How much of your life were you drinking?
After doing the "normal" college weekend partying...my dysfunctional relationship with alcohol started when I graduated 27 years ago. Lots of social drinking until 2000, when I told my wife I quit...even more hidden drinking all the while until 7 days ago.
I had my rules. Beer only 99%of the time. Never more than 10 in a day. Always after work. Never in the morning or at work. Usually slamming a 6 pack or tall boy while driving home or running errands. Usually had 2 or 3 sober days a month...but not more than 4 in a row until this week since I quit for a month in 2002.
Not sure what started clicking. I suddenly have lost interest in playing my games.
I had my rules. Beer only 99%of the time. Never more than 10 in a day. Always after work. Never in the morning or at work. Usually slamming a 6 pack or tall boy while driving home or running errands. Usually had 2 or 3 sober days a month...but not more than 4 in a row until this week since I quit for a month in 2002.
Not sure what started clicking. I suddenly have lost interest in playing my games.
I drank for over 30 years. Started when I was 16. Knew I had a problem when I was 20. Quit right before turning 50.
For me,quitting was a complete change of life. Things normal people take for granted were reborn for me. Something as simple as life after sundown. Being sober when the sun went down was something I hadn't experienced since I could remember. I was in awe,that I could get in my car and drive after dark. I was always too drunk to go anywhere. The list goes on and on.
I am very accustomed to sobriety. I can't believe I wasted so much of my life with a monkey on my back. I am now free from all of that. it truely is freedom.
I wish you the best.
Fred
For me,quitting was a complete change of life. Things normal people take for granted were reborn for me. Something as simple as life after sundown. Being sober when the sun went down was something I hadn't experienced since I could remember. I was in awe,that I could get in my car and drive after dark. I was always too drunk to go anywhere. The list goes on and on.
I am very accustomed to sobriety. I can't believe I wasted so much of my life with a monkey on my back. I am now free from all of that. it truely is freedom.
I wish you the best.
Fred
Yes, things that normies take for granted. My sobriety definitely includes those special treats you describe. I am so grateful to be in my own life again. Thank you for sharing.
:-D. Bobbi
I started drinking at 18. After 36 years of drinking I pretty much resigned myself to drinking for the rest of my life. But in a moment of HP-inspired clarity, I got sober at 54.
But I've embraced sobriety (almost three years, now) and am so glad I got sober when I did.
But I've embraced sobriety (almost three years, now) and am so glad I got sober when I did.
I started drinking at 18. After 26 years of drinking I pretty much resigned myself to drinking for the rest of my life. But in a moment of HP-inspired clarity, I got sober at 44.
But I've embraced sobriety (almost 4 months, now) and am so glad I got sober when I did.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: uk
Posts: 163
I did the usual teenage thing was sick a few times, then didn't really have any, had 5 children rarely went out, if someone bought a bottle of wine for a present its was a real treat .Then 12 years ago got divorced (hubby ran off with his PA ) I met what I thought was a great fun man, turned out to be an abusive alcoholic I joined in with the drinking it became normal and a vicious circle. After 5 years of abuse I managed to escape. I then carried on drinking UNTILL NOW !!!!
Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 55
I did the usual teenage thing was sick a few times, then didn't really have any, had 5 children rarely went out, if someone bought a bottle of wine for a present its was a real treat .Then 12 years ago got divorced (hubby ran off with his PA ) I met what I thought was a great fun man, turned out to be an abusive alcoholic I joined in with the drinking it became normal and a vicious circle. After 5 years of abuse I managed to escape. I then carried on drinking UNTILL NOW !!!!
This is almost exactly like me! Except I had 7 kids, rarely drank.. got divorced, spent 5 years as a single parent getting a bachelors degree... met a great responsible man.. who turned out to be an abusive (never physically abusive) drunk.. I joined in the drinking because it made him more tolerable. Stayed that way for 3 1/2 years.
I quit 6 days ago and I'm looking for a place so I can leave. Ive had enough of this crap.
I started drinking when I was about 11. My dad gave me alcohol when I visited him. It would be several alcopops bought specifically for me not the odd sip of wine that most young people get. By 14 I was drinking with friends and getting paralytic but while they calmed down after the initial burst of insanity of being legally able to drink, I got worse. I was only drinking for 11 years in total, about 4 years problematically and alcohol dependent for about 8 months. That's enough for me. I think I managed to fit a lifetime of drinking into those years.
After dozens of tries to manage my sobriety, I found a Higher Power that manages it for me. I never did learn how to not-drink. In fact, I would go as far as to say:
"Not-drinking has nothing to do with why I am sober today".
Better when never is never
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Wisconsin near Twin Cities
Posts: 1,745
The first time I got drunk, I was about 13 and had been put in charge of bringing up the champagne for the NYE party. I was probably about 20 when I starting thinking I needed to get my drinking under control or quit. I was 46 when I finally quit for good.
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