Reactions to abstience
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 5
Reactions to abstience
Hey all...
Nearly on three months of total abstinence, not a drop of alcohol after an encounter with minor withdrawal.
Reactions thus far:
* NA beer is an excellent way to reduce the awkwardness of not drinking at a bar or concert. You get the placebo effect and taste, and thus bridge the connection a bit with those drinking
* Really enjoying doing other things with my evenings, like going to bookstores, good restaurants, coffee shops, galleries, etc.
* Love waking up early on weekends feeling great
* Bartenders tend to ask odd questions more than anyone else in a bar when ordering a NA beverage, like "what, you sick?" or "you on meds?". I expected them to get it a bit more without having to ask, or at least not push alcohol.
* Friends who drink show a lot of respect for my self-control and ability to say no. I get the feeling that they'd like to cut down themselves, as in "I wish I could do that too"
* I now work out 5 days a week religiously as opposed to my 3-4 days prior (accounting for hangovers). My diet is much more consistent.
* I perform better at work, thoughts are clearer, and I am generally more articulate and simply on top of things...
That said, I'd like to enjoy alcohol again. My plan is to carry out 6 months of abstinence then reintroduce alcohol into my life, but this time in much greater moderation.
Nearly on three months of total abstinence, not a drop of alcohol after an encounter with minor withdrawal.
Reactions thus far:
* NA beer is an excellent way to reduce the awkwardness of not drinking at a bar or concert. You get the placebo effect and taste, and thus bridge the connection a bit with those drinking
* Really enjoying doing other things with my evenings, like going to bookstores, good restaurants, coffee shops, galleries, etc.
* Love waking up early on weekends feeling great
* Bartenders tend to ask odd questions more than anyone else in a bar when ordering a NA beverage, like "what, you sick?" or "you on meds?". I expected them to get it a bit more without having to ask, or at least not push alcohol.
* Friends who drink show a lot of respect for my self-control and ability to say no. I get the feeling that they'd like to cut down themselves, as in "I wish I could do that too"
* I now work out 5 days a week religiously as opposed to my 3-4 days prior (accounting for hangovers). My diet is much more consistent.
* I perform better at work, thoughts are clearer, and I am generally more articulate and simply on top of things...
That said, I'd like to enjoy alcohol again. My plan is to carry out 6 months of abstinence then reintroduce alcohol into my life, but this time in much greater moderation.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Olympia, WA
Posts: 5
Hey, big congratulations to you, Blues Bros. What an accomplishment.
I'm getting there...dropped from 12 beers a day to about eight. Tomorrow: six. The next day? Four.
It's a process. And we're all fallible, but your story has given me some strength. Thanks for sharing.
I'm getting there...dropped from 12 beers a day to about eight. Tomorrow: six. The next day? Four.
It's a process. And we're all fallible, but your story has given me some strength. Thanks for sharing.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Ireland
Posts: 379
Originally Posted by winslynn 
My God!What are you doing in a bar?Don't play around with near beer either.I don't think you're ready yet to live sober,you can't have one foot in the bar and the other in recovery.
Cheers,Steve
Cheers,Steve
Nothing has come close to remotely making me order an alcoholic drink. I know why I have quit and I know what an alcoholic drink will mean for me so it doesn't matter where I am. I choose not to drink and it is as simple as that, regardless of my surroundings.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Maryland
Posts: 259
Originally Posted by Sunny27
Not everyone has to stay away from bars. I am on day 31 and have met friends in pubs a good few times this month. I always order a non-alco beverage and enjoy myself.
Nothing has come close to remotely making me order an alcoholic drink. I know why I have quit and I know what an alcoholic drink will mean for me so it doesn't matter where I am. I choose not to drink and it is as simple as that, regardless of my surroundings.
Nothing has come close to remotely making me order an alcoholic drink. I know why I have quit and I know what an alcoholic drink will mean for me so it doesn't matter where I am. I choose not to drink and it is as simple as that, regardless of my surroundings.
instant
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 5,711
BB I hope you can make it work. I can't and in any event moderation is too much work.
In truth in my moderation I reserved the right to get drunk but less frequently (LOL). It still wasn't normal.
I now love the peace of unconditional sobriety.
In truth in my moderation I reserved the right to get drunk but less frequently (LOL). It still wasn't normal.
I now love the peace of unconditional sobriety.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Canada
Posts: 729
"That said, I'd like to enjoy alcohol again. My plan is to carry out 6 months of abstinence then reintroduce alcohol into my life, but this time in much greater moderation."
You should rethink this. If sobriety is so great why go back to hell of life with alcohol?
I have never tried moderation because I have read 100000 others who have tried and all have failed. I love what forums can teach us!
You should rethink this. If sobriety is so great why go back to hell of life with alcohol?
I have never tried moderation because I have read 100000 others who have tried and all have failed. I love what forums can teach us!
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