Originally Posted by
pkrma 
Yes, I believe that I can quit, and No, you're posts didn't help me reach that conclusion.
I just started this thread to have a conversation with people to share experiences similar to my own, and most of the above responses are great for me to read and think about. I see alot of myself up there, especially what Murray4x5 said. Stuff like that makes me glad I started the thread.
You're trying to probe my mind, see why I am not interested in AA, support groups, programs, whatever. I've got my reasons, don't really need to go into it. I'm just not a program guy, that's all there is to it. There's alot of people like me out there, just like there's alot of people not like me out there.
The thing is, it is important to me to go about this the way I want to, I call it cold turkey, you can call what you like, but I know there's people out there like me who are having success, and I like hearing their stories, that's all there is to it.
Dude. I think I am coming from the same place as you on this. I don't really want to get involved in groups or aa or anything. I don't want alcoholism to define me in any way, I just want to be myself, but not drink. Then get on with living my life. I don't want to go to meetings and say 'im an alcoholic', I'd rather go to interest groups and say 'I play the guitar' etc.
But what I think this guy is saying, is that you are leaving failure as an option here. You WILL stay sober. Make no excuses and leave no doors open on that. There is no reason on earth that you have to start believing in god, or following anybody elses set of rules in order to do that. What we need to do is to gain better control over ourselves. Gain better control over our physical bodies and our thoughts. Not our morals and world views etc, but our impulses. The reasons why we feel the need to drink in the first place.
For example, for me, I know that I find things kind of boring without drinking, and I never think things are 'crazy' or exciting enough. I am also shy and have a certain amount of social anxiety, which leads me to drink socially. etc etc So I will make it a focus to work on these things. How? Well, I will make conscious efforts to speak to more people, just kind of small talk etc. I have already joined a social anxiety group and finding things more fun without booze? Well, I just need to try some new things because the old things obviously were not cutting the mustard for me.
I think the thing that needs to be reaffirmed here is that you should not even consider failure as an option. You quit and that's it.
Not drinking does not involve any kind of paradigm shift in world view. It just involves greater control over your body and mind. Kind of like you are an unruly child and you need to consciously keep him in line. The stuff about dopamine receptors makes a lot of sense.
This is how I see it. But hey, I'm just a beginner here. But i've been trying for a while...