Hi Sally,

Welcome to MIP. It's a great place and there are lots of helpful people here with good advice and tips. I do hope that you will keep visiting us and let us know how it is going for you.

For me, I can't stay sober on my own. I need to go to regular meetings and have face-to-face contact with other alcoholics. When I first started going to meetings, I dreaded them. But, I now look forward to them. I have made some truly wonderful friends in the rooms of AA.

Here is the website for AA in the UK. You'll find meetings for your area. Please try to get a few different ones. You will be completely welcome.

http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/index.shtml

When I first stopped drinking, I wouldn't go near any bars or restaurants as I wouldn't have trusted myself not to drink. If you tell the person/people that you are going out with tonight that you are not drinking they might be very supportive and help you. Try to remember that you have decided not to drink just for today!

Please let us know how you are getting on, won't you?

Take care,

Carol

Hi Sally, as Lucky McSober (AKA Tipsy) already knows, this free online book (see link) is a good start.  I also know that Lucky and you have probably not seen the movie "My Name is Bill W" but it is also an incredible way to get to know what the AA idea is all about.  I got the CD incredibly cheap at Amazon.com.  If you really, and I mean REALLY want to quit, the AA Big Book, and that movie are a good way to start.  Mind you I said "start".  As Lucky said, there are a lot of folks on this board, and many more at face to face AA meetings with a lot of experience, who are willing to offer support in your desire to stop drinking.

http://www.aa.org/bigbookonline/

http://www.aa.org/?Media=PlayFlash

These are just a couple of resources.  My friends here, and the folks you can meet at your local AA meeting can offer you MUCH more.

I'm Dan, just another alkie, in the Dakota's.

 

Welcome to MIP, Sally. I can't add much to what has already been said, but as Doll said--Stay out of places that are an invitation to drink. Atleast until you've got a foundation under your feet. Good luck to you, if you will allow it, the journey ahead of you into a sober life is truly worth it. If you find it isn't, well, guess you can always go back. But, I do not believe that we are all wrong, there's far too many of us that prefer to be where we are today. Just for this day.  Chris

Thanks for advice and support from everyone.

I managed to get through last night without a drink and felt pretty pleased with myself as a result!

I feel like the week will be OK because I have never really had issues with drinking if I'm not out with friends...this can be a good and a bad thing I think.

All the literature I have read on problem drinking leads me to believe that I have a problem.  My behaviour when I am out drinking and the aftermath and how I feel about myself lead me to believe that I have a problem...and yet...those things are only true about every couple of months.

And yet... I still have that nagging doubt that going to AA etc is over exaggerating things, that so what if I go out once every so often and get off my head...let's face it, most people I work with do...  do I want to give up enjoying a glass of wine with friends over dinner ( and yes I can usually stop after a couple if there is no option presented to keep going). 

I know that these questions can only really be answered by myself, but I would be really interested to hear if anyone else had similar drinking patterns...

I have a friend in a similar situation - her partner thinks that she is over reacting by stopping all together, although she has been in some really dire situations (hospital etc)when drunk...but it only happens every 6 months or so.

Is binging and then not drinking much for a while or 'socially' quite common amongst AA members?