mrownage

23 years old here, I posted in the newcomer forum about quitting alcohol and I think it is time to put the bottle back on the shelf where it belongs. I am currently 151 days clean from marijuana and now I want to stop drinking. I don't drink everyday.. but at least once a week (usually friday night or saturday night) but I drink to a capacity that is not safe for myself or other people I am around. I cannot just have one beer/shot/glass of wine.. It's like i calculate if there is enough for my consumption.. if not I go out and grab a 6 pack just to secure myself when hanging out with friends. When I go out I usually loose control of my drinking and end up spending a lot of more than my budget can handle.. and often regret and forget about it in the morning. Coming from an alcoholic family, I am pre-exposed to the dangers of alcoholism and I know I should not drink at all. What are your opinions? I am going to stop but I want some insight! thanks guys!

SoberLeigh

From what you shared above, it seems that you have (or on the verge of developing) a serious problem with alcohol.

Congratulations on the self-awareness it took to write the post.

SR is here to help; rooting for you, mrownpage.

mrownage

Soberleigh,

Thank you, I believe I have caught myself before I gets worse. I have great self-will but it will be hard to stay away from alcohol. Going to be a challenge!

SoberLeigh

You will always find support here, mrownage.

Yes, it is hard to stay away from alcohol; if it was easy there would be no SR, AA, Rational Recovery, AVRT . . . or thousand upon thousands of people who struggle every day.

You are blessed with an awareness not many your age yet possess.

You CAN do this, mrownage. I have no doubt of that.

Bh28

If you don't drink every single day and only on weekends you should be fine imho.

If you can go 5 days without booze then you really shouldn't have many problems stopping other than cravings.

This is not medical advice. Just the way it is.

buyingisbad

Hi there. It takes willpower to drink yourself into oblivion and face the hangover like a champ. But it takes little willpower to quit for you control your arm and what it puts to your mouth. When you pump gas you don't drink it. When you paint a wall you don't drink the paint. When you hold alcohol you don't drink it anymore because you know better now.

I don't like to think of alcoholics as bad or weak minded people. I think they are good people inside.

Lusher

Hey mrownage-

Yeah, it might be best to get your arms around this before things decline for you.
Totally how I was. I even posted a topic about how my anxiety would increase with just the thought of not having enough alcohol for last the evening: http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-use-have.html

That's a pretty clear indication that there's a problem that needs tending to, so nice job with taking some steps with doing just that.

I hope to see you around.


Lusher

norcal4runner

I'm 28 and recovering from my 5th or 6th relapse. I drank like you in my early 20s and it progressively got worse as the years went by. At first I felt pathetic thinking I had to stop drinking at only 28 years old. But as I go to AA meetings and meet older folk, 20 or 30 years older than me, they all tell me how much they wish they had gotten sober at 23, or 28, instead of wasting slowly and steadily away for decades. Just food for thought, if you are concerned now I would take action.

buyingisbad

The longer you drink the more ugly it makes your face. if you care to keep your looks as you age then don't drink. If you want to throw it all away and age really fast then drink.

Soberwolf

Stopping drinking was the best thing i have ever done

my life is 5000% better than it was nearly 16 months ago

Ryno03272009

Right before I got sober, I had almost the exact thoughts as you. Someone close to me (20+ years recovery) told me when I asked him how someone would know if they them self are a alcoholic - its when you begin to think and worry more about if there will be enough alcohol where you are going (dinner, party, friends, etc) and if it will be still worth going if there is not.

From what you described above you are at that point in your life (as was I) when, yes you don't drink every night, but still your beginning to put alcohol thoughts ahead of the rest.

In my experience, I read/explored the AA book called "living sober." Its short and to the point. I was 23 when I got sober and its great that you are beginning to seek options to explore sobriety. I wish you the best!

mudfall

Hey there mrownage.

I respect you for being honest with yourself in this area. Believe me, I know it is hard.

6 years ago I was close to where you are now. I wish that I would have had the guts to look at my drinking honestly so that I could see what booze could have taken from me before it did. Instead my knowledge is from hindsight, a broken heart, chipped teeth and many good friends lost for bad reasons.

I'm new to this sober living stuff and it hasn't been easy but I hope you give it a shot too.

We deserve better.

Soberintexas007

I think that it is important that you quit alcohol. Even though you only drink one day each week, you stated that you often cannot stop and that you don't remember things the next day. What happens if something really awful happens on that one day during the week when you drink? Then you would have wished in hindsight that you would have stopped completely.

mrownage

Thanks for the advice and support guys. I am looking forward to having a sober weekend without the hangover and guilty conscience.

darcal

Hey mrownage this is my second day sober from alcohol. Yes you're right it's going to be a challenge. A challenge that will give you a new life.

buyingisbad

A couple of things to remember going into this that could be stumbling blocks.

1) if you get bored and feel like you want to create your own little party doing whatever you have to resist that and once you let it pass it will pass and the urge will go away for that temptation at that time. Then you can remember how nice it is to awake nice and fresh.

2) When your friends ask if you want a drink or you go out for dinner with some people from work and they drink when it comes time for you to answer say, "No thanks I don't drink." If you wishy wash and give any bit of an open door your friends will pry it open and say come on one or two won't hurt. You have to put your foot down hard and fast and sternly says I don't drink.

I learned this the hard way. Too many times I let people I know peer pressure me into breaking sobriety for a couple drinks. Which for me led to me doing it again thinking I was cool. But it led to getting drunk not long after


P.S. Stay good looking and don't drink

fastfocus

welcome, give it a go at staying sober, you have nothing to loose by trying it out, get a recovery plan in place to suit you, to help recover from your addiction to drugs and drink.

good luck

dave

downtown3

peer pressure is a bitch and very selfish for those that dish it out. They simply want others to do what they know is wrong to validate it in some way. Its social when you are all together, tying one on but the moment the party is over you are left to wallow in your own personal misery. No one goes through that with you. Its not worth it.

buyingisbad

Yes I agree.

Because a lot of us alcoholics like to be with other people its hard to turn them down if you are newly sober. But it's critical that you get used to being the non-drinker in all aspects of your life.

i think you will find that if you just state you don't drink that is best. if you start saying you are trying to quit or stay sober they will peer pressure you. Even polite peer pressure from people can be devastating to the alcoholic.

SoberCAH

When I got sober, I gave up my former "peers".

Your mileage may vary, but it certainly helped me.