Alcohol Free Since Feb 1st,2008 My Story
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Philadelphia,PA
Posts: 8
Alcohol Free Since Feb 1st,2008 My Story
Hello to everyone. I'm Paul and even though I never had really really bad times with booze like some of the stories you hear, I was an functional alcoholic till Feb 1st,2008 the day I had my last beer and cigarette and here is my story.
I was born January 1965, I had great parents but my Dad's side of the family was in the bar business and were drinkers. My Mom side had a few drinkers but her Mom (My Grandmom) and Sister ( My Aunt) didn't drink at all because they were Christians and plus they had seen what alcohol has done in the past to other family members.
Anyway on to myself. I started drinking in high school and smoking pot and cigarettes which was the so called cool thing to do back in late 70's early 80's and as I came of age to legally drink went out drinking doing all the stupid drinking games. At 24 I met my wife, during our courtship I still drank but not as much,married in '92 at the age of 27 and at that time I had a job where I worked 7am till 3:30pm (hated those hours) so I didn't drink much during the week. After we got married I lost that job and then I got a job in a hotel working 3pm till 11pm. I thought great I can party after work and sleep in all morning and not have to at work till 3pm. Over the last 17 years at the hotel,(I'm still working there, same hours) 15 of those were spent getting off work,hitting the bar and living it up drinking,smoking closing the bars down almost every night of the week. my wife didn't mind for the longest time and she would join me on Friday & Saturday nights since she worked regular hours and was off weekends although she hardly drank. Then in late '02 my Mom passed away which I took very hard and really started hitting the bottle evey night after work getting totally plastered, waking up hung over and going to work all groggy and reeking of stale alcohol. My co workers knew what was going on with me they could smell it on me although I never drank on the job or before I had to go to work. Six years ago my HR director & Front Office Mgr both sweethearts and lovely women approached me and said " Paul, we want to talk to you not as your Managers because you're a great worker but as your friends who are concerned about you" they went on to say how I looked all beated down could smell the booze and do I have a problem and so on. I knew deep down I was having a problem but as an alcoholic I denied everything, I'm fine,don't have a problem the usual alcoholic's excuses. After that I slowed down a little but still went out drinking every night guzzling beer. In 2005 I turned 40 but did I mature? No. Still out drinking and drinking the young guys under the table and being proud. Then my Dad passed away and I still drank although I didn't get as bad as I did when Mom passed. That July I left the bar and I was hammered and drove figuring I only have to go 3 blocks I'll be alright. After I turned down a side street I lit a cigarette and a lit ash fell down and I looked down to get before it burned a hole in the velour seat. I then look up and see that I headed toward a parked car and about to hit and trying to hit the brakes, I accidently hit the gas but I swerved and avoided the car but ended up in bushes. I skirted a DUI due to connections I had but thats another story which I don't want to repeat here. After that I never drank and drove again but I still went out drinking every night after work but walked(or staggered should I say) home from the bars.
Now February 1st 2008. My birthday was 2 weeks ago but I was out everynight celebrating my birthday still. I woke up at 2:30pm ( I was off from work that day) and as usual I'm hung over,dry mouth,groggy and reeking of booze. My wife comes over and says, "Honey I love you very much and I know you love me and you always been great to me and never abused me like alot of others but I'm very concerned about your excessive drinking everynight could you please cut down,I'm concern about your health and don't want to be burying you in an early grave like some other people we knew"( We knew some people who died early due to excessive drinking and not taking care of themselves). I thought for a minute and went downstairs and told her to come with me, went down to the kitchen and opened the fridge and had one can of Coors Light 16oz left and one cigarette left. I took the can out out opened it and drank it and smoked the cigarette. My wife is looking at me like I'm a rebellious teenager and after I finished the beer & cigarette and turned to my wife and said " Hon, you just witnessed my last drink and smoke." I told her that was it and I love her and don't want to leave her a young widow. I even went over and grabbed a Bible and swore I never take another drink again or a cigarette. She was so happy and it was the best decision I made in my life outside of marrying my wife. It will be 3 years next February and I don't miss it one bit. Its nice to wake up earlier and feel better and have more energy and don't miss alcohol or that alcohol stench at all. Sometimes I still go to the bar but I drink non alcoholic brew like O Doul's(only a few) and see my friends and even though they still drink and smoke they even told me what a great decision I made and admire me and I'm an inspiration for them to cut down or quit. I went to my HR Director and the woman who was the Front Office Mgr but is now in another dept and told about my decision and they were happy. They knew I was in denial back then but realized that I would have to acknowledge my problem. Thats my recovery story.
Paul
I was born January 1965, I had great parents but my Dad's side of the family was in the bar business and were drinkers. My Mom side had a few drinkers but her Mom (My Grandmom) and Sister ( My Aunt) didn't drink at all because they were Christians and plus they had seen what alcohol has done in the past to other family members.
Anyway on to myself. I started drinking in high school and smoking pot and cigarettes which was the so called cool thing to do back in late 70's early 80's and as I came of age to legally drink went out drinking doing all the stupid drinking games. At 24 I met my wife, during our courtship I still drank but not as much,married in '92 at the age of 27 and at that time I had a job where I worked 7am till 3:30pm (hated those hours) so I didn't drink much during the week. After we got married I lost that job and then I got a job in a hotel working 3pm till 11pm. I thought great I can party after work and sleep in all morning and not have to at work till 3pm. Over the last 17 years at the hotel,(I'm still working there, same hours) 15 of those were spent getting off work,hitting the bar and living it up drinking,smoking closing the bars down almost every night of the week. my wife didn't mind for the longest time and she would join me on Friday & Saturday nights since she worked regular hours and was off weekends although she hardly drank. Then in late '02 my Mom passed away which I took very hard and really started hitting the bottle evey night after work getting totally plastered, waking up hung over and going to work all groggy and reeking of stale alcohol. My co workers knew what was going on with me they could smell it on me although I never drank on the job or before I had to go to work. Six years ago my HR director & Front Office Mgr both sweethearts and lovely women approached me and said " Paul, we want to talk to you not as your Managers because you're a great worker but as your friends who are concerned about you" they went on to say how I looked all beated down could smell the booze and do I have a problem and so on. I knew deep down I was having a problem but as an alcoholic I denied everything, I'm fine,don't have a problem the usual alcoholic's excuses. After that I slowed down a little but still went out drinking every night guzzling beer. In 2005 I turned 40 but did I mature? No. Still out drinking and drinking the young guys under the table and being proud. Then my Dad passed away and I still drank although I didn't get as bad as I did when Mom passed. That July I left the bar and I was hammered and drove figuring I only have to go 3 blocks I'll be alright. After I turned down a side street I lit a cigarette and a lit ash fell down and I looked down to get before it burned a hole in the velour seat. I then look up and see that I headed toward a parked car and about to hit and trying to hit the brakes, I accidently hit the gas but I swerved and avoided the car but ended up in bushes. I skirted a DUI due to connections I had but thats another story which I don't want to repeat here. After that I never drank and drove again but I still went out drinking every night after work but walked(or staggered should I say) home from the bars.
Now February 1st 2008. My birthday was 2 weeks ago but I was out everynight celebrating my birthday still. I woke up at 2:30pm ( I was off from work that day) and as usual I'm hung over,dry mouth,groggy and reeking of booze. My wife comes over and says, "Honey I love you very much and I know you love me and you always been great to me and never abused me like alot of others but I'm very concerned about your excessive drinking everynight could you please cut down,I'm concern about your health and don't want to be burying you in an early grave like some other people we knew"( We knew some people who died early due to excessive drinking and not taking care of themselves). I thought for a minute and went downstairs and told her to come with me, went down to the kitchen and opened the fridge and had one can of Coors Light 16oz left and one cigarette left. I took the can out out opened it and drank it and smoked the cigarette. My wife is looking at me like I'm a rebellious teenager and after I finished the beer & cigarette and turned to my wife and said " Hon, you just witnessed my last drink and smoke." I told her that was it and I love her and don't want to leave her a young widow. I even went over and grabbed a Bible and swore I never take another drink again or a cigarette. She was so happy and it was the best decision I made in my life outside of marrying my wife. It will be 3 years next February and I don't miss it one bit. Its nice to wake up earlier and feel better and have more energy and don't miss alcohol or that alcohol stench at all. Sometimes I still go to the bar but I drink non alcoholic brew like O Doul's(only a few) and see my friends and even though they still drink and smoke they even told me what a great decision I made and admire me and I'm an inspiration for them to cut down or quit. I went to my HR Director and the woman who was the Front Office Mgr but is now in another dept and told about my decision and they were happy. They knew I was in denial back then but realized that I would have to acknowledge my problem. Thats my recovery story.
Paul
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Philadelphia,PA
Posts: 8
Thanks Dee. Glad to share if it will helps others to quit. I still work at the hotel 3pm till 11pm but I think I want to go back to regular hours so I'm thinking about taking classes to be a counselor and help others who have drug & alcohol problems.
Paul
Paul
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Philadelphia,PA
Posts: 8
Just Had My 3rd Anniversary
On Feb 1st I celebrated 3 years sober and tobacco free. Its feels great. I started some courses on becoming a counselor for people with alcohol & drug addictions. What really motivated me was that right after Thanksgiving my friend who is a huge pothead and alcoholic lost his job. He was drinking on the job and was drunk as a skunk when his boss told him not to drink on the job and he got all arrogant with him and got in to altercation with him. Well, he lost his job and now he's been unemployed since then, he's pushing 50 years old with nothing in sight. I talked to him about it and telling him maybe he should quit the pot and booze and get help since it cost him his job but of course he says no the pot & booze doesn't control him which it does but he can't see it. I just pray & hope that he'll realize he needs help. Thats when I decided to sign up for courses to become a counselor. Wish me luck on my endeavor and with my friend.
Paul
Paul
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Philadelphia,PA
Posts: 8
Originally Posted by Dee74 
good luck with your new career 
D
D
Paul
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: The Great Outdoors
Posts: 1,992
Congrats Philly! I was wondering if you wanted to copy and paste your story here..
Stories of Recovery - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information
It will be saved there and before I registered I used to browse thru all the recovery stories..they helped! Matter of fact ..in part that is why I decided to join in here!
Stories of Recovery - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information
It will be saved there and before I registered I used to browse thru all the recovery stories..they helped! Matter of fact ..in part that is why I decided to join in here!
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