newman23

Hi everyone,

I know ultimately I may be the only person who can answer the question but I just wanted some input and advice.

I have been drinking for about 4-5 years. I hit a bottom of losing a wonderful job, the best relationship I have ever had, having huge financial problems, nearly being kicked out of college, and a few suicide attempts. This was about 3 years ago. I stopped for a bit but amazing I picked drinking right back up again. In those days I drank at inappropriate times. Since then, I became "functional" and usually drank at night when all of my responsibilities were fulfilled.

Since it became "functional", I have done some embarrassing things and made a fool of myself in front of my friends and frequently black-out. The consequences of drinking aren't as bad as they were before.

Regardless, I have wanted to make an effort to stop drinking. At the same time, when I do manage to stop for a few days, I seem to "miss" it. I also get depressed knowing that I can't ever drink again normally and feel envious of others who can. Especially being 24 years old, it seems like so many people my age(not to stereotype) enjoy doing it and I feel like it would be hard to find a crowd of friends who aren't into it.

I guess a question I really want to ask is, if I really seem to miss drinking and feel this way when I stop, does that mean I am not ready to quit? This is making my recovery especially difficult.

Dee74

Welcome back to SR

I'd think what you're experiencing is very normal for most of the people reading this.

I took many times to finally let go of alcohol in my life...time and again I let myself be dragged back.

Eventually I went further than I'd gone before in getting support and help to stay sober and that did the trick for me.

When you decide you're ready, you're ready IMO - it's an internal decision not an external one

D

julez

Ya know what? When I decided to quit drinking, I knew I'd miss it.
Of COURSE at first, the first thing you think is that you will miss it. Its great fun, until it isn't.
All I can say, is that drinking, and self hating, and feeling like sh*t, and being embarrassed, is NOTHING compared to feeling good, and confident when you aren't.
I know that everyone is a product of their environment. EVERYONE feels like crap about the way they were raised and wants to do things different with their own kids. Just do it. just make the change. Make it so you are the hero, the person who has risen above it all. I have done it. You can too.

oak

I think it is normal to miss it. Part of me wants to drink until I am 'done' (or until I wouldn't miss it). Yet, I am not sure if 'done' happens until we are dead. And I am mostly not willing to spend the next few years or decades getting 'done'.

I also quit young initially and have not drank that much.

I hope you quit young also. Makes the rest of your life easier.

Welcome to SR. Hope you like it here.

LaFemme

I wish I had quit when I was 24.

Good to see you here...stick around

pinkfirefly

hey. i know how you feel. i know that i need to stop drinking. but every time i stop for a short period of time, i miss it so bad, and i can't stand the thought of going the rest of my life with out drinking. and i get so jealous of all the other people out there who can drink. i am still young, only 22. and i know that i need to quit or at least cut back a lot. i don't think i would ever feel ready, its just some thing i need to do no matter what. what you are feeling is totally normal. stay strong. quitting drinking is a big up hill battle. i'm still working on climbing the hill. i keep falling. but keep picking myself up and keep going. good luck.

GettingStronger2

When i realized i needed to quit, sure, the idea of not drinking upset me. On the third day sober, when it hit me that i could never trust myself with alcohol again, i cried. I grieved the loss of a friend, who was not really a friend. But you know what? I really don't miss it any more. Being sober and recovered is a lot of fun. I hope you stick around. And i wish i would have realized at 24 that i should quit.

CarolD

Look at your previous post...and then you decide if you wish to continue risky unhealthy behaviors.
Millions of people do not drink for various reasons...why not strive to become one?

Yes you too can win over alcohol...I did and it required action and change.none of which I regret...