Rouxballs

Why do we?
I feel really dumb that I drank as much as I did.
I quit smoking about 12 years ago--I feel even dumber that I used to smoke.
People say we all need a crutch. I think it is BS.
We dont really need anything but food, water and air to breath.
I had a problem drinking and it was a problem for quite awhile.
I am sick of it--I spit on it, Being sober I am starting to feel normal--like when I never drank. Like when I was a teenager around the age of 14(I am 38 now)
It is really stupid to drink so why do we drink?
I am glad I found this sight--it does help-I do believe that everyone at this sight has a strong tool to help them stop drinking.It is this web sight Sober Recovery. If you are here, you should have no problems quitting.
I ask myself this now; Why did I drink?

mle-sober

AA teaches me that I drank because I liked the effect I got from it. Simple.

I had all kinds of cr@p in my life that I could say, Oh I drank because of this or because of that. But I just don't think I'd be reaching very far to say that. Blame. Blame. Blame.

I drank because I liked the way it made me feel. It numbed me and soothed me and protected me. It distracted me. It made me feel happy and like I was having fun. It increased my ego and mae me feel like I mattered.

And then, after drinking for 25 years, it stopped doing that so much as causing unbelievable havoc. There was some havoc prior to 25 yrs, but at 25 yrs - boy did the serious havoc start in.

And I had to quit. The pain that it caused was greater than the soothing I got from it. And now I have to find ways to feel happy and centered and soothed and protected without alcohol. I have to learn to do that like I was a baby. Usually, people get to 40 years old and they know how to do that. But I always took a short-cut. I have to learn how to do it for real now.

Good luck to you. Glad you're here at SR. It's a great place for us.

tobefree4me

Hey Roux!
I drank because my body was addicted to alcohol. I believe it to be a disease. I have the genes in my family tree. To me it is like having the predisposed genes for cancer, diabetes, etc. If it is in your genetics, you have a chance of obtaining it under the right circumstances. It is an illness and the gene was provoked through my use of alcohol. Some people don't get the disease because they are not predisposed to it and/or don't push the limits. Some do. To me it is as simple as that. Some would disagree with me, but, thats my take on why I drank. Have a great day!

LaDita

Mine is a genetic and environmental pre-disposition (it was around constantly when I was growing up). In my early twenties, I drank because it was 'cool' and 'sophisticated'.
In my mid-late twenties I drank because I was bored, lonely and wanted to be able to feel comfortable around people.
In my late-twenties to early-thirties (now), I drank for any reason there was; it didn't matter if I was happy, sad, angry or bored.

Anna

I drank to help deal with the pain, physical and emotional.

Then I continued to drink because I was addicted.

pangur

I loved the "scene", I used to go out clubbing, getting drunk, that progressed onto drugs though. XTC, speed, coke, weed, smoked some opium and heroin too but only once or twice. This was all as part of the clubbing scene in college, everyone seemed to he getting out of their heads at the time. I started dealing to pay for more stuff and drink, 24 hour party animal.
Coming down off all the powders and pills involved copious amounts of alcohol and weed, just to get a little sleep. Midweek was a nightmare with depression, booze helped that. For a few years after college, the drugs continued, but luckily I had a few scares, brushed with the law, and I stopped before it became something more serious.
Booze helped me stop the cravings for drugs (I was still smoking weed though). I replaced one addiction with another, I was no longer the "social drinker" I thought I was. A few years ago I moved to Asia, partly because I couldn't get away from the cycle of drinking at home, partly because I still had it together enough to fake a normal appearance of a life.
Since I moved here, 5 years ago, I've been getting drunk before bed, getting up feeling like crap and going to work. I've held down a steady job, studied for a higher qualification, got promoted. I was still getting loaded after work and at weekends.
I had myself convinced "I don't have a drinking problem", my career is going well, I've a beautiful loving wife, I don't wake up in the gutter. It slowly dawned on me that I'm just lucky so far, alcoholism is progressive and it's only a matter of time before I lose all this.
I love beer, love the taste, love the different varieties, I used to love unwinding with a cold one in the evenings. I just can't trust myself with it any more. I was no longer unwinding, I was stressed if I didn't get more and more, earlier and earlier.

Rouxballs

I think its all about will power. I loved to drink and the way it made me feel. It was great at the moment.
I hated the way I felt the next morning.I think I quit a million times but mostly in the morning. Once I got off work, I was back to the bottle, One drink and I felt good.
I grew up around drinkers-but I dont blame that on why I drank. I would Have to say the main reason why I drank was---It made me feel good,Thats the bottom line. I am sure I was addicted--I was addicted to smoking too--I quit cold turkey. Or is it called will power.

The Human mind is very smart and very strong.
If you have will power--all the above statements will mean nothing.
If you have strong will power----you will never drink again.
Wanting to quit+strong will power= SOBER

CarolD

I started to drink and smoke as a rebellion
My family were religious ..non drinkers or smokers.

Sure ..it made me feel good...for many years.
I never knew what day or which drink slid me into alcoholism.

Heck...when I tried to quit...I did not know it was a disease.
Or that my blackouts were a huge red flag.

Here is a link to excerpts from the book that opened my eyes
and explained to me WHY I was addicted

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...influence.html


I've long since worrying about how or why I am an alcoholic.
Living in the joy of recovery is fantastic...

Lenina

For me, will power had little to do with it. I had to really know I was an alcoholic. I had to educate myself on the disease, learn what to do when the addictive voice (Radio Kpf@#k, I call it) was turned up.

Each morning I acknowledge the disease and just take the 24 hours ahead of me sober.

I have to know that nothing can "make" me drink short of a little machine tied to my body pouring shots down my throat. For me, I have to take responsibility for my actions.

I try to be aware of all the blessings in my life and be grateful. I try not to dwell on the negative.

Love,

Lenina

Ananda

well I know this is gonna sound really wierd, but there was a famous epistimologist/anthropologist who wrote about alchoholics and i believe this one line..it hit home with me

Alchoholics drink because there is something so wrong with how they percieve the world that drinking makes the world seem right.

I heard that and I knew WOW that is IT

Course didn't stop me from drinking lol

Tommyh

when it comes to willpower,I was told to eat a couple of boxes of exlax and see where will power gets you.

I have drank against my will,it`s called being powerless over alcohol.Booze was my master.
If I could have permentally quit with my own willpower,I would not need AA,or sober recovery or anyone or anything else.I would just quit.Period,end of story.
I quit a zillon times,but staying quit was my problem.AA,SR the 12 steps all help me live a contented sobriety.

I drank because I liked the effect produced by booze.

So,what was wrong with me that I had to pour all that booze into me?Many others did not.I was different than they was.
My main worry was how was I going to stay sober.Thankfully,AA had that answer for this alkie.

snowdog

First I drank for social courage, and to fit in. Later I drank to escape and avoid. Then I drank because it is what I did... what part habit, what part addiction??

YaySartre

I started drinking to avoid things. I kept drinking because I was addicted. I stopped drinking because I want a life I'm proud of, a memory capable of recalling things, a home that isn't a hiding place for bottles and the ability to build a life filled with something other than shame, fear and disdain for myself.

BKP

Totally I am more out of the haze and into the life that was wasted as I was 4 days a week. I use to think Wow! Today is Monday, I have 3 days until I get paid and can drink for 3 days without any worries. Now I do other things.