No reason to quit????
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Middletown, Ohio
Posts: 44
No reason to quit????
Hello all. I started a thread several weeks ago about wanting to quit drinking, or at least cut way down. I've been a 6-8 beer a night drinker for probably, geese, I dunno, maybe 25 years now. Not sure. But the truth is alcohol has never caused me any problems what so ever. No money trouble, no hangovers, no health problems, no nothing that I can think of. I know you've all heard it before. Functioning alcoholics and blah, blah. But it's really true with me. I truly couldn't think of one reason to quit, or anything bad that has ever occurred to me at all while drinking beer. I really can't. Maybe money. I do spend several hundred a month on beer. So maybe that. Truth is I really wanted to cut back just so I could lose some weight and look better.
Anyways, so I stopped my beer 21 days ago. It was not very hard except for the boredom. So I'm here today to maybe help people like me who really maybe don't have the problems that so many others on here have. If you can't really think of any reason to stop drinking I can give you a big one right now. Appearance!!! OMG, I can't believe the difference after only 3 weeks of abstinance!!! My face is so clear now!! I didn't even realize how red and ruddy my face had become. People have really noticed it. And my hair is softer and more vibrant if that makes sense. My skin is so much softer and has a much healthier tone. My eye's are super clear and blue now. My nose no longer runs. And food taste so much better also. And my bowel movements are much better also.
It really wasn't ever my goal to stop drinking entirely. I just wanted to cut back to a reasonable amount. But now that I look and feel so much better, I doubt that I'll ever go back. Certainly never to the extent that I was drinking. So that's my story. I thank you all for the encouragement and wish you all well!
Anyways, so I stopped my beer 21 days ago. It was not very hard except for the boredom. So I'm here today to maybe help people like me who really maybe don't have the problems that so many others on here have. If you can't really think of any reason to stop drinking I can give you a big one right now. Appearance!!! OMG, I can't believe the difference after only 3 weeks of abstinance!!! My face is so clear now!! I didn't even realize how red and ruddy my face had become. People have really noticed it. And my hair is softer and more vibrant if that makes sense. My skin is so much softer and has a much healthier tone. My eye's are super clear and blue now. My nose no longer runs. And food taste so much better also. And my bowel movements are much better also.
It really wasn't ever my goal to stop drinking entirely. I just wanted to cut back to a reasonable amount. But now that I look and feel so much better, I doubt that I'll ever go back. Certainly never to the extent that I was drinking. So that's my story. I thank you all for the encouragement and wish you all well!
Self recovered Self discovered
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Toronto Canada
Posts: 5,148
That's great news, Ranger, congratulations to you on this success! This makes me think of the story of the frog in the pot of water as the temp is slowly raised - we don't really recognize what is happening to us while we are drinking until we quit.
It has been three weeks and you have described a handful of the benefits you have seen already - I know there are more apart from appearance, like saving the cost of 3 or 4 dozen beers every week, better sleep, lower BP and so on and on. There is more in store for you too as your memory improves, thought clarity goes up along with motivation and satisfaction, and you get back to taking better care of yourself with diet and exercise.
It sounds like you are doing very well, Ranger, I know that you can stick to this for good if you choose to. Onward!
It has been three weeks and you have described a handful of the benefits you have seen already - I know there are more apart from appearance, like saving the cost of 3 or 4 dozen beers every week, better sleep, lower BP and so on and on. There is more in store for you too as your memory improves, thought clarity goes up along with motivation and satisfaction, and you get back to taking better care of yourself with diet and exercise.
It sounds like you are doing very well, Ranger, I know that you can stick to this for good if you choose to. Onward!
Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1,572
If you stay sober for even longer, you will probably notice that interpersonal relationships will improve as well.
In my experience, very few if any people drink heavily daily without some underlying issues.
They may surface, and now that you are clear headed, dealing with them directly can be very gratifying.
Congratulations on your progress.
In my experience, very few if any people drink heavily daily without some underlying issues.
They may surface, and now that you are clear headed, dealing with them directly can be very gratifying.
Congratulations on your progress.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: NY
Posts: 227
The changes you have described are one of the high points for me. I drank a lot more than what you described most of the time, lately at least, so I definitely needed to stop. I definitely feel and look better physically which has been a big plus for me.
Thanks for the post.
Thanks for the post.
High on Life
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Been to Hell and Back
Posts: 1,157
Everybody that quits drinking isn't a fall down drunk who is living on skid row. Sometimes the only the reason that people have to quit is to feel or look better. Alcohol is no good good for the body overall and alcohol and weight loss don't mix. Alcohol contains tons of calories, offers no nutritional value, lowers testosterone levels, causes water loss and dehydration, and slows down metabolism....just to name of few things.
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Middletown, Ohio
Posts: 44
I believe I'm destined to be a non-drinker finally. The cravings have all but gone away. Beings it really wasn't my goal to actually stop drinking, but to slow down to "normal" levels I decided to put the theory to the test on Sunday. I was at a cookout and the beer was flowing freely of course. I drank one beer with my burger and that was okay. I actually would have preferred a Pepsi but it was okay. I then opened another one after I ate and took about 2 drinks. The next drink was **** warm because I had let it set out in the sun for prolly 40 minutes. I poured it out and was smiling while I did it. My g/f said "why are you so happy about pouring out a beer". I said "have you ever seen me pour out a beer". She said "no". I said "that's why I'm so happy".
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Middletown, Ohio
Posts: 44
Well, I lost quite a bit of weight before I stopped drinking. In fact, that's one of the main reasons I stopped. I've been doing Weight Watchers for the last year and somehow made it work even with my beer. I started out with 52 daily points, 49 extra points for the week, and then how ever many activity points I earned. I set aside 30+ points a day for beer. So I was still able to eat over 20 points a day which really wasn't that bad. But as time went on and I kept losing weight I also lost points. So now I'm down to like 45 points. So taking away 30+ points for beer left little for food. So I decided I needed to slow down or stop one or the other. So beings I need food to live, I decided to slow down on the beer. So now I get to eat a lot more goodies! As of today, I have lost a total of 38 lbs.
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Middletown, Ohio
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Well tonight I surprised myself again. I "feel" that I have finally beaten down my beer demon and don't believe I'd ever get to that point again. Sooooo, I said to myself "I believe I can really be one of those alcoholics that CAN enjoy alcohol again in moderation". So tonight I went to a pig roast and fully planned on drinking my share of suds. I wasn't even gonna try to be moderate. I figured I deserved a good beer buzz.
So as soon as we rolled up I headed straight for the bar (pig roast was at a golf club) and ordered a tall frosty Swithwick's and sat down at a table. My g/f frowned and said "ya know you look a little too excited about that beer. Are you sure this a good idea?" I was like heck yeah I'm fine.
So I tipped the glass and had a big long drink and..........blah!! I just about puked! How in the hell did I ever drink this moose p i s s!!! Yuck. Finished the evening with a couple of stiff Coca-Cola's and went home full of pork.
So as soon as we rolled up I headed straight for the bar (pig roast was at a golf club) and ordered a tall frosty Swithwick's and sat down at a table. My g/f frowned and said "ya know you look a little too excited about that beer. Are you sure this a good idea?" I was like heck yeah I'm fine.
So I tipped the glass and had a big long drink and..........blah!! I just about puked! How in the hell did I ever drink this moose p i s s!!! Yuck. Finished the evening with a couple of stiff Coca-Cola's and went home full of pork.
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,432
I "feel" that I have finally beaten down my beer demon and don't believe I'd ever get to that point again. Sooooo, I said to myself "I believe I can really be one of those alcoholics that CAN enjoy alcohol again in moderation".
It's like escaping a burning house....and then playing with matches.
I did that too - seemed a natural thing to do at the time but I see how insane it is now.
I hope you do too.
Good for you on pulling out of the dive.
D
12 Step Recovered Alcoholic
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 6,613
Originally Posted by Ranger05 
Sooooo, I said to myself "I believe I can really be one of those alcoholics that CAN enjoy alcohol again in moderation".
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Join Date: Apr 2012
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Originally Posted by Gottalife
A real alcoholic cannot moderate their drinking. That privilage is reserved for "hard drinkers" and normal drinkers who can stop or moderate given a good enough reason.
12 Step Recovered Alcoholic
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 6,613
Originally Posted by Ranger05
Yeah, I understand that. What constitutes an alcoholic is very confusing. I always assumed I was a full blown alcoholic because I drank beer every night. But now, I know I'm probably not. I would most likely fall into that "hard drinker" category. But, either way I'm glad I stopped. I don't feel much different really, but I look much better. And I sure got more cash in my pocket now.
I always wanted to be a hard drinker but I had two problems, no control over the amount I drank once I got started, and no choice over whether I got started in the first place. My hard drinking buddies all had a measure of control and choice, they just chose to drink a lot. But they never had the problems I had. However, alcohol is a very damaging substance in its own right and none of my hard drinking buddies made it past their mid fifties. So now I am quite pleased to be an alcoholic who got sober. If you are a hard drinker, I would suggest you will have a much happier and longer life if you stay stopped.
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 192
No reason to quit?
I think drinking 6-8 beers a night is quite taxing on the body?
Not to mention you must have felt like a loser for doing it?
Good job on your sober time but if I were you I'd stop trying to reason with yourself in that way.
I think drinking 6-8 beers a night is quite taxing on the body?
Not to mention you must have felt like a loser for doing it?
Good job on your sober time but if I were you I'd stop trying to reason with yourself in that way.
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