Good for you!
AA may not be for everyone, but I’m not sure atheism is a disqualification. Certainly Buddhists, Deists and agnostics have been helped by AA. Googling shows that atheists have also been helped. 
I am an atheist and still find AA helpful. I did join a Unitarian church before going back to AA after an 18 year experiment. I am pretty out about not believing in gods at both Church and AA. If you are willing to overlook the woo, there is often good advice dressed up as God talk. Another athiest AA doper may be along soon.
Here is the Mother Goose version of the serenity prayer:
For every ailment under the sun
There is a remedy, or there is none;
If there be one, try to find it;
If there be none, never mind it.
According to several studies I read to do a research paper once, and from the experience that a dear friend of mine has had, AA probably works mostly because of the social support element, which is really the same thing you are seeking out by starting this thread. Good start, good luck, and godspeed (or whatever kind of speed corresponds to your personal belief system)!
Two suggestions, in addition to the good ones already offered here. First is be completely honest with your doctor about how much you consume and for how long. Second is that you have habituated your body to regular alcohol consumption, so at least some withdrawal can probably be expected. It will usually go away relatively quickly - a few days to a week or so. Eating sweets can help. Alcohol is very high in sugar and your body will be craving that, too. In the old days they gave withdrawing alcoholics Karo syrup – but candy will usually work as well.
I’ve found this to be true. However, I also found that for me, talking to people who had experienced the same physical and emotional crap I was experiencing and who had gotten through it was vastly different than attaboys from people who had not - as well meaning, heartfelt and sincere as that support might have been. I had to learn how to live my life without drinking from others who had actually done it. At least that was my experience. IMHO, AA’s success as a “social support element” is predicated on sharing a common experience from which strength and hope ensue.
So far, so good. I never thought about the sugar element. The only time all week my headache went away was after I ate some ice cream today. The real challenge is going to be Monday after work. I imagine I will be fine until then.
I am actually feeling some good feelings. Nice for a change.
Next week we might try a meeting. My bf is having severe anxiety. We are bickering a bit. To be expected I am sure.
I told the doctor I saw yesterday. He didn’t seem concerned. He was more worried about my blood pressure which is better.
Thanks for helping me!
You’re doing great, congratulations!
The feelings and emotions will come, and they might come with a vengeance. Part of the reason I drank was to not feel my feelings, and once I was sober, there they were, waiting for me to deal with them. That part sucked, which is why I’m thankful for my therapist. Are you able to get some one on one help (sooner rather than later)?
No, I was very clearly talking about the potential PHYSICAL danger only. If you get fucked up all weekend every weekend, you probably got some problems, but if you’re sober all week, your *body *isn’t going to freak out if you DON’T drink next weekend. Your mind, maybe.
Yes, I do have counseling available, if needed. I actually have been feeling some happy feelings and doing some stuff I have put off. I am so far doing a good job of thinking positively and squishing the guilt.
And thank you so much for the sugar advice! I was headache-free for an hour after eating some skittles!!!
I hope you’ve already done this, but if you can get all the alcohol out of the house, you’ll be better off. For me, all of my willpower is located in the store. Whenever I take something home, that’s when I can’t keep out of it.
Glad the sugar has helped. As far as Monday goes, you might try to do something different, change your routine. Again, my experience was that I when I simply tried to eliminate drinking from my routine and did everything else the same, I wasn’t very successful. If your routine is to go straight home and drink, maybe plan to go run some errands or anything that breaks the “home from work so it’s time for a pop” schedule. Likewise, if you head to the bar after work, instead, go home, do some chores, cook dinner. I even changed my route for awhile just to remain conscious that I was trying to do things differently. I was mazed to realize how much drinking had become a reflexive habit and surprised that disrupting that schedule helped.
If finances are at all in issue for you, you also might try putting the money you would have spent on booze each day into a jar on your dresser where you can see it. It adds up. Get yourself or somebody you care about something you want or need with it – or give it to charity. You’ll feel good about yourself.
Guilt is natural but if you stop doing what makes you feel guilty your doing something about it. We’ve all done stuff we regret, but all the guilt and shame and remorse in the world won’t un-ring that bell. The best I can do is not make the same mistakes again.
Oh, yes, it can be right. It’s very high but not “insanely high”. Insanely high bp gets you hospitalized and is higher than that.
Not an alcoholic, but just adding my support and a +1 to the people who’ve said to look at changing your whole routine. I’ve had friends who, when they decided to stop drinking, were surprised at how many things they did that involved alcohol: they didn’t start their day with a shot of firewater like their granddads, but every meal except breakfast and every social occasion had alcohol.
I’m like that with food - particularly sugar. I had to rebuy Easter candy.
Well, I am back at work. I have been feeling better and better. The nagging headache has not gone but that could be remnants of my sinus infection.
I never, ever want to go back to where I was a week ago. I feel happy for the first time in a year. And I feel calm. Like I haven’t felt in I don’t remember how long.
I expect this to get more difficult at some point but I am doing great right now. Yay!
There isn’t any alcohol in the house. So that is good. My blood pressure is 135 over 83 or so. Things are still looking up.
Great! Just continue to take it one day at a time.
That is the plan. And I have been having some good days. Finally.
Excellent! Remember this, and come back to this post when you’re having a rough day. 
Yes, one can get drunk during the week nights, wake up with no hangover every day, go through the day completely sober (except for the shakes if you’re that far gone), and start drinking when they get home, and if they stop cold turkey, have a very high chance of developing physical problems. Especially if they rebound. The more you detox and rebound, the more dangerous the problems become the next time you go cold turkey. It can take only three days for someone who has gone cold turkey to have a seizure.
But, I don’t think Samantha Leigh drinks nearly enough as the person I’m talking about, so I don’t want to be the voice of doom. I agree with the others; just get it out of the house. Out of sight, out of mind.
Heh, we never had any left in the house at the end of the night so that isn’t a problem! I sure bet the guys at our local liquor store are missing us by now!