Gone and back
non-drinker
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 13,828
Gone and back
Today is Day #202 of "one-day-at-a-time"s for me. For those who don't know, here's a brief history of my drinking:
May 1980 (age 14) - Started binge drinking about once per month all through high school.
September 1984-May 1988 - Was a weekly binge drinker all through college. Had a "bad experience" with the hard stuff in 1985 and became an "all-star" beer drinker.
1988-1998 - Pretty much just a weekend drunk.
1999-2009 - Gradually became an everyday drinker (average of 12-18 beers per weekday with even more on the weekends). Got a DUI in November of 2003 which made me quit for 3 WHOLE MONTHS. Thought to myself "I'm no alcoholic" and went right back to my usual daily intake.
Sunday, June 21, 2009 - Woke up with a slight case of the shakes and severe anxiety. It only went away when I started drinking. That day would be my most recent (and hopefully last) day of drinking.
Monday, June 22, 2009 - Went to the emergency room with severe anxiety and dehydration. After I got home, I poured the remaining beer down the drain and haven't touched a drop since. Admitted to myself that I'm an alcoholic and can no longer live like I had been for several years.
Here's what's happened so far:
Anxiety - GONE
Guilt - GONE
Shame - GONE
Paranoia - GONE
Insominia - GONE
Hangovers - GONE
Cravings - GONE
Drinking buddies - GONE
Living In The Past - GONE
Happiness - BACK
Laughter - BACK
Living In The Moment - BACK
Eight hours of sleep - BACK
Focus and concentration - BACK
Regular appetite - BACK
Enjoyment of hobbies - BACK
True friends and family - BACK
MY LIFE - BACK
May 1980 (age 14) - Started binge drinking about once per month all through high school.
September 1984-May 1988 - Was a weekly binge drinker all through college. Had a "bad experience" with the hard stuff in 1985 and became an "all-star" beer drinker.
1988-1998 - Pretty much just a weekend drunk.
1999-2009 - Gradually became an everyday drinker (average of 12-18 beers per weekday with even more on the weekends). Got a DUI in November of 2003 which made me quit for 3 WHOLE MONTHS. Thought to myself "I'm no alcoholic" and went right back to my usual daily intake.
Sunday, June 21, 2009 - Woke up with a slight case of the shakes and severe anxiety. It only went away when I started drinking. That day would be my most recent (and hopefully last) day of drinking.
Monday, June 22, 2009 - Went to the emergency room with severe anxiety and dehydration. After I got home, I poured the remaining beer down the drain and haven't touched a drop since. Admitted to myself that I'm an alcoholic and can no longer live like I had been for several years.
Here's what's happened so far:
Anxiety - GONE
Guilt - GONE
Shame - GONE
Paranoia - GONE
Insominia - GONE
Hangovers - GONE
Cravings - GONE
Drinking buddies - GONE
Living In The Past - GONE
Happiness - BACK
Laughter - BACK
Living In The Moment - BACK
Eight hours of sleep - BACK
Focus and concentration - BACK
Regular appetite - BACK
Enjoyment of hobbies - BACK
True friends and family - BACK
MY LIFE - BACK
Eating protein and life.
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Just. Plain. Grateful.
Posts: 503
A post the actively using, newly sober, and happily recovered can all relate to.
Well done!!!
P.S. How can I get more smilies (I click on more smilies but am not granted access?) - I'm stuck with inappropriate ones like
when I'm looking more for this for this post... 
Well done!!!
P.S. How can I get more smilies (I click on more smilies but am not granted access?) - I'm stuck with inappropriate ones like
when I'm looking more for this for this post...
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