What made you stop?
 

I'm taking a brief poll, I guess. As the friend of an A, I would like to hear from those who feel they have their addiction at bay. What made you get help or quit? I understand there's always a turning point, such as ... "I was sleeping it off under a bridge" or some other pivital point. Maybe it was an intervention? Maybe it was because you had a health crisis? I'm just trying to understand this from the A's perspective a little better.

Hi,

I stopped because I was physically, spiritually and mentally sick. I just knew I wasn't going to be able to continue and had to stop and I did.

I was having the DT's. I was the only one of my friends who was concerned "if I had enough beer for the night". My hangovers were horrible. I was blowing lots of money. I have a history of alcoholism in my family, people have died from alcoholism in my family. I have a great internship in Boston next summer and I don't to be having a DT at it. I have too many reasons to quit.

My ex had had enough, wanted a divorce and was having an affair. Wanted me out of the house and away from our children. After 11 years together I was losing everything that I thought I needed for a rich and full life. For 27 years I was building a house of cards, when it fell down I panicked and sobered up.

Kicked out of school, lackluster life, isolation, etc...

The last time I was drunk, I decided that I'd had enough and I wanted it over. I decided to go down to the kitchen and cut my wrists. I was so drunk that I couldn't walk, my legs just wouldn't work. I was forced to stay on the bathroom floor until the morning, and luckily the only thing in reach was a razor blade, and I couldn't do any serious harm with that, only superficial. I've no doubt that had I been able to walk, I would have killed myself that night.

Lost my Driver's License, Nursing License, Home, relationship with my family ( lost friends long time ago)......was on my way to being homeless....had nowhere else to go....

I didn't recognize the man I was shaving in the morning. In fact I didn't like him when I saw him.
Jon

I was dying, again!

Withdrawal symptoms
 

I ended up in the hospital with DT's. Scary, scary stuff. I knew I never wanted to go through that again. Any time I get a craving I think of being in that hospital. That stops it pretty quickly.

I lost all my friends; my girlfriend; my car; my money; i ended up in ER twice in just as many months; I got a warning from my landlord that my drunken behavior was not on and if my neighbours complained just once more i'd be kicked out; eventually I broke a finger.
All this happened in just 7 months of drinking.

Because I'd been at it so long, I felt I was looking death square in the eye. I knew my tolerance had gone from HUGE to just a few beers leaving me feeling shaky & desperate the next morning. Some liver damage, my stomach hurt, my eyes were red all the time, all the bad things I had done were haunting me and only made worse by the cycle of drinking/detoxing. My body told me it could no longer play the game, too many years gone by to keep getting myself "back" time & time again. Thanks for asking!

what made me stop? (you asked)
 

4 years ago, this very day, was let out of jail from the night before, had my car impounded and had to get my parrot out of the animal control facility because I was living in my car and was arrested on a DUI. I'd had enough of going to jail because drinking=jail for me. Luckily I beat the DUI charge and decided to get a full time job and straighten my life out. Nobody was going to do it for me! My friends in AA let me sleep on their floor for 6 months where I saved money enough to get my own apartment. I've been at my place ever since. (3 1/2 years) I moved in with a mattress on the bedroom floor and 2 plastic white chairs. (thats all!) Now I have a couch, rugs, bird cage (a big one for my parrot) lamps and plenty of food. Life is good when you sober up and things become more clear on HOW to live, making better choices. (or asking for help when you need it) There is hope, I am living proof! Be kinder than necessary, beacuse someone, somewhere is fighting some kind of battle. One day at a time! :)

I was with my friend when we were pulled over and she got a DUI. My GF had left me, I had two failed marriages, I would sit in the bath and think about suicide, I realized that I was quickly becoming my mother who died at 57 from alcoholism. I was miserable. Being sober was the last thing I wanted to do, yet it was the only thing that I never tried to fix. I had nothing else to lose.

I quit because I detested the woman I had become.

i am quitting because the real me is screaming to get out and live the life i am here to live...its destiny

I congratulate you all for changing your life's! woo hoo:) I do not claim to know how hard it is but i see it every day with my AH. He has been sober 9 1/2 months and is having a hard time right now. Living with an Alcoholic is not easy but i am sure living with yourselves is not easy either. I congratualte you all and wish you all the happiness in the world

Character - the willingness to accept responsibility for one's own life - is the source from which self respect springs. – Joan Didion, American Author and Journalist
Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still. - Chinese Proverb

I lost 2 fiances 2 houses 3 cars all my friends. Noone trusts me. not even me.
I need to do this and make it work before it's too late

So many wonderful responses! Thank you all! I'm looking forward to more. I'm just afraid it's too late for my XABF. I think his body is failing and he's more insane than sane. But it's so good to hear from people who are MAKING IT!!!!!

many thanks to all the SR family that responded...

CB... i started at age 12, carooooomed! with my D & D'n up til 48 years old...

my body was failing, and the insanity of the insanity was over the top...

CB, why did i stop?

"i was exausted!"

never give up hope on anyone... just dont be stand'n by wait'n...

xxoo, blessings, recovery... and give only love...

pattee