My first post
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 1
My first post
Hello, found this website the other day, thought it might benefit me just to write some thoughts down for myself if anything at this point, so here goes.
My name's Rich, i'm 37 and I want to give up alcohol.
i'm currently 18 days without a drink, more on that later, first a little background.
I've been drinking since 14, always the one to have the extra beer etc, and I loved it. I remember the first time I felt the need to drink the day after a big session, I was 21 and at that moment by relationship with alcohol changed somewhat. Still pretty much all my 20's went by without too many problems. I had two long term girlfriends in my 20's, one for 2 years and one for 6 years, both expressed major concern at my drinking, but when we spilt up I put it down as 'I wasn't meant to be' After all I held my job down and was fairly well respected amongst my friends and family.
In my 30's though things changed massively drink is all I think about, My whole life works around drink, getting to the end of a work shift, drinking, sleep repeat. I put on loads of weight, all my money went on alcohol, some weeks 400 units, an average week 300 units, even when I was having a 'light' week i'd easily do 200 units.
The last 2 years have been the worse, I cannot hold a job down anymore. Also I fathered two kids with my then fiancé, she left me and now lives 50 miles away.
I only have alcohol to blame for this.
This August was the scariest for me physically. I was drinking from when I woke up until I went to sleep, never really getting drunk, but always having around 10 units in me. I felt very unwell towards the end of it, my skin was either grey, yellow or red! my body ached, my head was all over the place, and I went 3 days ox experiencing thinking I was going to pass out every minute, couldn't even stand up. I should have been in hospital really.
In the past I have flirted with giving up, probably 3 times in the last 10 years I have gone a month without drink, but with no real long term plan, and I always knew I was going to go back. This time I know I cant, not just mentally (which I havn't even begun to think about yet) but physically too.
19 days in and the positives I can take are I don't feel i'm about to die, my diet and sleep have improved, I still have bad headaches and ache's and pains in my body, but better than they were.
I have just spent the best part of 3 weeks doing online quizzes and watching film, ANYTHING to not drink. This obviously cannot be a long term plan, but it's certainly my plan for the first 30 days.
Then I need to start taking long term steps, i'm hoping forums like this will aid that.
Thanks for reading.
My name's Rich, i'm 37 and I want to give up alcohol.
i'm currently 18 days without a drink, more on that later, first a little background.
I've been drinking since 14, always the one to have the extra beer etc, and I loved it. I remember the first time I felt the need to drink the day after a big session, I was 21 and at that moment by relationship with alcohol changed somewhat. Still pretty much all my 20's went by without too many problems. I had two long term girlfriends in my 20's, one for 2 years and one for 6 years, both expressed major concern at my drinking, but when we spilt up I put it down as 'I wasn't meant to be' After all I held my job down and was fairly well respected amongst my friends and family.
In my 30's though things changed massively drink is all I think about, My whole life works around drink, getting to the end of a work shift, drinking, sleep repeat. I put on loads of weight, all my money went on alcohol, some weeks 400 units, an average week 300 units, even when I was having a 'light' week i'd easily do 200 units.
The last 2 years have been the worse, I cannot hold a job down anymore. Also I fathered two kids with my then fiancé, she left me and now lives 50 miles away.
I only have alcohol to blame for this.
This August was the scariest for me physically. I was drinking from when I woke up until I went to sleep, never really getting drunk, but always having around 10 units in me. I felt very unwell towards the end of it, my skin was either grey, yellow or red! my body ached, my head was all over the place, and I went 3 days ox experiencing thinking I was going to pass out every minute, couldn't even stand up. I should have been in hospital really.
In the past I have flirted with giving up, probably 3 times in the last 10 years I have gone a month without drink, but with no real long term plan, and I always knew I was going to go back. This time I know I cant, not just mentally (which I havn't even begun to think about yet) but physically too.
19 days in and the positives I can take are I don't feel i'm about to die, my diet and sleep have improved, I still have bad headaches and ache's and pains in my body, but better than they were.
I have just spent the best part of 3 weeks doing online quizzes and watching film, ANYTHING to not drink. This obviously cannot be a long term plan, but it's certainly my plan for the first 30 days.
Then I need to start taking long term steps, i'm hoping forums like this will aid that.
Thanks for reading.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 25,373
Welcome and well done on making this great decision.
I made sure to eat well and get some exercise outdoors every day in early days. I listened to classical instrumental music on Pandora. I read everything here. I posted daily, and I went to a few AA meetings looking for non-drinkers. All of it helped.
Hang on, it will get so much better and soon you will know real peace.
I made sure to eat well and get some exercise outdoors every day in early days. I listened to classical instrumental music on Pandora. I read everything here. I posted daily, and I went to a few AA meetings looking for non-drinkers. All of it helped.
Hang on, it will get so much better and soon you will know real peace.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Lakeside, Arizona
Posts: 1,138
Hang in there.
Honestly the first year for me I was pretty much doing everything I could not to drink.
I played a lot of video games, my brain was so foggy it was hard to even focus on TV.
For me it was a matter of simply adjusting to being sober. As I was never sober I had no idea what being sober was like and it was strange. My brain instinctively wanted to have a drink for every occasion. After some time I learned being sober was no big deal and life has become more enjoyable then it ever was before I picked up.
Honestly the first year for me I was pretty much doing everything I could not to drink.
I played a lot of video games, my brain was so foggy it was hard to even focus on TV.
For me it was a matter of simply adjusting to being sober. As I was never sober I had no idea what being sober was like and it was strange. My brain instinctively wanted to have a drink for every occasion. After some time I learned being sober was no big deal and life has become more enjoyable then it ever was before I picked up.
I hope our support can help you stay sober for good. Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 1,285
Hi Rich
18 days is fantastic !! Great going .
You did the right thing joining SR - it is a fantastic forum with lots of help, inspiration, solutions to questions , and just knowing you are not alone.
I am so happy for you that you have decided to give your body and mind a break to heal from this awful disease. You should be proud of taking this step.
Good luck and stay strong and keep posting.
18 days is fantastic !! Great going .
You did the right thing joining SR - it is a fantastic forum with lots of help, inspiration, solutions to questions , and just knowing you are not alone.
I am so happy for you that you have decided to give your body and mind a break to heal from this awful disease. You should be proud of taking this step.
Good luck and stay strong and keep posting.
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