I truly have made a remarkable turn-around in my drinking.
Do you know why?
Because, just as The 30-Day Sobriety Solution (link in right margin) teaches, drinking to excess is a symptom, not the problem.
Other progressive recovery groups hold this philosophy as well, including the Life Process Program (link in right margin).
I, personally, would have never known this as the truth because of learning over the decades from the majority of recovery organizations that alcohol is the problem. It became a self-fulfilling prophecy. If there had been progressive, realistic groups such as the two I mentioned, then, when I was in my 20s, I probably would have been spared the decades of self-destructive on-and-off drinking I did, and I would have been spared labeling myself as and believing myself to be an alcoholic. Make sense?
Gosh, I really was drinking a lot since the holidays began last year.
This is the first time in my history I've been able to turn that around without having to quit drinking.
In other words, even though the programs I like think it's imperative to abstain from drinking for 30 days, I didn't have to do that. (I state my reasons here: Had To Look Really Deep
Also, I've only ever "quit drinking for good" before when I got into trouble with booze.
Not to mention that I always had to tell myself that I was quitting for good in order to stop drinking---which never was for good, but I certainly have gone months or years at a time substance-free.
I'll never have to live in FEAR of alcohol again, the way I have lived most of my life due to groups like CultAA, Women For Sobriety, SMART, LifeRing, etc. They teach FEAR of drinking, by default.
Frankly, it's blowing my mind that I've been able to turn my drinking around on the heels of a long binge! And I still don't trust it yet! But we shall see!
Recap: My present Sobrietist plan is to drink twice a week; this week drank on Monday (too much), and Wednesday (a bottle of wine). I'd been drinking up to 5 times a week for months, ranging between 1 - 8 drinks, usually somewhere in the middle. If all goes as planned, I won't drink again before my week starts on Monday. The previous week or two I'd cut way back, but I honestly don't remember if I drank more than twice a week or not! I think I may have last week though! I'll ask my daughters.... : )
Looking forward to a very sober weekend! : )
