90 days
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Posts: 25
UPDATE
Decided I'd bump this.
Haven't been on here in a few months. I try to pretend booze doesn't exist, and ignore it, and everything that has to do with it.
Anyway. I'm still sober. Eight months now. Seems like it kinda flew by. I'm glad I took the advice of many people on here. Thank you.
I still want to drink sometimes. But it's more like "hey, it'd be nice". Not a "holy ****, how am I not going to drink!?". Kinda like wanting to eat more of the delicious, moist brownies that are sitting on my counter right now. Sure, they'd be nice to have, but if not, no biggie.
Other than the small, rare desires, sobriety seems like the new normal. I don't wake up expecting to feel like ****. When I come home, I play with my dogs instead of opening a beer. My life is honestly happier. My off days are more productive bc I'm not hung over (or still buzzed), and I wake up before 2:00 pm. I read more too, which I enjoy.
I've applied, and had two interviews for a better job. I think alcolism was holding me back from doing it before. Was kinda scared to take on a job with more responsibilities, when I could go to my current job and skate through fine when I was hung over. That's been really hard to admit to myself...
Oh yeah, got more cash in my bank account too. That's never a bad thing.
I still worry I might drink in the future. Tbh, I probably will. I never thought I was going to be sober this long. I thought around the six month mark I'd start again. I really want to stay sober, but I thought the beast would convince me I could handle it. Then, I'd slip right back into my old ways for a while, then quit for good after I realized how much I liked sobriety better. I thought that contrast would be the punch in the jaw I needed to stay quit for good. That was more or less the original plan. See how sobriety felt; get convinced I could handle drinking drinking in moderation; get proved wrong; quit for good. But, that's not happened yet, and the longer I stay sober this time, the better.
Odd approach, I know. I really think that not pressuring myself with "forever" has been the trick. Each time I feel like drinking I've just decided not to. I really like sobriety more.
Thanks again for the support, and words of encouragement. I'm putting this on here to maybe help others, and as an outlet for my thoughts.
Decided I'd bump this.
Haven't been on here in a few months. I try to pretend booze doesn't exist, and ignore it, and everything that has to do with it.
Anyway. I'm still sober. Eight months now. Seems like it kinda flew by. I'm glad I took the advice of many people on here. Thank you.
I still want to drink sometimes. But it's more like "hey, it'd be nice". Not a "holy ****, how am I not going to drink!?". Kinda like wanting to eat more of the delicious, moist brownies that are sitting on my counter right now. Sure, they'd be nice to have, but if not, no biggie.
Other than the small, rare desires, sobriety seems like the new normal. I don't wake up expecting to feel like ****. When I come home, I play with my dogs instead of opening a beer. My life is honestly happier. My off days are more productive bc I'm not hung over (or still buzzed), and I wake up before 2:00 pm. I read more too, which I enjoy.
I've applied, and had two interviews for a better job. I think alcolism was holding me back from doing it before. Was kinda scared to take on a job with more responsibilities, when I could go to my current job and skate through fine when I was hung over. That's been really hard to admit to myself...
Oh yeah, got more cash in my bank account too. That's never a bad thing.
I still worry I might drink in the future. Tbh, I probably will. I never thought I was going to be sober this long. I thought around the six month mark I'd start again. I really want to stay sober, but I thought the beast would convince me I could handle it. Then, I'd slip right back into my old ways for a while, then quit for good after I realized how much I liked sobriety better. I thought that contrast would be the punch in the jaw I needed to stay quit for good. That was more or less the original plan. See how sobriety felt; get convinced I could handle drinking drinking in moderation; get proved wrong; quit for good. But, that's not happened yet, and the longer I stay sober this time, the better.
Odd approach, I know. I really think that not pressuring myself with "forever" has been the trick. Each time I feel like drinking I've just decided not to. I really like sobriety more.
Thanks again for the support, and words of encouragement. I'm putting this on here to maybe help others, and as an outlet for my thoughts.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,436
Good to see you Brandon 
You've already predicted the result of the experiment...and correctly I think.
Life is better, you're better...so why exactly are you toying with the idea?
I've felt like that.
Sometimes, I was scared - I felt uncomfortable being sober. I was waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Sometimes I was bored and resentful -I stayed in my old life,m surrounded by drinkers and felt I was having 'no fun'
Other times I was actually too confident.
Don't fall for the doozy of a mistake I made.
An absence of alcohol is not the same as a control of alcohol.
My life was good because alcohol was no longer in it - not because my alcoholism spontaneously went into remission, and I suddenly became 'normal'.
I reintroduced alcohol into the equation and I ended up not at square one, but *past* square one - this thing gets worse.
Challenge those 'I probably will' thoughts brandon...
D
That was more or less the original plan. See how sobriety felt; get convinced I could handle drinking drinking in moderation; get proved wrong; quit for good.
Life is better, you're better...so why exactly are you toying with the idea?
I still worry I might drink in the future. Tbh, I probably will.
Sometimes, I was scared - I felt uncomfortable being sober. I was waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Sometimes I was bored and resentful -I stayed in my old life,m surrounded by drinkers and felt I was having 'no fun'
Other times I was actually too confident.
Don't fall for the doozy of a mistake I made.
An absence of alcohol is not the same as a control of alcohol.
My life was good because alcohol was no longer in it - not because my alcoholism spontaneously went into remission, and I suddenly became 'normal'.
I reintroduced alcohol into the equation and I ended up not at square one, but *past* square one - this thing gets worse.
Challenge those 'I probably will' thoughts brandon...
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Posts: 25
Originally Posted by brandon85 
Maybe my poor memory or the beast won't allow me to remember how much it sucked wasting my life being drunk or hungover all the time. Now it seems like it might be fun again (like it used to be). Is there any chance I can control it now? Surely I've figured it out in the last three months, right?
I know the answers to all of these questions. Will power has brought me this far. Not drinking for 90 days didn't seem too hard. But, no alcohol forever? WTH? No parties with friends? Fourth of July Celebrations? Nights out with the guys? Vacation? My damn wedding night? None? That's a different story.
What am I asking? I don't know. Wanted to put it out there. Maybe I'll feel better. Advice and words of encouragement would be appreciated. Thank you.
I know the answers to all of these questions. Will power has brought me this far. Not drinking for 90 days didn't seem too hard. But, no alcohol forever? WTH? No parties with friends? Fourth of July Celebrations? Nights out with the guys? Vacation? My damn wedding night? None? That's a different story.
What am I asking? I don't know. Wanted to put it out there. Maybe I'll feel better. Advice and words of encouragement would be appreciated. Thank you.
UPDATE AGAIN
Three years... still sober.
I wanted to bump this post for anyone else struggling with the questions that I had 2 years and 9 months ago.
Looking at my list of drinking "opportunities" (as one member perfectly stated it), aren't even a big deal now. I had a destination wedding over a year ago, with lots of friends and family. Most people drank (including my best man, who I used to get HAMMERED with), I enjoyed sobriety.
There are certainly times I'd like to drink... but staying sober is exponentially better.
In my OP, I mentioned my mother who had gotten sober. I guess she had the same questions I did, and thought she could "control" it. As expected, one or two special occasions turned into getting drunk on wine throughout the week. She's since sobered up again, and plans to stay that way. She's learned her lesson... and I am going to learn from her mistakes.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Posts: 25
I'm coming up on 5 years (the 16th is my sobriety date).
I had a lot of questions in my OP, but they've all been answered long ago. Getting sober was the best decision of my life! I can't imagine ever going back to my old self and life.
To anyone considering making the decision to quit, QUIT!!!
I had a lot of questions in my OP, but they've all been answered long ago. Getting sober was the best decision of my life! I can't imagine ever going back to my old self and life.
To anyone considering making the decision to quit, QUIT!!!
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 120,872
Originally Posted by brandon85
I'm coming up on 5 years (the 16th is my sobriety date).
I had a lot of questions in my OP, but they've all been answered long ago. Getting sober was the best decision of my life! I can't imagine ever going back to my old self and life.
To anyone considering making the decision to quit, QUIT!!!
I had a lot of questions in my OP, but they've all been answered long ago. Getting sober was the best decision of my life! I can't imagine ever going back to my old self and life.
To anyone considering making the decision to quit, QUIT!!!
A huge congratulations to you!!!!!!
Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 214
You need to redefine party and a good time to be successful. You will need to realize that you can have a far better time not being a drunk. If you always see those days as fun you will make it more difficult than it needs to be. Once you do you will turn the corner on alcoholism. At least I did. I am praying that you make it.
Hillbilly Girl
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: In my Garden
Posts: 3,953
My choice to pick up & drink after having sobriety has never worked out well for me & so true what is said about it being progressive & each time harder to stop. It becomes a real beast & the freedom away from it is a real treasure. Your doing great & so much life out there separate from alcohol. Be kind to yourself
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