soberlicious

Sober is our natural human state. Our brains and bodies weren't meant to be flooded with poison. So yes, of course it's better to be a non-drinker. It allows you to be authentic and learn to be comfortable in your own skin. Many parts of the world are very alcohol-centered. It can seem like no social activity is without it. So it's actually kind of a rebel move to choose not to drink alcohol and still have a great time...I think it pretty badass personally. So yeah, it's way better.

Aellyce

There are many great responses on this thread. The hardship about quitting drinking is exactly related to the very definition of addiction: continuing the compulsive behavior in spite of negative consequences. Basically, that the prospect of stopping the destructive behavior is not motivating enough, seeking the momentary state of intoxication (and whatever seemingly positive associations come with it) overrides any longer-term, more reasonable inspirations. This is why it is so hard to quit and stay quit.

One thing about motivation that I have experienced many times throughout my life, around getting sober and also in other contexts, is that the best motivation often does not arrive in advance, much more on the go, when I am already quite advanced into something. It woks that way because it rises from the reinforcing factors of new experiences and exploring what I do not know and perhaps don't even trust much at first. I know that not everyone is similarly much of a novelty seeker, but many addicts actually tend to be... it can be part of why we take bold risks at first and engage in apparently rewarding but risky life experiences. So, for me, trying something new, experimenting with new lifestyles, activities, even sources of inspiration can be highly arousing on its own. Of course the novelty wears off after a while and then I need to find other ways to maintain it, but it can be quite powerful at first. Especially regarding sobriety, where there aren't even risks at all. If any of this is relatable, maybe try not to approach it with focusing on not drinking itself so much (which will be hard at first, no doubt) but make some associated lifestyle change goals, things you could explore if drinking was out of the picture, and set those as primary motivations. The absolute condition is that you need to be sober in order to even attempt those new things. This approach tends to work for me very well in many situations where I have aversions and want to avoid things that, I otherwise know, would be beneficial for me.

SoberCAH

You accurately describe the mindset which kept me away from the doors of the treatment center for entirely too long.

I was failing physically and mentally at the time as a result of years of nightly pathological drinking.

But not drinking sounded terrible to me.

I couldn't imagine what non-drinkers did with their time.

After getting sick enough and becoming desperate enough to try anything (including giving up alcohol, somehow), I finally sought help.

I mourned alcohol and my "old friends and bars" for a while, like you say.

But after a brief period of mourning, I learned that my life had just begun.

A life of real friends, feelings that I could no longer numb, circumstances that I had to face squarely and honestly and joys I could have never imagined.

ColoradoRocky

My period mourning lasted until five minutes into my first AA meeting as I listened to people talking real life instead of total alcoholic bullsh*t.

Briansy

Lucky you!

NYCDoglvr

Sounds like you're searching for reasons to not stop drinking. Alcoholic thinking is full of denial and rationalization. I quit drinking because I had to: it was either do that or die.