LadyBug66

My closest brother is a big time alcoholic. A keg a week alcoholic. I hadn't told him I had quit drinking until yesterday. I was feeling a little hesitant about it but he told me he was going to come visit me and we would get drunk. I then told him I quit drinking and haven't had a drink since Christmas Eve 2017. He was like........ what???!!!! ..... are you sick???!!! why???!!! When I told him that my drinking was getting out of hand and it was costing me a lot of money he was sooooo supportive. He said... "I am so proud of you because I know I couldn't do it" It meant so much to me because I really haven't had much support from family and friends because most of them drink and it makes them uncomfortable because I don't drink now.

ChloeRose63

You have got a great brother!

LadyBug66

Thank you! I agree!

zjw

thats pretty cool! most current drinkers are not as supportive. I've had some that are like hey well good for you but thats about the extent of it. most kinda get quiet or cant figure out whats wrong with me lol.

LadyBug66

ZJW, that is the response I get 90% of the time as well so I have been hesitant on telling people but I was kind of backed into it with him because that was going to be the purpose of the visit. He wanted to hang out and drink. With him being a full fledged drinker I was worried about his response but it was so supportive and he was telling me how proud he was of me.

ScottFromWI

Very cool LadyBug. When I initially quit i actually got a similar reponse from several of my "drinking buddy" friends. Many of them weren't necessarily supportive, but the did say things like "good for you" or "you know, I've sometimes thought that I drink too much too".

Either way, it's nice to hear support from anyone -and especially those close to us.

LadyBug66

The worst is that "look" they give you when you tell them you don't drink anymore. LOL

otter

One thing I noticed about much of my family is that they knew I drank too much (although they didn't know how bad I was towards the end) but they were also the first ones to offer me a beer.

I think there was an enjoyment of the tragedy and a sense that they didn't have to worry about how much they drank because I was there to bear that cross.

It sounds like your brother is very supportive and you may be an influence on him to get his drinking under control.

Well done.

LadyBug66

Thank you! I understand what you are saying. They didn't have to worry about how much they were drinking because they could count on me to be already drunk!

otter

You said what I meant to say with better clarity.

LadyBug66

Yesterday my husband found a beer bottle on the patio. He asked me if it was mine. (I know it's his because he still drinks and leaves the empties laying around, strange he doesn't remember he did it) I said no, it's not mine I don't drink anymore. He said sarcastically "oh yeah, you're in recovery". I asked him why he would say something like that and he said.... "I was just kidding". The weird thing is I have never said that I am in recovery or that I'm using Sober Recovery. 1. I think he feels a little threatened that I'm not drinking anymore and he still is. 2. I think he has been snooping on my laptop.
This has left me with a weird feeling.