Curious question
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Coldwater, MS
Posts: 2
Curious question
This is a question for some of you old guys out there who used to drink, what ever made you quit? I know we all have our reasons, I know its harder when you get older too though. I looked in the mirror one day not long ago after drinking heavy off and on but mostly on for about 3 yrs with a good bit of drug use and alot of green herb. Im a little paranoid about posting but then what hell did come here for. Any comments would be appreciated if you were in the same boat as I. Thanks
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,416
Hi and welcome JoBMc 
You would have seen when you signed up there were a few tips to keep your posts here anonymous. This is a very safe site and we take confidentially very seriously here.
what made me quit was nearly dying...but there's no need to go to that extreme
I felt for a long time I could do more with my life... and getting sober, and staying that way, helped me achieve that.
glad to have you with us
D
You would have seen when you signed up there were a few tips to keep your posts here anonymous. This is a very safe site and we take confidentially very seriously here.
what made me quit was nearly dying...but there's no need to go to that extreme
I felt for a long time I could do more with my life... and getting sober, and staying that way, helped me achieve that.
glad to have you with us
D
Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: California
Posts: 2,693
I quit for two reasons. And boy did I not want to quit for the longest time.
At 31 years old I was diagnosed with alcoholic liver damage. That kind of took the fun out of it and made me realize that I had to stop. Did I stop? Yes. For a whole week. I drank one more year and then got sober in June 2014. Why would I drink after a diagnosis? I was totally in denial and an addict.
Honest to God the reason I stopped is because it made me feel like crap all the time. I drank every night. I was hung over every day at work. I didn't ever vomit but I was sweaty and clammy and felt like complete and total crap every day all day. The only two states I lived in were drunk and hung over.
I woke up one morning in June 2014 with what I can honestly say was the worst hangover I've ever had. And I have had hundreds of record-breaking hangovers. So when I say the worst I ever had trust me it was really bad.
I was just disgusted with myself that I would have to spend a few days on the couch not able to move. Really acted out the same morning hundreds of times. Upon waking just knowing that I was completely useless and nearly paralyzed for the whole day with a horrible hangover. I was sick and tired of living like that.
I was finally able to stop drinking when I wanted to be sober more than I wanted to drink.
I have been sober for 18 months. Now it is completely and 100% normal to not drink alcohol. I don't even really think about it. There is really nothing I miss about it. There was a time in my life that I really enjoyed drinking but by the time I stopped drinking the fun times were long long gone. Loooooong gone.
At 31 years old I was diagnosed with alcoholic liver damage. That kind of took the fun out of it and made me realize that I had to stop. Did I stop? Yes. For a whole week. I drank one more year and then got sober in June 2014. Why would I drink after a diagnosis? I was totally in denial and an addict.
Honest to God the reason I stopped is because it made me feel like crap all the time. I drank every night. I was hung over every day at work. I didn't ever vomit but I was sweaty and clammy and felt like complete and total crap every day all day. The only two states I lived in were drunk and hung over.
I woke up one morning in June 2014 with what I can honestly say was the worst hangover I've ever had. And I have had hundreds of record-breaking hangovers. So when I say the worst I ever had trust me it was really bad.
I was just disgusted with myself that I would have to spend a few days on the couch not able to move. Really acted out the same morning hundreds of times. Upon waking just knowing that I was completely useless and nearly paralyzed for the whole day with a horrible hangover. I was sick and tired of living like that.
I was finally able to stop drinking when I wanted to be sober more than I wanted to drink.
I have been sober for 18 months. Now it is completely and 100% normal to not drink alcohol. I don't even really think about it. There is really nothing I miss about it. There was a time in my life that I really enjoyed drinking but by the time I stopped drinking the fun times were long long gone. Loooooong gone.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Somerset
Posts: 933
Hi JobMc,
Welcome to SR
I'm 51, and only just taken the leap a few weeks ago after 36 years of boozing.
For me I was tired of the hangovers. That's it really.
The benefits of quitting have shocked me though, it's gone WAY beyond just not feeling rubbish most days.
It's like I've won the lottery, first prize is being given another go at having a fulfilling life, one that is brighter and happier and healthier for me and everyone my life touches.
What's not to like?
Welcome to SR
I'm 51, and only just taken the leap a few weeks ago after 36 years of boozing.
For me I was tired of the hangovers. That's it really.
The benefits of quitting have shocked me though, it's gone WAY beyond just not feeling rubbish most days.
It's like I've won the lottery, first prize is being given another go at having a fulfilling life, one that is brighter and happier and healthier for me and everyone my life touches.
What's not to like?
Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 6,224
Welcome to SR JoBMc.
I quit because I was sick and tired of being sick and tired and because I knew that my levels of drinking were dangerous to my health. The other reason was that my alcoholism was taking away my ability to think clearly. I was 57, I'm 60 now.
I don't think it's harder when you are older though, with age we gain experience and often become far more independent of "what other people think".
I quit because I was sick and tired of being sick and tired and because I knew that my levels of drinking were dangerous to my health. The other reason was that my alcoholism was taking away my ability to think clearly. I was 57, I'm 60 now.
I don't think it's harder when you are older though, with age we gain experience and often become far more independent of "what other people think".
You're not shackled to not drinking, you're free from drinking
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: MN
Posts: 1,406
I'm 57 and quit for most of the same reasons as above. I got sick and tired of it. I've been a daily drinker since my mid 20's. I hopefully have another third of my life in front of me. (If I stayed drinking it would be a lot less) I don't want to go through those years in a fog. I want to have the opportunity to really experience them and enjoy them. So that's why I quit. For full disclosure, I'm 95 days sober today so I'm still in the early phases.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 734
Hi JoBMc,
Also fairly new around these parts, I'm 44 and after nearly 30 years of binging heavily with drink and drugs knew the madness had to stop before it ended me.
Loved the partying and was also more than happy to drink alone in the house too, rarely suffered hangovers / come downs just went again - thought I could just keep going and would always be last man standing pushing it to continue as it always had - plenty of entertaining through my job / travel / excitement but never accepting any responsibility for my actions or giving a toss who I upset in the process / quite a few downs along the way but ah who cares, lets go again - you deal with the fall out cause I don't care.
In reality everything had become solely revolved around getting as smashed as possible each and every time I got started and sad to say it had taken over my life.
Family / my sanity & career were the things that were on the line for me and I've come so close to losing all 3, far too close for comfort - I've woken up now and realised that there is definitely more to life than being smashed all the time and in another world and that I am responsible for my actions, can't keep hiding behind I don't know what I was doing, it wouldn't wash in a court of law and the fact is I really don't know what I was doing a lot of the time.
This world is definitely good enough for me and whilst it is still early days I am determined that the old me will not be returning at any point down the line.
Also fairly new around these parts, I'm 44 and after nearly 30 years of binging heavily with drink and drugs knew the madness had to stop before it ended me.
Loved the partying and was also more than happy to drink alone in the house too, rarely suffered hangovers / come downs just went again - thought I could just keep going and would always be last man standing pushing it to continue as it always had - plenty of entertaining through my job / travel / excitement but never accepting any responsibility for my actions or giving a toss who I upset in the process / quite a few downs along the way but ah who cares, lets go again - you deal with the fall out cause I don't care.
In reality everything had become solely revolved around getting as smashed as possible each and every time I got started and sad to say it had taken over my life.
Family / my sanity & career were the things that were on the line for me and I've come so close to losing all 3, far too close for comfort - I've woken up now and realised that there is definitely more to life than being smashed all the time and in another world and that I am responsible for my actions, can't keep hiding behind I don't know what I was doing, it wouldn't wash in a court of law and the fact is I really don't know what I was doing a lot of the time.
This world is definitely good enough for me and whilst it is still early days I am determined that the old me will not be returning at any point down the line.
Canine Welfare Advocate
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Norfolk, VA
Posts: 10,962
I quit after an night of uncontrolled drinking. I had a moment of clarity, denial-free vision I call it, where I saw my drinking for what it was and where it was headed.
I was 54 and had been drinking daily for 35 years. That was over 5 years ago. Don't wait as long as I did. If you see your drinking is a problem, it is. And if you don't do something about it, it will get worse.
I was 54 and had been drinking daily for 35 years. That was over 5 years ago. Don't wait as long as I did. If you see your drinking is a problem, it is. And if you don't do something about it, it will get worse.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Baton Rouge, La.
Posts: 15,236
What made me what to quit?
Honestly I didn't want to and couldn't
quit on my own and certainly didn't know
how to quit for good.
It took my family to place me into the
hands of those capable of teaching me
how to stay quit for one day at a time
incorporating knowledge of my addiction,
disease, illness, and an effective program
of recovery in my everyday affairs.
I didn't have the key to unlock the madness,
the keys to a freedom I had never known before
and until I had knowledge of what my addiction
was all about and the way it affected every inch
of my being and those around me.
I spent 28 day in rehab purging out all
that poisonous substance I had in my
system, then allowing some of the fog
to clear from my mind to accept what
they were teaching me about my alcohol
addiction.
With 28 days spent in a controlled environment
where no alcohol was in reach while I was going
emotional, physical, mental withdrawals, a seed
of recovery was planted for me to take home with me
when released. From there it was my responsibility
to continue on my recovery training, learning with
a 6 week aftercare program attached.
After completing my schooling, I went on to
applying all that was taught to me in all my
daily affairs remaining sober each and every
day for 25 yrs now.
25 yrs. is just a number made up of many
many one days at a time collected together
with out consuming narcotics, poisonous or
habit forming drugs in my system unless I
was under the care of my physician who is
absolutely aware of my addiction and recovery
being totally honest with them.
Did I want to quit yrs ago? No.
However, today I am extremely grateful
for my family stepping in to help save my
life and placing me into the hands of those
capable of teaching me how to remain sober
one day at a time.
It is a freeing experience that I will
treasure each and everyday and never
take for granted.
Honestly I didn't want to and couldn't
quit on my own and certainly didn't know
how to quit for good.
It took my family to place me into the
hands of those capable of teaching me
how to stay quit for one day at a time
incorporating knowledge of my addiction,
disease, illness, and an effective program
of recovery in my everyday affairs.
I didn't have the key to unlock the madness,
the keys to a freedom I had never known before
and until I had knowledge of what my addiction
was all about and the way it affected every inch
of my being and those around me.
I spent 28 day in rehab purging out all
that poisonous substance I had in my
system, then allowing some of the fog
to clear from my mind to accept what
they were teaching me about my alcohol
addiction.
With 28 days spent in a controlled environment
where no alcohol was in reach while I was going
emotional, physical, mental withdrawals, a seed
of recovery was planted for me to take home with me
when released. From there it was my responsibility
to continue on my recovery training, learning with
a 6 week aftercare program attached.
After completing my schooling, I went on to
applying all that was taught to me in all my
daily affairs remaining sober each and every
day for 25 yrs now.
25 yrs. is just a number made up of many
many one days at a time collected together
with out consuming narcotics, poisonous or
habit forming drugs in my system unless I
was under the care of my physician who is
absolutely aware of my addiction and recovery
being totally honest with them.
Did I want to quit yrs ago? No.
However, today I am extremely grateful
for my family stepping in to help save my
life and placing me into the hands of those
capable of teaching me how to remain sober
one day at a time.
It is a freeing experience that I will
treasure each and everyday and never
take for granted.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Indiana
Posts: 1,472
Welcome to SR! I'm not really an old timer (32 years old) but I quit for two reasons. People at work were starting to notice and my performance was suffering and I realized I was starting to age way faster than I should. I don't want to be 34 and look like I'm 44 so I realized I needed to change. When I finally went to the doctor, he confirmed it by telling me my liver levels were elevated. That just added yet another reason for me.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Central America/Florida USA
Posts: 4,064
I quit when I was 36.
I was not only physically and mentally addicted to booze - but it was also holding me back. On weekends I would drink, watch college sports at the local bars/pubs, then drink some more. Repeat, repeat, repeat. For years.
I wanted more out of life, wanted to explore and change and see some new things and get new experiences. Being addicted to alcohol, watching my health decline as my health went slowly (and then rapidly) down the tubes....I didn't want to live my one chance at life this way.
I was not only physically and mentally addicted to booze - but it was also holding me back. On weekends I would drink, watch college sports at the local bars/pubs, then drink some more. Repeat, repeat, repeat. For years.
I wanted more out of life, wanted to explore and change and see some new things and get new experiences. Being addicted to alcohol, watching my health decline as my health went slowly (and then rapidly) down the tubes....I didn't want to live my one chance at life this way.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Coldwater, MS
Posts: 2
Its wierd as hell seeing yalls comments and me having the same thoughts. I do plan on staying sober and like one of you, my doctor has been a big part of it. My blood pressure was 158 over 98 when i went for medx refills. You talk about being scared ******** And my liver enzymes have been up for the past couple yrs. Thanks fellas
Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: MN
Posts: 8,704
I had warning signs along the way that I wasn't a normal drinker, but what really woke me up was when I realized I could not keep drinking the way I was, and expect to live a long fulfilling life. Had a couple bouts of alcohol withdrawal and a serious injury. Those things pretty much fixed my wagon.
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