Tired of "Groundhog Day" - Day 1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 14
Tired of "Groundhog Day" - Day 1
Hi all,
I've been thinking about quitting drinking for a long time and have been lurking here, reading these forums for a few weeks. I'm 42 years old and have basically been living the same day over and over again for at least a decade (i.e. "Groundhog Day", Bill Murray movie) I drink every night, 6-10 beers. I barely get a buzz from this amount of alcohol, but I still do it daily. I wake up with a very minor hangover every morning, just a little headache, gone by 10 a.m. Work all day. Pick up kids from school, daycare, come home, have a beer, make dinner, have a beer, have dinner, have a beer, play with kids, have a beer, put kids to bed, have 3-5 beers, go to bed, REPEAT. I rarely, if ever, get completely drunk. I never drive after drinking. I never go out drinking (always at home, family guy). I have a great marriage, great job, great kids, but I am sick to death of drinking every day.
I just got back from a 2 week vacation with family. Was at the beach in Florida. Every day was the same. Great fun, but still had to have 6-10 drinks/day. I would get grumpy if I was away from being able to have a beer, like when I went to a restaurant that didn't serve alcohol. I was snappy and grumpy. I would have just had a single beer with dinner, had already had 2 at the hotel, but I was just mad that I wasn't able to keep my constant minor buzz going. Life seems too "sharp" without the slight blurring/dulling effects of beer.
Over vacation I just decided "Enough is enough, I'm sick of being a slave to alcohol", so I picked today to stop drinking. I know what withdrawal is like for me, it's not major, just insomnia and headaches for 2-3 days. I've stopped for a week or two many times in the past few years, just to "prove" I could.
Anyhow, I'm just gaining insight into how alcohol has really ruled my life for a long, long time. I always considered myself superior on some level to "drunks" who got DUIs and passed out and lost their jobs, etc. I always would think "See, I'm not like that, I'm not an alcoholic, I just enjoy having a few beers", as if 200-300 beers/month is a "few".
Anyhow, I'm not sure what I'm looking for here. Not support, per se... maybe accountability? Maybe I want to just "put it out there" that I am serious about quitting? I know it's comforting to know that people actually can succeed at being sober, so I like to read about other people's success. So, okay, here goes nothing- Day One.
Johnny
I've been thinking about quitting drinking for a long time and have been lurking here, reading these forums for a few weeks. I'm 42 years old and have basically been living the same day over and over again for at least a decade (i.e. "Groundhog Day", Bill Murray movie) I drink every night, 6-10 beers. I barely get a buzz from this amount of alcohol, but I still do it daily. I wake up with a very minor hangover every morning, just a little headache, gone by 10 a.m. Work all day. Pick up kids from school, daycare, come home, have a beer, make dinner, have a beer, have dinner, have a beer, play with kids, have a beer, put kids to bed, have 3-5 beers, go to bed, REPEAT. I rarely, if ever, get completely drunk. I never drive after drinking. I never go out drinking (always at home, family guy). I have a great marriage, great job, great kids, but I am sick to death of drinking every day.
I just got back from a 2 week vacation with family. Was at the beach in Florida. Every day was the same. Great fun, but still had to have 6-10 drinks/day. I would get grumpy if I was away from being able to have a beer, like when I went to a restaurant that didn't serve alcohol. I was snappy and grumpy. I would have just had a single beer with dinner, had already had 2 at the hotel, but I was just mad that I wasn't able to keep my constant minor buzz going. Life seems too "sharp" without the slight blurring/dulling effects of beer.
Over vacation I just decided "Enough is enough, I'm sick of being a slave to alcohol", so I picked today to stop drinking. I know what withdrawal is like for me, it's not major, just insomnia and headaches for 2-3 days. I've stopped for a week or two many times in the past few years, just to "prove" I could.
Anyhow, I'm just gaining insight into how alcohol has really ruled my life for a long, long time. I always considered myself superior on some level to "drunks" who got DUIs and passed out and lost their jobs, etc. I always would think "See, I'm not like that, I'm not an alcoholic, I just enjoy having a few beers", as if 200-300 beers/month is a "few".
Anyhow, I'm not sure what I'm looking for here. Not support, per se... maybe accountability? Maybe I want to just "put it out there" that I am serious about quitting? I know it's comforting to know that people actually can succeed at being sober, so I like to read about other people's success. So, okay, here goes nothing- Day One.
Johnny
Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Posts: 201
Welcome to SR Johnny!
Thats funny "Groundhog Day" I use that one myself....mine only applied to the weekends. I wake up Saturday morning after heavy drinking going, no I did it agian!
Sounds like your kids help you pace the amount of beers you drink, probably a good time to qiut!
Good Luck!
Dave
Thats funny "Groundhog Day" I use that one myself....mine only applied to the weekends. I wake up Saturday morning after heavy drinking going, no I did it agian!
Sounds like your kids help you pace the amount of beers you drink, probably a good time to qiut!
Good Luck!
Dave
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,756
Welcome Johnny! Today would be a great day to start a new sober life. Keep coming back here for support and information. And if you hadn't considered it, you may want to give AA a try too. There's a lot of understanding and support in those rooms.
:ghug3
:ghug3
Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Baghdad
Posts: 2,822
Originally Posted by JohnnyTries 
Hi all,
Anyhow, I'm just gaining insight into how alcohol has really ruled my life for a long, long time. I always considered myself superior on some level to "drunks" who got DUIs and passed out and lost their jobs, etc. I always would think "See, I'm not like that, I'm not an alcoholic, I just enjoy having a few beers", as if 200-300 beers/month is a "few".
Anyhow, I'm not sure what I'm looking for here. Not support, per se... maybe accountability? Maybe I want to just "put it out there" that I am serious about quitting? I know it's comforting to know that people actually can succeed at being sober, so I like to read about other people's success. So, okay, here goes nothing- Day One.
Johnny
Anyhow, I'm just gaining insight into how alcohol has really ruled my life for a long, long time. I always considered myself superior on some level to "drunks" who got DUIs and passed out and lost their jobs, etc. I always would think "See, I'm not like that, I'm not an alcoholic, I just enjoy having a few beers", as if 200-300 beers/month is a "few".
Anyhow, I'm not sure what I'm looking for here. Not support, per se... maybe accountability? Maybe I want to just "put it out there" that I am serious about quitting? I know it's comforting to know that people actually can succeed at being sober, so I like to read about other people's success. So, okay, here goes nothing- Day One.
Johnny
WELCOME!!
First off, you might consider seeing a Dr., just to be on the safe side. The things that haven't happened to you, like DUI's, are referred to in the program as yets. I haven't gotten a DUI yet. I haven't lost my job yet. The majority of the folks here have outside support and some kind of structure to their recovery, you might consider attending an AA meeting, if you're feeling squeamish go to what is called an 'open' meeting, they'll have a speaker there, maybe you'll be able to relate to their story.
Final thought, a lot of us also compared ourselves to others, "I don't have a problem, I'm not as bad as this one or that one". Myself, I would compare myself to you-you drank a lot more than I ever did-and tell myself I didn't have a problem. Good Luck!
dude
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: bay area, ca
Posts: 13
glad to see you here johnny.... that in itself is a awesome step as well as a conscience awareness that yes... alcohol is a problem
as a functional alcoholic myself... i understand the justifications that perpetuate the problem... i guess from what i've learned: you'll be amazed when you lift that cloak of "mildly buzzed" for an extended period... there is a lot out there and right around you that will take on new perspectives through sober lenses
good luck and again... glad to see you here
as a functional alcoholic myself... i understand the justifications that perpetuate the problem... i guess from what i've learned: you'll be amazed when you lift that cloak of "mildly buzzed" for an extended period... there is a lot out there and right around you that will take on new perspectives through sober lenses
good luck and again... glad to see you here
Community Greeter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,526
Hi Johnny! Glad you finally decided to post. I joined last summer & SR is the reason I'm sitting here. I was just like you at your age - had to be near the beer or I was irritated & edgy. Trust me, you don't need it like you think you do. The uneasy feelings will pass. I wonder every day why or how I could have convinced myself I needed it to live. You are wise to be drying out now - they know what they're talking about when they say it's a progressive disease. Just give it a chance to totally overtake your life, and it will. I have over 10 yrs. on you, and in the end my 10 beers a night turned into 100 proof vodka 24/7 - & even that didn't do the trick. My first beer at age 18 made me tipsy - my tolerance for it grew to the point where I blew an 0.32 once & the officer said I was "Amazingly coherent for someone with that BAC" & took me to the emergency room. I kept a drink on my bedside table so I could take a sip when I woke up shakey in the middle of the night. Kept a stash in my office at work. (Jeeze, I'm sure no one suspected....) I felt faced with certain death if I didn't quit, I was terrified in the end - couldn't fall asleep for fear I'd not wake up. You don't think you'll drink and drive - I didn't either - but I ended up with 3 DUI's on my record. It's amazing where it will take you if you keep going. Keep posting, let us know how you're doing - & congratulations on heading towards a life not lived in chains.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Medina, Ohio
Posts: 372
Johnny,
Hey welcome to the first day of the last of your uniqueness. Funny how it turns out there are so many people just like you out there isn't it? You are a lucky man to be taking this step before losing too much. I think that the longer you are sober the more you will find that your drinking was affecting those around you.
I recommend A.A. to ensure you stay sober and effect a true lifestyle change that will benefit you and your entire family for a long time to come.
John
Hey welcome to the first day of the last of your uniqueness. Funny how it turns out there are so many people just like you out there isn't it? You are a lucky man to be taking this step before losing too much. I think that the longer you are sober the more you will find that your drinking was affecting those around you.
I recommend A.A. to ensure you stay sober and effect a true lifestyle change that will benefit you and your entire family for a long time to come.
John
...Welcome to our recovery community
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