Almost 5 months sober and these strong thoughts of drinking are coming to mind , I’m going back and forth with “I don’t wanna drink” and “maybe I can have a few” 
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Keep the momentum. Don’t even try one. That’s what I tell myself. A lion wouldn’t take just a bite of steak
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Think about why you decided to quit, how bad you feel after drinking, and why it’s such a problem. Then try to realize the freedom you feel today is because you are sober, clear headed, and physically healthy. Read the big book, go to a meeting, call a friend. Get that “maybe I can have a few” out of your head!! Good luck sir
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Play the tape through. How will you feel after having those drinks, even if it is just a few? What's the reason behind wanting to drink? Can you replace the drinking with a different behavior? For me, I'd usually want to drink if I were feeling bored, lonely, or stressed as a way to suppress those feelings. Now, I journal, get outside or exercise to help me process this feelings and ultimately feel better. One day at a time!
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Play the tape through to the end.
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Don't pick up, no matter what.
Got meetings?
I would think of my favorite tasty beverage, 211 Steele Reserve and make my stomache turn and I think now, I would totally puke if I even smelled one. When the beer sections are just a place that other people go, you're makin it.
Simple and plain, when have you ever had a few? With me, never! It won’t be fun, it won’t be exciting, this time you will have recovery in your thoughts as well and you will know what you are doing is not what you want anymore. The mental prison you will put yourself in will suck. Just breathe and pause, your mind is trying to trick you, don’t listen. Call someone with less time than you and ask them how they are doing today. Try to help someone else, go to a meeting at the very least. Trust me, you will regret it, it will not be the party your mind tells you it’s going to be. I was miserable every time I relapsed and the after effects were the worst part.
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Don’t just focus on the no part, figure out who you are as a person. Learn to love that person through living life according to your principles and moral code everyday. Be proud of who you are and focus on how that builds confidence. Ask yourself why you would want to mess that up and what does alcohol really do to enhance the best version of yourself?
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I read some while back that cravings last an average of something like 15 minutes.
And right, is it ever just “ a few “ drinks?
As we all know…
Alcohol is cunning, insidious, deceptive.
You don’t want “ a few drinks “ to turn into year after year of trying to quit, jail time, all kinds of wreckage.
Everyone provided great insights. Right.
Play that tape forward. Think of the consequences.
We will not drink with you today!!
Let us know how you are doing right now.
Joe, I've been right where you're at. I know what you're going through. We have to learn to play the scene forward. What happens if you pick up? You might feel some relief for a very short period of time but when it's all over with you're going to be right back where you are right now, carrying around a lot more guilt, realizing that you accomplished absolutely nothing. And now you have to start all over again
It's called believing the big lie. The big lie tells us that this time, everything will be okay. But it never is, is it?
I've never heard anyone who went back out come back and say that things actually got better for them. It always got worse. And those are just the ones that made it back. I've known many people who didn't make it back. They were found dead because they overdosed on alcohol and / or drugs. It happens all the time, and everybody thinks it always happens to other people and not ourselves
People who don't get into the 12 Steps usually end up running out of steam eventually and go back out.
You should have a sponsor, and you should be going through the 12 steps. The 12 steps were not designed to poke around with. They were designed to be a solution to the drinking problem. They were designed to transform our lives so the obsession is removed, and we have the freedom to reinvent ourselves.
Remember that drinking was only a symptom of our problem. We have to get down to causes and conditions.
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I personally can't control between 1 and 20. That being said, I can control not having the 1. We are all different, but we are all here for a reason. Keep it up
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