Taking the easy option
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: uk
Posts: 57
Taking the easy option
Well after deciding to stop drinking at the beginning of the year, I have now decided to give up and take the easy option. I have been battling alcohol for years and been asking myself all the classic questions. Am I an alcoholic? Am i a binge drinker? Do I depend on alcohol to socialise etc. I have tried to cut down on my drinking, to only drink on weekends or to limit the amount i drink. I have tried harder to be in control of my behaviour when drunk.
I have apologised to my wife hundreds of times about my drinking, argued with her hundreds of times about my drinking, spoiled family occassions, holidays and parties through my drinking.
I have been disgusted with myself for pestring my wife for sex after drinking then apologise only to then do it again and again. I have suffered hangovers and wasted times of my life not being able to function because of my drinking.
I have woken up from blackouts wondering why i argued with and became agressive towards my friends during nights out. Being paranoid and anxious around people not remembering when I last saw them and what I said to them and did during my blackouts
So it's time to throw in the towel and give up. I am not going to drink ever again. This is the easy option. Not picking up the first drink is the easy option.
Waking up with a clear head is the easy option, Having a great relationship with my wife is the easy option. Being a dad my three daughters can be proud of is the easy option.
I can do and be all of this if i dont drink. Easy!!
I have apologised to my wife hundreds of times about my drinking, argued with her hundreds of times about my drinking, spoiled family occassions, holidays and parties through my drinking.
I have been disgusted with myself for pestring my wife for sex after drinking then apologise only to then do it again and again. I have suffered hangovers and wasted times of my life not being able to function because of my drinking.
I have woken up from blackouts wondering why i argued with and became agressive towards my friends during nights out. Being paranoid and anxious around people not remembering when I last saw them and what I said to them and did during my blackouts
So it's time to throw in the towel and give up. I am not going to drink ever again. This is the easy option. Not picking up the first drink is the easy option.
Waking up with a clear head is the easy option, Having a great relationship with my wife is the easy option. Being a dad my three daughters can be proud of is the easy option.
I can do and be all of this if i dont drink. Easy!!
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,502
I did find it easier to stop drinking than to moderate. I was absolutely exhausted from lying, hiding, sneaking around, cleaning up messes and trying desperately to remember who I called last night.
I am so glad that you have decided to live a sober life.
I am so glad that you have decided to live a sober life.
New to Real Life
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: I come in Peaces
Posts: 2,071
Pure relief! Once I reached that point it wasn't hard to not drink. Keeping my life on track, learning new ways to cope. Those have been my work. But truly realizing (as you seem to) that I would ALWAYS be happier not drinking made it very simple.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 139
Like you, just thinking about blacking out, which I have done way too many times, scares me and even worse, disgusts me. We have proven that we can't and won't control the amount we drink. Good luck and come back.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 9
Originally Posted by dingding 
Well after deciding to stop drinking at the beginning of the year, I have now decided to give up and take the easy option. I have been battling alcohol for years and been asking myself all the classic questions. Am I an alcoholic? Am i a binge drinker? Do I depend on alcohol to socialise etc. I have tried to cut down on my drinking, to only drink on weekends or to limit the amount i drink. I have tried harder to be in control of my behaviour when drunk.
I have apologised to my wife hundreds of times about my drinking, argued with her hundreds of times about my drinking, spoiled family occassions, holidays and parties through my drinking.
I have been disgusted with myself for pestring my wife for sex after drinking then apologise only to then do it again and again. I have suffered hangovers and wasted times of my life not being able to function because of my drinking.
I have woken up from blackouts wondering why i argued with and became agressive towards my friends during nights out. Being paranoid and anxious around people not remembering when I last saw them and what I said to them and did during my blackouts
So it's time to throw in the towel and give up. I am not going to drink ever again. This is the easy option. Not picking up the first drink is the easy option.
Waking up with a clear head is the easy option, Having a great relationship with my wife is the easy option. Being a dad my three daughters can be proud of is the easy option.
I can do and be all of this if i dont drink. Easy!!
I have apologised to my wife hundreds of times about my drinking, argued with her hundreds of times about my drinking, spoiled family occassions, holidays and parties through my drinking.
I have been disgusted with myself for pestring my wife for sex after drinking then apologise only to then do it again and again. I have suffered hangovers and wasted times of my life not being able to function because of my drinking.
I have woken up from blackouts wondering why i argued with and became agressive towards my friends during nights out. Being paranoid and anxious around people not remembering when I last saw them and what I said to them and did during my blackouts
So it's time to throw in the towel and give up. I am not going to drink ever again. This is the easy option. Not picking up the first drink is the easy option.
Waking up with a clear head is the easy option, Having a great relationship with my wife is the easy option. Being a dad my three daughters can be proud of is the easy option.
I can do and be all of this if i dont drink. Easy!!
I really like your post, reminds me of myself. I hit my bottom for health reasons as I mentioned in my previous posts. I had spider angiomas on my chest, Liver palms, yellow eyes, distended stomach. I woke up one day and made the choice to live and not die. My liver rebounded and all of my tests are ok. There are some that want to push the envelope and get that last drink in and end up crossing the line in the sand and end up with cirrhosis of the liver. I have stayed somber by reading posts on this forum like yours and remind myself that if I start drinking again it will only be a few years before I am underground. I am actually happier now anyway..........so why should I go back to the blackouts, guilt, anger, fear, hangovers, shakes, yellow eyes, red palms and no sense of hope? The only way for me to win the alcohol game is not to play.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: I'm exactly where I should be.
Posts: 1,889
Good for you! It IS easy if you want it bad enough. After drinking for 30 years I am celebrating 40 days sobriety today. Like you, for me it was time...no more relapsing, no more hiding, no more even 'thinking' about it. It's over! And it's all good!
Good Luck!
Good Luck!
A work in progress
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 16,633
It WAS just about that easy, for me.
I had no desire to drink anymore, once I really threw in the towel and gave up fighting it.
Not everyone has that experience. I can't take any credit for it, I just know that when I made the decision, deep down, there was no more struggle.
I had no desire to drink anymore, once I really threw in the towel and gave up fighting it.
Not everyone has that experience. I can't take any credit for it, I just know that when I made the decision, deep down, there was no more struggle.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 889
Originally Posted by dingding
Simple is a better word than easy. My plan is not to pick up the first drink.
I don't know if I'm done drinking forever, but I do know I'm not going to drink today. When I wake up tomorrow, I will have untreated alcoholism. It will take action on my part (praying, AA meeting, calling people in the program, workers with other alcoholics, helping my wife, helping others, not thinking of myself first, etc) and that's just before noon (lol)... Left on my own, I will ALWAYS DRINK. But, with the help of others and by helping of others I'm pretty sure I can stay sober 24 hours at a time.
I wish you the best. You've made a decision, now just take the action. AA has given me a life I never thought I deserved...
Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Montreal
Posts: 85
Dingding, I find lots in your post that I relate to. After a 30 year drinking career, and several failed attempts at abstinance (as opposed to sobriety) I finally feel free. I know that there are daily challenges and temptations, but it really is easier in many ways to be sober, honest and proud than to be worring, lying, hung over and ashamed. Congrats my friend!
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: The Great Outdoors
Posts: 1,992
Just knowing you can NOT drink without it turning into a drunkfest and accepting that makes all the difference in the world. It has not been a struggle for me..and for that I am very grateful. I was living in a world of insanity that was self inflicted. I am still amazed that it took me YEARS to "wake up"..that is what it feels like..the grog is gone..the anxiety is gone..weight has returned to normal..crazy. I had it inside me that whole time..I just must not have wanted to do anything about it.
Guest
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 609
It is hon, not having the battle in your head is the easy option. Drinking took up 100 % of my emotional and mental space for a long time. Whenever things are difficult right now sober, I look back and know it is nothing compared to that self torture.
Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Oxnard (The Nard), CA, USA.
Posts: 13,949
Theirs nothing more liberating that to quit drinking and being proud of doing such. Being 
empowered has no equal in my book.
empowered has no equal in my book.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: uk
Posts: 57
Thanks for all your replies.
I feel that I over complicated my battle for many years.
Staying away from the first drink is the simple option and that is what i needed to do.
I realise there are many complicated and difficult reasons and issues around our drinking but for me seperating them and putting them in a different pile of problems from the drinking problem helped me.
The drinking problem pile however is as simple as not having that first drink.
Mind you, I am very early on in my soberity! (gulp)
I feel that I over complicated my battle for many years.
Staying away from the first drink is the simple option and that is what i needed to do.
I realise there are many complicated and difficult reasons and issues around our drinking but for me seperating them and putting them in a different pile of problems from the drinking problem helped me.
The drinking problem pile however is as simple as not having that first drink.
Mind you, I am very early on in my soberity! (gulp)
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