brandnewday0789

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine confided in me that he had a drinking problem. He wanted to stop, but felt he was unable, and was afraid to detox. He had been drinking daily for over 20 years, and was tired and fed up with his life. He found a detox place, and I dropped him off. He went through detox without too much pain, which was surprising considering how much he drank and for how long. He's been sober now for about 2 1\2 weeks and has been going to meetings daily (sometimes 2 or 3 a day), has begun working the program, and seems to be doing really well. He's working hard, and trying to get his life back together. This is going to sound crazy, but it seems that it was almost too easy. Don't get me wrong, I'm so proud of him for doing this, and I want to be supportive in any way I can, I'm just nervous because drinking ruled his life for 20 years and I'm having a hard time believing he could give it up so.... easily. I know it's only been a few weeks, and that he has a long way to go, but was wondering what you guys thought. Is it possible that he's really doing as well as it appears, or is he just fooling himself, and me?

LaTeeDa

Time has a way of revealing the truth. Why not be grateful and enjoy the good that is happening now? None of us can predict the future. We can only deal with reality and act accordingly. Even if the sobriety turns out to be short-lived, it is still a gift.

L

denny57

Yes, it's possible.

Jazzman

I kicked a cocaine habit 23 years ago cold turkey. No support, no detox, no meetings. I quit smoking last January cold turkey. In both cases I was ready to quit and had the will power to not relapse. Theres nothing like a good long term demonstrated commitment to sobriety to build confidence.

(And there was nothing easy about it. It was damn hard)

lovemypup

My son in law was a binge drinker. He went to only 4 AA meetings to try to get my exAH sober and ended up getting himself sober and has been for over 2 yrs now. He had the willpower and he wanted to do it for himself.

brandnewday0789

thank you for your replies everyone. I think I just got myself freaked out because I was in this situation before with my exAbf and it didn't turn out well. I have to keep reminding myself that this is a different time, and a different person. And that I'm different as well. Have a nice day everyone!

GiveLove

My brother-in-law quit drinking 15 years ago, cold turkey but with lots of AA support.

I don't think he's ever going to drink again. He was 55 when he quit, had been drinking his entire life and had suffered greatly, but he was done, and that means done. He is happy, healthy, has a new wife and is very self-aware now. He just loves being alive, and wants to stick around for as long as his HP will let him.

It's rare, but it happens. Hoping this is so for your friend as well. But as was said above...this isn't up to you. Why not celebrate the gains he's been able to make, and share these good times for as long as you can?

minnie

Sometimes, when it is time, it is time. And he sounds like he has got his support structure in place.

Maybe some people find it hard precisely because society think it should be hard.

Barbara52

My father quit drinking after 30+ years. He fell one night coming out of a bar and broke his ankle badly. He never drank again til the day he died 20+ years later. Never went to AA or any other form of treatment.

It does happen sometimes.

minnie

It happens more times than we will ever know. Because how are those statistics ever recorded?

Recovery comes in all sorts of forms - through books, meetings, church, online, self-reflection, chance encounters, poetry, etc etc. To proscribe one method is to deny the resourcefulness of our spirits.

HolyQow

I agree. Most of the ones here, are reporting failure after failure, because we are here for help. We just don't see the As that made it on the first try. What kind of forum following would that have? (lol) I imagine it would look like this:

New member SoAndSo joins today: 1 post: I quit, see ya

It's encouraging to hear when someone quits. Live each day, don't try to live in anticipation of what 'could happen'.

Wascally Wabbit

It could very well be that he really hit his bottom. Not all people have to get to the point where they're starving, jobless and homeless.
Something woke him up.
Time will indeed tell, and he might relapse a time or two. But, he's trying and that's the most important thing right now.
He's lucky to have a friend like you.

CBrown

BrandNewDay ... you may just have one of those happy ending stories we all wish we'd hear more of. I'd be cautiously optimistic and thank God for every day of sobriety that goes by. Keep us posted!

rawr_x

yeah i could believe its happening this fast,be glad