Am I just fooling myself?

I would say that there is a good chance that you could find your body demanding that you drink more than you plan to, then craving again the next day or a few days later.

In your shoes, I would ask myself 'do I really need to drink alcohol? Can I just drink soft drinks?' If you don't believe that you can, then maybe the alcohol still has hold of you despite you not drinking. If you are feeling healthier then why take a risk?

However, if you are craving and thinking of this event as a way to legitimise having a drink (not accusing you, just that some people do think like that) then it may be worth you looking into The Sinclair Method:

https://patient.info/health/sinclair-method-for-alcohol-use-disorder

Hi j-bran. Well done for abstaining for 13 months. It would seem from what you are saying, you have acquired AUD Alcohol Use Disorder, which, means your brain had been altered by alcohol. This unfortunately, means that you will probably won't be able to drink alcohol 'normally' again.

There is a method you could follow called The Sinclair Method. It has worked, is working for some people on this forum. It is pharmacologic extinction of alcohol addiction. I dont have the link, but I am sure someone else will be able to get it for you. This site is very helpful

Kind Regards

JulieAnne

How old are you. How long were you drinking and how much?

Do you think you were a problem drinker before? Or an alcoholic?

If you do....than you are in grave danger if you drink....of your old problem becoming a new problem and a worse problem.

This won't answer your question, but I was really tempted to celebrate 10 years without alcohol, by having a drink. I was sure I could control myself and enjoy just one after so long. BUT, with the help of this forum, I didn't! So my advice is, don't risk it. You could undo all the benefits of the last 13 months. It's just not worth it. I believe my urge to drink will never go away. I'm 71 now. 

Hi j-bran you have received lots of useful reples here so take heed of them.The only thing I can add is that I stopped drinking for a very prolonged period (years) but decided to drink at a party and that was the beginning of years more drinking and craving.Interestingly I never recognised my need to drink as a craving until finding this forum but I think I was probably in complete denial. As Paul and Julie Anne have suggested maybe look at the Sinclair method for the future .

My advice would be to keep away from the alcohol at the get together with your friends , you will feel better and enjoy it more sober 😊

Yes you would suffer withdrawal again your brain will think I'll just have s few and b ok

I would honestly say dont drink, you have done so well to get this far.. If you do, it would depend on how much you drank in terms of withdrawal. A few beers i would think not, the question is can you just stop at a few beers? It is really not worth it., Keep going with how you are j bran

Just for reference, a previous post by the OP, which gives a little more information.

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/did-i-just-experience-withdrawls--503275

I found when I finally took time off drinking, I didn't get the withdrawls after 1 night of drinking. But my 1 night of drinking in months, turned into once a month, turned into once a week, turned back into full time abuse as to when I would start to have withdrawls again. It all happens very quickly.... be careful.