I love the habit of sobriety...man the funny thing when I look back is I always thought to myself how the hell could I cope with everything going on in my life without booze...now think no wonder my life was hell.

I had my first AF week this week. Feels great!! This came on the heels of a 12 drinker night out with some of my band mates. Now, the party was a load of fun, and I got pretty lit but not stupid. The next day had a hangover, but nothing to cry over. The AF week was not a case of "OMG, I'm such a loser, I'll never drink again, etc, etc." No, it was more like, "Well that was fun, now let's do something else for a while."

Now that alcohol no longer rules my life, I seem to have less need of histrionics. The night out was fun. The AF week was good. I might have a couple tonight, or perhaps no. It just doesn't have to be a big deal any more, which is great because I've got better things to think about. Like going out and taking advantage of the early spring we we seem to be having here in Seattle.

Cheers Friends! (again with the coffee )

Fire

As I sit here sober another night, I am again struck by how this has become the norm for me. No struggle. No deciding to drink or not. In fact I basically forget about alcohol until near bed time when I check into the forum to see what people have to say. And even then thoughts of alcohol are little more than a curiosity. As in, "well what do you know, I didn't get drunk again."

As time goes by, I suppose it will become less and less remarkable, until eventually I will really not think of alcohol at all. It will become a non-issue, much like eating a waffle for breakfast. I might do it once in a while, but who cares?

Now, when I do drink, I still sometimes have a bit more that I would like . This too I expect to become more of a non-issue, but even if it doesn't I aint complaining!!! I drink now about like I did when I was 18, but at that point in my life things could only get worse, due to the progressive nature of this condition left untreated. Now I know that things can only get better.

TSM cured me - of this I am certain - and now I carry on the long process of healing.

Thanks Firebird, Its vital that people like you keep coming back in here for a while at least to give people like me hope. Im very happy for you and excited that that could be me in a few months.

Mario

I read your full post and I am having the exact same experience. It is normal for me to be AF now. The only time I think about AL is when I check in with my friends here.

TSM cured me too and I am eternally grateful for that.

Bob

Same for me. Not only are AF nights and hangover free mornings the norm, but here is something else I noticed that is somewhat remarkable. There have actually been a few times where I was invited out for drinks and DIDN'T WANT TO GO. I thought, "Man, I'll just have a couple drinks and I'll have to take the naltrexone first." I don't like naltrexone in my system -- it saps me of energy. I have literally gotten to the point that much of the time, not only am I not craving a drink, but the thought of drinking is unpleasant and a bit of a nuisance. It's not like this every time but it does occur on a fairly regular occasions.

Ditto here! I recently found myself slightly peeved that my peers at work all wanted to play hooky from work on a Friday afternoon and go shoot pool and drink beers. I had a fine time (nursing my 2 beers over four hours) once I resigned myself to it, but it was almost funny that my first reaction was "Oh, bother!" rather than, "Wooo hooo!"

PV, "but it was almost funny that my first reaction was "Oh, bother!" rather than, "Wooo hooo!" that's the day I'm looking forward to.

corkit

Happy for all of you, wish I was in that same place. Can't imagine...sounds great & amazingly unbelievable!

ARRRGH Last night out of the blue I took a nal and had 10 drinks . Now I feel like crap. Just a reminder for me not to get too cocky, I guess. Oh well, today's a new day.