alcoholism

[Bill1127]

I recently finished/completed a 7 month "faith based" rehab. I voluntarilly admited myself after a DWI. I didnt drink while I was in the Rehab. I havent drank any since the completion. (8 months) but the thought of drinking crosses my mind daily.

any suggestions?

[uberadtx]

Of course drinking is on your mind!  Its not natural for us to be sober.  You can think and think and think about drinking and thats OK but putting the thought into action is where you have to stop it.  Have you asked God to remove the burden of drinking thoughts?  I don't know the nature of your faith or how you felt about your experience in rehab.  Part of recovery is fully understanding that we are powerless over alcohol.  Thats why the thoughts consume you.  You have to shift your focus when thoughts like that enter your mind.  Think it through.  When you have a thought about a drink, think about every aspect of making it, drinking it and how it will make you feel THEN think about the next drink and the next drink and the next one.  How does that make you feel?  What about the next day?  What about your DWI?  Does taking a drink affect that?
Every alcoholic has short term memory.  We tend to romance our drinking because we love it so much the problem is that it doesn't love us back.  We like to remember the good times not the bad and that is normal.  When we stop drinking we start grieving for our friend, lover, identity and thats hard.  We think about and our disease tells us its going to be OK, that this time it will be different but its NOT.  I went through soo many emotions when I stopped drinking.  One day I wanted to drink soo bad, I could barely see straight and thats when I sat down and cried.  And the tears were from grief. I missed drinking.  I missed the 'buzz' and I felt like I was missing out.  It was cathartic and somewhat of a turning point.  I had to embrace the fact that I missed my drinking in order to move past it.
I crave drinking even now with as much sobriety as I have.  My disease is waiting for me to pick up a drink but when I feel like I need a drink I always ask myself why?  Then go through the scenario of buying the drink and all the effects it will have.  By the time I am through, the feeling has passed.
Keep me posted.

[susieq87]

Have you tried AA meetings?  They are supposed to be designed where you can talk about the urges.  Maybe make a few friends who are in the same boat you are in....

[ibizan]

i mourned the lost of my best/worst pals alcohol and drugs for the first 2 years of my sobriety.I went to AA and NA A LOT for i needed to b e around others in my dilemma and see what worked for them plus i had no sober friends when i got sober.A support system is important like susieq sez......u can't stay sober alone.....AA saying so true...An alcoholic alone is in BAD company!:)Uber as always had very good/true comment 2 u!

[johnnykelly]

Hi Bill, first off congratulations on the completion of a long,intense re-hab.I am a veteran of a number of re-habs,Im 48 and started my journey at 23yrs of age. I went to Bri-Lin Hospital in Buffalo,N.Y.I live in Toronto, Canada.The Americans where great,i achieved my 28-day program and stayed clean and sober for 6-months,thats the longest duration i have stayed sober.one of the elements of denial at that time was my age,who wants to quit,for ever at 23yrs of age.I didnt look at the one day at a time concept then.moreover i was a healthy young man,and i enjoyed Beer,woman and bar-life.I am mostly on the Drug site as i am also addicted to cocaine,percocets and oxycontins,but one thing i will stress, it all started with that first-drink.The feeling of being comfortable in my own skin. Any how keep of truckin, john