# Four years sober was a good run, but I'm starting over. One day. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 7, 2016, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-years-sober-was-a-good-run-but-im-starting-over-one-day/759340 "2016-07-07T23:11:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-years-sober-was-a-good-run-but-im-starting-over-one-day/759340/1 "2016-07-07T23:11:06Z")
I was bored, overworked, and cocky, so I had a few. And a few more. In a couple months I wrecked a friendship, embarrassed myself here more than usual, and got real sick when I tried to quit. That sickness seems to have passed, mostly, so I’m working my way through Day 3. Or my next Day 1, depending on how you count it. Going for another Day 1 tomorrow. String enough of them together and you will, um, die, actually. But you’ll die for a different reason. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-years-sober-was-a-good-run-but-im-starting-over-one-day/759340/2 "2016-07-07T23:14:09Z")
That’s the only way you can do it. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-years-sober-was-a-good-run-but-im-starting-over-one-day/759340/3 "2016-07-07T23:28:54Z")
I have some friends in the club who had to work it one second at a time at first. I’m lucky I never got to that point. And please no AA bashing, kids. I’m doing it alone, pretty much just cherry picking what I know works, or worked for me for four years. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-years-sober-was-a-good-run-but-im-starting-over-one-day/759340/4 "2016-07-08T00:40:05Z")
Hang tough, You lived through it so that is one more thing you don’t have to wonder “if” about. There were times I had to sit on my hands and just refuse to move. I thought in ‘moment to moment’ but it was close to one second at a time. Keep on keeping on. ---
**Author:** ![Gladys\_Overnow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Gladys\_Overnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gladys_Overnow)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-years-sober-was-a-good-run-but-im-starting-over-one-day/759340/5 "2016-07-08T00:44:00Z")
Why do it alone though? My friend goes on AA cruises and ski trips and dinners. She’s got a more active satisfying social life than her friends who drink. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-years-sober-was-a-good-run-but-im-starting-over-one-day/759340/6 "2016-07-08T00:54:48Z")
Keep it up. We are pulling for you. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-years-sober-was-a-good-run-but-im-starting-over-one-day/759340/7 "2016-07-08T01:14:48Z")
Good luck. One day at a time is all any of us get. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-years-sober-was-a-good-run-but-im-starting-over-one-day/759340/8 "2016-07-08T01:28:12Z")
Check out the Reddit thread r/stopdrinking They basically hold the motto of “one day at a time” and they are always there for support. Never done it myself, but I wrote a report on it back in the day and it seemed like a good community there ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-years-sober-was-a-good-run-but-im-starting-over-one-day/759340/9 "2016-07-08T01:40:35Z")
> [@Gladys\_Overnow](#): > > Why do it alone though? My friend goes on AA cruises and ski trips and dinners. She’s got a more active satisfying social life than her friends who drink. Truth be told? I can deal with the higher power stuff, though Bill W. could be mighty offensive about it, but I get sick of hearing all that crap about drinking. I quit Weight Watchers because it got me obsessing about food and points and what I couldn’t eat and what wasn’t quite cheating. It became to much of my life. I am OCD, and obsessions and compulsions are what I do best. You people are, like it or not, something of a family for me, and some have been part of my group all four years. Bill thought it was bullshit, but for me the group has been my higher power, there to listen when I falter and there to give support when my strength flagged. Thank you all. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-years-sober-was-a-good-run-but-im-starting-over-one-day/759340/10 "2016-07-08T01:52:19Z")
Best wishes, **dropzone**. Perhaps this memory will make it easier the next time you’re tempted. But you already know you can do this…so go do it! ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-years-sober-was-a-good-run-but-im-starting-over-one-day/759340/11 "2016-07-08T02:15:44Z")
Good luck to you. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-years-sober-was-a-good-run-but-im-starting-over-one-day/759340/12 "2016-07-08T02:24:39Z")
Remembering how sick I felt will help, but knowing that it would go away if I drank can be demotivating. An odd thing was the symptoms were identical to an episode last Christmas. Cold sober for years, just a sip of Communion wine the night before. But I had just started on Ritalin, wasn’t eating, and probably was dehydrated. Dizzy, shakes, dry heaves. Classic DTs Lite. Been dizzy since then. A cane helps. Should have had a follow-up MRI after cracking my skull four years ago (note timing, kept drinking after leaving the hospital) but my insurance for some years after didn’t exist and it now sucks. But just a few more years until Medicare! ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-years-sober-was-a-good-run-but-im-starting-over-one-day/759340/13 "2016-07-08T03:02:38Z")
The best of luck, **dropzone**! ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-years-sober-was-a-good-run-but-im-starting-over-one-day/759340/14 "2016-07-08T03:02:44Z")
I’m thinking of you. We’ll be here. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-years-sober-was-a-good-run-but-im-starting-over-one-day/759340/15 "2016-07-08T09:03:43Z")
You kicked it once; you can do it again. The very best of luck to you. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-years-sober-was-a-good-run-but-im-starting-over-one-day/759340/16 "2016-07-08T09:23:58Z")
I hope you’re not offended, but I was just going to send you a PM to see if you were back drinking. I like the sober **dropzone** much better. You can do it! You have before and you are now. I felt very much like an outsider in AA for a long time, then I found some people who I could relate to better. ---
**Author:** ![scareyfaerie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scareyfaerie/32/3135_2.png) [@scareyfaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scareyfaerie)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-years-sober-was-a-good-run-but-im-starting-over-one-day/759340/17 "2016-07-08T09:29:20Z")
Good luck to you, it’s a hard road but there are plenty of people here who’ve travelled it and I’ve no doubt there will be support as and when you need it. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-years-sober-was-a-good-run-but-im-starting-over-one-day/759340/18 "2016-07-08T15:51:53Z")
Just jump back up on that wagon, my friend. For Yvonne’s sake. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Periwinkle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Periwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Periwinkle)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-years-sober-was-a-good-run-but-im-starting-over-one-day/759340/19 "2016-07-08T21:48:06Z")
I hope things are going well for you! I’m glad that you are taking care of your health so that you can enjoy this beautiful summer and many to come. ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-years-sober-was-a-good-run-but-im-starting-over-one-day/759340/20 "2016-07-08T22:12:09Z")
Keep at it. You know what to do, just do it again. If you want to, pm me and I am more than willing to offer what advice/support I can. Slee 12 years + [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-years-sober-was-a-good-run-but-im-starting-over-one-day/759340.md?page=2)