View Poll Results: HOW did you quit?
I slowly tapered off the booze over time
10
6.99%
I quit cold turkey at home like a dummy
67
46.85%
I quit cold turkey and ended up in the hospital
2
1.40%
I saw my doctor first and he put me on X drug to deal with the symptoms
7
4.90%
I admitted myself to a rehab program
12
8.39%
I started going to AA
21
14.69%
other
24
16.78%
Voters: 143. You may not vote on this poll
HOW did you quit????
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 3
I decided to quit all the abusive relationships that I was in. I quit investing myself into abusive and fellow self destructive friendships, I quit renting out my heart to the partners who had intentionally hurt me in the past, I quit feeling sorry for myself, and I quit believing that I was a victim of society,
And then I quit drinking and smoking.
I quit doing the things that hurt me,
Because we don't deserve to be hurt... We deserve the exact opposite.
And then I quit drinking and smoking.
I quit doing the things that hurt me,
Because we don't deserve to be hurt... We deserve the exact opposite.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: rapid city s.d.
Posts: 13
the question that is asked .. how did you quit????
or should the question be what made you decide to quit,, don't know if I have quit yet ..I just know that I don't need to drink any more ,, after 20 years ive had more than my fair share .. now what made me decide to quit,, that's the kicker ,, a way to close bush with death , shoulda been blacked out , but I do remember,, been told I almost died while blacked out ( but hell I don't remember so I wasn't there) at the same time made a total ass of my self( don't think ass covers it ,cant find a word to describe what I shall be ashamed of for a long time) but last but not least ,, I HAVE BEEN TIRED OF BEIN SICK AND TIRED FOR SO LONG,,,that it took a night to remember and I am glad that I did not forget( it is pretty blurry but I rember , how I did shouldn't be possible) and now knowing for shure my brushes with death have been getting more frequent if I keep drinkin the way I have ,, I will die ,,luck will run out
20 YEARS A DRUNK 5 DAYS SOBER(off to detox in the am) ONE MOMENT AT A TIME!!!!
or should the question be what made you decide to quit,, don't know if I have quit yet ..I just know that I don't need to drink any more ,, after 20 years ive had more than my fair share .. now what made me decide to quit,, that's the kicker ,, a way to close bush with death , shoulda been blacked out , but I do remember,, been told I almost died while blacked out ( but hell I don't remember so I wasn't there) at the same time made a total ass of my self( don't think ass covers it ,cant find a word to describe what I shall be ashamed of for a long time) but last but not least ,, I HAVE BEEN TIRED OF BEIN SICK AND TIRED FOR SO LONG,,,that it took a night to remember and I am glad that I did not forget( it is pretty blurry but I rember , how I did shouldn't be possible) and now knowing for shure my brushes with death have been getting more frequent if I keep drinkin the way I have ,, I will die ,,luck will run out
20 YEARS A DRUNK 5 DAYS SOBER(off to detox in the am) ONE MOMENT AT A TIME!!!!
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 83
I just quit and that was that. I'd spent a lot of time wanting to quit, but had never been successful. Mostly I would try moderation - only drinking on weekends. But Thursday is close enough to the weekend, right? And, oh, we're going out to dinner on Wednesday so might as well have a cocktail while we're out, right? Well, Monday is a special occasion because of somereasonorother so might as well have a drink then, too. So I clearly had no control over sticking to any sort of plan I made. I'd wake up in the middle of the night and say "I will not drink tomorrow" - but then I would drink.
I guess I wasn't far along enough to have any sort of withdrawal symptoms other than a couple nights of insomnia. I honestly had no idea that quitting drinking could be dangerous if done cold turkey.
I actually didn't decide to quit when I did. I attribute it to the grace of God that I just woke up one morning and was done. The decision had been made and I no longer wanted alcohol. I consider myself lucky in that respect. DH drinks every now and then, we have booze in the cupboard and beer in the fridge and wine in the wine fridge and I don't want any of it.
I quit smoking the same way, too, back in 1998. Never smoked again.
I guess I wasn't far along enough to have any sort of withdrawal symptoms other than a couple nights of insomnia. I honestly had no idea that quitting drinking could be dangerous if done cold turkey.
I actually didn't decide to quit when I did. I attribute it to the grace of God that I just woke up one morning and was done. The decision had been made and I no longer wanted alcohol. I consider myself lucky in that respect. DH drinks every now and then, we have booze in the cupboard and beer in the fridge and wine in the wine fridge and I don't want any of it.
I quit smoking the same way, too, back in 1998. Never smoked again.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 476
Originally Posted by AuntieSoso 
I just quit and that was that. I'd spent a lot of time wanting to quit, but had never been successful. Mostly I would try moderation - only drinking on weekends. But Thursday is close enough to the weekend, right? And, oh, we're going out to dinner on Wednesday so might as well have a cocktail while we're out, right? Well, Monday is a special occasion because of somereasonorother so might as well have a drink then, too. So I clearly had no control over sticking to any sort of plan I made. I'd wake up in the middle of the night and say "I will not drink tomorrow" - but then I would drink.
I guess I wasn't far along enough to have any sort of withdrawal symptoms other than a couple nights of insomnia. I honestly had no idea that quitting drinking could be dangerous if done cold turkey.
I actually didn't decide to quit when I did. I attribute it to the grace of God that I just woke up one morning and was done. The decision had been made and I no longer wanted alcohol. I consider myself lucky in that respect. DH drinks every now and then, we have booze in the cupboard and beer in the fridge and wine in the wine fridge and I don't want any of it.
I quit smoking the same way, too, back in 1998. Never smoked again.
I guess I wasn't far along enough to have any sort of withdrawal symptoms other than a couple nights of insomnia. I honestly had no idea that quitting drinking could be dangerous if done cold turkey.
I actually didn't decide to quit when I did. I attribute it to the grace of God that I just woke up one morning and was done. The decision had been made and I no longer wanted alcohol. I consider myself lucky in that respect. DH drinks every now and then, we have booze in the cupboard and beer in the fridge and wine in the wine fridge and I don't want any of it.
I quit smoking the same way, too, back in 1998. Never smoked again.
I was always under the impression that, compared to "hardcore" drugs like crack and heroin, alcohol was "safe" and that "there isnt anything to worry about". Boy was i wrong.
Ignorance is.......... dangerous.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: UK
Posts: 283
after my last bender i quit cold turkey alone at home and nearly died. AA is keeping me sober - just picked up my 1 month chip! (i got 1 & 2 when i first went into AA but this somehow means more - i'm working a program and it's saving my life)
Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,649
I quit cold turkey, with very few side effects. I kept a bottle of wine on the counter just in case I needed it. I never did. I sent it home with my sister after the first month. I came here for support after the first week and stay quit one day at a time. The 24 hour support thread really helps me so much, and the meetings are great. I read the boards and come here every day. I love being sober. My husband is a drinker that drinks every day, so people, don't let a drinking partner stop you. This really is all about YOU!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 476
Originally Posted by huntingtontx
I quit cold turkey, with very few side effects. I kept a bottle of wine on the counter just in case I needed it. I never did. I sent it home with my sister after the first month. I came here for support after the first week and stay quit one day at a time. The 24 hour support thread really helps me so much, and the meetings are great. I read the boards and come here every day. I love being sober. My husband is a drinker that drinks every day, so people, don't let a drinking partner stop you. This really is all about YOU!
I was only at it for a few years and boy........ hit me right between the eyes the first two weeks. On day 4 of no sleep i seriously entertained the idea of going to the ER i felt so crappy.
My dad was/is an alcoholic, so im guessing if you have a gene for it it acts as an "amplifier" for the symptoms. I wonder if having a "clean" gene-line reduces or eliminates the symptoms.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,649
Hey Grubby. I drank heavy for about 20 years, drunk almost every night for the last 10. I have always been able to quit for a week or so to play with the grand kids. I am not sure why I did not have more effect. My dad was also an alcoholic. He also quit after about 40 years of heavy drinking without any help. I don't claim to understand. It just is what it is. I am sorry you had such a hard time. I have read some really sad stories here. I know I was blessed.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Ireland
Posts: 25,826
My experience isn't on your list!! 
I saw my Dr and he said I could go cold turkey without medication!!
The reality was I had woken up, another day, hungover, new something had to change, but I'd said all that before, this time though I really wanted it, so I tried not drinking for 2 days before the Dr appt . . . the rest is SR history!!
I saw my Dr and he said I could go cold turkey without medication!!
The reality was I had woken up, another day, hungover, new something had to change, but I'd said all that before, this time though I really wanted it, so I tried not drinking for 2 days before the Dr appt . . . the rest is SR history!!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 476
My divorce from alcohol was quite strange compared to some of you guys.......... i noticed that by far the #1 thought that dominated my mind and thought processes by a country mile the first few weeks was this:
"i'm sooooo tired, i just want to get to sleep..... if ONLY i could get to sleep, just ONE night of sleep i will be OK, my will-power hangs on a thread...... I JUST WANT TO SLEEP, i NEED to sleep!! aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh"
I think what happened in my case was my body had become dependent and addicted PHYSICALLY (changes to brain wiring and such), but i think it had not yet progressed to the point of a "mental" addiction with the "omg omg i need a drink, i need a drink, i NEED a drink!" thoughts with hands shaking and all.
Even despite the lousy state i was in the first couple weeks and the lack of energy, the LAST thing on my mind was having a drink. After about 5 days pretty much the only thing on my mind was finding someway, somehow to get to sleep........ nothing was working in those early days. Obviously from the way it was reacting (violently), in hindsight i can tell that my body was physically hooked.
Anyone else experienced this? Where they had become physically dependent, but had not yet progressed to the point of a "mental" addiction?
I think that might explain some of the people in this thread who reported "little or no symptoms" in their response...... perhaps these people had become mentally addicted, but not physically addicted? in other words, the exact opposite of my scenario.
Seems that the WORST or most-pronounced withdrawal symptoms come from being physically addicted.......... seems to match up with a lot of the accounts of recovery ive been reading on SR over the last couple weeks.
"i'm sooooo tired, i just want to get to sleep..... if ONLY i could get to sleep, just ONE night of sleep i will be OK, my will-power hangs on a thread...... I JUST WANT TO SLEEP, i NEED to sleep!! aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh"
I think what happened in my case was my body had become dependent and addicted PHYSICALLY (changes to brain wiring and such), but i think it had not yet progressed to the point of a "mental" addiction with the "omg omg i need a drink, i need a drink, i NEED a drink!" thoughts with hands shaking and all.
Even despite the lousy state i was in the first couple weeks and the lack of energy, the LAST thing on my mind was having a drink. After about 5 days pretty much the only thing on my mind was finding someway, somehow to get to sleep........ nothing was working in those early days. Obviously from the way it was reacting (violently), in hindsight i can tell that my body was physically hooked.
Anyone else experienced this? Where they had become physically dependent, but had not yet progressed to the point of a "mental" addiction?
I think that might explain some of the people in this thread who reported "little or no symptoms" in their response...... perhaps these people had become mentally addicted, but not physically addicted? in other words, the exact opposite of my scenario.
Seems that the WORST or most-pronounced withdrawal symptoms come from being physically addicted.......... seems to match up with a lot of the accounts of recovery ive been reading on SR over the last couple weeks.
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