Around what age did you decide it was time to quit? Why?
Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Washington
Posts: 241
I have 31 days and feel great. I am 28 now. I quit when I was 25 after a stint in rehab but that only lasted a few months, i told myself i was still young and had plenty of years of partying ahead of me. But this time it's all me just being tired of what my life was becoming.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: London
Posts: 150
Ok so I haven't quit yet but I really want to and I think this thread will help. I'm 25 so I kid myself I'm ok and will fix my problem soon. But I am worried if I carry on down this path I'll be older and no more wiser just drunker
Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Tower Town, UK
Posts: 12
I first quit alcohol age 23yrs after a number of years of active using.
At almost age 40 and 16yr sober, I picked up alcohol again.
I chose to put down alcohol again age 48yrs and then put weed and other drugs down a couple of months after that.
Over a year sober and almost a year clean!
Old dogs can learn new tricks
At almost age 40 and 16yr sober, I picked up alcohol again.
I chose to put down alcohol again age 48yrs and then put weed and other drugs down a couple of months after that.
Over a year sober and almost a year clean!
Old dogs can learn new tricks
Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Cambridgeshire, UK
Posts: 74
Originally Posted by Fitness1234 
I got 20 days too.. feel great...
Ive been drinking for about 16 years or more. I am 29, not sure if this is a forever thing but i feel good. My workouts are great, my body getting back in shape and my sleep is wonderful. No blackouts, no bruises, no headaches, no embaressment
Ive been drinking for about 16 years or more. I am 29, not sure if this is a forever thing but i feel good. My workouts are great, my body getting back in shape and my sleep is wonderful. No blackouts, no bruises, no headaches, no embaressment
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Sober Recovery
Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: USA
Posts: 138
Originally Posted by Lizella
Ok so I haven't quit yet but I really want to and I think this thread will help. I'm 25 so I kid myself I'm ok and will fix my problem soon. But I am worried if I carry on down this path I'll be older and no more wiser just drunker
Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Midwest
Posts: 135
Been drinking for over 30 straight years and am sober and trying to stay same after 29 days without any alcohol (almost a month now)!
Have thought about quitting several times over the last 10 years but always came up with excuses and people that were to blame for my sickness.
Finally went to the Dr. and received a call after the blood tests from his nurse telling me my liver enzymes were really high, bp and cholesterol high, verge of diabetes/heart disease, etc... and that the Dr said I need to quit drinking immediately and to return in 9 weeks for further testing to see what the cause of my liver enzymes were and other issues. Like I do not know why my liver enzymes are so high : (
Well I quit the day of the call and told everyone that I, aka "the saint", was quitting beer for Lent.
Well I guess that helped some of my friends accept me not drinking and I have kept to it since the call, Ash Wednesday.
I guess it finally took a Dr telling me my health was in trouble and that I had to quit imbibing. Pretty sad it came to that : (
29 straight days sober and counting so all I can do is continue and pray that God gives me another chance to turn my health around and have clean/positive blood tests in 6 weeks.
Peace all.
Have thought about quitting several times over the last 10 years but always came up with excuses and people that were to blame for my sickness.
Finally went to the Dr. and received a call after the blood tests from his nurse telling me my liver enzymes were really high, bp and cholesterol high, verge of diabetes/heart disease, etc... and that the Dr said I need to quit drinking immediately and to return in 9 weeks for further testing to see what the cause of my liver enzymes were and other issues. Like I do not know why my liver enzymes are so high : (
Well I quit the day of the call and told everyone that I, aka "the saint", was quitting beer for Lent.
Well I guess that helped some of my friends accept me not drinking and I have kept to it since the call, Ash Wednesday.
I guess it finally took a Dr telling me my health was in trouble and that I had to quit imbibing. Pretty sad it came to that : (
29 straight days sober and counting so all I can do is continue and pray that God gives me another chance to turn my health around and have clean/positive blood tests in 6 weeks.
Peace all.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Tennessee... The mountainous side.
Posts: 157
I had selfish intentions for this post... All of your stories are incredibly motivating. I also take comfort in knowing I am not alone and there are others fighting the same battles as I am. Not only fighting... But winning!! I am so greatful I discovered SR in December. Most likely from a google search result triggered by "quit drinking" or "how long will I feel like I am dying after quitting drinking." Thank you all!!!
Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: pa
Posts: 297
the last time I drank was about 85 days ago, 6 days after my 34th birthday
it was taking a psychological and emotional toll on me to keep drinking due to all the trouble i was getting into and because my life was going nowhere.
it was taking a psychological and emotional toll on me to keep drinking due to all the trouble i was getting into and because my life was going nowhere.
All is Change
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,284
First time was in my early twenties. It was messing up my relationships.
Last time early fifties. (It was only a short bust this time) Looked at the bottle and thought it was a stupid way to deal with life's problems and dumped it.
Last time early fifties. (It was only a short bust this time) Looked at the bottle and thought it was a stupid way to deal with life's problems and dumped it.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posts: 28
At 21 I bought some self help audio tapes... Tony Robins quit for almost a month... Relapse
At 23 I got the alcohol lied to me audio book, quit for 2 weeks
And at 24 I finally found this site and it's making a big difference, when you can actually have someone to go through it with
At 23 I got the alcohol lied to me audio book, quit for 2 weeks
And at 24 I finally found this site and it's making a big difference, when you can actually have someone to go through it with
Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: East Coast, The States
Posts: 12,162
At 49.
My life was on the brink.
Drinking had seriously effected my relationships, finances, health, spirituality.....
Robbing me of self respect.... and then my mother died.
I found SR by accident. It showed me sobriety was possible for even this hopeless case.
My life was on the brink.
Drinking had seriously effected my relationships, finances, health, spirituality.....
Robbing me of self respect.... and then my mother died.
I found SR by accident. It showed me sobriety was possible for even this hopeless case.
Recovering
Join Date: May 2012
Location: UK
Posts: 1,361
Hi Paddler
For me it was early 40s that I first decided seriously to quit. My drinking had very slowly, but inexorably, been increasing over the years. Attempts to moderate were only ever temporarily successful. I decided to go sober and I managed sobriety for something a little over a year. I then decided that I must have "reset" my system in that time and that I could go back to occasional and moderate drinking. As I discovered I'm one of those people for whom that just doesn't work and the drinking levels started to rise again and carried on rising and I drank for several years - always intending to give up properly tomorrow or next week. Last April, at age 46, I finally accepted I couldn't ever drink anything ever again, under any circumstances and I really had to give up, not tomorrow, but today. I learned the slow and hard way that moderate drinking just isn't possible for me. Once I accepted that it's actually been easier than I expected. The first few months were really miserable at times but I was absolutely sure I wouldn't drink no matter how miserable it became. I kept a journal and looking back I'm really glum in those first three months or so, but by about four months I can see my mood really starting to lift and by about six months I would basically have described myself as "happy" again, which I hadn't been for a few years. Now I can say and see that sobriety is an essential part of my happiness - and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I wish it hadn't taken me so long to realise and accept that, but there you go. Anyway I'm rambling now!
Good luck, and God bless, everyone!
For me it was early 40s that I first decided seriously to quit. My drinking had very slowly, but inexorably, been increasing over the years. Attempts to moderate were only ever temporarily successful. I decided to go sober and I managed sobriety for something a little over a year. I then decided that I must have "reset" my system in that time and that I could go back to occasional and moderate drinking. As I discovered I'm one of those people for whom that just doesn't work and the drinking levels started to rise again and carried on rising and I drank for several years - always intending to give up properly tomorrow or next week. Last April, at age 46, I finally accepted I couldn't ever drink anything ever again, under any circumstances and I really had to give up, not tomorrow, but today. I learned the slow and hard way that moderate drinking just isn't possible for me. Once I accepted that it's actually been easier than I expected. The first few months were really miserable at times but I was absolutely sure I wouldn't drink no matter how miserable it became. I kept a journal and looking back I'm really glum in those first three months or so, but by about four months I can see my mood really starting to lift and by about six months I would basically have described myself as "happy" again, which I hadn't been for a few years. Now I can say and see that sobriety is an essential part of my happiness - and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I wish it hadn't taken me so long to realise and accept that, but there you go. Anyway I'm rambling now!
Good luck, and God bless, everyone!
Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 5,937
I took my last drink a little over five months ago at age 43. I drank for about 25 years, more and more as the years went on. Towards the end it was 24/7/365. After a few years of knowing I had to quite "someday", someday finally came.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: New England
Posts: 171
My last drink was 2 weeks ago. This is my 4th time trying which my first time was 2-3 days, 2nd time was for about 5 days then 1 day of binge followed by 2 weeks then binge then sober another couple of weeks, 3rd time about 1 month and 1 half. Then I had no choice to stop for 3 months then was so angry "excuse" starting drinking again. I have been doing this for 10 years I am 37 now with 2 weeks sober with the 4th time is my charm. It has done anything but ruined friendships, hurt my family, myself, DWI, I can keep going on and on. Now I always look at my son and say to myself..... I promised I would not let him see me like I saw my old man and I will make sure he doesn't.
Grateful to be free
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Arizona
Posts: 3,680
Originally Posted by SoberD
Very nice work. How do you feel now?
I feel surprise, pleasure and pride about my clean time.
I feel somewhat hopeful about my future.
I feel loveable again and like I have good things to contribute to people's lives.
I feel fun and mischievous.
I feel more peace with my past and more acceptance.
Some days I feel as scared, confused and hopeless as I did when I was using...but the fact that I have recovery skills and knowledge and that I KNOW I can live clean/sober helps me get through that.
I've given myself a chance at life.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Sydney
Posts: 168
I quit when I was 30, it has been almost 2 years.
Why? I felt like I was going crazy from the endless cycle of quit - relapse - quit - relapse. I realised it was really bad and sent myself of to a 21 day rehab. Today I can still remember very clearly how I felt the day before I was admitted, just laying in bed, sobbing, feeling so desperate and dark. Today I am happy
Why? I felt like I was going crazy from the endless cycle of quit - relapse - quit - relapse. I realised it was really bad and sent myself of to a 21 day rehab. Today I can still remember very clearly how I felt the day before I was admitted, just laying in bed, sobbing, feeling so desperate and dark. Today I am happy
Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: De
Posts: 1,333
17
I started drinking at 12, full alkie at 16 shooting up meth also. Kicked out of 3 schools, numerous arrest, juvie jail, locked up in nut house for a little vacation. One overdose they told me they found me with no pulse but brought me back.
Ended up in rehab then a half way house, still thought everyone was full of crap. Court ordered AA and NA afterword still didn't change my mind. Kept trying it my way until one month shy of my 18th birthday. Thanks to AA, and NA in the early years, I haven't had a drink in 35 years.
I started drinking at 12, full alkie at 16 shooting up meth also. Kicked out of 3 schools, numerous arrest, juvie jail, locked up in nut house for a little vacation. One overdose they told me they found me with no pulse but brought me back.
Ended up in rehab then a half way house, still thought everyone was full of crap. Court ordered AA and NA afterword still didn't change my mind. Kept trying it my way until one month shy of my 18th birthday. Thanks to AA, and NA in the early years, I haven't had a drink in 35 years.
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