Jam13

Hey all, I am on Day 3.... today has been a bit tougher and I’ve had to remind myself multiple times why I am staying sober...

1. My blood pressure has gotten out of control.
2. I want to be a good mom to my teenage daughter, she has mental health issues and needs me.
3. I’m tired of being tired, shaky, gaining weight, feeling nauseated, blood shot eyes, etc.
4. Tired of Making excuses to avoid situations so I can drink at home.
5. So I don’t have to go to so many lengths to hide my drinking.
6. I want my brain to get back to normal so I can sleep normal.
7. I want to remember conversations and what I did the night before.
8. I don’t want to go through withdrawal anymore.
9. It is getting very expensive when the amount keeps increasing.
10. I hope to inspire my husband to quit drinking....it’s hard to quit when someone is openly drinking in front of you 😢

I could keep going... there are so many reasons to quit and so few to keep on.

So what are you’re reasons?

Buckley3

That's a great list. I share a few.

Off the top of my head-

I love that I don't waste so much time and energy keeping up the lie. And I love that my life is manageable now.

I don't miss a thing.

B

John65

Because if I don't alcohol will kill me, directly or indirectly. That's it, plain and simple.

There are of course many benefits to not drinking but that is my primary reason.

least

I love waking up feeling good. I also really love that I take excellent care of my dogs and cats now. They get their needs taken care of and get lots of loving.

kevlarsjal2

Cause drinking didn't work for me.

Cause I don't see a future for myself if I drank. Nothing of what I want to achieve, none of my dreams would be possible with daily drinking.

16YearsDrunk

Me too!

Me too!

Me too!

Wow, now this is freaky me too again.

Same.

Same! And at 13 weeks I now sleep like a baby.

Oh god yes!

Yes again. Repeating the withdrawal process is tiring.

Yes! Especially when I was prioritising alcohol over food.

Not my uncle, but I want to inspire many family members who have problems.

Alcohol has a pattern of destruction and it seems to be similar for everybody.

Gerard52

If I don't stop drinking my life is finished, at best a joyless existence foreshortened by some extremely horrible illness. Not really a winning combination.

SnazzyDresser

Alcohol would turn my life back into a horror show, and I don't even like to watch horror movies, too scary. Forget starring in one!

tekink

Same for me. I know it doesn't stop everyone but I found fear of death to be a pretty strong motivator. It still was hard as heck and took me quite a few tries to make it as far as I have.

2muchpain

Although I'm concerned about future health problems due to my drinking, I continue to drink cause of lack of support. Tried AA, etc., just didn't work. At my age, just don't see much of a reason to quit. Don't drink like I used to but still drink some. Totally quitting just won't make much difference in my life. John

Atlast9999

I’m sick of being an unhealthy, hot mess.

doggonecarl

Reasons you are committed to staying sober?

Being sober is the reason I'm committed to it. The state of being that is sobriety is everything that addiction isn't. Hard to explain. And probably hard to understand at three days sober. I can see how concrete benefits are. But if you make it to a couple years alcohol free you will grasp how sobriety reaps its own benefits.

Outonthetiles

My life was becoming unmanageable. I got as close to complete physical collapse as you can get. I somehow managed to keep my job and my house and cars, but I literally destroyed every other aspect of my life to keep my drinking hidden. It was a horrible nightmare and I knew I was headed for death, but I didn't care.
I don't know how the light switch went on, but it did. It was an ordinary Tuesday in February, and I somehow managed to stay sober for three days in a row, and I found SR by googling "three days without drinking." SR and the people here literally saved my life.

SWB

-To be a better man for myself and my parter.
- no more withdrawals.
- more money in my pocket.
- energy to put to more positive things instead of hiding my secret life.
The list goes on, but those are the big ones.

Gerard52

I only have an idea how this might be, but I believe it and want to get there. Thank you.

Be123

Because when I drank alcohol I was seriously tricked.

Alcohol made me ill, tired, miserable, sweaty, almost-incontinent, unable to walk for six months, unable to leave my bed for days at a time, a crap dad, a crap husband, a zombie, obsessed with drinking/not drinking/next drinking session, bad at work, miserable (again), hungover, bloated, lethargic, sleepless, sexless, not enjoying food, not eating for days at a time, miserable (AGAIN), angry, resentful, tearful, aggressive, injured, unpredictable, MISERABLE.

Sitting at bar with a pint of cider, the first of the day, poured, convincing my stomach I could keep it down before the first, sickening taste. Invariably I couldn’t (keep it down, that is).

I was tricked in to thinking that was fun. My av still tries to convince me of this. I need to stay sober to stop this trickery controlling me

Dee74

I love being the authentic me

D

August252015

The immediate reason was I didn't want to die, and I finally believed that was what would happen in short order if I didn't quit.

The ultimate reason is because recovery gives me every reason to live.

HTown

I was so sick and tired of being sick and tired. I was ashamed of myself and felt suicidal. That is all gone. No more guilt, no more shame, and I am proud of myself now. No more suicidal thoughts. It is the best thing I ever did for myself.

froscow

Because the bottle will slowly but surely ruin my life, and then kill me.
It's life or death. I choose life.