Benefits of NOT drinking
Today's Muse
Join Date: May 2007
Location: West end
Posts: 1,081
Sober, I gained a life, a manageable one. I have earned, trust, respect and responsibility, everything I lost to the bottle. I can hold my head up high, with pride, without shame, guilt and sadness.
I have come to know peace and my life is without drama. I can remember today, yesterday and look forward to tomorrow. I have consistency and walk on solid ground. I know there is a solution to obstacles and no matter how bad things seem to get, it WILL get better, sober.
These are things I never thought possible, but have achieved this and more, merely by making the decision to stop drinking once and for all. Life isn't always easy, but one thing for certain, it is much easier sober, than alcohol dependent.
I have come to know peace and my life is without drama. I can remember today, yesterday and look forward to tomorrow. I have consistency and walk on solid ground. I know there is a solution to obstacles and no matter how bad things seem to get, it WILL get better, sober.
These are things I never thought possible, but have achieved this and more, merely by making the decision to stop drinking once and for all. Life isn't always easy, but one thing for certain, it is much easier sober, than alcohol dependent.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 2
What an ABSOLUTELY B E A U T I F U L thread! Melinda, WOW! You summed it all up wonderfully. Reading all of these posts has brought tears to my eyes, the reality of freedom is amazing isn't it?
Some perks of sobriety for me:
I love mornings free of the "fog"
Being able to be real to my family and friends again
To have GOALS that are attainable
To be free of self destructive behavior and bad habits
To look in the mirror and see bright eyes and glowing skin
To not be chained to a schedule based on drinking
Not waking up with a rancid smell under my breath, wondering if everyone I come in contact with knows how much I guzzled the night before
To not have a panicked feeling that I am killing myself and constantly wonder how much longer will my body put up with this
What a lovely thread, thanks for asking a question that has sooo many UPlifting answers.
Some perks of sobriety for me:
I love mornings free of the "fog"
Being able to be real to my family and friends again
To have GOALS that are attainable
To be free of self destructive behavior and bad habits
To look in the mirror and see bright eyes and glowing skin
To not be chained to a schedule based on drinking
Not waking up with a rancid smell under my breath, wondering if everyone I come in contact with knows how much I guzzled the night before
To not have a panicked feeling that I am killing myself and constantly wonder how much longer will my body put up with this
What a lovely thread, thanks for asking a question that has sooo many UPlifting answers.
Not the center of the Universe
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Orchard Lake, Michigan
Posts: 974
Originally Posted by ninja7 
Not waking up to drink again before dawn.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Europe
Posts: 274
I love this thread, amazing how alike we are in our addiction and struggle with the same things, sobriety for me is getting my life back, my self respect and my dreams for my future and I love to live without shame and constant worry about what people might discover about my (imaginary secret life), there is nothing secret in the life of an alcoholic as the treads above show! SO glad to share this experience with you all 
Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 5
Love this thread...how I found the forums after doing a google search. Loved Melinda's stuff about facebook. I had a couple of friends delete and block me and I have never been sure why. And these were people I enjoyed knowing and talking to.
I had some crazy facebook posts at times.
I had some crazy facebook posts at times.
Guest
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: The Deep South
Posts: 14,636
Originally Posted by GrahamP
Love this thread...how I found the forums after doing a google search. Loved Melinda's stuff about facebook. I had a couple of friends delete and block me and I have never been sure why. And these were people I enjoyed knowing and talking to.
I had some crazy facebook posts at times.
I had some crazy facebook posts at times.
It was the worst... Waking up to find out what I'd done on Facebook.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Singapore
Posts: 737
I get to not waste away as my internal organs melt from the inside out.
A few other benefits I've noticed include: having a life instead of merely existing to chase the next drunk, + a significant lack of the following: handcuffs, jails, ER's, Critical Care units, stitches, stab wounds, sickness, public embarrassment, private misery.
Hell, this list could go on for days.
A few other benefits I've noticed include: having a life instead of merely existing to chase the next drunk, + a significant lack of the following: handcuffs, jails, ER's, Critical Care units, stitches, stab wounds, sickness, public embarrassment, private misery.
Hell, this list could go on for days.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Posts: 52
Originally Posted by stirfry
Hi Everyone!
What benefits did you get from NOT drinking?
(feel free to link to other threads discussing this. I'm new here & unfortunately feel too weak to read about challenges, struggles, & drinking again so I haven't read much)
I've had a few years of daily wine drinking (3-4 glasses, maybe up to a bottle a night) So far I'm 3 nights without & feeling pretty good but must admit I do feel tempted late at night. Could really use some reinforcement here.
I'm also concerned about gaining weight (I think the wine made me slightly nauseated the next day so I didn't eat as much)
Thanks so much.
Stirfry
What benefits did you get from NOT drinking?
(feel free to link to other threads discussing this. I'm new here & unfortunately feel too weak to read about challenges, struggles, & drinking again so I haven't read much)
I've had a few years of daily wine drinking (3-4 glasses, maybe up to a bottle a night) So far I'm 3 nights without & feeling pretty good but must admit I do feel tempted late at night. Could really use some reinforcement here.
I'm also concerned about gaining weight (I think the wine made me slightly nauseated the next day so I didn't eat as much)
Thanks so much.
Stirfry
But I suppose one thing at a time... if I can conquer this I can definitely conquer my eating habits, but I'll worry about that if I actually do start to gain any weight. The last time I quit I lost weight, but I was meticulous about my eating habits (I can be too much of a perfectionist sometimes, it's aggravating), this time I'm not worrying about eating as much because the only thing I need to deal with right now is this devil of a drinking problem.
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
