Quitting Drinking
 

I'm starting this thread as a way to make my commitment to quit drinking 'public' so to speak. I guess that I want some level of accountability so that I can't go back on it. I don't want to come post that I failed. I want to be able to come post and say, "I made it through another day of not drinking" or maybe someday "I enjoyed a day of not drinking" (is that possible?)

The other day, a friend told me, "If you think you have a problem, then you do. You're at the age where you need to fix it now or it'll get worse."

I manage to be a relatively well-functioning alcoholic, so I don't have people telling me I have a problem and need to quit. But I am always aware of the problem and wonder how they can't see it. I almost feel like if anybody cared they would be telling me I need to quit drinking. I guess they don't see how it affects me. Because I've known for a long time that it's a problem.

It's time to fix it. Really, I've been a drunk quite long enough.

So, today is Day 1 of not drinking for me.

They can't see what goes in our mind and spirit . The pain. But if you are like me I know u r hurting. It's gonna be ok.
OK I have you on the 24 hour club member ship list! I'm cheering you on!

Welcome!
I am hoping to be the first to tell you that: YES! A resounding yes to enjoying days without drinking. In fact, I've enjoyed the last days so much--I can tell you: Going back to my usual routine of drinking like an idiot seems pretty...well, idiotic!
Again, welcome. You will find wonderful people here, all of whom have helped steel my resolve to keep at this.
-Scoutie

Thanks, and btw, your avatar is super cute.

Thanks Scoutie. Part of me senses that you must be right and thinking about all of the problems alcohol causes me it seems like it would have to be better to quit. I admit part of me is afraid though.

Welcome to the sober club....Giving up booze is probably the best thing I have ever done....After a drinking career that spanned 20 years and towards the end I was drinking 20 pints of lager a day, I am finally 124 days sober....Every day when I wake up, I may still be tired but I'm definitely not hung over and it feels great....I wish you all the best.....Steve....

Yes alcoholism is only progressive, it never goes backwards to being moderate.. :)

Good for you, good start.. :)

I found a sober happy life through AA... But whatever you do , try all the things out there to help..

Isn't that the truth??

I've tried countless times to control my drinking or cut back on it and it never works for more than a day or a couple of days at most.

Thanks, and way to go on 124 days. It's still hard for me to even imagine going that long, lol.

wishing you all the best. Take it a day at a time and be realistic even if you are physically withdrawn from alcohol it will take longer for you to become comfortable in social settings. but yeah your life will be infinitely better after all what do we really get from booze? but hangovers and an empty wallet.

heres to your new life:You_Rock_

What's cool about sobriety, and recovery is that you're allowed not to think about "Forever and ever".
Start small. If you usually drink say...at lunch, repeat to yourself: I'm not gonna drink at lunch today. Do it.
And then you can worry about longer periods of time.
I am in the "Today" club. I am not going to drink today.
I don't know what tomorrow will bring--but hopefully by sticking to my guns, waking up with restful, non-drunk sleep, my resolve is renewed, and I can tackle that day.

When I made the decision to quit drinking, I couldn't/didn't want to think: I'm never having another beer, forever and ever, and I'll live happily ever after.

I take it day to day. It's all I'm capable of, really.

Today is 9? (I am horrible at keeping track of dates/times/my wallet) and I feel pretty dang good. I know there are highs and lows to this path--but right now--why would I want a drink? All it does is make me anxious, miserable, and tired.

It's a little past 5:30.

This feels strange. Normally I'd be drinking by now. For that matter, normally I'd be drinking long before now.

DG0409 - it's nice to have some accountability out there, huh? I think you are using the board for the right reasons. Have you read some other posts and looked around?

Yeah, I've been looking around here a bit. Seems like there's tons of great posts & people.

I love reading the messages here, they make me think. Here's an odd answer that might be right for some of your friends.

I was in a relationship with this gal for a couple year and until this moment, it never dawned on me that she had never seen me sober. For the most part I was a reasonably ok drunk, but sometimes would get loud, obnoxious and hurt her with words a couple times. But isn't that kind of sad? She never knew a sober me. What I am trying to say here is that maybe we drank for so long, that is all our friends know us as and therefore assume we are "normal".

You got that right! The time is now!! It'll be an adjustment to say the least, but just be kind and patient with yourself - you'll be AOK!!

And if you gotta call for help, vent, rant, scream, whine, etc, do it here, we are here to help you!!

Take care!

Everybody heals differently so I can only tell you that I was a 10 - 20+ beer a day guy for years. I never drank at work but kept at least 1 " traveler " out in my car for the ride to the bar from work. I quit cold turkey last May 16th. One year sober next month. I got very lucky because I didn't research it enough before quitting and could have gone through some serious trauma. I didn't but again we are all different. Im posting to let you know that you will get back to having fun again without alcohol. I never would have believed it but I have myself. Push through those first couple of days or even weeks. It's a mental and physical challenge to an extent but you are here which means you are prepared to get on with it. Welcome to Sobrietyville population increasing daily! Good luck brother!

Good point. I never thought of it that way, but I suppose there may be something to that. I've been drinking for 9 years, but I've only been in my current relationship for 8. Everybody that I talk to now knows the drunk me. And the friends I had before drinking... I stopped hanging out with them long ago because they weren't any 'fun' to be around.

I suppose my bf would be the closest to seeing whether or not I have a problem, but thinking about it... he grew up in a kind of messed-up environment. Maybe he thinks it's 'normal', not just for me, but also for people in general.

Made it to day 2!!!

Yesterday felt forever long... despite the fact that I didn't really get much done... But I DIDN'T DRINK!!!!!

That is fab! Congratulations, the first day is so hard!
Regardless of physical withdrawal, the mental habit is so much harder to break (I found anyway).

Keep up the great work and don't feel bad if you're not doing much - your body and mind need to recover and heal so be kind to yourself.

Yay congrats on 2 days! I definitely know where your coming from. I'm day 1 and have been so use to going home walking the dog, going to the gym, then having my tv line up while drinking. It's an every night thing and the days I didn't do it I was thinking about it during that time. I am definitely going to have find some new things to interest me to fill up time.