Finally Motivated to Change
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 2
Finally Motivated to Change
Hey all,
I've been a member for a few months now, when I previously attempted to become sober. Unfortunately at that point I just wasn't ready. I'm 27 years old, single, work part time, and also do some freelancing on the side.
I've had some pretty big alcohol problems for about 10 years now. It started back in high school, which at the time I was also doing cocaine and marijuana (up until about junior year). When I graduated high school I moved on to college and thats when the real party began. I ended up making it through my Associates Degree (intoxicated for the most part) luckily.
By age 22 or 23, I had experienced some pretty negative relationships due to my drinking, and at this time I would say I was consuming maybe 8-12 beers a day. I ended up getting an extremely high paying job, while only working about 30 hours a week (I actually still hold this position) about 4 years ago. I had moved on to probably buying a case every two days and if I new I didn't have to work the next day, I would make it some-sort of goal to just smash the whole case. Well, this caused an OWI and a whole hell-of-a-lot of stress in my life.
The OWI caused my girlfriend, whom which I was currently living with, to break up with me. I didn't really know what to do at this point and ended up moving in with my parents for about 3 months. I didn't really want my parents to know that I had a drinking problem so (like a true alcoholic) I moved on to Vodka. Usually purchasing a pint before I'd come home and drink it all that night.
To my amazement, I was still able to get back on my feet and get a new place within about 3-4 months. At this point I felt pretty liberated and on my own again, so hey, why not celebrate right... for the past 4 years or so I have been in the same place and my addiction has been growing increasingly worse. I would say I drink anywhere from 4 nights/wk to all 7 nights per week. Sometimes binging on a good 5 day stretch or so.
I drank wine, beer, vodka, bourbon, pretty much anything but when I was trying to actually get hammered, I would for sure go for the liquor. On some cases, I could put down about 3/4 liter of vodka in a 12 hour span.
My performance at work had not gone down and I was doing great work when I was there but after clock out time, I found myself having one and only one goal...Stop at the grocery store, pickup some smokes, some liquor, maybe a frozen pizza and head on home. This has gone on for about 1.5 years now, pretty consistently.
About a month ago something just kind of clicked in me and I realized that I could have a completely different life if I wouldn't have wasted so much time drinking. I started to just drink beer 4-5 nights a week, and for the most part kept it under about 10 beers a night. I actually felt so much more motivated to be productive, even though I was STILL drinking this much, it was such a significant decrease than what I was used to that I guess I got some brainpower back...
I actually started reading a book called The 7 Habits of a Highly Effective Person by Stephen Covey. Life Changing. Thats really all I can say. I would give you some of the insight I gained from the book but it would not have the same effect on anyone here as just reading it. It is a difficult read but it changed my life. I have been sober for a week now (I know thats nothing to brag about quite yet) and to tell you the truth, i haven't had any urges that overpowered me thus far.
It was difficult the first 3-4 days. I had some bad DT's (which I should have gone to the dr at this point and I highly advise you all to do as well anytime you detox) at this point, i was sweating uncontrollably, I was anxious as hell, I didn't sleep for two straight days. It was horrific.
I went to the gym every day for the first week and got a really good sweat in, followed by the sauna. I have been eating veggies, fruit, whole grain, and drinking water galore since I've quit and I've been taking epsom salt baths (which pull toxins out through the skin).
The past two nights, I have slept better than I have slept for years. My head is clear. My goals are coming back to me. I am getting more organized as the days go by. My hardest challenge is going to be to admit this disease to the people that I love and apologize for lying, breaking promises, not being around, on and on and on. This will come in time i'm confident about that.
I think rock bottom for me was my little brother getting married last month (and he's only 21) and has everything going for him. As great of a thing it is, it left me feeling so empty inside. Not knowing my character, or who I am has effected everything around me for nearly 1/3 of my life. My values were non-existent.
I highly encourage everyone struggling in life, maybe not even from addiction, but from the trials and tribulations of everyday life, to read the book i mentioned. Its by far the best book I have ever read and frankly I have to give a large part of my willingness to stay sober to that particular author.
I tend to ramble a bit and I apologize but I hope this does help at least 1 person with their struggles.
Love, HawkeyeNation
I've been a member for a few months now, when I previously attempted to become sober. Unfortunately at that point I just wasn't ready. I'm 27 years old, single, work part time, and also do some freelancing on the side.
I've had some pretty big alcohol problems for about 10 years now. It started back in high school, which at the time I was also doing cocaine and marijuana (up until about junior year). When I graduated high school I moved on to college and thats when the real party began. I ended up making it through my Associates Degree (intoxicated for the most part) luckily.
By age 22 or 23, I had experienced some pretty negative relationships due to my drinking, and at this time I would say I was consuming maybe 8-12 beers a day. I ended up getting an extremely high paying job, while only working about 30 hours a week (I actually still hold this position) about 4 years ago. I had moved on to probably buying a case every two days and if I new I didn't have to work the next day, I would make it some-sort of goal to just smash the whole case. Well, this caused an OWI and a whole hell-of-a-lot of stress in my life.
The OWI caused my girlfriend, whom which I was currently living with, to break up with me. I didn't really know what to do at this point and ended up moving in with my parents for about 3 months. I didn't really want my parents to know that I had a drinking problem so (like a true alcoholic) I moved on to Vodka. Usually purchasing a pint before I'd come home and drink it all that night.
To my amazement, I was still able to get back on my feet and get a new place within about 3-4 months. At this point I felt pretty liberated and on my own again, so hey, why not celebrate right... for the past 4 years or so I have been in the same place and my addiction has been growing increasingly worse. I would say I drink anywhere from 4 nights/wk to all 7 nights per week. Sometimes binging on a good 5 day stretch or so.
I drank wine, beer, vodka, bourbon, pretty much anything but when I was trying to actually get hammered, I would for sure go for the liquor. On some cases, I could put down about 3/4 liter of vodka in a 12 hour span.
My performance at work had not gone down and I was doing great work when I was there but after clock out time, I found myself having one and only one goal...Stop at the grocery store, pickup some smokes, some liquor, maybe a frozen pizza and head on home. This has gone on for about 1.5 years now, pretty consistently.
About a month ago something just kind of clicked in me and I realized that I could have a completely different life if I wouldn't have wasted so much time drinking. I started to just drink beer 4-5 nights a week, and for the most part kept it under about 10 beers a night. I actually felt so much more motivated to be productive, even though I was STILL drinking this much, it was such a significant decrease than what I was used to that I guess I got some brainpower back...
I actually started reading a book called The 7 Habits of a Highly Effective Person by Stephen Covey. Life Changing. Thats really all I can say. I would give you some of the insight I gained from the book but it would not have the same effect on anyone here as just reading it. It is a difficult read but it changed my life. I have been sober for a week now (I know thats nothing to brag about quite yet) and to tell you the truth, i haven't had any urges that overpowered me thus far.
It was difficult the first 3-4 days. I had some bad DT's (which I should have gone to the dr at this point and I highly advise you all to do as well anytime you detox) at this point, i was sweating uncontrollably, I was anxious as hell, I didn't sleep for two straight days. It was horrific.
I went to the gym every day for the first week and got a really good sweat in, followed by the sauna. I have been eating veggies, fruit, whole grain, and drinking water galore since I've quit and I've been taking epsom salt baths (which pull toxins out through the skin).
The past two nights, I have slept better than I have slept for years. My head is clear. My goals are coming back to me. I am getting more organized as the days go by. My hardest challenge is going to be to admit this disease to the people that I love and apologize for lying, breaking promises, not being around, on and on and on. This will come in time i'm confident about that.
I think rock bottom for me was my little brother getting married last month (and he's only 21) and has everything going for him. As great of a thing it is, it left me feeling so empty inside. Not knowing my character, or who I am has effected everything around me for nearly 1/3 of my life. My values were non-existent.
I highly encourage everyone struggling in life, maybe not even from addiction, but from the trials and tribulations of everyday life, to read the book i mentioned. Its by far the best book I have ever read and frankly I have to give a large part of my willingness to stay sober to that particular author.
I tend to ramble a bit and I apologize but I hope this does help at least 1 person with their struggles.
Love, HawkeyeNation
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