Fishinainteasy

I drink because I'm afraid
I drink because I wish I was different
I drink because I don't like myself
I drink because I'm angry
I drink because I don't want to face consequences
I drink because I feel I'm a failure
I drink because I'm sad
I drink because I wish I was a better person
I drink because I have piles of guilt
I drink because I don't feel like me when I'm drunk
I drink because Im in pain
I drink because I wish I was perfect
I drink because I'm selfish
I drink because I don't love myself

I will not drink today because I want to change
Man being sober is a trip. (Foggy eyes)

strategery

Love your thread!!!

I drink because I am bored.
I drink because I am happy.
I drink because it is cold outside.
I drink because it turns my mind off.
I drink because I am worried about what drinking is doing to my health.

I don't drink today because I am happier without the drink.

countrygirl2014

I love this too!

Jennifer

DoPerdition

I agree with pretty much all of the reasons above. Here are a few of my own.

I drink because I don't know another way to have fun.
I drink because I can avoid myself while drunk.
I drink because I'd rather avoid the truth.

I don't drink today because I deserve sobriety.

Thank you for posting this!

anattaboy

I drank. Reasons to do so were formulated after the fact.

auronoctum

I drink because I think it makes me witty
I drink because I need to prove I can
I drink because people think I'm a big drinker
I drink because it would seem odd not to
I drink because it's the evening
I drink because there's leftover liquor.
I drink because there's nobody home.
I drink because we have a day off.
I drink because I deserve celebration
I drink because I deserve convalescence

DoPerdition

I agree with this so much. My identity has been tied into what a "good" drinker I am. I always thought of my tolerance as a badge of honor but it was really a mark of how far I had progressed into chaos.

unitedguy

auronoctum - I agree on the "I drink because there's nobody home."
It makes it a lot tougher when you live alone! After my divorce it was tough coming home to an empty house. Sometimes it is still tough. My friends that are married are jealous, but it goes both ways. Sometimes it would be nice to come home to someone and have someone there to hold me to my sobriety!

Fishinainteasy

Too true. I once told my wife I wanted to drink and she said I shouldn't and my reply was "but it's windy outside" lol. We can come up with any excuse.

"That's the problem with drinking, I thought, as I poured myself a drink. If something bad happens you drink in an attempt to forget; if something good happens you drink in order to celebrate; and if nothing happens you drink to make something happen." Charles Bukowski

Mountainmanbob

As I now look back in time
I see where I also suffered from many of the above mentioned
drinking only made those things worse
sobriety has lessened those problems (character defects) to a great degree

Mountainman

auronoctum

I once turned up at 8pm for a birthday party that started at 3. They suggested I catch up and I mixed some coke and 540ml of whiskey and downed it in a minute or two. That was a very bad night.

In retrospect, whenever I thought about these times to get me to stop, I always told myself, "Hey, at least you have a great story!" Has anyone else done this?

countrygirl2014

I am writing this into my journal of my favorite things someone has said in my sobriety.

Jennifer

JD4010

Yes, yes and yes.

I drink to escape from myself.
I drink because I don't know what else to do.
I drink to destroy myself.

Joe Nerv

Since I stopped drinking:

I'm a lot less afraid
I'm happy with who I am
I like myself
I deal with anger in healthy ways
I face consequences when I have to, and take responsibility
Im no longer a failure and succeed often
I'm not sad all the time
I know I am becoming a better person every day
I rarely feel guilty about anything, as I don't do anything to feel guilty about
I'm comfortable with myself
I have positive ways to deal with and grow from my pain
I no longer wish to be perfect and accept my faults
I enjoy giving to others
I love and respect myself

LeeJane

I drank because I got myself physically addicted to it and so used any excuse that was convenient at the time to drink to black out each day.

Low

We drank for happiness and became unhappy.
We drank for joy and became miserable.
We drank for sociability and became argumentative.
We drank for sophistication and became obnoxious.
We drank for friendship and made enemies.
We drank for sleep and awakened without rest.
We drank for strength and felt weak.
We drank "medicinally" and acquired health problems.
We drank for relaxation and got the shakes.
We drank for bravery and became afraid.
We drank for confidence and became doubtful.
We drank to make conversation easier and slurred our speech.
We drank to feel heavenly and ended up feeling like hell.
We drank to forget and were forever haunted.
We drank for freedom and became slaves.
We drank to erase problems and saw them multiply.
We drank to cope with life and invited death.
__________________
I posted this before but seemed appropriate for this thread....

Soberwolf

Nice thread

soberclover

It was interesting for me to read this entire thread and I could think of more examples of how my life has improved vs. the reasons why I drank. Perhaps it is because I have been able to put some time under my belt. Granted I should never be too far from remembering the reasons/consequences of my drinking, but for me, I need to stay closer and more focused on the positives of not drinking and how much my life has improved. It must be like the glass being half full or half empty; it depends on a persons perspective. Great thought provoking thread!

desypete

knowing what drink did to me and how i became when drunk, looking back i know i had no reason for a sane person to ever drink, but i had plenty of excuses as to why i would pick up that first drink

Fly N Buy

For me, it simply took time to get progressively worse. Initially there was enjoyment. As I aged and the problem worsened denial set in. Overcoming that denial lead me to the understanding I indeed had developed a problem - which lead me to the willingness and desire to stop, and stay stopped.

Listing your reasons is all good. Your last statement fishinainteasy, is the most critical - I will not drink today because I want to change. THAT is the key

Glad you're here, Good thread!!
FlyN