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How Many Times Did It Take You To Stop?

Old 08-11-2013, 08:11 AM
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How Many Times Did It Take You To Stop?

I've been back here half a dozen times now, saying I'm going to stop drinking for good. Every time it fails, and between bouts of posting here I'm drinking, pretending all is well until something happens because of the booze. It's now blatantly obvious to me I have a problem with alcohol but I'm not making progress with quitting. I just wondered how many times the people who're sober tried before and failed?
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Old 08-11-2013, 08:23 AM
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Hey James.
Everytime I wake up hungover and regretful for how I acted when I was drunk, I say I'm going to quit. Then a few days go by and I feel better so I come up with some reason why I deserve to drink again (I work hard, my kids stress me out, I am a good person so why not enjoy myself, etc.) This time I don't want to go back into that cycle. The main reason is because I am scared of losing my health and influencing my children. So I can't count how many times I've said I won't drink again and then did, but I have to stop. I don't want to keep breaking promises to myself and my husband. I wish you the best and once you identify the reasons you deserve to be healthy you will have more determination.
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Old 08-11-2013, 08:24 AM
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You CAN do this!!!
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Old 08-11-2013, 08:31 AM
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It's different for everybody.
But, I would say this would be my 4th or 5th time.
The first time I quit it lasted 14 months. Then I felt great and decided that I could moderate my drinking. NOPE, within 3 months I was abusing it again.
The other times I would go 3-6 weeks and fall off the wagon.

But, I never gave up and started right back up again being sober.
This time I'm really determined to end this cycle.
I don't need to play with fire anymore. I'm getting burned too much.
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Old 08-11-2013, 08:31 AM
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I can't count the number of times I said "never again", but something always gave me an excuse to have just one, which led to many more than 1. I am 21 days today and am feeling happy. YOU CAN DO THIS! Just take it one minute at a time. Go for a walk, pick up the phone and talk to a friend, just don't go to the store and buy alcohol. The first few days were really hard, but I got through it. I kept busy or I slept until the craving subsided. Good luck and keep coming back to this forum, it's helped me so much.
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Old 08-11-2013, 08:53 AM
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How many Mondays are there in the last 35 years?

In reality, the serious number of attempts that I made until I surrendered to the fact that there was no longer a choice was four. This is the fourth time and I have been 76 days and 11 weekends without alcohol (weekend binger here). This is the longest that I have been sober in 35 years.

However, if I had to count how many Monday mornings I woke up and reflected on my actions and what I had done over the prior two days and committed to the fact that I had to quit, well, that truly leads back to the first question. Somehow Friday came calling and I always could push those Monday morning thoughts out.

The difference for me this time is that it's for ME and others just get the perks from me making the decision. It's sheer will and unfettered determination that will not allow that AV reasoning with me, no matter the excuse. There is no more choice. I'm just doing whatever it takes to not pick up that first drink.

I'm glad that you decided to come back! YOU CAN DO THIS!
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Old 08-11-2013, 08:53 AM
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Thumbs up

On my own, I failed umpteenth times. When
I entered recovery beginning in rehab August 10,
1990, my first full day sober on August 11, 1990,
I was taught about my addiction to alcohol, then
given the tools and knowledge of a recovery
program to incorporate in my everyday life, then
and only then was I able to remain sober for
a many one days at a time to reach 23 yrs. sober
today.

Im so glad and so grateful that I didn't have
to learn to stay sober on my own and still
don't have to even today. I also learned that
my will never worked and that I needed and
wanted to rely on a program of recovery and
it's steps and principles set down for us to
follow to live an honest, healthy, happy life
for yrs. to come.

You can too.
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Old 08-11-2013, 08:54 AM
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Three tries for me. First try, stayed sober over a year! Second try, eight months. And I'm working on five months now
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Old 08-11-2013, 08:57 AM
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I really don't know. More than 10.
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Old 08-11-2013, 09:34 AM
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How many? Half hearted or whole hearted? Well countless half hearted. Two whole hearted. First whole hearted was 8 years ago and lasted bout 2 years. It was great. Well, let's just say that 2 years with no alcohol made no difference. I tried alcohol with moderation and I failed miserably. So...alcohol handles me and I can't handle it and that is a disastrous combination. So I had to make a choice... my life with alcohol or my life. And that's why I'm here. I'm choosing my life.
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Old 08-11-2013, 09:42 AM
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Twice.....The first time I had over 18 months sobriety. This second, and final time, I have almost 8 months.
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Old 08-11-2013, 09:42 AM
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Ive quit numerous times. One year, 8 months, 3 months, some other months. 5 months this time around, and I will be striving towards perfection with this time. Keep pushing forward and don't give up. You are worth it.
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Old 08-11-2013, 09:46 AM
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In the past, I probably said to myself "I need to quit drinking" about 5000 times, I only actually gave it a serious go twice before this decision (I'm just over 2 months..I don't count days). In order to get sober, I truly believe you have to get some ducks in a row. You can't just say "okay I'm going to quit"...close your eyes, cross your fingers and hope for the best, IMO. You really need to line up your ducks.
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Old 08-11-2013, 10:11 AM
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I've quit every single morning after I drank the night before.

Let's see. I'm 43. Starting my drinking career at about 19. That's 24 years.

I drank, conservatively, 3 nights a week. Lets call it four for fecks sake.

4992 times. Give or take a few thousand.

Which means I've spent roughly 14 years of my life drunk/hungover.

Jesus.
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Old 08-11-2013, 10:16 AM
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Once. Once 15 years ago and I stayed sober for 2 years and now I stopped 17 days ago and I am hoping and praying I do not fail a second time.

P.S. It really doesn't matter how many times you tried to stop--the fact that you keep trying is what counts.
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Old 08-11-2013, 01:02 PM
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Three times for me. I was never much for hopping on and off of the wagon, don't know why. I had plenty of "never again's" after a bad night but I don't count those because I never tried to stop, that was just the hangover talking. But I have sincerely tried to stop 3 times.

Got sober in 1990 for 6.5 years (relapsed for a year)
Got sober in 1997 for 7 years (relapsed for 8 years)
Got sober in 2013 (just shy of 4 months sober now)

So that means that since I started drinking regularly I have been a drunk for 20 years and sober for 14. I haven't had a problem quitting. I haven't even had a problem staying quit. My problem in the past has been that after a long enough period of time I forgot that I had a chronic, progressive illness that has no cure, and I would stop treating it.
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Old 08-11-2013, 02:25 PM
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It took me many times and many relapses to get this far. I had to accept the fact that I was the problem, not the alcohol. That was a big blow to my ego. And I had to want to be sober more than I wanted to be drunk.
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Old 08-11-2013, 02:45 PM
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I tried to stop many times over 15 years, but looking back all I ever tried to do was stop drinking.

I've only gotten serious once - I made changes in my life, found support, dedicated myself to making the rest of my life a better one....

That worked out a lot better

D
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