Day 1 and how I got here
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: FL
Posts: 18
Day 1 and how I got here
Sorry if this ends up long…it is my first post.
I’m a 36yr old male and only started to drink 7 yrs ago (I hated the taste and feeling). It started off socially and with very little (made me get headaches) but, we get better with practice. 4 yrs ago I began to drink daily and had worked up to 6-8 a night. With each year, I slowly increased that number by 2 and still thought I was fine. Over the last year as I worked myself up 12-16 beers a day, I began drinking in the mornings and drank throughout the day. I knew then I had a problem but everything else was going great in my life so I ignored it. After many red flags over those years, it didn’t take until one sunny day, a few months ago, for me to snap. Long story short, by mid-afternoon I was 14 beers in, knew I wasn’t going to stop until late at night, so I said enough. I called and confessed to my family and friends and just brokedown. Sympathetic, they all began to help me figure out a plan. That’s when I discovered SR and began to learn so much. Most of all, the dangers of withdraws and others experiences with it.
With lots of family in the medical field, I got lots of great advice. However, with little money and having recently lost my health insurance, I decided to take some time off and move back into my parents’ house. Here I could slowly taper off with their health and watchful eye. I cut back 2 a week (starting at 14) and it went well. Until, I hit 6. I just couldn’t get past that point. I wasn’t getting drunk anymore. I was just maintaining. I wanted to still get drunk. I pushed on and got stuck at 4. Then I decided I was going to save up my 4 for the late evening and drink them on an empty stomach. After I finished my SIX one, I said enough. No more tapering. That was yesterday.
Day 1: I’m 2 hrs away from finishing it! I thought it would be hell. I thought I’d get sick. I was already mentally getting worse from losing my “medicine” over the last couple months so, that part was nothing new. In preparing for sickness and discomfort, I made my bed up all comfy, put lots of water and Gatorade by the bed, and prepared to just sleep all day. The day went smooth. No illness or shakes. I started feeling more confident about everything. All night I was craving a beer. Just one (HA). I fought through, read a bunch on here, and decided I should finally post. Wide awake laying in bed, I excited to see how I feel on day 2!
Thanks for reading!
I’m a 36yr old male and only started to drink 7 yrs ago (I hated the taste and feeling). It started off socially and with very little (made me get headaches) but, we get better with practice. 4 yrs ago I began to drink daily and had worked up to 6-8 a night. With each year, I slowly increased that number by 2 and still thought I was fine. Over the last year as I worked myself up 12-16 beers a day, I began drinking in the mornings and drank throughout the day. I knew then I had a problem but everything else was going great in my life so I ignored it. After many red flags over those years, it didn’t take until one sunny day, a few months ago, for me to snap. Long story short, by mid-afternoon I was 14 beers in, knew I wasn’t going to stop until late at night, so I said enough. I called and confessed to my family and friends and just brokedown. Sympathetic, they all began to help me figure out a plan. That’s when I discovered SR and began to learn so much. Most of all, the dangers of withdraws and others experiences with it.
With lots of family in the medical field, I got lots of great advice. However, with little money and having recently lost my health insurance, I decided to take some time off and move back into my parents’ house. Here I could slowly taper off with their health and watchful eye. I cut back 2 a week (starting at 14) and it went well. Until, I hit 6. I just couldn’t get past that point. I wasn’t getting drunk anymore. I was just maintaining. I wanted to still get drunk. I pushed on and got stuck at 4. Then I decided I was going to save up my 4 for the late evening and drink them on an empty stomach. After I finished my SIX one, I said enough. No more tapering. That was yesterday.
Day 1: I’m 2 hrs away from finishing it! I thought it would be hell. I thought I’d get sick. I was already mentally getting worse from losing my “medicine” over the last couple months so, that part was nothing new. In preparing for sickness and discomfort, I made my bed up all comfy, put lots of water and Gatorade by the bed, and prepared to just sleep all day. The day went smooth. No illness or shakes. I started feeling more confident about everything. All night I was craving a beer. Just one (HA). I fought through, read a bunch on here, and decided I should finally post. Wide awake laying in bed, I excited to see how I feel on day 2!
Thanks for reading!
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: California
Posts: 2,693
Originally Posted by natenate 
Until, I hit 6. I just couldn’t get past that point. I wasn’t getting drunk anymore. I was just maintaining. I wanted to still get drunk. I pushed on and got stuck at 4.
It sounds like you're doing great. I highlighted the reason that tapering wouldn't work for me. I wanted to get drunk, not limit myself. I was also up to about 12+ drinks a night. Once we play in those leagues there is no going back.
It's so much easier to drink zero than try to limit it. Here's to your new life.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: C.C. Ma.
Posts: 3,697
Hi.
Good job with your cutback. I know how much turmoil it produces inside so I suggest you have this as a REMEMBER WHEN period in your life because it might prevent further happenings.
It certainly helped me and was a realization when I reminded myself also that if I don’t pick up the first drink one day at a time in a row I won’t have to try to get sober AGAIN. Too many don’t make it after a relapse.
BE WELL
Good job with your cutback. I know how much turmoil it produces inside so I suggest you have this as a REMEMBER WHEN period in your life because it might prevent further happenings.
It certainly helped me and was a realization when I reminded myself also that if I don’t pick up the first drink one day at a time in a row I won’t have to try to get sober AGAIN. Too many don’t make it after a relapse.
BE WELL
Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Washington, MO
Posts: 2,306
Way to go nate! I tapered at home and actually joined this site to journal it. Been here ever since. Stick around--plenty of good tips, support for THE REST OF THE STORY. May yours be a good one.
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Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,355
Im glad it went well yesterday.
Gatorade has lots of sugar in it and can sometimes make you feel sicker. I like pedialyte or kids electrolyte solution. It helps you hydrate so much better than gatorade or even water.
Continue being strong and keep fighting. Tapering didnt work for me, I said I would only drink x amount but instead finished the alcohol that I had, or made drinks a bit stronger. I wasnt strong enough to taper.
Gatorade has lots of sugar in it and can sometimes make you feel sicker. I like pedialyte or kids electrolyte solution. It helps you hydrate so much better than gatorade or even water.
Continue being strong and keep fighting. Tapering didnt work for me, I said I would only drink x amount but instead finished the alcohol that I had, or made drinks a bit stronger. I wasnt strong enough to taper.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: FL
Posts: 18
Day 2: Spent the entire night last night on the SR chat room and met some great ppl. Good conversations, good advice, and, most of all, it got me through the night without drinking. The morning started off well. No shaking, no sweats, and the stomach was fine. Had breakfast and coffee (neither I ever do) and tried to keep busy. But as the day wore on my stomach started gurgling, I was getting irritable, and antsy. Nothing I ate or drank took the want away. So I crawled into bed, pulled the sheets over my head, and laid there listening to my stomach getting louder. But I couldn't sleep. Eventually I got up for dinner and could barely ate. My stomach had had enough. To the bathroom. All day I watched the clock waiting for the 9p chat meeting. It helped a lot. So many great ppl and so many showed up. Once it was all over and I needed to settle in for the night (right now), I am wide awake. I am use to passing out, not going to sleep. Tonight's topic was about change. You don't realize how many things are going to change when you stop drinking but, when you stop, you realized how many things were changed in you because of drinking. 2 hours till day 3.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Lakeside, Ca
Posts: 10,208
Originally Posted by natenate
Day 1: I’m 2 hrs away from finishing it!
that is how it works
we just don't drink today
mine have really added up over time and I hope that yours will also
for the sober life for a drunk is the best life
MB
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