40 and here we go
 

As many others I am sick of my drinking cycles, I would class myself as an extreme binge drinker, 2-3 times per week maybe. Well I 'was' as I've recently hit the big 40 and I just want to get off the wheel.

Celebrated with friends, got steaming drunk on the day before and continued drinking on my 40th from early morning until late evening. Next day, awful, withdrawals, sweats/chills, anxiety, feelings of going crazy, detachment. Never agains vowed.

4 days later and a drink after work alone turned in to several drinks (mixed) and little recollection. Next morning knew I wouldn't survive work so called in with some bull excuse about an emergency and spent the day feeling I was going to die, racing heart, sweats, that crazy feeling. 3 doses of diazepam and decided this is the time in my life I need to kick this for good. I can't just have one drink. I'm jealous of my friends that nearly always turn their nose up at the offer of a drink while I'm sitting in the pub working out how many I can have without totally ruining plans for the day.

I hate the depression too, last night's after-binge effects have gone but now I feel depressed and alone. I've got one final test this weekend, a friend is dropping by for a late celebratory night, they intend to get very drunk, I'm usually their drinking buddy but I'm planning on abstaining. I've not told them this yet but I plan to substitute for fizzy water. I've invited a tee-total guest who knows I want to knock this on the head and asked they 'baby-sit' me to ensure I don't succumb. I think this is a good idea as I know on my own I would just allow myself one more blow out which would invariably lead to a weekend of withdrawals (I seem to get them so easily nowadays whereas in my younger years, a hangover was just a hangover).

Well I'm wishing myself luck and I'm pleased I found this forum for support going forward.

Good luck and welcome! I stopped at 40 as well. I had promised myself since forever that I would spend the second part of my life sober.

You can turn this around

Welcome Kiaora

I could not possibly identify more. The horrible next morning anxiety is no fun. That always led me to some hair of the dog. Then you really get on the crazy train once that happens. Downward spiral. I wish you well. Take care.

Welcome Kiaora, I quit at 40 as well, good luck! You have this.

Thanks for the welcome and comments. The 3 reasons I want to stop are my age, my health and the day after anxiety where I really think I'm going to collapse and die. I'm going to count tomorrow as day 1 and see how I go. Thanks again.

I planned to stop at 40 and didn't now I'm in my early 60s and a lesson to younger people. I'm young for my age I am told, but goodness knows how given the hellish anxiety I have suffered of the type described above.

I was a chronic boozer rather than a binger, but it all ends up the same. Good luck to you - grab it now!

Welcome to the Forum Kiaora!! :wave:

Alcoholism is progressive and as you get older the hangovers get worse and the recovery times get longer. At the end of my drinking career, the mornings were pretty nasty but I found that if I drank a couple of beers with breakfast I would feel ok. How insane is that?

Good to meet you kiaora. You sound motivated. :)

I felt the same way when I found SR. Drinking had turned me into a person I didn't recognize. I was exhausted, sad, and defeated. Hard to imagine I drank to cheer myself up or have fun - it did just the opposite in the end. It's great to be free.

Welcome ... we could start a stopped at 40 group I think?! That was always my plan but then I figured out I didn't even want to wait anymore. For what? I am 39 and this is my year to say goodbye to that guy. I will turn 40 this summer sober. How's that for celebrating the beginning of the next chapter? I absolutely identify with your situation and the simple scientific fact that as we get older, it gets harder to bounce back from an alcohol binge session. I was also a binger, there was no social glass of wine out to dinner with friends, it was a case of beer, drank quickly, usually alone, to pass out. Stay close to SR ... it has been a great resource during my early days.

I can relate to this. I also turned 40 this year and 'celebrated' with a 3 day bender that resulted in my first panic attack. It all felt hopeless.

Two weeks sober and I'm feeling 100 times better, and looking forward to the future.

You can do this. :)

I'm past the 40 mark. Not by much. Something in my body changed and alcohol consumption resulted in way worse hangovers and foggy brain. Trying to cure foggy brain with alcohol is not wise. Sorry preaching to myself again. :)

Kia Ora, Kiaora!!!


You can do this, and it is SOOOOO worth it!!

Aroha

:ring

Hi and welcome.

On my journey to become sober I didn’t know what I didn’t know about alcohol or alcoholism. We alcoholics seem to want a soft easy way to sobriety by way of short cuts that may include lots of reading, exercise, healthy eating, rest etc. This all helps us down the path. One thing that is required is “we gotta wana” get/be sober on good days and bad. We need to remember life situations go on if we are sober or not.

The way it works is working and changing ourselves from that drinking person that got us here.
There are many good sober people here offering advice along with recovery fellowships like AA and others. May you find inner peace with your recovery.

BE WELL

I quit ~a month before I turned 40. I also could not stand the horrible withdrawal effects after binges.

Welcome and good luck, kiaora :)

Welcome kiaora. Hopefully you have another 60 years ahead to live a good life.

Hello Kiaora!

The first time I *tried* to quit was just after I turned 40. There must be something to that age. A milestone, I guess. I only lasted a week. Things got worse from there, of course. It wasn't until this quit, a year and a half later, that I realized how bad my state was. (Sober now three weeks.)

This was me. I'm 38 an have been sober for nearly 4 months. It must happen around the late 30's- the anxiety, three day hangovers, etc. the panic and anxiety was hellish. So glad to be done with alcohol.

So true, GnikNus!