August252015

Beautifully put and true for me, also.

I finally heard the talking to of my life from my now liver dr, in Feb. He gave me a year, 18 mo to live if I kept drinking. I was 39. This wasn't the first time a doctor had given me dire predictions - this time, however, with a handle of vodka still in my purse that I was terrified he would find because it would bang into the exam table, and a completely exhausted mind, body, and spirit....I heard and listened. And I gave up.

I will never go back.

ToBeHappier

So many amazing and thoughtful responses. Thank you. It really means a lot.

thomas11

It required two things for me: One, accept that I was not in control and I was not a "normal" drinker. Two, falling in my house, breaking both legs very badly and spending the next YEAR healing from such a stupid mistake.

suzyq77

A combination of things made me quit:

1) mid-life crisis - a realization this year that my life had to change direction in many ways
2) losing control - trying to "cut back" for health reasons and realizing the booze was in control
3) the betrayal - my friend alcohol has been lying to me for all these years. I no longer want to associate with it.
4) the detox process - absolutely miserable and disgusting. Mine lasted for weeks. I never want to go through this again.

tomsteve

the pain of getting drunk finally exceeded the pain of reality and i was given the gift of desperation.

mfanch

Willingness to do the work.

PurpleKnight

When you start to convince yourself that throwing up every morning in the shower is somewhat "normal" . . . something needs to change in your life!!

There are soo many things I tried to convince myself was normal or alright . . . but it wasn't . . . when enough of those things started to click, I finally started to question the road I was on!!

PhoenixJ

Also because I 'felt' wrong. To my core I felt wrong.

Bailey3

My life was totally out of control. If I hadn't stopped I'm pretty sure I would be dead right now. If not from alcohol itself then by my own hands. I realized I wanted to live.

Life's not perfect now but, it sure is a lot better. I hope to never go back into that hell ever again.

I'm pretty sure there was a little divine intervention too.

CajunPrincess

Sick and tired of waking up feeling miserable. Of still being drunk the next day and not being able to do anything but lie in bed.
I wasn't living.

bradly22

Good post topic. For a lot of us, we reach that point where we have to jump ship or go down with it. My wake up call came when I came to at a detox facility in downtown Minneapolis. It was in a super ghetto part of town. I recall looking around the lounge room at the other patients and thinking to myself, "I shouldn't be here". I didn't want to end up like any of these other shady characters later in my life. My guess was that a lot of these guys had been in and out of detox many times.

It made me reflect on how far I had pushed my drinking. Though I had lost nothing I was possibly on the verge of losing everything.

Almost five months sober. One day at a time.

ToBeHappier

Yep, this is where I am at.
This coupled with fear for my health should be enough?

Thanks to all.

Skylark1964

be strong if its only for you

islandlife

The final eye-opener (I had been ignoring symptoms from my body for years) was a full blown panic attack while driving 70 mph on the freeway with my little one in the car. After I got home, I searched what could have caused it (never had one before), and there is evidence that alcohol abuse can do that. For The Record - I DID NOT have alcohol in my system, I'm just stating that my body had enough of the constant toxicity from years of abuse!

That was it for me. After years of 'trying' to quit, I decided enough was enough. By the grace of God, I didn't wreck and I was given a second chance on living the life I'm meant to.

I'm on Day 3.

awuh1

I had many of the same problems already mentioned.

Health issues
Legal issues
Relationship issues

But these were only the things that sent me looking for a solution. Your question is "What made you change? ". I went to AA meetings but that typically only worked for short periods of time. The meetings did not make me change. I started to do the steps that AA suggests, but the first few steps did not make me change either.

Then, a little awhile after completing step five I began to read the texts of as many of the worlds spiritual traditions as I could get my hands on. Not too long after that I had a sudden and profound spiritual experience. That experience changed me. Deeply.

But I was not responsible for producing that experience. My personal seeking was necessary for having that experience, but it was not sufficient in and of itself.

In short, it was not the consequences of my drinking (legal, social, health or financial) that made me change. These were only the things that lead to a decision to stop drinking. I was unable to stop with that decision alone, and unfortunately I needed to prove that to myself over and over again.

BrendaChenowyth

What made me want to stop: feeling like a stranger to myself

What helped me change was observing a lot of people that reminded me of who I once thought I was going to be.. if that makes sense..

You have to take your eyes off of what you don't want, and look to what you do want for yourself.

LadyBlue0527

A DUI that proved to me that I have no business ever letting any alcohol pass over my lips.

Also, true acceptance of that fact. There is no excuse and no reason for me to drink, ever. It's off the table, a done deal.

The amazing thing is once I truly accepted that and got past the first few months, finding out what happiness really can be is a huge reward.

Hevyn

I'd been drinking almost 30 yrs. My tolerance was ridiculous. I could drink 'round the clock. I started my day with one so I wouldn't shake. Then it was maintenance drinking all day. I wasn't high or happy - there was no fun or joy associated with it, not like in my early drinking days. I was reckless & putting myself in danger all the time. I was looking death in the eye. There was very little of 'me' left. I was embarrassing myself and letting everyone down. As Dee said - acceptance. I could never be a social drinker. I'd devoted decades to insisting I could. I wanted to live.

ToBeHappier - thank you for a thought provoking & valuable thread. Glad to have you part of us.

Mattq2

I fought my personal battle against alcohol for many years. I had reached the cross roads. Quit forever or give up trying and let alchol kill me.

ToBeHappier

Hevyn, your HOPE signature speaks to me. Thanks to you and all of you