CAPTAINZING2000

Looking back at the things drinking and taking drugs had a part in taking away from me. Probably, losing time from my kids is the # 1 thing

tallcactus

Shame is the big one for me, can't seem to let it go competely.
I have gained almost everything back but that; way to hard on myself.

CAPTAINZING2000

((hugs))

Sudz No More

This may sound a bit Alcoholic but then again I am. The worst thing I lost is the ability to drink and enjoy the taste of a really good beer. I know that if I were to try and enjoy just one good beer it would turn into two, then three, then twelve. I really truly did like the taste of good beer and I unfortunately ruined the pleasure by indulging in too much. Now I must abstain to avoid relapsing, shame.

CAPTAINZING2000

I hear you there. The smell of beer makes my mouth water

exquisitered

I can relate to feeling like not being able to drink is a huge loss. I really hope that someday it won't feel that way, but right now it still does sometimes. I really would probably give anything to be able to drink without it being a problem, but I'm also very aware that is only the alcoholic part of my brain talking... the same one that tries to convince me that "one won't hurt" or "this time will be different" so I don't actually believe anything that voice tells me anymore. And the truth is the fact that I feel that way says more about how big of a problem alcohol is than anything I may have lost. IMO

The worst thing I felt like I lost is myself and my self respect. I am very lucky though. I never lost my family, or my house, and we have a farm so unemployment wasn't really an issue either (though I certainly wasn't much help that last year of drinking). I felt like lost a very important part of myself though. I still struggle with a lot of guilt and shame and have days where I just feel so empty... when I first quit I had absolutely no idea who I even was. I didn't feel any kind of interest or joy in anything. I had drank for my whole life pretty much and just didn't even feel like a real person without it. It's been a slow process of relearning everything. It's also been pretty amazing though. I don't want this post to sound negative. I may have had a lot of bad days especially in the beginning, but for the first time in many years I also started having good days... and those days are so wonderful that I can't believe I drank for as long as I did. Now almost everyday is a good day, and I really have no desire to go back to the life I used to live at ALL. Even though I still struggle sometimes.

So even though I said "myself", I really don't think any of us are "lost". I think it is more like we are misplaced, if that makes any sense. Anything we lose can be found again, if we are willing to work to get it back.

NEOMARXIST

Freedom.

Freedom to be able to just go anywhere, do anything, and mix with anybody without having to put sobriety and keeping away from the first drink as priority. Even with the compulsion/desire removed there cannot be the freedom that there was before discovering I am an alcoholic. Many may not be able to relate to this but for me this was a massive part of my recreation. What I lived for and looked forward to. My ideology. Music and just getting wrecked and seshin with mates and playing in bands and partying.

Just getting smashed and getting lost in music. I cherish the experiences I had over the few years that i did and I am grateful for the experiences I experienced. I would have never known the extent of utter pleasure and care-free hilarity and euphoria were it not for my love of music and drinking and drugs.
I am grateful for taking it to the edge but in taking it so far I brought it to a premature end to. But I accept it and that is me. I wouldn't have changed none of it.

I guess drinking took all four from me in reality though hence why I am 8+ months sober. I got out before I really felt the wrath of all of those things being took completely away. It was bad enough when i chose to get sober and drinking was consuming everything in my life. Self-respect was a big-one. Drunks look pitiful picking up booze and drinking at 8.00am in the pouring rain. The YETS were happening and I had to get out.

Peace

Kerbcrawler

I Would have to say the finances wasted..And the drunken stupors that took away Dignity and ones self Respect...

DayWalker

Probably just the ability to hang out and feel "normal" with a group of buddies. I can still hang out with friends but when they decide to just kick back and have few/six beers, I can't do that with them. My good friends know that I don't drink anymore and no one tries to push it on me or treats me any differently. Still when there's 3-4 guys kickin' back with some beers I still get that feeling that there's something wrong with me where I can't just be a normal guy and have a few with them and talk guy stuff.

Steve

exbartender

Family and friends? Not too much damage there, but still some, and likely more to come (see Health).

Health? I'm pretty sure after 3 decades of binge drinking, and about 17 of those years spent behind bars, that I've damaged my long-term above ground pursuits.

Self respect? Ya that's taken major hits, and has held me back from achieving my full potential.

Finances? Absolutely...to paraphrase Jimmy Buffet..."Made enough money to buy Miami but I pissed it away so fast.."

penny74

My job and my selfrespect.
On the other hand l learned things about myself, life and other people that cannot be valued in money.
But it was a high price to pay..

findingout

I don't believe that I lost things as much as I traded them away for the illusions provided alcohol and other drugs. During the 25 years I spent drinking, I had a lot of choices and I chose drinking just about every time until in the end I really didn't have a choice any longer. I had to drink in order to do even some of the most basic things like going to the grocery store. But long before it got that bad, if I was given a choice between A and B and option B included me drinking, enabled my drinking or protected my drinking, I chose B. Most of the time, I did it automatically without thinking, without considering the consequences, without making a conscious choice. I guess if I lost anything, it would be freedom. I had to stop drinking to find it again.

yeahgr8

If i'm honest i didn't lose anything that i considered worthwhile at the time, the person i was would choose drink over anything and anybody. I am not that person anymore and i haven't lost anything whilst being sober but have found so much:-)

I don`t like to get too bogged down on the i could have been a zillionaire by now or my cat could have been an astronaut BS if i can help it hehe;-)

tyler

Time with my son. I left when he was only 2 and have only had limited contact ever since. I moved closer to him last spring, so I do get to spend more time with him now than before, in fact I'm on the way to see him this morning.

Losing the relationship with my wife (now ex) has also been devestating. It's been 7 years and I still hold out hope that maybe we can get back together. Neither of us have gone on any "real" dates, let alone pursue any kind of relationship, though I don't necessarily think that has been healthy for either of us.

I pretty much lost everything financially and materially, but that really doesn't bother me that much. It's taught me that money and material stuff really aren't that important. As long as I have enough to get by, it will be OK. That said, I now find myself in a position to reaquire some of the material things I've lost, only because I'm not spending all my money on staying high and drunk. I find I appreciate those things more than I did before, but it wouldn't be the end of the world if something happened and I lost them again. Money is fluid, I can always make more. The best part of having more of it now is the ability to help others, like my ex, my parents, some charities, etc. I used to have more than I do now, but I never did any of those things. I was completely selfish.

That's my take, take care.

least

I lost my self respect and two years of my life.

getr345

Opportunity for a career in the field I went to school for.

Time wasted which could have been better spent on my emotional development and growth as a person.

Money.

karma79

I feel like I lost time. My 20s are gone and though I had some good times I wish I wouldn't have been drunk for a whole decade. I can't even begin to count the number of beautiful summer days I wasted by sitting on the couch all day because I was too hung over to do anything.

Mentally I still feel pretty sharp. I don't think I lost much there.

geekorunique

As well as my self respect I feel that drinking took me from me. I lost sight of who I really was. It got to a point when I didn't know if the real me was coming out when I was drinking or if the sober me, the nice one, was the real me.

Through the steps and going to meetings I have discovered myself, I have met myself and on most days I like myself! My character defects are still there and I believe that a day at a time I can learn to deal with that!

Texasblind

Where's the "all of the above" option?

CAPTAINZING2000

I must have overlooked it when, I made the post. Wasn't there a multiple choice option>?