An unbelievable achievement: I have not had one sip of ethanol in 18 days. (I call it ethanol now because that is what it is. The same thing you get at the gas station. It’s lethal, flammable, etc., but with enough sugar-coating, ingestible. That’s why it tastes so bad. It is literally poison.) I got all of this from a book called, “The Naked Mind: Control Alcohol.” Spoiler alert! The book is not about controlling alcohol. It convinces you on a sub-conscious level to think of it as poison. Which it is.
I am doing well. I am not obsessing about alcohol, mostly because I have had a relatively stress-free few weeks. But guess what? In the past, I have succumbed to drinking even more often at “happy” events — weddings, getting together with friends, holidays. I don’t need to avoid triggers as much as I need to realize that everything is a trigger, starting with the first thought. The minute I let that first thought in the door, the second thought will grab whatever situation I am in and make it an excuse to drink. It’s genius really. There is no circumstance that I can’t mold to my own secret wish to drink, if I so choose. (Even if I don’t so choose, the thought will choose me.) I need to stop drinking completely, and not hold out thoughts such as: “If I get a terminal disease, than I can have a drink.” In the past, I have actually wished for a health-related false alarm just to get that drink. That is sick.
So today, I am watching my thoughts. They mostly involve chocolate truffles at the moment. And truffles never leave me wondering what stupid thing I said or did after having a few.
Finding a Sober Miracle 
Those truffles look amazing!! X
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I drive all the way in town to get one every day. I can’t have more than one in the house or I will ear every one of them. They are unbelievable!
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I am so glad to hear from you!
Day 19!
I agree, I drank at happy times, sad times, all times.
There is always a reason, although I told hubs it was work stress. I had to drink to de-stress from work.
I have never read that book.
xo
Wendy
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Really pleased to hear from you and drooling at the truffles!
It is an often-quoted ‘fact’ that more relapses occur when things are going well than when things are going badly – perhaps because we are less on our guard? I have never been able to trace this to any source or study, however, but I thought I’d mention it in case it helps. Keep up the good work! Xx
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Thank you! I think it has to do for the “celebrating” mentality for me. It makes me think of the good life — restaurants and outdoor patios and parties. Unlinking alcohol from thoughts of happiness are an ongoing issue for me. The blog Hip Sobriety you recommended has been very helpful in that regard. Thanks again. ; )
— S
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Thank you for the book recommendation. It sounds like a good place to start to get out of my “winey” fog. I ordered it a few days ago and I’m waiting for Barnes & Noble’s incredibly long free shipping to deliver it.
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It did help me get out of that winey fog. What a great description!
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