Irnldy001

Thanks for asking - been a rough week - daughter back and forth from hospital. And I've been sober and able to deal with it and soothe her. I'm sober for her and my son and so many other reasons.
But I couldn't get sober until I really believed I needed to be. I'm closing in on 17 months.
I'd love to tell you that I'm done living inside my head, but I'm still there. I'm working hard in AA, with a sponsor, working full time, being a wife, and being a Mom. I don't really know how I fit in the drunk time before.
I hated who I was and what I became. I had driven almost everyone out of my life. I still don't have a lot of people, but I have the important ones and that matters, a lot.
I don't mind what I see in the mirror, coming to resemble..... pride?
I am honest with myself. It's brutal sometimes. I'm trying to be gentler but it's hard to be frank. No one has ever hurt me harder than I hurt myself.
I can't drink. It poisons my mind let alone what it does to my behaviour. During my drinking, even during the daylight hours when I wasn't drinking, my mind was an explosion of anxiety and depression all the time. Sober - it took a while for the vice grip on my mind to let go, but with time it did.
Life is quiet. I don't mind the quiet anymore. It's better than anything before it.

letitgo

Great post SW!

I feel free. Still a work in progress. Temptations still come and go. Eat and sleep better. My anxiety has gone down.

Sober to be free from slavery.

least

I was sick and tired of waking up feeling horrible and hating myself. I wasn't taking good care of my dogs and cats and felt guilty all the time. I was tired of wishing I was dead.

Now my life is the best it's ever been and I'm truly happy. I never want to go back to that awful existence.

bluedog97

I quit drinking because it had become the only thing I had to look forward to. And it was causing mounting problems. Then I wound up in the hospital and finally said enough is enough. It's either time to face life head on or give up and go on to the bitter end.

I should have quit a long time ago. But all I have is today and staying sober today is the best I can do.

entropy1964

Doing great today. I'm sober because if I continue drinking I will be insane and /or dead. And I will destroy my daughters life. That's all.

Ultramarathoner

I lacked the courage of those on the board (members or not!) who proactively choose to live a better life.

I choose to become alcohol free when I had an epiphany after a pretty serious health issue (that ultimately turned out to be unrelated to alcohol). It made me reevaluate where the path was leading me and I promised my wife and then 10 year old I was going to quit drinking and become healthier (several months later I gave up coffee).

Prior to becoming alcohol free my longest run was 6 miles. I've since run my first trail marathon and 50k- took the Winter off- and recently begun training again for the same this year. My ultimate goal is a 50 mile in 2017.

Life is infinitely better alcohol free.

MIRecovery

I'm sober because I could see everything I cared about slipping away. Relationships with loved ones, my marriage, my health, my sanity, my career, my self esteem and my life were hanging by a thread.

6+ years down the road quitting drinking was the best decision I have ever made or will ever make

Delfin

Hello, SW! I'm okay today. I got sober because I was sad and anxious all the time and because my child was angry and scared because of my drinking. I owed it to her and to myself to give us a better, healthier life. Best decision I ever made!

Delfin

Soberwolf

Thank you everyone some great replies

MelindaFlowers

I stopped drinking alcohol at age 32 because I was damaging my health and it was starting to jeopardize my career. i was very sick and agitated every day when I was hungover. I had forgotten what it was like to live without a hangover. I drank far, far too much. I couldn't take it anymore.

One morning I was late for work because I had forgotten to set my alarm during a blackout. I went to work that day in wrinkled clothes I had yanked off the floor. Sick as a dog, pretending I wasn't. That was a turning point.

trachemys

SW, made me think of

Soberwolf

Awesome trachs

Eddiebuckle

I quit drinking because I was sick of the person that I had become. I am sober today because I believe my sobriety is the foundation on which the things I most value rest: my spirituality, my marriage, and the ability to leave the world just a little bit better in my wake.

Beallara

I'm sober because the risk no longer justified the "reward". I say reward in the most condescending of tones- what type of reward is it to feel hungover and disappointed with yourself, and to feel like you're spiraling out of control?

I was worried because I was blacking out but still mobile (scary!) and I was drinking every night...I also couldn't ever have "just one glass". I could see my disease progressing, so I got sober before I hit bottom and lost everything. I know where that old story leads, and I'm looking forward to seeing how my new sober story unfolds.

Easy2slip

Right on SoberWolf!
I am 3 Weeks Sober today!

3 Reasons I want to stay sober

1) My health - I was literally killing myself with booze. I knew it was time to stop before damage.

2) My family - They need me. All of me.

3) My Music - Wasn't motivated after drinking (which was all the time).

Now I'm back BABY!

Bailey3

Because I want to resurrect my life.

Vandermast

I'm sober because alcohol has totally and utterly decimated my life

And I wanna live

V

newpage119

A little over a year and a half here....

I got sober because I was starting to have health issues from drinking....also tired of the guilt and remorse...

I STAY sober because it turns out that I LOVE being sober.....

suzie89

I am sober because I could no longer cut it as a "functional" alcoholic. It showed in my relationships, my work, my appearance, and my health. It would have been clear to anyone who cared to look, but I isolated myself so much that this list was getting shorter and shorter. I'm sober because my kids don't deserve a drunk mom. I'm sober because life is too short and precious to spend it wasted. At 5 weeks in as of today, I already feel like a different person. I have hope for the first time in a long time.

BBQBOY

I am sober today because......all of the reasons stated previously!! Best Wishes to all.