7 days no booze...
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Vancouver WA
Posts: 10
7 days no booze...
I've gone 7 days now without a drink, and it hasn't really been that difficult. I've never considered myself a heavy drinker, more the type of person that has a few (between 2-6) beers 4-7 nights a week. However, the majority of the time I do drink alone. I'm a single professional male in my mid 30's and would typically have a few drinks after work to wind down a bit with the occasional binge on the weekend - starting to drink before or around noon and going all day. I've always compared my intake to some of my peers, who could be considered professional partiers, the kind who get the shakes in the morning when they don't drink - and have always told myself that I didn't have much of a problem in contrast. However when I looked back over the last decade or more I realized that this has been going on now for almost 20 years.
About 9 months ago my father, who was one of these "professional partier" types took his own life after his health deteriorated to the point of no return. He was anti-doctor and never got any kind of diagnosis but we all had a feeling that the health problems he faced likely had to do with liver failure, and we also suspected he had skin cancer which he left untreated despite us voicing our concerns. His last few years were extremely grim, and I can't think of a worse way to spend your final years. In so much pain and isolation that it takes half a bottle of vodka and a case of beer every day to dull it out.
His death is what really made me start taking a hard look at my own life, but in the depression that followed I myself started drinking more and more to dull the pain of having had to watch him slowly kill himself over the course of my entire life. Last week I returned to the house where he lived and died to make some repairs and clean up the mess that 35+ years of alcoholism left behind. After a week or so of literally cleaning through the filth he was living in and being around some of his old "friends" who are basically on the same track he was on in his final years - I finally made the decision to stop drinking, or at least try.
The challenge for me now is to resist temptation in my social and even professional circles. I work as an IT professional for a company that owns a lot of bars, clubs, restaurants - so even just being at work puts me in an environment where drinking is a large part of daily life. Most of my friends drink, although not all of them which is nice because I do have people I can hang around with and not be tempted. I will say however, that since I made the decision to stop - it really hasn't been too tempting. Last week I went out to see some live music where all of my friends were drinking and I just sipped on seltzer water and enjoyed the music. I also was around some friends drinking at someone's house over the weekend and didn't have an urge either. I'm thankful that despite my consistent use of alcohol for almost 20 years, I don't seem to have developed a physical addiction.
I should also mention that during the last 20 years I've also been a very heavy marijuana user. Typically I've been one of the types to smoke all day, every day. When I made the decision to stop drinking I also decided that I wanted to stop smoking pot. That however, is going to be a bit more difficult for me. I made it two days completely sober and then started with the pot again, although I've managed to keep it very minimal in comparison. Instead of waking up, getting high, and continuing all day - I've only allowed myself to take a single puff right before I go to bed so I can actually fall asleep. I'd like to ween myself from the marijuana but I think it's going to be a challenge. I love the feeling of being high - much more than I ever enjoyed the buzz of alcohol, which is why it's going to be more challenging.
Has anyone else ever tried to knock out both habits at once? If so, do you have any advice for me? As I said, I love the feeling of being high, but I don't like how tired it makes me, and I also find that I am not making personal connections with people as much as I could be due to being high. I'm considering getting into transcendental meditation to try and replace the calming feeling that I've typically used marijuana for. I have an over active brain and it's difficult for me to "turn it off".. which is why downers have typically been appealing, they allow me to relax, mellow out, sleep.. I guess now I need to find a healthier replacement.
Anyway, thanks for listening.
About 9 months ago my father, who was one of these "professional partier" types took his own life after his health deteriorated to the point of no return. He was anti-doctor and never got any kind of diagnosis but we all had a feeling that the health problems he faced likely had to do with liver failure, and we also suspected he had skin cancer which he left untreated despite us voicing our concerns. His last few years were extremely grim, and I can't think of a worse way to spend your final years. In so much pain and isolation that it takes half a bottle of vodka and a case of beer every day to dull it out.
His death is what really made me start taking a hard look at my own life, but in the depression that followed I myself started drinking more and more to dull the pain of having had to watch him slowly kill himself over the course of my entire life. Last week I returned to the house where he lived and died to make some repairs and clean up the mess that 35+ years of alcoholism left behind. After a week or so of literally cleaning through the filth he was living in and being around some of his old "friends" who are basically on the same track he was on in his final years - I finally made the decision to stop drinking, or at least try.
The challenge for me now is to resist temptation in my social and even professional circles. I work as an IT professional for a company that owns a lot of bars, clubs, restaurants - so even just being at work puts me in an environment where drinking is a large part of daily life. Most of my friends drink, although not all of them which is nice because I do have people I can hang around with and not be tempted. I will say however, that since I made the decision to stop - it really hasn't been too tempting. Last week I went out to see some live music where all of my friends were drinking and I just sipped on seltzer water and enjoyed the music. I also was around some friends drinking at someone's house over the weekend and didn't have an urge either. I'm thankful that despite my consistent use of alcohol for almost 20 years, I don't seem to have developed a physical addiction.
I should also mention that during the last 20 years I've also been a very heavy marijuana user. Typically I've been one of the types to smoke all day, every day. When I made the decision to stop drinking I also decided that I wanted to stop smoking pot. That however, is going to be a bit more difficult for me. I made it two days completely sober and then started with the pot again, although I've managed to keep it very minimal in comparison. Instead of waking up, getting high, and continuing all day - I've only allowed myself to take a single puff right before I go to bed so I can actually fall asleep. I'd like to ween myself from the marijuana but I think it's going to be a challenge. I love the feeling of being high - much more than I ever enjoyed the buzz of alcohol, which is why it's going to be more challenging.
Has anyone else ever tried to knock out both habits at once? If so, do you have any advice for me? As I said, I love the feeling of being high, but I don't like how tired it makes me, and I also find that I am not making personal connections with people as much as I could be due to being high. I'm considering getting into transcendental meditation to try and replace the calming feeling that I've typically used marijuana for. I have an over active brain and it's difficult for me to "turn it off".. which is why downers have typically been appealing, they allow me to relax, mellow out, sleep.. I guess now I need to find a healthier replacement.
Anyway, thanks for listening.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,355
That is awesome it wasnt very tempting. I was sober for almost two months, and I started to hang around my friends when they were drinking. At first I didnt, then I drank a few beers here and there and then I spiraled down into drinking every day again. I am certainly not saying it will happen to you, and I really hope that it doesnt. But be aware of your surroundings, and if you feel tempted just leave. I wish I had left instead of thinking only a couple will be ok. But I learned and it is all good now.
Congrats on a week, and keep up the good work.
Congrats on a week, and keep up the good work.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Vancouver WA
Posts: 10
Yeah, I fear letting myself have "just one" because I know it will lead back to habitual use. It's got to be "all or nothing" for me. I know my personality too well.
good luck on your journey as well...
good luck on your journey as well...
Trudgin
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 6,348
The daily double - one in the left hand, the other in the right.
Sobriety for me is not putting any mind altering substances in my body - period. When I quit alcohol I quit the chronic as well.
That's just me though ...... I think you'll find others on the Marijuana maintenance program around here and other places. I don't consider that being sober for me as the ganga was part and parcel of my addictive mind and personality. And I stopped eating everything in the house!
Peace
Sobriety for me is not putting any mind altering substances in my body - period. When I quit alcohol I quit the chronic as well.
That's just me though ...... I think you'll find others on the Marijuana maintenance program around here and other places. I don't consider that being sober for me as the ganga was part and parcel of my addictive mind and personality. And I stopped eating everything in the house!
Peace
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Vancouver WA
Posts: 10
yes I agree - sober is sober. I do plan on eliminating the ganja too over the course of the next few weeks, I'm just going to phase it out. I also cut out coffee and red meat at the same time (been over a month on both of those). The goal is to definitely get rid of all the toxins!
Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,355
Originally Posted by Flynbuy 
The daily double - one in the left hand, the other in the right.
Sobriety for me is not putting any mind altering substances in my body - period. When I quit alcohol I quit the chronic as well.
That's just me though ...... I think you'll find others on the Marijuana maintenance program around here and other places. I don't consider that being sober for me as the ganga was part and parcel of my addictive mind and personality. And I stopped eating everything in the house!
Peace
Sobriety for me is not putting any mind altering substances in my body - period. When I quit alcohol I quit the chronic as well.
That's just me though ...... I think you'll find others on the Marijuana maintenance program around here and other places. I don't consider that being sober for me as the ganga was part and parcel of my addictive mind and personality. And I stopped eating everything in the house!
Peace
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,416
hi matthew 
I smoked pot for 30 years and drank for 20 (concurrently)...I needed to cut bnoth out because both led to each other.
It wasn't particularly pleasant, but I really wanted to change. I nearly killed myself with my alcohol intake and I wasted decades of my life on both substances.
I think two things are important - be prepared to make the necessary changes in your life - how you deal with stress/problems/boredom...the crowd you hang with...and your ideas about fun and relaxation...
and secondly...find support to help you when you feel vulnerable or tempted.
There's a lot of that here
I'm glad you found us
D
I smoked pot for 30 years and drank for 20 (concurrently)...I needed to cut bnoth out because both led to each other.
It wasn't particularly pleasant, but I really wanted to change. I nearly killed myself with my alcohol intake and I wasted decades of my life on both substances.
I think two things are important - be prepared to make the necessary changes in your life - how you deal with stress/problems/boredom...the crowd you hang with...and your ideas about fun and relaxation...
and secondly...find support to help you when you feel vulnerable or tempted.
There's a lot of that here
I'm glad you found us
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Vancouver WA
Posts: 10
Originally Posted by Dee74
how you deal with stress/problems/boredom...the crowd you hang with...and your ideas about fun and relaxation...
D
D
Originally Posted by jryan19982
I do miss the ganga tho... but honestly I was getting so paranoid and anxiety through the roof and I dont know why... but I miss it and then I think what it felt like when I felt like cops were hiding in all the corners of the house... whackness...
The trait that I don't care for much is how introverted I can get on it. I tend to get very introspective and clam up a bit, and I don't think it's very pleasant for people who are trying to communicate with me. It's also starting to make me very tired, which is the opposite of the effect it used to have. Guess I'm getting older
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
