Alcoholism Support Group

I did the same - does not work. You have to stay away from parties until you are sober for a while. It is hard - but if I went out nightclubbing I know I would drink. I took on weekend shifts at work to avoid the parties. It is a little better now but I go home early.

I tried EVERYTHING to try to socialize and drink without consequences. Ex: drinking one per hour, drinking only beer, club soda and lime, pop, non-alcoholic beer, you name it. Nothing worked until I accepted I was an alcoholic, I could not do it alone and I needed my HP's help. I too live with someone who drinks. He actually plays in a band for a living so the bars are a part of our lives and we both love people. Are you going to AA? If not, start going. It will give you the strength and knowledge to make healthy and good decisions. Good Luck! PS. I know you MUST have heard this before, but you know drinking only makes your depression worse. Alcohol is a depressant.

I agree with Jassa on the point that perhaps it may be good to stear clear of gathering in which you have drank in the past. I cannot tell you if you need to abstain totally-that is for you to figure out on your own. A good way to begin though is to not drink for a while and see how it goes for you. Also, go to an AA meeting, listen to others stories, and see if you see yourself in what they are saying.

if im in a social setting likea party bar if i dont have a beer in my hand at all times i go crazzy but im an achohlic.

Hi there, you are normal. I have had a hard time in the past with that as well, hence...relapsing 3 times after first trying 2 years ago.

I am an avid sailor and we belong to a yacht club (basically a trailer park on wheels) lol. However, after relapsing this summer ... it finally hit me that in early recovery it is important to not put yourself into any situations that would give you opportunity...soooo, basically I helped lauch our boat and that was It. I purposely stayed away. I told my common-law to go ahead without me each weekend which he did with the dogs sometimes and I would spend weekends with friends I would normally not see during summer. Was it hard? yes, did I miss it? yes, was it hard to go back (this past weekend for brunchwith friends who know) with ppl hugging me and asking why I had not been there? yes yes and yes. Got over it fast....the getting there was harder. Try a few different things until you find what works for YOU and what You are comfortable with. hugs.

If someone would have told me early on in my sobriety life would be fun I would have never believed them. I went to a sober roundup over a 4th of July weekend, where they rented the entire Marriot Hotel. There was a pool, and a new band every 4 hours, people dancing, jumping in the water, over 4,000 in attendance that weekend non stop 24 hours a day. I thought there is no way these people are not on something. They were really happy and having fun.

All my life way before I drank I did something to get approval that was over the top. I would lie and say we were poor, or had no food so neighbors would feed me, say my mom was having a baby when she actually was having a minor surgery, say I was a Woodstock, anything to fit in. Then the drugs and booze came and I felt like I did. All lies.

I was really never comfortable in my skin, just did not have to deal with it loaded. But after some time not drinking or using and getting around people also that did not I have more friends than I can count. And we party and dance, go to the river, events, vacations, and have fun. These people are just like me and felt the same way, so having them as friends is easy. I had to change my playtoys and playgrounds. And not run as I always did, and drinking is running away.

If you are doing your recovery alone or with people that are not alcoholic that may be the reason. Without a support system I fell everytime and was in and out of recovery for many many years. I just could not get it as I did not want to change I wanted everything to change for me. It won't. I can be around anyone today as recovery helped build my no self esteem into low self esteem then self esteem. People love me for who I am but I had to learn to be a friend before I could have true friends. Water seeks its own level and if you hang with people who have to drink to have fun then you will drink.

I can be around booze now no problem, but when It took a long time. And my true friends and family respected me and did not drink around me. It is your choice... either you want to stop or not. There are all sorts of excuses , and if its not feeling comfortable it will be something else when you want to drink. Stop the rationalizing and start to work on being around supportive people and those who have been there and done that and now are having a good life, and see how they did it.