First time here
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 5
First time here
I quit smoking cigarettes 19 years ago and pot almost 12 years ago. Now working on the alcohol. It is easy to quit but, hard to stay quit. I have not really been keeping up with the days quit but, almost 6 weeks so far. It is hard or I would not have ended up here. After success quitting smoking, confident and determined to quit drinking. Hopefully reading others with the same journey will help.
instant
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 5,711
Welcome David- great decision- staying quit takes some work and commitment- it is so easy to forget.
after many attempts and a six week, and a six month stint of sobriety I have now been sober 20 months. If you need daily support join the daily support threads (see main board for the link)
after many attempts and a six week, and a six month stint of sobriety I have now been sober 20 months. If you need daily support join the daily support threads (see main board for the link)
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Calgary, Canada
Posts: 69
Hi david!
I quit smoking pot and cigarettes too a few years ago (after almost 20 years of smoking both), and for myself, I can definitely say that quitting drinking is much more difficult. But I know that the experiences I had leaving my other addictions are helping me to fight the drinking one.
The difference is... Alcohol just so gets into every single aspect of your life that I feel like I have to almost learn how to live again.
I find a lot of support on these forums, and I hope you will too.
All the best!
I quit smoking pot and cigarettes too a few years ago (after almost 20 years of smoking both), and for myself, I can definitely say that quitting drinking is much more difficult. But I know that the experiences I had leaving my other addictions are helping me to fight the drinking one.
The difference is... Alcohol just so gets into every single aspect of your life that I feel like I have to almost learn how to live again.
I find a lot of support on these forums, and I hope you will too.
All the best!
Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: TX
Posts: 137
Hi David,
No experience with pot or cigs, but quitting alcohol so far has been the most difficult thing I've ever had to do... so far I've failed repeatedly. The last time I tried to quit, I actually made it 6 weeks about where you are at, then my craving sniped me one Saturday afternoon. It all happened quickly and I let myself talk me in to a bottle of wine... of course, just one. But then it snowballed so quickly. I learned no matter how long you go, it's not like other habits where its gone after a month. Its a part of you and its always in there alive and well wanting to come out. So, its looking like maintaining sobriety is going to be a lifestyle, not just something we work on for a few months. Someone once told me in AA, "I drank everyday of my life up until now, so now I can spend everyday of the rest on my sobriety." Not really an AA'er because I find social situations are a trigger for me, but think that pretty much sums it up for us.
Don't make that mistake I did... it can really set you back. Instead stay on guard and something everyday to reinforce your sobriety.
No experience with pot or cigs, but quitting alcohol so far has been the most difficult thing I've ever had to do... so far I've failed repeatedly. The last time I tried to quit, I actually made it 6 weeks about where you are at, then my craving sniped me one Saturday afternoon. It all happened quickly and I let myself talk me in to a bottle of wine... of course, just one. But then it snowballed so quickly. I learned no matter how long you go, it's not like other habits where its gone after a month. Its a part of you and its always in there alive and well wanting to come out. So, its looking like maintaining sobriety is going to be a lifestyle, not just something we work on for a few months. Someone once told me in AA, "I drank everyday of my life up until now, so now I can spend everyday of the rest on my sobriety." Not really an AA'er because I find social situations are a trigger for me, but think that pretty much sums it up for us.
Don't make that mistake I did... it can really set you back. Instead stay on guard and something everyday to reinforce your sobriety.
Thriving sober since 12/18/08
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 3,115
Happy you found us! You're right, staying quit is the hardest part, especially once we start healing and feeling better inside and out. I found it quite a relief to simply take the option of drinking off the table completely, it's a freedom really!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 5
Originally Posted by Garen 
Hi David,
No experience with pot or cigs, but quitting alcohol so far has been the most difficult thing I've ever had to do... so far I've failed repeatedly. The last time I tried to quit, I actually made it 6 weeks about where you are at, then my craving sniped me one Saturday afternoon. It all happened quickly and I let myself talk me in to a bottle of wine... of course, just one. But then it snowballed so quickly. I learned no matter how long you go, it's not like other habits where its gone after a month. Its a part of you and its always in there alive and well wanting to come out. So, its looking like maintaining sobriety is going to be a lifestyle, not just something we work on for a few months. Someone once told me in AA, "I drank everyday of my life up until now, so now I can spend everyday of the rest on my sobriety." Not really an AA'er because I find social situations are a trigger for me, but think that pretty much sums it up for us.
Don't make that mistake I did... it can really set you back. Instead stay on guard and something everyday to reinforce your sobriety.
No experience with pot or cigs, but quitting alcohol so far has been the most difficult thing I've ever had to do... so far I've failed repeatedly. The last time I tried to quit, I actually made it 6 weeks about where you are at, then my craving sniped me one Saturday afternoon. It all happened quickly and I let myself talk me in to a bottle of wine... of course, just one. But then it snowballed so quickly. I learned no matter how long you go, it's not like other habits where its gone after a month. Its a part of you and its always in there alive and well wanting to come out. So, its looking like maintaining sobriety is going to be a lifestyle, not just something we work on for a few months. Someone once told me in AA, "I drank everyday of my life up until now, so now I can spend everyday of the rest on my sobriety." Not really an AA'er because I find social situations are a trigger for me, but think that pretty much sums it up for us.
Don't make that mistake I did... it can really set you back. Instead stay on guard and something everyday to reinforce your sobriety.
Other habits never do quit either...the little voice is the same and won't shut up completely
Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: London UK
Posts: 33
For me, the most powerful forces keeping me from drinking alcohol are-
Memories of how bad I felt when I was drinking and why I stopped in December
Watching drunk people in pubs - seeing how unendearing they are and happy that's not me!
Being able to remember and enjoy more than when I was drinking
Waking up every morning without a hangover and thinking "I'm so glad I didn't drink last night!"
Feeling various aches, pains and anxieties slowly improve
People telling me I look better
Having more energy and focus
Knowing that every day not drinking is a day I am recovering physically and seeing things more clearly
Having an extra £70-£100 per week in my bank account
Being able to plan evenings without constantly factoring in alcohol (can I drink? If so when and how much? etc etc)
One day at a time!
Good luck
Memories of how bad I felt when I was drinking and why I stopped in December
Watching drunk people in pubs - seeing how unendearing they are and happy that's not me!
Being able to remember and enjoy more than when I was drinking
Waking up every morning without a hangover and thinking "I'm so glad I didn't drink last night!"
Feeling various aches, pains and anxieties slowly improve
People telling me I look better
Having more energy and focus
Knowing that every day not drinking is a day I am recovering physically and seeing things more clearly
Having an extra £70-£100 per week in my bank account
Being able to plan evenings without constantly factoring in alcohol (can I drink? If so when and how much? etc etc)
One day at a time!
Good luck
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 5
Originally Posted by brazzaville
For me, the most powerful forces keeping me from drinking alcohol are-
Memories of how bad I felt when I was drinking and why I stopped in December
Watching drunk people in pubs - seeing how unendearing they are and happy that's not me!
Being able to remember and enjoy more than when I was drinking
Waking up every morning without a hangover and thinking "I'm so glad I didn't drink last night!"
Feeling various aches, pains and anxieties slowly improve
People telling me I look better
Having more energy and focus
Knowing that every day not drinking is a day I am recovering physically and seeing things more clearly
Having an extra £70-£100 per week in my bank account
Being able to plan evenings without constantly factoring in alcohol (can I drink? If so when and how much? etc etc)
One day at a time!
Good luck
Memories of how bad I felt when I was drinking and why I stopped in December
Watching drunk people in pubs - seeing how unendearing they are and happy that's not me!
Being able to remember and enjoy more than when I was drinking
Waking up every morning without a hangover and thinking "I'm so glad I didn't drink last night!"
Feeling various aches, pains and anxieties slowly improve
People telling me I look better
Having more energy and focus
Knowing that every day not drinking is a day I am recovering physically and seeing things more clearly
Having an extra £70-£100 per week in my bank account
Being able to plan evenings without constantly factoring in alcohol (can I drink? If so when and how much? etc etc)
One day at a time!
Good luck
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