I’ve hit 10 days sober with zero acknowledgment. My partner is ashamed and in denial. No one else in my life knows I’m going sober. Drinking and breweries have been so much of my identity I haven’t had the courage to tell anyone in my life my struggles with alcohol.
I can feel myself loosing steam and willpower to be sober, as much as I know it is what needs to happen.
I have to be blunt I'm sorry. 10-day sober doesn't compare to how long you've actually been drinking. We don't get sober for acknowledgment from other people we get sober for ourselves. I had to learn that the hard way. 33 years of drinking and whenever I would hit a month or two months or 3 months I would say to myself why isn't everybody rushing back to me to be my friend or a family member coming back to me say wow whole 3 months. I was just fooling myself. I had to work the steps and in order to do that I had to get a sponsor and I had to get honest and overcome the fear that I had in the process. It is achievable. Just believe in yourself and do it for yourself. I used to say I'm getting sober for my kids. People used to tell me you can't get sober for other people. So now I say I'm getting sober for myself but I'm staying sober for my kids. A little bit of a difference in context that allows me to accept it. God bless.
Matthew. Couldn’t have said any better. Thank you.
You are never alone. Don't ever give up. I never hid my getting sober from those that really mattered to me. If they are a true friend they will help. Anyone else didn't matter to me. They were not on my side and a true friend.
That identity is not the real you. You have to take care and do for you or you will pay the price.
Read Alcohol Explained by William Porter it's easy to read and understand what alcoholic does to keep you addicted.
Check out Gillian Tietz's website, podcast and YouTube videos called Sober Powered. She's a recovering alcoholic and talks about everything Alcohol. Lots of info there.
Don't be afraid to reach out anytime
I didn't give up the bars and social scenes until I just couldn't stand being around it anymore. It had become my identity in which I eventually despised. I guess I had to get to the point where I hated myself and everything about me enough to surrender and begin the process of change. This took a little over 20 years after my first AA meeting. By the time I'd reached this point I didn't care one way or another what the people I drank with thought about me. I had to get away from all of them and change my phone number and start completely with a new beginning. I hope you don't have ti go through the pain and suffering I went through or caused so many others to go through before you make the choice of sobriety. It is a choice and at least for me the choice to stop drinking came along with a total lifestyle change.
The hardest part of recovery is the loneliness. Our partners are often as sick as we are even if they don't drink. Hate to say it but often times relationships fail in sobriety for that reason. The person who WAS NOT tagged with the problem does not want to participate or get help themselves. Anything you put in front of your sobriety you are bound to lose so stay focused on recovery and let the wheat fall from the chaff!
Eddie, I don't think you hated yourself only who you became. I know I never did. I never liked me the drunk but sober me is pretty decent person. Good luck and prayers 
I don't agree with Matthew saying that 10 days is nothing. One day can be huge, if you're a daily drinker. I do agree with Matthew saying that you need to do it for yourself, not for others.
If you're struggling, keep looking for answers. There's a lot of resources here and elsewhere.
We're all here to help and support.
Secrets get us using again. Gotta come clean and let them know the new you. Only one thing do you need to change in sobriety….everything.
If a program helps it helps, but don't feel you have to be in aa or na to run a good life. Some people can't do it on their own. I know plenty of people who have stopped and are happy. I'm one. But I do believe there is power in 12 steps. Aa isn't for me. But I worked the steps and read some books. And also don't let anyone discount your sobriety like Mathew did. It is true it starts one day at a time.
I have family not talking to me because of my sobriety but now 22 months later I am starting to realize that it because they look at my sobriety as a threat because they are alcoholics. I fight every day to move forward. Some days are so hard because I have a spouse that drinks every time we go out. But I still haven’t picked up. I need ALL my recovery friends everyday.
Dustin. I agree for the most part. I do go to zoom meetings daily because that’s where I met most of my friends. The only time AA bothers me is when my program is criticized. I have been working hard.
It’s really a tough environment to be in. I’ll pray for you!
If you want acknowledgement, come to a meeting, we will welcome you and clap for you. Keep coming back and you will be shown how to stay sober, with a new sober support system. Anyone else in your life isn't going to acknowledge anything until they see you aren't a drunken jacka$$ anymore.
You can do it.
Simply stopping drinking rarely if ever fixes the problem. You have to recover from your illness, of which there are many ways to do so. You have to get down to the reasons and causes that male you turn to alcohol. You have to have a sufficient substitute to your drinking. If you're anything like me drinking took up a huge part of your life. I've been around recovery for almost 13 years and I think I can count on one hand how many people I know that just stopped drinking and never did anything else and ended up being just fine. Stopping is the first step and you can ride that for a while but at some point you're going to need to recover and find a sufficient substitute or else you're more than likely going to find yourself in the situation you're in, which is in danger of drinking again. Alcohol is but a symptom of our problem, it's not the sole problem. Look in to some recovery options. Good luck
I have lost all my “friends” since I quit drinking. It’s a one man show now and sometimes that is lonely but mostly it’s alright. You need to choose what’s more important to you: your life or the approval of others?
Ten days sober is accomplishment in itself I promise
Getting sober is a great challenge but it is one that is well worth the effort. I've been sober for over 8 years and I have nothing to cry about. It's going to take some time. It's much harder to achieve quality sobriety if you're not getting help from people who have been where you are at. I did it by going to the meeting rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous week after week I got a sponsor and I Incorporated the 12 steps into my life and the rest is history.
When the time comes and you feel tempted to pick up a drink, and it will happen, you need to play the scene all the way forward. What happens if you pick up a drink? You will feel good for a short period of time but when you wake up and the whole fiasco is over with you will be right back where you were before you picked up that drink, you will have accomplished nothing and you will have to carry around more guilt and have to start all over again. It's just not worth it.
Sobriety takes time. It's 10 miles into the woods and 10 miles back out. You didn't get this way overnight and you're not going to get better overnight. Trust me when I tell you that if you surround yourself with people who have been where you are at and have quality sobriety under their belts it will be much easier for you.
Keep your head up. The people in your life that matter will support you, and it’s always darkest before the dawn
We are all proud of you because we’ve all been there! You ultimately have to do it for you. Those without a problem or that won’t acknowledge a problem won’t be there to congratulate you because they’re still in the grips of the substance. Come here and come here often. Your feeling is not unique. You aren’t losing steam, you’re gaining character and strength!