Kaily

For 15 years I worked in a Hotel Bar, over time I got to know lots of customers, a lot of them shared their problems and thoughts with me, unbeknown to them I was struggling to so could relate more than they knew.
One man, good looking and cheeky came in often, his drinking slowly increased but he seemed fine he started dating someone much younger than him that also worked at the hotel who came from Bulgaria ...
Anyway a long story short, he was missing a few weeks then returned, he was a shadow of his former self still with his hospital armband on and actually said to me if I drink again I will die, he asked for an orange juice, few hours later he was back on the vodka.
6 months on he died, 1 week after his young girl friend had a baby boy.

Yet I am still drinking, so what does it take to stop

Anna

Hi Kaily, That's a very sad story, but you don't have to go that route. What it takes to stop drinking is commitment. Recovery must be a priority. Places you go (like a hotel bar) matter, so it's important to make the right choices for people and places in your recovery life.

Coldfusion

When I was unable to stop drinking, I checked into a detox program for a week. I needed to be locked up away from alcohol, and in the company of others who were worse off than I and showed me where I was going.

There are so many tragic stories about alcohol. The truth is that every drink is the tragic death of a soul.

MIRecovery

Unfortunately far too many quit the way your friend did but it doesn't have to be that way.

When we start doing something about our problem instead of thinking about our problem things start to get better

Nowsthetime

What does it take to stop? Commitment, discipline and doing it!

You make your life! You can make it how you want it to be.

Read here, make a plan and work it.

It's up to you.

WillB

Thanks for sharing Kaily, the story and your feelings about it really hit home for me because it really strikes a chord with me. I've seen what it has done to others kinda from a distance but the knowing is there...life, family, spiritual growth, learning and doing new things are all important to me...connections to all are diminished yet I drink, I worry about my health and still I drink, I worry about my ability to stay on the path of growth and spirituality and still I drink. I've tried to stop many times over the past 20 years, none have worked long term.

Anna put it tremendously, it takes commitment. Many are forced to address their addictions because of the loss of family, job, health or all of the above. To date, I've been lucky but I feel like time is running out...Just wish I could bottle what I'm feeling now so I could remind myself of what I really want for my self and those I care for. Thanks again for sharing.