MasterSkywalker

tomorrow night starts the NFL season and over the last 20 years I haven't spent a year without drinking while my team is playing... so tomorrow will be the day I return to have my drinks... im too depressed, too lonely... nothing to do around this dump of a city... I have NO friends to speak of... sitting here on a website 24 hours a day isn't my idea of a good time... guess I wasn't serious at all... so here I go, off into the wild blue yonder...

Dee74

Nothing changes if nothing changes MasterSkywalker.

You came here for a reason. Obviously alcohol is not working for you.
To return to it just opens the door to all the stuff that bought you here.

Just an observation - a lot of people here have reached out to you, including me, and you've shied away from all attempts to draw you out of your self imposed isolation.

That's what I've seen. I'm not criticising - I have no idea of your history...but something needs to change, if you want change.

Do you have a therapist or a counsellor? Can you talk to them?

D

suki44883

I used to think I couldn't watch a football game without my beer. After all, isn't it all about the comaraderie? Once I embraced recovery, I found that I actually enjoyed the games more. After all, that's the whole point of watching a game. If you just want to gather a group of people to drink, who needs a football game getting in the way?

Wastinglife

Skywalker, I am a huge NFL fan too. I play in 3 different Fantasy Football leagues. I never thought I could watch football sober. I was drunk from noon on every Sunday during the season for 10 years. Last season was the first time I followed the games completely sober.
I could actually remember the games the next day. I know that pull NFL season has though. I don't watch in bars anymore cuz that is just too tempting.

It sounds like you need a change of scenery. The place you live seems pretty damn depressing. Have you thought of moving somewhere else to try new things meet new people?

ANewDayNYC

I follow college football, and I am also very worried about the approaching season. However, when I think big picture the pros of not drinking win out.

soberjuly

If you have no friends how is drinking going to solve that problem? It will still be there when you sober up. I don't really have any "real" friends. The closest I had was a lady who moved away last summer. We still chat but she lives in Indiana! I am having to start over, I mean it's lots of the same people but I need to show the new me as I am sure I have burnt bridges. Or just meet new people. I would love a friend to kick back with and go to yoga or the gym or just for a walk. I thought things were okay until I sobered up and realized people didn't contact me unless they wanted something from me, like to buy products they were selling or doing volunteer work at school and etc. I sobered up and let my emails sit...when I finally checked and weeded through I was like, wow, no one really noticed I dropped off the face of the Earth for a week. Yes, I have a husband, I have 3 kids...so it's not the same (as your situation) but as far as people that are around me without being related to me in some way...I need to work at that.

My kids have so many friends, I had a ton of friends in school also...but I've moved around too much, been married too many times and etc.

It's a vicious circle because you say you don't have friends, so you drink and can't make friends, because your friend is booze...and you can't get out of that hole

you really think we don't get it? I think we get it more than anyone you will meet at a football game or in a sports bar

you need to end the cycle

happyandfree

I like the idea of actually remembering what happened in the game. Drinking while watching a game was pure habit and association. It was embarrassing the next day when I realized that I'd watched the game but didn't remember most of it. So tomorrow, I'm going to get some wonderful snacks and a tall glass of lemonade and enjoy the game. You can try it also skywalker.....you don't have to drink to enjoy the game. Don't make the game an excuse to drink. You will regret it. I also have few friends. ..I was content at home with my dogs and a bottle of wine. Now I'm trying new things so I can meet some new people. It's all part of the big picture and making positive changes. We can do this. It might not be real easy, but it's our lives we are talking about. What could be more important than that. Bring on a sober football season!

soberjuly

and MasterSkywalker, when you are drinking, the friends you will make will be drinking friends.

you think it's boring not drinking because you need to get healthy and then you will see. If you are depressed, the worst thing for you is booze. I never believed it made depression worse or heightened anxiety until I went off it.

I can't think of a better place to be than SR for when you fall off the wagon. You can be honest here and they always welcome you back. That doesn't happen in the real world too often.

Even if I had buddies, I doubt I would want to tell them about this because I would worry. I mean, the moms I do know, they might wonder, was she drunk when she drove my kid that one time? I am not even sure if my husband knows the extent. I tell him I'm on my alcoholic message board, I tell him I need to be here a little every day, I've never given the name or my username because I worry he might read something I haven't told him about. I've never cheating or anything like that - it's just I don't think he knows how bad I was. I mean he does, but he doesn't know how bad I was 3.5 weeks ago when I finally quit.

but I can tell how people are reacting to me, things are changing in a positive way, since I've been sober.

hope you come back!

27cougar

I also think football season will be a challenge, just changing that habit of beer = football. I plan on making and eating some good snacks to give myself something else to look forward to. And watching at home instead of bars, yes, that would be way too tempting.

ScottFromWI

I just spent a full day at Lambeau field for the family day/scrimmage with nearly 70,000 other fans. We had a tailgate party, spend nearly the entire day there. There was definitely drinking going on, but I didn't have a drop and neither did a lot of other people I saw. I also had a great time.

Here's the truth MasterSkywalker: If you do decide to drink tomorrow, it's got nothing to do with football, it's because you are an alcoholic. I hope you decide to stay sober, it's your only chance to find a way to start getting better.

Croissant

Firstly, thanks. Your thread reminded me to get my fizzy water out for the football here that starts in 20mins.

Just over a year ago....I could never have imagined that. I'd be tanked by now anyway, probably only really remember the first 30 mins, if I was lucky. This year, it was nice to start a season and remember all the games, not have to watch replays or read the paper for the final score.

You said you liked to play online games, and you don't like society. So, if you are a loner by nature, what does it matter if there's nothing to do in your city? You can read, go volunteer at an animal shelter.

Or you could move.

Anyway, I hope you do decide not to drink and do come back. It's easy to think your circumstance is special, but we've all had to scrape a life together from scraps that alcohol left. It doesn't just miraculously happen, you need to take action. Stopping drinking is only part of the story.

If you come back and think only you've had to deal with this, try reading this;

TERMINAL UNIQUENESS

letitgo

It will be my first season sober as well. I struggle with the same question about drinking. But I loved football before drinking. Drinking just makes me not remember anything start week off hungover All day Sunday drinking is a waste of time. The only thing that will get me is every other commercial is a beer commercial. The beer companies really pound drinking and football together. But in reality they pound drinking and everything together. Considering I am cheap and realize all the money i save from not drinking this will not bother me.
Stay strong Master.

Scott your a great guy other then being a packers fan. Da Bears

Chilledice

Drinking will not help your depression only worsen it, nor will it bring you any real friends into your life and neither will it make your city any less of a dump!

I truly hope you stay strong and sober tomorrow, just remember that for us alcoholics every drink we take is a step closer to disaster and possible death!

walkbeformakrun

Thanks to everyone that posted. I'm a college football fan and needed to hear all this as well. I hope the OP was listening too. OP?

aborkie

If football wins out over sobriety, than you don't want to quit. It's not that complicated.

ccam1973

Man I hope you change your mind and position on this.

I gratuated from the university of Tennessee and LOVE COLLEGE FOOTBALL WITH A PASSION. For 21 years i watched every season drunk, didn't just watch while enjoying drinking , but watched drunk for 21 years. I am actually looking forward to enjoying this season of both college and NFL sober. I can't just have a few beers while watching the games. I would be constantly pounding drink after drink after drink!! I cared more about drinking and hiding how much i was drinking while around others watching games that I was limiting my true enjoyment and experience of the game.

I want you to know that you, your addiction, your ferars and obstacles are not unique. You chose to reach out to an addiction recovery site. You chose this for a reason.

We are not normal drinkers. We don't have an off switch like others do. You chose to ask us for help and you can choose to lsten to all of the advise many have shared with you. And by the way, I have read the posts and it's good advise too.

You say spending all of your time on the internet isnt working. But you also say you dont have any friends even when you are drinking.

By posting that you are just going to drink again leads me to believe you still want our help in this. If thats truly your choice then why post it here. Just execute and move on with your decision without telling us. You don't owe us a "goodbye". If youbare resolved to drinking during football, we dont need to know, unless it's not your final decision and you truly still want help.

MS, we cant make this decision for you, we can't will you a house full of sober friends or wish you into a new vibrant city. These options are out of our reality but within your grasp.

I wish you the best of luck. I personally think you still want a sober life otherwise you would have just moved on without posting here. You owe us nothing, you owe yourself everything that can be good, no great within life.

Someone else sait it before in a post... "then what do you want from us". You can end this cycle now which will make your social situation more achieveable. Thats your decision, we can support you if you want change, but cant make it for you.

Be well and good luck. If you start drinking again, wether for football, baseball, soccer (another football), golf, tennis, rugby, long diatance running, curling, or croquet, it is your choice. There will always be a reason to drink.

...but there are hundreds fo reasons to enjoy these moments sober. We can help but you must put forth the baseline effort for your success.

Please let us know if you want our help, otherwise best of luck to you.

If you truly want to quit and make a change tben you can. Drinking isbnot making your situation or isolation better or easier. You have strength and can choose to not drink. We cant do it for you but we can support you if you want a sober life.

Chilledice

I think he does want to quit, I don't think its about football at all, I honestly believe his A.V is looking for an excuse to drink. I used ANY excuse to crack a beer open!

Rosie88

I posted a similar thread a little bit ago. Not saying I was goin back to drinking but that I was sad about not being able to drink.

Everyone gave me helpful tips and showed me the pros of being sober for football. You actually remember the game! That's the best part of it!

Just stick with sobriety! You can do it!! Come on here and chat with us! I know you said that it's not your ideal way to spend your time but I think you'll realize there are plenty of football fans here that would LOVE to discuss games. Can't discuss the game if you don't remember it!

As for the depression, I'd strongly suggest seeing a therapist. When you find the right one, it's like a weight is lifted off your shoulders. And friends... Maybe find a meeting around you were you can meet sober people to talk to? Research sober interest groups.

Just throwing that idea out there! Please don't go back to the bottle! If you do, you know everyone here will support you and help you get sober again!

:-)

ESD907

Oddly enough, for years we had season tix to the Bucs, and we'd tailgate... Now I was simply the wife, and back then I hardly drank..so I was the DD. anyway, all these huge football fans were more tailgate fans. prior to getting the tickets, I thought these people (spouses friends) are huge fans. But they planned the tailgating more. I've come to realize this now that we are the hosts of several years worth of superbowl parties. That its more the event than the game to many. I think you will enjoy the game more sober, like many have already stated. I don't have many friends either, but I make do. I'm hoping to start working again, and maybe there I can make a friend or two. Like SoberJulile, we moved a bit and I am ashamed to contact old friends due to my past behavior.

PurpleKnight

It doesn't have to be inevitable, completely giving up over a sport sounds crazy to me, there's sport on 365 days a year!!

How about what I do with ice hockey, join a supporters club, meet some like minded people, make some new friends and remain Sober, if you're into NFL, there are millions across the world who get just as excited about it.

You have the choice, I don't see why that must include drinking!!