wyldwest

Drinking has been a part of my life since I was born. My dad drank heavily my mom drank socially, my aunts, uncles, cousins, etc... I had my first taste so young I don't even remember how old I was.
Once I reached adulthood drinking wasn't a big deal to me, a couple beers, a few drinks - maybe some shots at the party on Friday!
From my mid 20's I was a daily drinker, a few after work every day then party all weekend. Then the holidays, look out, drinking heavy with friends and family.
Still after all these years (I'm now 46) I really didn't see my drinking as a problem. Always able to hold a good job, the bills got paid, good kids, good marriage, no legal issues.
This year was different, I was laid off and been unemployed all year. The drinking went from after work to in the morning then all day - every day. Not getting really drunk but ALWAYS under the influence. After being somewhere between buzzed and drunk for 6 months straight I started feeling a little ill. OK a LOT ill! Depression, lack of motivation, no energy, growing gut, the list goes on...
I decided about a month ago, after my last big party trip to Vegas that was it. On the last day of the trip I woke up felling quite poorly. I ate nothing, I drank nothing (except a 7-UP just before my flight home) Once home I started to bring myself down. I won't go into details because it might be construed as giving medical advice. But I will say it's working and I feel great today! I QUIT! I QUIT! I QUIT!

alaskasunshine

Welcome and good luck. I am quitting for good. Day one here. I am also 46.

Humbled77

Welcome Wyldwest. There are a lot of us highly functioning alcoholics running around here. But as I posted in another thread, we are always one major life setback from spiraling into a dangerous place. Glad you took control. Good luck.

northwoods

Your situation is very similar to mine wyldwest. I'll be 46 later this year. I think what started the all day drunks for me was I got divorced a couple years ago. There are no hard feelings between us and we are on very good terms now, but I think it was the increased time alone that did it for me. I live way back in the boonies and not much going on around here socially. I used to keep myself occupied with so many things I have a home and farm to take care of among other things. But I guess I was kind of feeling lost and the alcohol did make me feel better... but it gradually took more and more of it till my "normal" was in fact being under the influence. It helps for me to think back to the time when I would have been horrified of the idea of drinking liquor when I woke up in the morning, which was not so long ago. It's funny how booze will get you like that... it just slowly creeps up and takes control of you over a period of time... if you let it! No more of that for me. I know that stopping drinking is not the only change I will have to make, the physical part of it I know I can deal with, but the mental part of is a tough thing. I get a lot of strength knowing that I am not the first person to have to deal with it and won't be the last.

honeypie

OMG I am 46 too! Have been a very high functioning drinker and professional my whole life. I have not gotten to the all-day drinking stage but that may be because I work every day. Travelling for work, though, tends to bring out the binger in me

What is it about this age and getting sober? Maybe mid life crisis in reverse: mid life sanity?! Lol.

Anyway, I am glad to have found SR and October thread is a good place too!!

Dee74

welcome to SR wyldwest

D

eJoshua

Welcome to SR!

fragileflower

Welcome welcome welcome! Today is day 1 for me after some months sober. I too was a daily drinker. Unemployed and depression definitely has played apart my mess.

You are not alone....keep posting

Fragileflower