Introduction
 

Good day all,

I wanted to introduce myself.
Just recently turned 40. Started drinking around the age of 14-15, so I have 25 years of bad memories with booze. Hoping to have an improved next 25 years.
My issues with alcohol are focused on binge drinking. I rarely drink 2 days in a row.
When I drink, I typically drink 10-18 beers during the event.
Historically this has occurred one day during the week. Usually a Friday or Saturday are my preferred drinking days. Some times when I am out at dinner or a bar/tavern, I do get involved with hard liquor, but have historically been a beer guy,
I recently went 15 days straight with out a drink, which was outstanding. Yesterday, I made the personal choice to stop by one of the local shops to see what they had for new beers in inventory. Ended up getting 3 six packs. My wife was not very thrilled as expected. Luckily she is very supportive and wants me to put the bottle down for good.
I hope to use this site as a crutch to get me through times when my mind tells me I need to hit the local store for beer and provide support to others members.
Feel free to ask me any questions, as I am open and honest.

darkstarpa

Welcome, and thanks for sharing your story. My drinking habits are the same as yours, usually once a week, beers until I am black out. I never liked the hard stuff. I am on day day 12 myself, and am getting cravings here and there. It is much easier this week than the last though. You can do it.

I am going to take it day by day. My short term goal is to get through 2 weeks again and push myself for a month. I have a few beers in my fridge from yesterday that I am trying to decide what to do with them. I should toss them, but they are really decent beers. :headbange

Decent beer or not, they are a bad temptation to have around. Especially in the first few days. When I decided to give it up I had 8 beers in my mini fridge, (the expensive kind) and I made the hard choice to pour it all out. Better money than my body and mind. I like that attitude though, day by day is how I got to this point.

Good point. Wife will be happy to see they are gone too.
Will take care of it later today.

I understand short-term, attainable goals. But what is your long term goal? To quit drinking for good?

Absolutely that is my goal.
I typically struggle any point after 15 days and have historically come up with a reason to drink. Ex - sporting event/game, wedding, fishing trip or just being bored. I will be out at dinner and can see the beer taps from the bar area, new beer never tried before. Ask the server for a sample of it. Next thing, I know I have had 3 beers during dinner.
All signs of addiction imop

Don't use the site like a crutch, crutches are unstable, hard to manuever and damn near rub the hair right out of your armpit. Instead think of us like your secret stash of sobriety ninjas who got your back when you go up one on one with the biggest, meanest meat of a man looking to tear you limb from limb. You may get pushed down, punched in the balls by his big bald head or thrown across the ring like a ragdoll, but we will be there to wipe off your bloody snot, jam your collarbone back in place and then push you right back out to face your reality so you can take that meat man out with a sucker punch to the jugular. We don't fight hard. We fight smart.

Now throw all the beer out (even that fancy brand you have stashed away) get yourself a program and started gearing up for the next meat man looking to kill you. Should be an easy win if you have the tools and your posse backing you up.

Now that is how to use this site.

Welcome DarkStar. I notice that you corrected 2 out of your 3 posts for spelling mistake. It has been my (non-alcohol related) experience that this behaviour reacts well to gamifying projects. Perhaps something to consider?

Either way, good luck.

KP

Welcome Darkstarpa

Educating ourselves about addiction,
its affects on our own minds and bodies,
along with learning some sort of recovery
program learning how to clear away
the clutter from the past, accepting
that we can no longer drink successfully,
if we ever did, working thru resentments,
excuses, finding a peace, faith, serenity
to move forward building a strong, solid
recovery foundation to live our lives upon
for many one days sober down the road.

Grab a hold of those who are successful
in their own recovery and who have paved
a path for us to follow and live life in a
healthy, sober, happy, honest way possible.

It's more than just not drinking anymore,
but rather a new way of living life. Sober..!!

Welcome DarkStar !

Glad to meet you, Darkstarpa.

I drank almost 30 yrs. Kept insisting it would be fun again if only I could control it. As a result, I ended up drinking every day & putting myself in danger. No way to predict what would happen once it was in my system. It feels wonderful to be free of it.

Welcome to SR darkstarpa :)

D

Welcome to the family. :) I hope our support can help you get sober for good. :)

Welcome!

A little off topic, but if you want to use the next 25 years to put yourself in a better place, here's an idea. Take the money you've been spending on 6 packs of expensive micro brews and put it in a mutual fund for retirement.

At 65 you can have 25 years of sobriety under your belt, and a nice nest egg built from the money you would have drank away. (And you will probably have a happy wife too!).

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and support.
I remain hopeful that I can move forward and reach my goals.