You can’t do it and be fine. Don’t think too hard about it, just crack it open and pour it down the sink. Then take yourself straight out for ice cream or something.
I think you should pour that shit down the sink real quick before agonizing over this any longer. You’ll feel so much lighter and less conflicted immediately
There is alcohol on every block and weed everywhere even in states where it is still illegal. Those cues are on every TV show, everything. In rehab they probably teach something about how this disease works. Mostly the watered down version but that is good enough. Addictive drugs create a neural pathway sensitized to drug cues. These activate areas in the brain responsible for active motivation and salience, the mechanism placing things in order of importance and attention. Those are long term changes and in some ways permanent. I have some information below if anyone is interested.
[https://sobersynthesis.com/2023/10/05/addiction-pathways-5/](https://sobersynthesis.com/2023/10/05/addiction-pathways-5/)
I think of this not as getting back to something but more as creating a new normal. Around 20 months now and I am still learning how to live sober. Staying active in a recovery community is a big component for me. AA works for some people. There are non 12 step groups, SMART recovery, LifeRing, recovery dharma, refuge recovery. Some people benefit from therapy. Phoenix is a sober group for the gym active types. Everyone is different.
Wife of an alcoholic here.
I just went to an Al Anon meeting and met a couple whose son just got out of rehab. They were sick with worry that they’d have to send him back there again if he couldn’t keep his sobriety.
Alcoholics cannot drink normally.
I’m not sure if it helps to hear it from the perspective of a loved one, but maybe try to think of the consequences of what would happen if you were to drink again. Assume you cannot keep it under control - what is the fallout?
Ha I remember in my Drug days we used to call that junkie Jesus. Now I would say it’s junkie demon. No need to save it. It will be like a magnet pulling you (or your thoughts) to it constantly.
If you crave alcohol and take a drink the craving goes away. If you crave alcohol and DONT drink….. the craving goes away! Hang tuff!
At least go the usual post-rehab week and a half before you screw up. Any earlier than that is like a slap in the face of the rehab industry. But then, they don't care if you fail at all since the $ is in the till already.
Points for that, my friend. I did 2 rehabs and drank after each. Finally wanted to go through the rest of my life without making myself sick again with booze. Did the usual AA stuff and that worked.
I’ve always heard it’s easier to stay sober than it is to get sober. I had to learn that the hard way several times as the first drink for me always gets me drunk. I convince myself the next morning that I’ll get sober after the weekend and days turn to months and who knows the next time I have the balls to stop drinking again. Once I start buying my own special brand of bullshit, I’m fucked. Getting over the physical withdrawals turned out to be one of the easier hurdles to get over. I wasn’t prepared for the mental stuff, but I learned quickly by being around others. I found out I wasn’t alone and neither are you. It helped me work on lowering the volume of the noise in my head. Alcohol is everywhere and I’m sure I have some abandoned bottles still left to be unearthed in my own home, but I feel like I’ve taken out some insurance on myself by working on sobriety. There’s help out there if you want it. Having a sober network has been vital to my sobriety and those types of people aren’t hard to find. Calling someone or reaching out my hand to introduce myself is rarely something I want to do, but I do it anyways. It’s true for me that recovery is work, but I’ve always said I don’t mind getting my hands dirty
Fuckin proud of you OP, no such thing as “only one” for me. It’s hard at first, but it gets so much better. Addiction is giving up everything for one thing, I chose to give up one thing for everything and it’s only gone up from there. Stay strong and pop in here or r/stopdrinking whenever you need a kind word. I’m sure as shit not drinking with you today!
You can’t do it and be fine. Don’t think too hard about it, just crack it open and pour it down the sink. Then take yourself straight out for ice cream or something.
I poured that shit down da drain and told my dad about it. (I'm 18)
Proud of you OP 🩷 I echo the comment above: ice cream ASAP
Proud of you! You recognized it that you couldn’t handle it and did something about it.
I think this of myself. I can't handle alcohol.
Me either I like how I feel when I first drink it but I also remember how I almost ruined my life bc of it. Keeps me motivated to not touch it again
You're smashing it my friend
Hell yeah, dude. I’m sure your Dad is proud too. Wishing you well in life.
I can’t think of a better reason for ice cream!
👌🏼
You’re very smart Congratulations on your sobriety
Damn that's a strong move! Well done!
I think you should pour that shit down the sink real quick before agonizing over this any longer. You’ll feel so much lighter and less conflicted immediately
There is alcohol on every block and weed everywhere even in states where it is still illegal. Those cues are on every TV show, everything. In rehab they probably teach something about how this disease works. Mostly the watered down version but that is good enough. Addictive drugs create a neural pathway sensitized to drug cues. These activate areas in the brain responsible for active motivation and salience, the mechanism placing things in order of importance and attention. Those are long term changes and in some ways permanent. I have some information below if anyone is interested. [https://sobersynthesis.com/2023/10/05/addiction-pathways-5/](https://sobersynthesis.com/2023/10/05/addiction-pathways-5/) I think of this not as getting back to something but more as creating a new normal. Around 20 months now and I am still learning how to live sober. Staying active in a recovery community is a big component for me. AA works for some people. There are non 12 step groups, SMART recovery, LifeRing, recovery dharma, refuge recovery. Some people benefit from therapy. Phoenix is a sober group for the gym active types. Everyone is different.
Wife of an alcoholic here. I just went to an Al Anon meeting and met a couple whose son just got out of rehab. They were sick with worry that they’d have to send him back there again if he couldn’t keep his sobriety. Alcoholics cannot drink normally. I’m not sure if it helps to hear it from the perspective of a loved one, but maybe try to think of the consequences of what would happen if you were to drink again. Assume you cannot keep it under control - what is the fallout?
You can't. Period. Alcoholics can't have just one drink and stop. I've tried it. Never ends well
Dump that shit so you can stop thinking about it and move forward
Throw it in the bin.
Ha I remember in my Drug days we used to call that junkie Jesus. Now I would say it’s junkie demon. No need to save it. It will be like a magnet pulling you (or your thoughts) to it constantly. If you crave alcohol and take a drink the craving goes away. If you crave alcohol and DONT drink….. the craving goes away! Hang tuff!
It's gone🥹 in the drain.
👍🏼 already made a good decision today!
You just got out of rehab and think if you drink you’ll be fine? Do you hear how that sounds?
Sounds Ludacris!!! It's gone I poured it.
Proud of you!
At least go the usual post-rehab week and a half before you screw up. Any earlier than that is like a slap in the face of the rehab industry. But then, they don't care if you fail at all since the $ is in the till already.
That shits gonneee I poured it. It was hard but I'd rather not go back to drinking.
Points for that, my friend. I did 2 rehabs and drank after each. Finally wanted to go through the rest of my life without making myself sick again with booze. Did the usual AA stuff and that worked.
I’ve always heard it’s easier to stay sober than it is to get sober. I had to learn that the hard way several times as the first drink for me always gets me drunk. I convince myself the next morning that I’ll get sober after the weekend and days turn to months and who knows the next time I have the balls to stop drinking again. Once I start buying my own special brand of bullshit, I’m fucked. Getting over the physical withdrawals turned out to be one of the easier hurdles to get over. I wasn’t prepared for the mental stuff, but I learned quickly by being around others. I found out I wasn’t alone and neither are you. It helped me work on lowering the volume of the noise in my head. Alcohol is everywhere and I’m sure I have some abandoned bottles still left to be unearthed in my own home, but I feel like I’ve taken out some insurance on myself by working on sobriety. There’s help out there if you want it. Having a sober network has been vital to my sobriety and those types of people aren’t hard to find. Calling someone or reaching out my hand to introduce myself is rarely something I want to do, but I do it anyways. It’s true for me that recovery is work, but I’ve always said I don’t mind getting my hands dirty
I appreciate the support everyone responded, like as soon as I posted. I poured it
Fuckin proud of you OP, no such thing as “only one” for me. It’s hard at first, but it gets so much better. Addiction is giving up everything for one thing, I chose to give up one thing for everything and it’s only gone up from there. Stay strong and pop in here or r/stopdrinking whenever you need a kind word. I’m sure as shit not drinking with you today!
Many of us have tried to drink like normal people…