Should I quit?
Guest
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 8,674
Good morning (in Atlanta) Percy- glad you're here.
IMO - I'm with those who say yes, you're an alcoholic and should quit. Or, more gently, you see problems alcohol is causing you and that's reason enough to give sobriety a real shot.
One question- why wait til Aug 18th to quit? IME and IMO, putting it off....leads to keeping on drinking. Indefinitely.
I went cold turkey from a very heavy vodka habit there at the end; I would do it that way again though many would not advise it. I knew that unknown temporary suffering (weeks, or months as it turned out) was preferable to certain death by drinking.
I have lived in Italy and I do (did) love wine. I know what you mean about it being good and plentiful. However, I also know that there are undoubtedly more flavors of sparkling water and such than we have here - my fiance who is also in recovery is a huge fan of what we can get here in terms of San Pellegrino, etc! There is truly anything else besides alcohol that you can drink.
Bottom line, you have to want to quit. If you do, then there is a lot of support IRL and here (I understand that various people describe living in non-US countries more of a challenge in terms of AA, for example- I also know a lot of people here in AA like me who have traveled much of the globe and found AA meetings just about everywhere).
Also, as others have said, the quantity or frequency or type of alcohol....don't matter in terms of whether or not one is an alcoholic. It's about our lack of ability to control how much we drink once we start- and you describe just that.
Bottom line for me? Every. Single. Thing. in my life is better sober.
Take care- and hope to see you around here.
IMO - I'm with those who say yes, you're an alcoholic and should quit. Or, more gently, you see problems alcohol is causing you and that's reason enough to give sobriety a real shot.
One question- why wait til Aug 18th to quit? IME and IMO, putting it off....leads to keeping on drinking. Indefinitely.
I went cold turkey from a very heavy vodka habit there at the end; I would do it that way again though many would not advise it. I knew that unknown temporary suffering (weeks, or months as it turned out) was preferable to certain death by drinking.
I have lived in Italy and I do (did) love wine. I know what you mean about it being good and plentiful. However, I also know that there are undoubtedly more flavors of sparkling water and such than we have here - my fiance who is also in recovery is a huge fan of what we can get here in terms of San Pellegrino, etc! There is truly anything else besides alcohol that you can drink.
Bottom line, you have to want to quit. If you do, then there is a lot of support IRL and here (I understand that various people describe living in non-US countries more of a challenge in terms of AA, for example- I also know a lot of people here in AA like me who have traveled much of the globe and found AA meetings just about everywhere).
Also, as others have said, the quantity or frequency or type of alcohol....don't matter in terms of whether or not one is an alcoholic. It's about our lack of ability to control how much we drink once we start- and you describe just that.
Bottom line for me? Every. Single. Thing. in my life is better sober.
Take care- and hope to see you around here.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 4
Hello everyone!
Just a quick post to let you know that I'm sticking to the original plan of giving up the drink! It's been 9 days now (since August 18th).
For me, this is purely an experiment. I will stop until I fly back to England for Christmas, whereupon I will review the situation. If I feel any difference (more energy, clear headedness, a general sense of clarity) I will keep going!
I went to a restaurant that I often frequent on Thursday. I normally order Ceres when having my pizza, but this time I ordered Coke. I have to be completely honest; I missed the beer. I like the combination of a nice cold lager (or glass of wine) to accompany my food!
I have since bought some non-alcoholic lager. I gotta say, I like it! I realise some of you might discourage me from drinking it (for it might open a can of alcohol-craving worms), but I do like the feeling of cracking open a cold lager and not slipping into a self-induced coma!
EDIT: I suppose I'm just confused over the idea of denying myself something I enjoy... The problem I have (as mentioned previously, and one that many of us suffer from) is that I completely lack the self-control to enjoy a few pints when at a restaurant... Ggggrrr....
Just a quick post to let you know that I'm sticking to the original plan of giving up the drink! It's been 9 days now (since August 18th).
For me, this is purely an experiment. I will stop until I fly back to England for Christmas, whereupon I will review the situation. If I feel any difference (more energy, clear headedness, a general sense of clarity) I will keep going!
I went to a restaurant that I often frequent on Thursday. I normally order Ceres when having my pizza, but this time I ordered Coke. I have to be completely honest; I missed the beer. I like the combination of a nice cold lager (or glass of wine) to accompany my food!
I have since bought some non-alcoholic lager. I gotta say, I like it! I realise some of you might discourage me from drinking it (for it might open a can of alcohol-craving worms), but I do like the feeling of cracking open a cold lager and not slipping into a self-induced coma!
EDIT: I suppose I'm just confused over the idea of denying myself something I enjoy... The problem I have (as mentioned previously, and one that many of us suffer from) is that I completely lack the self-control to enjoy a few pints when at a restaurant... Ggggrrr....
Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 51
[QUOTE=teaorcoffee;6561971]I think that if you think you have a problem, you most probably have a problem.
So simple but so true!!!
For years I went back and forth with the "do I really have a drinking problem?" question.
And it's such a clear and obvious answer.
If you are spending significant amounts of time thinking about drinking (or not drinking, or quitting drinking, or regrets you have after drinking too much) that clearly indicates that there is a problem.
<3
So simple but so true!!!
For years I went back and forth with the "do I really have a drinking problem?" question.
And it's such a clear and obvious answer.
If you are spending significant amounts of time thinking about drinking (or not drinking, or quitting drinking, or regrets you have after drinking too much) that clearly indicates that there is a problem.
<3
Guest
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 8,674
Percy- you've decided on a plan - and perhaps it will work for you.
One note....many of us tried moderation and IMO and in the opinion and experience of many (I believe, eventually, all) of us here - it doesn't work for an alcoholic. Might work for a time - say, till Christmas - yet you are already bargaining with yourself and drinking the 2% (my guess- as that's about what most NA beer has in the States) stuff.....another thing you may not have heard is that alcoholics who quit for a while or moderate or what have you, when they drink again, go right back to the same level/frequency/problem drinking they did before- or worse, and very quickly.
Again, like others have said, quitting, full stop, is the only way I know to live a much more wonderful life than I could have imagined when I quit. I'll close with saying this: alcoholics who have quit often talk about "the yets" - as in, "I hadn't lost a job [yet]." or "I didn't drink in the morning/every day/whatever [yet]"...till we did. There are plenty of "yets" you haven't hit- but could, if you keep drinking.
Best to you for good choices.
One note....many of us tried moderation and IMO and in the opinion and experience of many (I believe, eventually, all) of us here - it doesn't work for an alcoholic. Might work for a time - say, till Christmas - yet you are already bargaining with yourself and drinking the 2% (my guess- as that's about what most NA beer has in the States) stuff.....another thing you may not have heard is that alcoholics who quit for a while or moderate or what have you, when they drink again, go right back to the same level/frequency/problem drinking they did before- or worse, and very quickly.
Again, like others have said, quitting, full stop, is the only way I know to live a much more wonderful life than I could have imagined when I quit. I'll close with saying this: alcoholics who have quit often talk about "the yets" - as in, "I hadn't lost a job [yet]." or "I didn't drink in the morning/every day/whatever [yet]"...till we did. There are plenty of "yets" you haven't hit- but could, if you keep drinking.
Best to you for good choices.
Life Goes On
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Posts: 6,069
I don't mean to be rude, but honestly didn't read the whole thread. My immediate response to your thread title was a resounding, "Yes!"
There is really no good reason for anyone to drink alcohol. Seriously. It's exactly the same as no good reason to smoke cigarettes - it has the potential to ruin your health and eventually kill you.
I'm not judging people who smoke or drink, just saying if you ask the question, then the automatic answer should be yes.
Wish you the best and hope you hang around here to report on your experiment. We will all be here to support you for sure.
O
p.s. I just read your post from this morning - good on you! I think stopping until Christmas is an excellent plan. Three months is a good amount of time to put a new habit (or lack thereof) in place. I'm glad you came back to report.
There is really no good reason for anyone to drink alcohol. Seriously. It's exactly the same as no good reason to smoke cigarettes - it has the potential to ruin your health and eventually kill you.
I'm not judging people who smoke or drink, just saying if you ask the question, then the automatic answer should be yes.
Wish you the best and hope you hang around here to report on your experiment. We will all be here to support you for sure.
O
p.s. I just read your post from this morning - good on you! I think stopping until Christmas is an excellent plan. Three months is a good amount of time to put a new habit (or lack thereof) in place. I'm glad you came back to report.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 4
Originally Posted by August252015 
yet you are already bargaining with yourself and drinking the 2% (my guess- as that's about what most NA beer has in the States) stuff.....
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