scenario. That being drinking
again. If you DO slip, get back in the saddle, go to a meeting. You don't
need to eat crow at that meeting, because the other folks at the meeting are
alcoholics also.

It took me quite awhile to get a few years in. Now it is much easier.

Concentrate on what makes you happy other than the euphoria of a couple of
drinks. Go do something useful. Play some sports, go for a walk, helping
another drunk worse off than yourself might work wonders. Idle hands idle
mind....

Stuart

[Bobby L]

"Cheggers" <cheggers2004@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ffb957f.0409191908.6ecbd161@posting.google.co m...
> Can anyone point me to any accepted wisdom, or share personal
> experiences, about the periods during sobriety - particularly early
> sobriety - where its perceived that slips are especially likely to
> recur?
>
> I've heard a lot around the tables about three days, thirty days and
> so on. I'm right at <thinks for a minute> 36 days (my best in 22
> years) and the last few days I've been quietly climbing the walls and
> romancing some dark thoughts! ;)
>
> This seems to be a real phenomenon... Glad I've had the Antabuse to
> stop the thoughts becoming actions, and I know this will pass, but I'm
> interested in the the perspectives and experiences of others.
>
> Fred Exley... you're a couple of weeks ahead of me - did you
> experience anything similar? Neuro, you've gotta have a nutritional
> viewpoint. And all the rest of you old hands, I'd love to have your
> input.
>
> FWIW, I can pull some real good stuff out of this... for example, I
> know now that I don't want a beer. I want to get freaking loaded. And
> I can make connections with one or two contributing triggers I
> couldn't before.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Cheggs.


S - Sobriety
L - Lost
I - Its
P - Priority

Bobby L

[J]

For me, the toughest time was the first couple of weeks after stopping
drinking. After that it wasn't too bad. The first time I sobered up, I only
lasted a couple of months before starting again. Perhaps I didn't realise
that was an alcoholic at that time. The second time I sobered up, I realised
that I was an alcoholic and had to stop drinking. During this period, there
were many times when I could have slipped, but willpower stopped me from
drinking again. Craving would last a couple of days or so and recur every 3
to 6 months. Eventually, I caved in and started drinking again. I'm now in
my 3rd bout of sobriety. So far so good, I haven't had many cravings, touch
wood. Hopefully, I'll have learned something from previous sobriety and be
able to handle the cravings. I'm going to AA too, at the moment.

--
J



Cheggers wrote:
> Can anyone point me to any accepted wisdom, or share personal
> experiences, about the periods during sobriety - particularly early
> sobriety - where its perceived that slips are especially likely to
> recur?
>
> I've heard a lot around the tables about three days, thirty days and
> so on. I'm right at <thinks for a minute> 36 days (my best in 22
> years) and the last few days I've been quietly climbing the walls and
> romancing some dark thoughts! ;)
>
> This seems to be a real phenomenon... Glad I've had the Antabuse to
> stop the thoughts becoming actions, and I know this will pass, but I'm
> interested in the the perspectives and experiences of others.
>
> Fred Exley... you're a couple of weeks ahead of me - did you
> experience anything similar? Neuro, you've gotta have a nutritional
> viewpoint. And all the rest of you old hands, I'd love to have your
> input.
>
> FWIW, I can pull some real good stuff out of this... for example, I
> know now that I don't want a beer. I want to get freaking loaded. And
> I can make connections with one or two contributing triggers I
> couldn't before.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Cheggs.

[Cheggers]

cheggers2004@hotmail.com (Cheggers) wrote in message news:<ffb957f.0409191908.6ecbd161@posting.google.com>...

I knew I'd get something useful out of a bunch of alkies like you.
Thanks. I got a few good leads and reality checks from your responses
and and - don't worry - I'm still toughing it out, sober.

If I still feel like this in three years time I'll cash in my chips
and drown myself in a vat of JD. For tonight though, maybe just an
extra helping of ice cream and an early night will make the difference
til I can get to my next meeting.

:)

Thanks again.

[stuart]

"Cheggers" <cheggers2004@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ffb957f.0409201747.7dba8b73@posting.google.co m...
> cheggers2004@hotmail.com (Cheggers) wrote in message
news:<ffb957f.0409191908.6ecbd161@posting.google.com>...
>
> I knew I'd get something useful out of a bunch of alkies like you.
> Thanks. I got a few good leads and reality checks from your responses
> and and - don't worry - I'm still toughing it out, sober.
>
> If I still feel like this in three years time I'll cash in my chips
> and drown myself in a vat of JD. For tonight though, maybe just an
> extra helping of ice cream and an early night will make the difference
> til I can get to my next meeting.
>
> :)
>
> Thanks again.
Sweets also do help. There is a book called "Living Sober" which AA carries
and it is just for guys like you where you're at right now. I highly
recommend it.

[Cheggers]

Blue Moon <mfoco@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<1095807583.I999bcGG/QD/r3j376ropw@teranews>...
> On 19 Sep 2004 20:08:07 -0700, cheggers2004@hotmail.com (Cheggers)
> wrote:
>
> >Can anyone point me to any accepted wisdom, or share personal
> >experiences, about the periods during sobriety - particularly early
> >sobriety - where its perceived that slips are especially likely to
> >recur?
>
> Yes - those times when I was not taking sufficient action to recover.
>
> For me, those actions included keeping thirst at bay, improving diet,
> attending AA meetings, listening to AA resources (tapes, CDs, etc.)
> which taught me about alcoholism and recovery, getting involved, not
> spending so much time sitting home doing the same old stuff, picking
> up old hobbies I had once cast aside in deference to alcohol, getting
> out of the house each day to somewhere quiet, working through AA's
> Steps, starting to let others in, letting old acquaintances go, etc.
> etc.

Thanks Stuart and BM. Sounds like good advice to me. Duly adopted.

Cheggs.
Who is having a better day today.